ST. LOUIS -- When coach Ken Hitchcock looked at the schedule his St. Louis Blues faced to start the season, he just was hoping for the best.The Blues had to open with back-to-back Central Division games in Chicago and at home against Minnesota before hosting the New York Rangers on Saturday night.This is a hellacious start to the season, Hitchcock said. I think we understand how critical the start to the season is and how important your competitive level in your first 10 games at home matters. You get behind the eight ball and dont have a winning record at home early, youre not going to be able to catch up.We knew we were opening up with three games in four nights against really tough teams. The Rangers are a heck of a team. We knew we had to get points in at least two of these games.St. Louis took care of that goal with a 5-2 win in Chicago and a 3-2 victory Thursday night over the Wild, which featured a goal and an assist from right winger Nail Yakupov, acquired in a trade from Edmonton just five days before the season opened.Its the first time the Blues have begun the season with consecutive wins since they opened the year 4-0 in 2013-14.Yakupov, the first overall pick in the 2012 draft who had not played up to those lofty expectations with the Oilers, is hoping to make more contributions to his new team as he settles in to his new surroundings.This organization got you for some reason, right? said Yakupov, who had only eight games out of the 250 he played for Edmonton in which he registered both a goal and an assist. They didnt just take you for luck or something.I know this is a good team. I havent been on a team all my life that was a really good team. This is a great opportunity to grow your game and grow as a person. When you are moving even from house to house you have to get used to your new house, but Im happy.The Rangers come into Saturdays game off a season-opening 5-3 win at home over the New York Islanders on Thursday night.Their lineup featured seven new players, and five of them recorded at least one point in the victory.A lot of guys played with a lot of jump, said goalie Henrik Lundqvist. There was a great energy in the room. We had a stretch in the third where obviously we just have to manage the puck a little bit better with odd man rushes.Thats how you get hurt in this league. Thats how we got hurt a little bit last year. If we just clean that up, we are in good shape.After number one goalie Jake Allen won the first two games for the Blues, Hitchcock said backup Carter Hutton, who signed as a free agent over the summer, will start against New York. 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The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed. SINGAPORE -- While Angelique Kerber was winning her third straight match at the WTA Finals, she glanced courtside and noticed three famous spectators in the crowd -- Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova and Monica Seles.Kerber, ranked No. 1 in the world and a two-time Grand Slam champion, took it as a sign that she has really arrived.I just looked once over there, and all the great legends and champions, they are sitting there, Kerber said. Of course its a great feeling that Im on court and they are watching me. Now I can say I am one of those players that won Grand Slams and being the No. 1 player in the world.In a year that marks a full decade of Kerber playing on the tour, the Germans banner 2016 season has taken her to the top of the sport.Kerber beat then No. 1 Serena Williams in the Australian Open final for her first major title in January, and downed Karolina Pliskova at the U.S. Open last month for her second Grand Slam championship. In between, she reached the Wimbledon final, losing to Williams, and won an Olympic silver medal in Rio de Janeiro.To top it off, the 28-year-old Kerber became the oldest player to reach the No. 1 ranking for the first time following her U.S. Open triumph.The first special moment was in Australia when I won my first Grand Slam, said Kerber, recounting her magical season in Singapore. This feeling I will never forget. Also, with New York this was really special tournament for me in my career where everything starts in 2011 (she reached the 2011 semifinals). Olympics as well. I was always dreaming to win a medal.I had a lot of great mmoments this year, she added.dddddddddddd.Kerber ended the previous four seasons in the top 10. But 2016 delivered a more focused, determined and experienced competitor.I think for me its also good that Im in this age right now where I can really enjoy it, Kerber said. I had so many experiences from the last few years, and now Im just trying to enjoy, but still work hard.Agnieszka Radwanska finds inspiration in Kerbers incredible season.I think Angie showed everyone, all of us, that its possible, Radwanska said. You can beat Serena, also in a Grand Slam final. She definitely proved that everybody can be on the top.Kerber is showcasing her strengths at the WTA Finals, where she has won all three of her round-robin matches to reach the semifinals of the year-end tournament. In her three previous appearances at the finals, she had failed to advance past the round-robin stages.Its completely different feeling right now, Kerber said. Now I know how to go out there with all the pressures I have on my shoulders. I know how to play and how to focus on what Im doing on the court.It doesnt matter who Im playing or like what the score is or how the situation is, she added. I think I learned a lot in the last few months. Doesnt matter if its the first or last round, Im just going out there to play my game.--This story has been corrected to remove reference to Kerber being the fourth player in the Open era to reach three Grand Slam finals in a season. ' ' '