CHICAGO -- Joakim Noah fell one assist short of his fourth career triple-double Thursday night, and the 6-foot-11 centre sounded almost embarrassed by his pursuit of that feat late in a rare comfortable home win by the Chicago Bulls. Moe Harkless Jersey . "Its not really good to play basketball that way," Noah said. "Focusing on your stats is not that cool, but I tried to get it." Following the Bulls 94-82 victory over the Boston Celtics, no one else in either locker room was about to criticize the focus on statistics at the end because Noahs playmaking ability was the main reason Chicago had a sizeable lead down the stretch in snapping a two-game home losing streak. He finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists to lead six Bulls scorers in double figures. "Noah is an all-around winning guy," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "I coached against Noah as an assistant in college in the Sweet Sixteen. Hes a guy who makes his teammates better in all the different ways. He even made the plays that will never get on the stat sheet -- pulling over and helping, being long and forcing us to make another pass or forcing us to miss a shot. "All those things add up at the end of the game." They just didnt add up to 10 assists. Carlos Boozer had 16 points, Luol Deng 14, Taj Gibson 12, Mike Dunleavy 11 and Jimmy Butler 10 as the balanced Bulls bounced back from a loss to Toronto on Tuesday in the opener of their four-game homestand. Jordan Crawford led the Celtics, who have lost two straight, with 22 points. Noah had nine assists early in the fourth quarter, but couldnt get another. Butler missed a jumper with 8 seconds left in a last-second gasp. "We really wanted him to get the triple-double," Gibson said. "I told him if I was in the game, I would have gotten it for him." The Bulls (13-18) could afford to laugh for a change. Their early-season troubles can be tied directly to their inability to win consistently at the United Center. The Bulls had dropped six of seven home games to fall to 7-7 at the United Center this season. Worse, five of the six losses came against teams with losing records at the time of the game. That stretch began two days after Chicago scored a 20-point home win against defending champion Miami. The Bulls also have a 16-point home win against Indiana, the club with the best record in the Eastern Conference. Even without star guard Derrick Rose, this team expects to win consistently at home. "We have to turn it around," Noah said. "To do that, everybody has to go in and give everything they have. We cant take any nights off. You cant play at 70 per cent, you cant play at 80 per cent. Youve got to give everything youve got every night." To help avoid the prolonged offensive droughts that have plagued his team in the past, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau decided to use Noah as more of a playmaker. "We have always run a lot of the offence through him, and thats what makes us a little different," Thibodeau said. Chicago moved ahead of the Celtics for eighth place in the Eastern Conference despite being five games under .500. "Theyve had their struggles, but thats not a 13-18 team," Stevens said. "As they get fully healthy, theyll continue to have success because they execute on both ends of the floor as well as anybody in the league. That being said, their offence is going to find itself, the shooting will find itself. It did a little bit tonight." NOTES: Celtics G Rajon Rondo, sidelined nearly a year since tearing his ACL, said before the game he is likely to play a stint in the D-League before returning. "I think thats what its for," he said. "Id probably be the first guy to do that, but it doesnt make a difference. I want to make sure Im healthy and handle it the right way. I havent had a preseason. I havent had a training camp." There is no timetable for Rondos return. ... The Bulls had a full complement of players -- other than Rose, who is out for the season -- for a second straight game after playing short-handed for virtually all of December. "The challenge is how quickly we can adapt to the moving parts," Thibodeau said. ... The Celtics, who have a home game Friday against New Orleans, had to stay in Chicago on Thursday night because of the weather. Jusuf Nurkic Jersey . The Italian football federation announced the appointment, three days after new president Carlo Tavecchio was elected. Tavecchio and Conte spoke on the phone early Thursday. C.J. McCollum Jersey .ca/CurlingSkins - with the Top 16 curlers earning a ticket to Banff, Alta. to compete in the TRAVELERS ALL-STAR CURLING SKINS GAME Presented by Pintys, running Jan. http://www.blazersprostore.com/Cheap-Al-Farouq-Aminu-Blazers-Jersey/ . -- Tony Finau won the Stonebrae Classic on Sunday for his first Web.NEW YORK -- Henrik Lundqvist is the king of the New York Rangers record book for goalies. He surged this season past Mike Richters mark for career wins (301) and dispatched Ed Giacomin on the shutout list (49). The only thing missing is a Stanley Cup ring. That is the one area in which Richter still has him beat. "The more pressure there is, the better he seems to perform. Thats what you want," first-year Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "I know he wants to win the Cup. ... Were going to need him to be at his best, but this is a team game." King Henrik got off to a good start Thursday night when he and the Rangers beat the Flyers 4-1 in the first-round playoff opener. Philadelphias first shot got past Lundqvist and put the Flyers ahead, but he stopped the other 14 that came his way. One win down, 15 to go to give the Rangers their first Stanley Cup championship in 20 years -- which in Rangers history is not all that long since Richter and the 1994 squad led by Mark Messier ended a 54-year drought. "Everybody wants to be known as a winner," Vigneault said. "Hank is one of the best goaltenders in the league, and his stats are there to back it up." By all accounts, the 32-year-old Lundqvist is a driven hard worker, relentless in preparation and desire to be the best. "His No. 1 quality is how hard he competes and how much he wants to win," Vigneault said. "You can tell every time he steps on the ice -- practices, games -- the focus that he has, the amount of internal pressure he puts on himself to always be at a high level. "The standards that he puts on himself are as high as any player that I have ever coached. That is why he has been in the elite goaltenders for the past 10 years." When he arrived from Sweden at 23, Lundqvist embraced the pressure of playing in New York and thrived on it, reveling in the citys culture. He is a model of consistency and might already have enough credentials to ensure his jersey will be lifted to the Madison Square Garden rafters next to Richters even if he doesnt deliver that championship. "The passion that I have for this gamee and trying to get better and the emotions you feel when you play is something you live for," Lundqvist said. Caleb Swanigan Jersey. "Those moments when you win a big game I cant compare to anything else I have in my life when it comes to the adrenaline, the pressure, the excitement. "You have moments throughout games and throughout seasons of where youre like, Wow. This is why I play. You dont feel that every day. You dont feel that always, but you have moments where you realize its all worth it." Lundqvist has 309 career regular-season wins and 50 shutouts. He is also the first goalie to reach at least 30 wins in eight of his first nine NHL seasons. Lundqvist was chosen by the Rangers in the seventh round of the 2000 NHL draft -- pick No. 205 -- when he was just 18. He remained in his native Sweden for the next several years and joined the Rangers for the first time in the 2005-06 season, making his NHL debut against Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils. "Your mindset is just to establish yourself, and fighting for your life almost every day and try to prove yourself because they dont really know what Ive done in Sweden for five years," Lundqvist said. "They dont really care what Ive done. Its about here and its about now. "It probably took me a couple of years before I felt comfortable and I knew that I had my role here." He stood out right away to John Davidson, a former Rangers goalie who backstopped the team to the 1979 Stanley Cup finals and then became a television analyst from 1986-2006. He broadcast games throughout Richters entire career and into the early stages of Lundqvists. "I didnt know a lot about him, but I remember when he came to the Rangers practice facility," said Davidson, now the president of hockey operations for the Columbus Blue Jackets. "I was standing on the glass the first day of camp, and I walked away three or four minutes after and I said, Theres the goalie. "He was polished. His work habits were exceptional. 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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Matt Pryor Super Bowl Jersey . - Dana Tyrell had two goals and an assist to lead the Springfield Falcons to a 6-4 victory over the St. Johns IceCaps on Friday night in American Hockey League action.Austin Madaisky, Sean Collins, Lukas Sedlak and Jerry DAmigo also scored for the Falcons (6-5-1).Kris Fredheim, Chase Balisy, John Albert and Will ONeill replied for St. Johns (3-7-4).Oscar Dansk picked up the win for Springfield, turning aside 32 shots.Peter Budaj made 21-of-26 saves for the IceCaps.The Falcons failed to score on four power-play opportunities while St. Johns found the back of the net twice on five attempts. Authentic Eagles Super Bowl 52 Jerseys . - After a back-and-forth battle throughout the season, Alex Guenette has earned the 2013 rookie of the year award for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 by just one point over Ryley Seibert. Jordan Mailata Super Bowl Jersey . Serves hit by her surgically repaired shoulder often missed the mark, resulting in 12 double-faults. http://www.cheapeaglessuperbowljerseys.com/ . He spent the rest of the game making up for lost playing time. Green scored a career-high 36 points, including eight in overtime, and the Phoenix Suns beat Denver 112-107 on Tuesday night to hand the Nuggets their fifth consecutive loss.CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Reds agreed to a $3.05 million, two-year deal with reliever Sam LeCure on Friday and one-year contracts with starter Mike Leake and reliever Alfredo Simon, leaving them with two players in salary arbitration. LeCure gets base salaries of $1.2 million this year and $1.85 million in 2015. The deal includes escalators and bonuses. Leake agreed to a $5,925,000 deal after exchanging arbitration figures on Friday. Leake was asking for $6.2 million in arbitration, the club offered $5,650,000, and they met at roughly the midpoint. Leake is coming off his best season, going 14-7 with a 3.77 ERA in 31 starts. The Reds remain far apart with starter Homer Bailey, who asked for $11.6 million and was offered $8.7 million. Bailey went 11-12 last season with a 3.49 ERA aand a club-high 199 strikeouts in 32 starts. Dallas Goedert Super Bowl Jersey. He also pitched his second no-hitter in two years. Bailey made $5.35 million last season. Closer Aroldis Chapman asked for $5.4 million while the club offered $4.6 million. The hard-throwing left-hander went 4-5 with 38 saves and a 2.54 ERA in 68 appearances with 112 strikeouts in 63 2-3 innings. First-year manager Bryan Price is considering using him for more than one inning at a time this season. If they cant reach an agreement, arbitration hearings would be held in February. All of Major League Baseballs arbitration cases were settled without hearings last year. The Reds settled with their other arbitration-eligible player on Thursday when outfielder Chris Heisey agreed to a $1.76 million, one-year contract. Cheap Nike Buccaneers Jerseys Cheap Nike Packers Jerseys Cheap Nike Vikings Jerseys Cheap Nike Lions Jerseys Cheap Nike Colts Jerseys Cheap Nike Texans Jerseys Cheap Nike Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Nike Dolphins Jerseys Cheap Nike Patriots Jerseys Cheap Nike Jets Jerseys Cheap Nike Browns Jerseys Cheap Nike Broncos Jerseys Cheap Nike Chiefs Jerseys Cheap Nike Bengals Jerseys Cheap Nike Steelers Jerseys Cheap Nike Titans Jerseys ' ' '

MONTREAL -- The Edmonton Oilers taught Montreal Canadiens forward Lars Eller a tough lesson. Jessie Bates III Jersey . Eller said the Oilers were a "junior team" that was "all over the place" before Edmontons 4-3 victory over Montreal on Tuesday night, Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins took offence to Ellers comments and used it to motivate his youthful team. "When youve got some young player whos trying to get his feet wet calling an organization a junior team, people take notice," said Eakins. "I knew it was going to turn. It makes for great banter in our dressing room. "That is a total hockey god thing. Im sure that young man has learnt his lesson, and I highly doubt youll see anything like that out of his mouth again." Eller, Montreals leading goal-scorer, had only one shot on net and didnt earn any points in the loss. "Hes a young player," said Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien of Eller. "I think hell learn from that. He made inappropriate comments." Ales Hemsky and Ladislav Smid both scored in the second period for Edmonton (3-6-1) to tie the game 2-2. Jeff Petry and Ryan Jones then had back-to-back goals in the third to give the Oilers a 4-2 lead. Tomas Plekanec and Brendan Gallagher struck in the first period to give Montreal (5-4-0) the lead and Brian Gionta scored with three seconds left to play. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was at the heart of Edmontons turnaround with two assists. "I got a huge momentum boost from (Eakins) talk between periods," said Nugent-Hopkins. "That was big for us. I thought we responded well. "Its what we needed at that point. We were losing battles, we werent playing with the passion that we need to win games in that situation." With the win, the Oilers ended a six-game road trip on a high. They went 2-3-1 on that stretch, and sit in last place in the Pacific Division. Plekanec put the Canadiens on the board first when he scored a power-play goal at 16:36 of the first period. Andrei Markov started the play, showing great vision with a diagonal cross-ice pass from the blue-line. Plekanec made no mistake slotting home his fourth goal of the season between Devan Dubnyks legs. Rookie Michael Bournival got an assist on the play. Gallagher increased Montreals lead less than two minutes later. Gallagher intercepted a poor clearance by the Oilers Jones and beat Dubnyk glove-side with a quick wrist shot. Edmonton answered with two goals of its own in quick succession. Hemsky scored the first at 12:50 of the second period, getting around Alex Galchenyuk with ease and beating Price above the shoulder. Smid then tied the game 2-2 with his first of the year, when he put the rebound of a Nugent-Hopkins shot into a gaping net at 15:37. Edmonton completed the comeback when Petry scored at 7:59 of the third. Nugent-Hopkins pretended to shoot on a 2-on-1, but instead dished the puck to Petry who made no mistake from close range. Jones put the game out of reach, scoring the eventual game-winner at 9:57. Brian Gionta scored a late consolation goal for the Canadiens with three seconds remaining. "We cant expect to play one period and win," said Gionta. "We had a great start, we did what we wanted to, we stuck to our game plan for the first period, and we didnt adjust after that. "We have to do a better job of finding a way to play 60 minutes." The injury-plagued Canadiens were without the services of Max Pacioretty, Brandon Prust and Daniel Briere. All three forwards sustained injuries last week. Edmonton was missing star forward Taylor Hall and veteran Ryan Smyth. Hall, who injured his knee on Saturday in the Oilers win over Ottawa, is expected to be out four weeks. Rookie defenceman Nathan Beaulieu, who was sent down to Hamilton on the weekend, was recalled by the Canadiens and played in place of Jarred Tinordi. Beaulieu finished the game with three blocked shots and 11:26 of ice time. Malik Jefferson Bengals Jersey . The Force had two men, including former Wallabies No. 8 Ben McCalman, in the sin-bin in the dying minutes of the match, but were able to resist a late Highlanders surge to post a four-try, bonus point win. Cincinnati Bengals Jerseys . JOHNS, N. http://www.bengalsgear.com/authentic-cordy-glenn-jersey.html . Rodgers was ruled out on Friday by Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. Matt Flynn will make his second consecutive start for the Packers.ANNECY, France -- Nathan Smith was the latest Canadian biathlete to secure a spot at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games on Saturday after a 16th-place finish at a World Cup event. The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15.1 seconds. "This is a huge relief as this result was pretty last minute," said Smith, who need a top-30 result on Saturday to avoid the domestic trial races in Canmore, Alta., next week. "Today was the best ski time Ive had yet at World Cup level, and a solid nine out of 10 in shooting. "Unfortunately my shooting speed was a lot slower than normal. I really had to slow things down and fight for every shot. Thankfully my skiing made up for this so in the end it was still an excellent result that Im very happy about." It was the second 16th place result for Smith this year. Junior world champion Johannes Thingnes Boe of Norway earned his first career win in thee event. Sam Hubbard Bengals Jersey. The 20-year-old Boe shot clean to finish in 22:06.7 seconds, putting him 32.9 ahead of Ondrej Moravec of Czech Republic, who also shot clean. Frenchman Martin Fourcade had one penalty and finished 37.1 back in third place. Reginas Scott Perass was solid in 31st spot at 23:34.7 (0+1), while Jean-Philippe Le Guellec of Shannon, Que., placed 49th (0+2) with a time of 24:09.8. In womens competition, Rosanna Crawford, of Canmore was the top Canadian finishing 26th (21:52.5) (1+0) in the womens 7.5-kilometre sprint event. Switzerlands Selina Gasparin shot clean to win the womens gold with a time of 20:51.5. Finlands Kaisa Makarainen won the silver medal at 2:59.7 despite missing one shot. Ukraines Valj Semerenko also missed one shot but hung on for the bronze medal with a time of 21:02.9. Megan Imrie of Falcon Lake, Man., place 40th at 22:17.8 (1+1), while Zina Kocher, of Red Deer, Alta., tied for 45th with a time of 22:26.4 (1+2), and Megan Heinicke, of Prince George, B.C., settled for 50th at 22:32.6 (1+2). 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BOSTON -- While Tampa Bay star Steven Stamkos injury was on everyones minds, the Boston Bruins were able to get back to playing hockey a lot quicker after it happened. Malik Beasley Nuggets Jersey . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. Stamkos was hurt with 7:11 to play in the second period. He entered the day tied with Pittsburghs Sidney Crosby as the NHLs leading scorer. Stamkos got tied up with Boston defenceman Dougie Hamilton and crashed into the right post. His left skate appeared to hit the post first before his right leg crashed into it around the shin area. He tried to get up twice before going down to the ice in pain, grabbing his leg just above the ankle. When he left the ice on a stretcher, players on both teams tapped their sticks on ice as the fans applauded in tribute. The Lightning confirmed on the teams Twitter account that Stamkos suffered a broken right tibia. No further information was available. "A player like that, I dont know how serious it is, but it looks pretty serious to me," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "You dont want to see that." Its bad news for the Lightning and for Canadas Olympic team. Stamkos was considered a lock to represent Canada at the 2014 Sochi Games. Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots for his 18th career shutout and second this season. Jarome Iginla added an empty-net goal with 59 seconds left. Anders Lindback, playing just his fifth game of the season, made 23 saves for Tampa Bay, which had a four-game winning streak snapped. "Injuries happen. Hes gone a long time in his career without being seriously hurt," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "Theres no sugarcoating it. Hes a huge part of our team. You can make an argument here that if you were going to hand out the MVP in our league now, you can give it to him. Is that a hole in our team? Yes, it is." The Bruins jumped ahead with just under three minutes left in the period when Bergeron scored off the rebound of Torey Krugs shot that caromed off the skate of Loui Eriksson. They made it 2-0 when Paille broke in down the right wing, shifted to his backhand and slipped a shot past Lindback inside the right post. During the play, Tampa Bay defenceman Sami Salo also appeared to hurt his right leg and had trouble making it to the bench. He was briefly assisted by one of the referees on the ice and didnt return in the third period. "Well, I mean that is a big blow for them. Nobody wants to see that happen to anybody," Iginla said. "He was obviously in a lot of pain and I didnt hear for sure what happened to him, but I imagine its got to be, for him not to get up, hes a tough player and plays hard and stuff. So he must have been in some serious pain." Tampa Bay veteran Martin St. Louis didnt know how bad the injury was, but felt his team still played tough. "I thought we played hard. We just couldnt get the puck in the net," he said. "We really cant think about (Stamkos injury) now. Weve got a game to play (Tuesday). Were going to be playing a lot of hockey. I dont know how bad it is. Its tough to comment. "We lost him tonight for a period and a half. I think its a big part of our team. I thought we battled." It was Tampa Bays second loss in nine games. The Lightning came into the day leading the NHLs Atlantic Division, but the loss of Stamkos will be a major blow. "Now weve got to pick ourselves up and see what were made of," Cooper said. "Its a tough one for the game. You want to see guys that have It and Steven Stamkos has It. Now well see what were made of. You talk about a test, this is a test." Boston won its third straight. NOTES: Stamkos streak of scoring a goal was stopped at six games. ... Boston won its seventh straight against Tampa Bay. ... The Bruins Krug, Dennis Seidenberg, David Krejci, Johnny Boychuk and Matt Bartkowski each bought $2,500 of tickets that were given to military members and their families, who had a chance to meet the players after the game. ... It was the 80th meeting between the franchises. Boston has won 51. ... The Bruins wore military-style camouflage jerseys during warm-ups. ... It was the Lightnings second of a three-game road trip. They play at Montreal on Tuesday night. ... Boston is off until hosting Columbus on Thursday. ... The game was the opener of an NHL-NBA doubleheader. The Celtics were slated to face Orlando at night. Danilo Gallinari Nuggets Jersey . Thats what he did over the past 2 1/2 years with the Washington Wizards. Wittmans approach helped turn the Wizards from pushover to playoff winners. Wilson Chandler Jersey . Ho-Sang is a highly regarded prospect, as seen in TSNs Midseason Rankings. This was Game 3 of their playoff series and that wasnt the only strange incident in Londons 10-2 win over Windsor. http://www.nuggetsproshop.com/Alex-English-Nuggets-Jersey/ . Roy says he will know more about Duchenes potential playing status Sunday. Duchene has been out since damaging the MCL in his left knee when he ran into a teammate against San Jose on March 29. Hes been skating on his own all week, before joining the team Saturday hours before a pivotal game in a series tied at 2.PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. -- Leon Draisaitl had two goals and two assists as the Prince Albert Raiders downed the Calgary Hitmen 5-2 on Friday in Western Hockey League action. Collin Valcourt, Josh Morrissey and Mackenzie Stewart also scored for the Raiders (32-30-5), who moved within two points of Brandon for the eighth playoff seed in the Eastern Conference, and Sawyer Lange chipped in with two assists. Jake Virtanen scored both goals for the Hitmen (44-17-7), who have dropped back-to-back games. Nick McBride made 32 saves for Prince Albert while Calgarys Chris Driedger stopped 23-of-27 shots in defeat. --- WARRIORS 6 BLADES 1 SASKATOON -- Dallas Valentine had a pair of goals as Moose Jaw handed the Blades their seventh straight defeat. Scott Cooke, Brayden Point, Tanner Eberle and Bryson Gore also scored for the Warriors (19-40-6) while Gore tacked on two assists for a three-point night. Moose Jaws Zach Sawchenko made 25 saves for the win. Ryan Graham scored the lone goal for Saskatoon (16-46-5). Troy Trombley allowed four goals on 22 shots before giving way to Brandon Kegler, who stopped 11-of-13 shots in one period of relief. --- OIL KINGS 6 WHEAT KINGS 3 BRANDON -- Curtis Lazar and Mads Eller each scored twice and Tristan Jarry made 26 saves as Edmonton doubled up the Wheat Kings. Brandon Ralph and Reid Petryk also scored for the Oil Kings (47-17-3) and Brett Pollock had two assists. Brandon (31-28-9) got goals from Ryley Lindgren, John Quenneville and Rihards Bukarts. Curtis Honey gave up three goals on eight shots for the Wheat Kings and was pulled after seven minutes of play. Jordan Papirny stopped 28-of-31 shots in relief. --- ICE 5 TIGERS 2 CRANBROOK, B.C. -- Jaedon Descheneau had two goals and an assist as Kootenay beat Medicine Hat for its first win in three games. Zach Franko, Tyler King and Jagger Dirk also scored for the Ice (38-25-4). Tommy Vanelli and Curtis Valk supplied the scoring for the Tigers (41-23-4). Mackenzie Skapski made 30 saves for Kootenay. Marek Langhamer allowed five goals on 27 shots in 41 minutes of action before Nick Schneider took over for the rest of the game. Schneider made three saves in relief. --- PATS 5 HURRICANES 2 LETHBRIDGE, Alta. -- Dawson MacAuley made 30 saves and Dyson Stevenson had a goal and two assists as Regina toppled the Hurricanes. Colby Williams, Logan McVeigh, Boston Leier and Braden Christoffer also scored for the Pats (38-24-6). Josh Derko scored both goals for Lethbridge (12-51-5), which has dropped 10 games in a row. Teagan Sacher turned aside 39-of-44 shoots for the Hurricanes. Allen Iverson Jersey. --- REBELS 4 BRONCOS 1 RED DEER, Alta. -- Wyatt Johnson and Aspen Sterzer each had a goal and an assist as the Rebels beat Swift Current. Conner Bleackely and Adam Musil also scored for Red Deer (33-30-5) and Patrik Bartosak made 33 saves for the win. Graham Black scored for the Broncos (34-25-9), who lost in regulation for the first time in seven outings. Eetu Laurikainen stopped 20-of-24 shots for Swift Current. --- WINTERHAWKS 7 THUNDERBIRDS 3 PORTLAND, Ore. -- Brendan Leipsic had two goals and two assists as the Winterhawks toppled Seattle. Matthew Dumba also scored twice for Portland (49-13-5), Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and two assists and Chase De Leo and Anton Cederholm added the others. Ryan Gropp, Shea Theodore and Russell Maxwell had a goal apiece for the Thunderbirds (39-21-6) and Mathew Barzal had two assists. Adin Hill made 11 saves for the victory after replacing starter Corbin Boes, who gave up three goals on 16 shots in 27 minutes for the Winterhawks. Seattles Taran Kozun stopped 33-of-40 shots in defeat. --- CHIEFS 4 COUGARS 2 PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. -- Mike Aviani scored twice as Spokane came from behind to defeat the Cougars. Keanu Yamamoto and Adam Helewka also scored for the Chiefs (37-24-6), who trailed 2-0 after 40 minutes of play, while Reid Gow tacked on three assists. Todd Fiddler extended his point streak to 19 games with a goal and Troy Bourke also scored for Prince George (26-35-8), which dropped its fourth game in a row. Garret Hughson made 34 saves for Spokane as Ty Edmonds turned away 25-of-29 shots in defeat. --- SILVERTIPS 4 AMERICANS 2 KENNEWICK, Wash. -- Austin Lotz turned away 32 shots as Everett downed Tri-City for its seventh win in its last eight games. Ivan Nikolishin, Logan Aasman, Matt Fonteyne and Brayden Low scored for the Silvertips (35-23-9). Lucas Nickles and Justin Gutierrez responded for the Americans (28-31-8), who hold down the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Tri-Citys Eric Comrie made 34 saves in a losing cause. --- ROYALS 5 BLAZERS 1 VICTORIA -- Ben Walker set up four of his clubs goals as the Royals downed Kamloops for their fourth win in a row. Travis Brown, Jack Walker, Brandon Magee, Axel Blomqvist and Brett Cote scored for Victoria (46-17-4) and Patrik Polivka made 17 saves for the win. The Blazers (13-50-5) got their lone goal from Ryan Rehill. Bolton Pouliot turned away 35-of-40 shots for Kamloops, which is just the second team to hit the 50-loss mark this season along with Lethbridge. Cheap Nike Buccaneers Jerseys Cheap Nike Packers Jerseys Cheap Nike Vikings Jerseys Cheap Nike Lions Jerseys Cheap Nike Colts Jerseys Cheap Nike Texans Jerseys Cheap Nike Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Nike Dolphins Jerseys Cheap Nike Patriots Jerseys Cheap Nike Jets Jerseys Cheap Nike Browns Jerseys Cheap Nike Broncos Jerseys Cheap Nike Chiefs Jerseys Cheap Nike Bengals Jerseys Cheap Nike Steelers Jerseys Cheap Nike Titans Jerseys ' ' '

Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn. Wyatt Teller Womens Jersey .ca! Kerry, First off, I love the Q&As that you do (even though I often wasnt your biggest fan when I was watching games growing up... just kidding... kind of). In the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning game Saturday night, I saw the official, referee Gord Dwyer, help Steven Stamkos to the bench after his skate blade broke. I have never seen this before in the NHL. Shortly after, Alex Killorn, the player who came on for Stamkos, scored the game-tying goal. I can understand picking up a loose stick on the ice, but helping a player to the bench during play seems unfair and I have never seen another official do that. Is this commonplace and I just dont see it more often, or was an unfair advantage given to Stamkos and the Lightning in this situation? Best, Brock R.Cedar Falls, Iowa --- Hi Kerry,I am sure you have had numerous emails about this incident but go on and choose mine for the column and show the worldwide profile NHL l now enjoys, even in Ireland. I was watching the Penguins and Lightning game Saturday and was more than perplexed by an incident that occured late in the third period. The incident resulted in a goal for the Lightning as a result of referee, Gord Dwyer, helping Steven Stamkos off the ice when he had an issue with his skate. Indeed one could argue Stamkos interfered, albeit minimally, with Paul Martin as he left the ice. My understanding was either Stamkos could make his own way off the ice, be assisted by line mates or failing that the referee would blow the play dead as he would for an injury and the resulting faceoff would take place outside the Pittsburgh defensive zone? What is your view on this? Darragh McMahon, Ireland. --- Kerry, Im sure you got more than one email on this, but its a bizarre play. How is the ref allowed to help a player (Stamkos) off the ice instead of blowing the play dead, and have that player bump into a player (Paul Martin) on the opposing team who is in the middle of the play? People want to say the NHL doesnt give stars preferential treatment, but all you have to do is play that clip. Thanks for reading and keep up the great column. Nick --- Hi Kerry What is your opinion on an official pushing Stamkos over to the bench after one of his skates broke? Thanks for your input. John Dickie --- The other night Im watching Penguins/Lightning and Stamkos loses his skate blade and the referee gives him a push halfway across the ice...what do you think about this and do you think its okay? Thanks, Dylan Rogers --- Dear Fans (With special welcome to Darragh McMahon all the way from Ireland): This certainly is an unusual situation (check out the viz) and magnified by the fact that Tyler Johnson (Steven Stamkos replacement) set up the Lightning power play goal scored by Alex Killorn which tied the game with 3:10 remaining in regulation. Gord Dwyer is a good and conscientious Referee. Gord is also a really good person. The Refs human instinct here was to assist a player that was placed in harms way once he witnessed Steven Stamkos slip, slide and stumble toward a potential groin injury (or worse) some 100 feet from his bench. This wasnt Star treatment that was being extended by Dwyer, but legitimate concern for a players well-being. The courtesy of providing two strides and a shove by the Ref was creative and would have been done for all the right reasons. With hindsight being 20-20 the end result supports the claim by some that, "No good deed goes unpunished!" You must first understand that theres no official policy on assisting a player that has sustained an injury or broken a skate and is attempting to make his way to the bench under his own power while handing a player that has lost his stick is a definite no-no. A policy might be instituted as a result of this intervention by Referee Dwyer but that remains to be seen. I will tell you that I have instinctively helped more than one injured player to his bench as play continued and even one with a broken skate that had no adverse effect. I know that many other Officials have done the same with regard to injured players. We not only want to ensure the player gets medical attention quickly but also to keep the play moving for game flow. Rule 8 advises us that play can be stopped immediately when a serious injury has been sustained; otherwise the Referee must wait for a change in puck possession unless his team is in a scoring position. While this was not an injury situation in the moment, Referee Dwyer might have decided to be proactive to prevent an injury from occurring. How can we fault him if that were the case? Had Steven Stamkos laid on the ice play could have been stopped or once the puck cleared the Pens zone an offside might result in a whistle with Stamkos still down. The Pens dumped the puck all the way down into the Lightning corner at the moment Steven Stamkos broke his skate blade. With the dump time and space was created for Stamkos to attempt his slide to the bench and for the Referee to allow his instincts to take over and assist. It certainly would have seemed innocent enough at the time for any Ref. Rule 63 (delay of game) states that play shall not be stopped nor the game delayed by reasons of adjustments to clothing, equipment, skates or sticks. This typically applies to situations when play has already been halted to avoid delays but the broad wording might also stretch to when play is actually in progress. At some point, common sense would take over and play would be stopped if a player could not make his way to the bench. Due to the ultimate scoring of the goal it is easy to suggest that an unfair advantage was offered by the Referee to the Tampa Bay Lightning. I believe that in this situation the Referee acted creatively and instinctively to assist a player that was in a difficult position without disrupting the flow of play. Unless Stephen Walkom issues a firm "hands off" policy to the Officials in situations such as this (hindsight aside), what Referee Gord Dwyer did speaks to the humanness of the Referees and Linesmen that place the well being of players first. Black Friday Bills Jerseys . 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I really believe if I put my mind in the right place, if I train hard and if I have a good support by my side, I can be the champion again and I can stay there for a long time.Dos Santos hasnt been in the octagon since his second loss to Velasquez 14 months ago — mostly because of a hand injury.Dos Santos said his hands, which have earned him 12 career stoppage victories with outstanding boxing skills, are more than 100 per cent. But in order to get another shot at Velasquez, Dos Santos wants to become a well-rounded fighter who can handle any heavyweights challenges.Im really confident with my boxing skills, he said. But I have jiu-jitsu. I have wrestling. I have muay thai. Why dont I use that too much with my fights? I want to be confident. I want to learn how to be confident to use those things in my fight. Authentic Bills Jerseys. If my boxing is not working that well, then lets do jiu-jitsu. You know? Try to find some holes in my opponent.Dos Santos and Miocic (12-1) are headlining a heavyweight-stacked card for the UFCs first live show in Arizona.Struggling contender Alistair Overeem (37-14) is taking on 7-footer Stefan Struve (29-6), who hasnt fought since March 2013 after getting treatment for a heart condition. Heavyweights Gabriel Gonzaga and Matt Mitrione also meet on the Fox show, while popular lightweight Nate Diaz came in five pounds heavy for his bout with Rafael Dos Anjos at Fridays weigh-in.Although Dos Santos place among the worlds best heavyweights isnt in doubt, Miocic hopes to join him with an upset victory. The part-time firefighter and paramedic from Cleveland who has won three straight fights expects the best Junior weve seen.Hes been a champion of the world, Miocic said. Itll be a great fight. I hope everyone knows my name (after I win).The winner of Saturdays main event will be in the mix for a title shot in 2015, whether the belt-holder is Velasquez or interim champ Fabricio Werdum. When Velasquez was forced to pull out of his defence in Mexico City in October due to a knee injury, Werdum stopped Mark Hunt and took the interim title.To get a shot at either title belt, Dos Santos knows he must best Miocic with conviction.I do think I need to do something impressive on Saturday night, he said. I want to show that Im still here and Im a top fighter. Cheap Nike Buccaneers Jerseys Cheap Nike Packers Jerseys Cheap Nike Vikings Jerseys Cheap Nike Lions Jerseys Cheap Nike Colts Jerseys Cheap Nike Texans Jerseys Cheap Nike Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Nike Dolphins Jerseys Cheap Nike Patriots Jerseys Cheap Nike Jets Jerseys Cheap Nike Browns Jerseys Cheap Nike Broncos Jerseys Cheap Nike Chiefs Jerseys Cheap Nike Bengals Jerseys Cheap Nike Steelers Jerseys Cheap Nike Titans Jerseys ' ' '

NEW ORLEANS - Deflated in Detroit one week. Billy Price Bengals Jersey . Sublime in the Superdome the next.And just like that, Drew Brees and the suddenly resurgent New Orleans Saints have first place in the NFC South division within their immediate grasp.Brees completed 27 of 32 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns, New Orleans defence produced big plays in the clutch and the Saints ended the Green Bay Packers four-game winning streak, 44-23 on Sunday night.Its been a long time coming, Brees said. Obviously, weve had our fair share of struggles early on here. Weve lost some heart-breakers. All we talked about all week long is just coming together as a team and playing a complete game as a team. ... It was a perfect representation of that.Rookie receiver Brandin Cooks had a 50-yard touchdown catch and a 4-yard scoring run, and tight end Jimmy Graham caught a touchdown pass. The Saints (3-4) pulled even in victories with Carolina (3-4-1), setting up a Thursday night showdown for first place in the NFC South.Aaron Rodgers, intercepted only once in Green Bays first seven games, was picked off twice on tipped passes and sacked three times. He still passed for 418 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb, but it was not nearly enough to prevent the Packers (5-3) from falling a game behind NFC North leader Detroit.Rodgers, who also complained of a sore hamstring, called the Packers performance uncharacteristic of our team and myself.Just taking points off the board is tough. We had chances, Rodgers said, lamenting three promising first half drives that ended in field goals. We would have had to score 45 to win tonight and we could have if we had done a better job taking care of the football and scoring in the red zone with touchdowns.Packers coach Mike McCarthy said he kept Rodgers in the shot gun formation to help him play through his sore hamstring and thought Rodgers was smart in avoiding exposure to further injury. McCarthy also dismissed the idea that the raucous environment in the Superdome, where the Saints are unbeaten since 2012, was an over-riding factor.I dont think a whole lot of defence was played here tonight, but they got turnovers, McCarthy said.Saints coach Sean Payton wasnt complaining about the 491 net yards his defence gave up, given the big plays the unit produced.Thats one of the best offences in the league, Payton said about Green Bay. That was a good team win in all areas.Except perhaps in the punting game — because there were no punt by either team, marking only the third time thats happened in NFL history. It has now happened twice this season, both times involving Green Bay, starting with the Packers 38-17 victory over Chicago on Sept. 28.Cameron Jordan had two sacks for New Orleans, one which forced a field goal in the first half. Kasim Edebali also had two sacks for New Orleans, his second on reserve QB Matt Flynn, who was in for mop-up duty and fumbled on the play.Brees completed all 11 of his passes in the second half, including a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Josh Hill, as the Saints improved to 3-0 at home this season. It also marked New Orleans 14th straight victory in a night game in the Superdome. Most of those games werent close, and the latest one followed suit.Green Bay was without two starting defensive backs: cornerback Sam Shields and safety Morgan Burnett. Compounding matters for the Packers defence was the strong running of Mark Ingram, which only made Brees play-action fakes more effective. Carrying a heavy load in the absence of injured running backs Pierre Thomas and Khiry Robinson, Ingram had 24 carries for a career-high 172 yards and a touchdown.Mark had a fantastic game. I thought we had good balance. Credit the offensive line, Payton said. The balance helped us tonight because we got some advantageous looks with heavy play-action shots downfield out of some run looks.Those included a 45-yard completion to Kenny Stills, which set up Cooks first TD.Packers running back Eddie Lacy, who grew up in the New Orleans area, had 181 yards from scrimmage — including 123 yards on eight catches — but was stopped on fourth-and-short in the third quarter. Soon after, Graham scored his first touchdown since injuring his shoulder in Week 5, giving New Orleans a two-score lead.The Saints first interception came when the Packers were in range of a go-head score early in the third quarter. Cornerback Corey White tipped a pass intended for Andrew Quarless near the goal line and linebacker David Hawthorne caught it. That led to Cooks second TD, which gave the Saints the lead for good.Payton set up New Orleans fourth-down stop by challenging the spot of a reception near the first-down marker. Initially ruled a first down, the spot was moved back a yard, then Hawthorne and defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker stuffed Lacy.White made New Orleans second interception in the fourth quarter.Notes: Green Bays Mason Crosby and New Orleans Shayne Graham each kicked three field goals in the first half, after which the score was tied at 16.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Mark Walton Jersey . -- San Francisco 49ers offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman is a finalist to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State, his agent said Monday. Sam Hubbard Jersey . The Swiss won on the fastest run-time tiebreaker after the four-racer teams tied 2-2. Wendy Holdener and Reto Schmidiger won their final heats against Julia Mancuso and Tim Jitloff, respectively. http://www.nflbengalsgearofficial.com/ .S. - Nova Scotias Mary Fay guaranteed at least one more match and a shot at the Canadian junior curling championships final on home ice.Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - OUTLOOK: Change has been good for the ACC the last couple of seasons and that trend should continue in 2014-15. The league added Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame last year and gets powerhouse Louisville this season to ease in alongside stalwarts North Carolina and Duke, forming arguably the most dominant conference in all of college basketball. Despite the embarrassment of an academic scandal in Chapel Hill over two decades, it is the Tar Heels that reign supreme heading into the 2014-15 campaign. Roy Williams squad won 24 games a year ago, but hasnt made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2010. With a solid core and a stellar recruiting class, UNC will find its way to the top of the ACC once again. If any recruiting class rivals UNCs it is Dukes. Mike Krzyzewski has once again reeled in tons of talent and that talent should help the Blue Devils push the Tar Heels and others for conference supremacy this season. After Miami surged to the top of the conference in 2012-13, it was Virginias turn a year ago, as Tony Bennetts Cavaliers finally put it all together in capturing the ACC crown. While improvement on a 30-win season is a lot to ask, the Cavaliers arent going away anytime soon. Expect them to defend their crown with stifling defense once again and hang around the top of the standings all season long. Holding down the fourth spot in the preseason is a nice place for newcomer Louisville to begin its ACC era. Rick Pitinos Cardinals may be young, but they are scary talented. That will go a long way in Louisvilles first season in the conference. The second tier in the ACC is probably good enough to win other conference crowns, as NC State, Syracuse and Florida State will jockey for position in the upper half of the league. A ton of experience returns for NC State, with the one glaring loss being last years ACC Player of the Year. Still, Mark Gottfrieds team can match its 22 wins from a year ago and perhaps improve on its 9-9 conference finish. Jim Boeheims Orange also lost a key component to the NBA, but recruiting is never an issue with Boeheim, whose squad is once again young and extremely gifted. The Orange won 28 games last season and finished second in the ACC. That wont happen this time around, but they shouldnt be too far off the mark. Two of the conferences top-20 scorers return to Florida State, which may be the biggest team in the league. From a physical standpoint, not many teams compare. Translating that into wins will be Leonard Hamiltons job. The next set of teams vying to climb the ACC ladder are Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Miami-Florida and Clemson. Jamie Dixons Panthers have a top-notch backcourt, but matching that production up front with a slew of newcomers is a tall task indeed. Mike Breys Irish get a boost from the return of their best player after being kicked out of school last year, but is there enough around him to help the Irish make a move in the right direction? Jim Larranagas Hurricanes are just a year removed from a conference crown, but last year was a dose of harsh reality with just seven conference wins. A similar fate may befall the Canes this time around, as too much hinges on newcomers. Brad Brownells Tigers won 23 games a year ago and made a nice run in the NIT. The team does have four starters back, but the one defection was all-conference. The bottom of the conference will feature Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Boston College. Three of those programs are under new management. Buzz Williams is a master motivator and the Hokies are likely to overachieve as a result, but inching close to .500 would be a huge step in the right direction after winning just nine games a year ago, including a mere two ACC bouts. The Yellow Jackets continue to rebuild with Brian Gregory, but he will need newcomers to perform at top level for Georgia Tech to make any significant move up the ACC. Wake Forest has found its man in Danny Manning. The former Conference USA Coach of the Year with Tulsa, Manning knows how to win both as a player (1988 national title) and as a coach. Rome wasnt built in a day, and neither will Wakes return to the ACC elite. It will take some time, but Manning is more than capable. Steve Donahue just couldnt get the job done at Boston College, which opted for Jim Christian to take over this season after a successful run in the Mid-American Conference with Ohio. There is some talent to work with in Chestnut Hill this season, just not enough to be relevant in terms of competing with the conference big boys. CONFERENCE CHAMPION: North Carolina PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. North Carolina, 2. Duke, 3. Virginia, 4. Louisville, 5. NC State, 6. Syracuse, 7. Florida State, 8. Pittsburgh, 9. Notre Dame, 10. Miami-Florida, 11. Clemson, 12. Virginia Tech, 13. Georgia Tech, 14. Wake Forest, 15. Boston College TEAM BY TEAM ANALYSIS: NORTH CAROLINA: An NCAA investigation continues to loom large in Chapel Hill, but so does heavy expectations for this years basketball squad. Roy Williams team is loaded with both veterans and an influx of young talent that should push the team to the top of the ACC. The team won 24 games a year ago, but a third-place finish in the conference standings simply isnt good enough at UNC. The team loses James Michael McAdoo to the NBA, but it may be a case of addition by subtraction, as the 2014-15 squad is shaping up to be a much more cohesive bunch. The backcourt will feature star guard Marcus Paige (17.5 ppg, 4.2 apg), but doesnt stop there. Nate Britt (6-1, 165) adds depth along the perimeter and the addition of McDonalds All-American Joel Berry (6-0, 188) could make the UNC backcourt special this season. Out on the wing another McDonalds All-American comes to town with tons of hype in the 6-6, 192-pound Theo Pinson, who can jump out of the building. The frontcourt has even more depth than the backcourt, starting with swingmen J.P. Tokoto (9.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and freshman Justin Jackson, yet another McDonalds All-American. Junior Brice Johnson (10.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and sophomore Kennedy Meeks (7.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg) will handle the dirty work in the paint. There simply arent many weaknesses when sizing up the UNC roster. The Tar Heels havent been in the NCAA Tournament for a few years, but that should change this season. DUKE: Not to be outdone by UNCs acquisition of three McDonalds All-Americans this season, Mike Krzyzewski nabbed four. In all the team has nine former McDonalds All-Americans on the roster, the most in the nation (tied with Kentucky). The Blue Devils must deal with the departure of stars Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood to the NBA, but the aforementioned dearth of quality youngsters should help fill the void. The Blue Devils boast of a really good point guard in Quinn Cook (11.6 ppg, 4.4 apg) and the scary thing is that he might be beaten out for the job by freshman sensation Tyus Jones (6-1, 180). Jones is a superb court general with a pass-first attitude, but possesses the requisite skills to fill up the basket as well. Throw in junior guard Rasheed Sulaimon (9.9 ppg) and freshman Grayson Allen (another McDonalds All- American) and Coach K has to like his options along the perimeter. The frontcourt is even deeper thanks in large part (pun intended) to the arrival of seven-foot freshman Jahlil Okafor. The top recruit in the country, Okafor (7-0, 265) is already slated as the No. 1 pick in next years NBA Draft. A do it all post presence, Okafor could vie for National Player of the Year this season. Junior Marshall Plumlee (7-0, 260) will give Okafor a breather at times and keep the big guy fresh. Versatile junior Amile Jefferson (6.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and freshman Justise Winslow will press for minutes along the wing. With more young talent than any team in the country, Duke will get its chance to get back in the ACCs drivers seat. VIRGINIA: Everything went right for the Cavaliers last season, as their tough- as-nails defensive mentality led to a program-record 30 victories, while they captured both the regular season and tournament titles in the ACC (first time in school history). Virginias ascension to conference elite came in steady fashion, with the team improving its conference mark in each of Tony Bennetts first five seasons. Improving on last years 16-2 league mark isnt likely this time around, but that doesnt mean Virginia will give up the conference crown without a fight. The Cavaliers lose scorer Joe Harris (12.0 ppg) and rebounder Akil Mitchell (7.0 rpg), but there is still plenty of depth. While not possessing the flashy playmakers that UNC and Duke have, Virginias roster is stockpiled with hard workers that have bought into Bennetts system. The backcourt this year will be headlined by All-ACC guard Malcolm Brogdon (12.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and London Perrantes (5.5 ppg, 3.8 apg). Both players handle the ball extremely well and arent prone to turnovers. Newcomer B.J. Stith, son of Virginia legend Bryant Stith could be a valuable scorer early on and give the team a serious perimeter threat. The frontcourt lacks a star, but makes up for it with numbers. Juniors Anthony Gill (8.4 ppg), Mike Tobey (6.4 ppg) and Evan Nolte (2.8 ppg) are serviceable, while freshman Isaiah Wilkins (step-son of Dominique) should push for minutes. The Cavs have a target on their backs this season, but that shouldnt stop them from staying within striking distance down the stretch. LOUISVILLE: The addition of Louisville to a conference as talent rich as the ACC almost doesnt seem fair. The Cardinals are only two years removed from an NCAA title and made a run to the Sweet 16 last season. Rick Pitino must find a way to replace All-American Russ Smith (18.2 ppg) and Luke Hancock (12.3 ppg), while taking a big step up in terms of competition from the AAC to the ACC. The cupboard isnt exactly bare, but matching last years 31 victories would be a minor miracle. First and foremost, the team must find a backcourt identity now that Smith has moved on. The point guard spot is in good hands with the return of Chris Jones (10.2 ppg), while the hope is that sophomore Terry Rozier (7.0 ppg) takes the next step in his development alongside. Spelling Jones at the point will be freshman Quentin Snider (6-1, 170), who has great potential as both a scorer and facilitator. Louisvilles frontcourt is in much better shape, thanks to Montrezl Harrells decision to return to school instead of jumping ship to the NBA. Harrell (14.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg) will vie for All-America honors as the go-to-guy for the Cardinals this season. Senior forward Wayne Blackshear (8.2 ppg) has plenty of experience, while freshman Shaqquan Aaron (6-7, 175) is dripping with potential. The Cardinals arent going to blow by many teams with gaudy point totals this season, but they possess the requisite defensive skills to have a very successful debut season in their new conference. NC STATE: Mark Gottfrieds Wolfpack picked up 22 wins last season, but the team struggled a bit in conference play, with a 9-9 ledger, good for just a seventh-place tie. The team was paced by a superstar in ACC Player of the Year T.J. Warren, who finished third nationally in scoring at a hefty 24.9 ppg. Unfortunately, that led to Warrens exodus to the NBA and leaves Gottfried without a centerpiece. There arent a ton of people worrying in Raleigh this year though, as most of the complementary pieces return. The backcourt will be a strength this season, led by senior guard Ralston Turner (10.5 ppg). Gottfried has the luxury of two quality ball handlers this season in sophomore Anthony Barber (8.5 ppg, 3.5 apg) and Alabama transfer Trevor Lacey (11.3 ppg, 3.2 apg two seasons ago). Throw in juco transfer Desmond Lee (8.4 ppg) and an NC State legacy in Chris Corchiani Jr. and the backcourt seems well stocked for the present and future. The frontcourt is where NC State must prove its worth. There arent any real commodities to speak of down low. The hope is that star recruit Abdul-Malik Abu (6-8, 230) makes an immediate impact. Sophomore forward Kyle Washington (6-9, 225) will get extended minutes as well after flashes of strong play in limited action a year ago. The Wolfpack arent likely ready to contend for the conference crown, but they will be competitive throughout and should remain in the upper half of the league standings. SYRACUSE: Jim Boeheims Orange were their usual selves last season, posting 28 total victories and finishing second in the ACC with a stellar 14-4 record. Syracuse has been very tough of late thanks to strong play at the point. A couple of years ago it was Michael Carter-Williams that bolted to the NBA early and this past season Tyler Ennis (12.9 ppg, 5.5 apg) was one and done. The frontcourt will also need an identity with the losses of C.J. Fair (16.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and Jerami Grant (12.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg). Boeheim is likely to go with another youngster at the point and the hope is that 6-3 freshman Kaleb Joseph fits the bill. A top-50 recruit, Joseph is a facilitator with a ton of energy. Harnessing it will be job one. Perimeter scoring will come in the form of junior guard Trevor Cooney (12.1 ppg). The departures of Fair and Grant up front cannot be minimized. However, Rakeemm Christmas (6-9, 250) is a force down low, especially defensively. Cordy Glenn Bengals Jersey. A healthy DaJuan Coleman (6-9, 280) will provide another big body and freshman Chris McCullough (6-10, 220) can block shots as well. Junior forward Michael Gbinije could surprise a lot of people with more playing time. This will once again be a team relying on a very young point guard. If Joseph delivers like his predecessors, Syracuse will remain competitive in a top-heavy ACC. FLORIDA STATE: It may be a little surprising, but FSU ranks third over the last six years in conference wins (62). Leonard Hamilton gets the job done year-in and year-out and last season was no different, as the Seminoles amassed a 22-14 record overall. The team loses Ian Miller (13.7 ppg) and Okaro White (13.6 ppg), but Florida State shouldnt miss a beat, with a nice returning core of players, some talented additions and of course, the bruising style of play that is synonymous with FSU. The hope in the backcourt is that freshman Xavier Rathan-Mayes (6-4, 210) has been worth the wait. Ruled ineligible a year ago, Rathan-Mayes will finally suit up for FSU at the point. That should allow 6-3 junior Devon Bookert (8.5 ppg) to be much more of a scorer this time around and really complement outstanding junior Aaron Thomas (14.5 ppg) along the perimeter. FSU will boast of the biggest frontcourt in the ACC thanks to three seven-footers on the roster. Junior Boris Bojanovsky (5.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.9 bpg) is the best of the big men, that includes Kiel Turpin (7-0, 225) and Michael Ojo (7-1, 292). Freshman forward Phil Cofer (6-8, 205) will get every opportunity to thrive in FSUs frontcourt this season. The defense will once again be there for Florida State, but if the offensive weapons materialize as well, Hamilton may have one of his better squads in some time and that is saying a lot. PITTSBURGH: The Panthers certainly asserted themselves as a force to be reckoned with in their debut season in the ACC, finishing 26-10 overall and a respectable 11-7 in conference play, good for a fifth-place finish. Jamie Dixons squad must move on without stars Lamar Patterson (17.1 ppg) and Talib Zanna (13.0 ppg, 8.6 rpg) and that is a daunting task given the state of the roster this season. Long known for its defensive tenacity, Pitt may need to lean on that in 2014-15, at least early on. The Panthers has some stability in the backcourt with the return of both senior Cameron Wright (10.5 ppg) and junior James Robinson (7.6 ppg, 4.1 apg), Expect more from sophomores Josh Newkirk (4.6 ppg) and Chris Jones (2.4 ppg) as well. Sophomore forward Michael Young (6-9, 235) is the go-to-guy up front to start the year. The hope is that a healthy Durand Johnson (6-6, 210) is back to form and that Vanderbilt transfer Sheldon Jeter (6-8, 225) can provide offensive balance. Juco transfer Tyrone Haughton (6-9, 220) could evolve into a solid pivot, although he is a much better defender and shot blocker than scorer at this time. Dixon seems to always have a squad that can impose its will on opponents on the defensive end. That may need to be the gameplan once again until offensive weapons emerge. NOTRE DAME: Mike Breys squad lost one of the ACCs top scorers a year ago and as a result, the Irish were never the same, finishing a dismal 15-17 overall, with a mere 6-12 league ledger. It marked Notre Dames first losing season since before the turn of the century. The good news is that the return of Jerian Grant should push the Irish back over the ,500 mark all but itself. Grant is a dynamic scorer, who netted 19.0 points and 6.2 assists per game in the 12 he played last season before being shelved for the year. He has found his way back on the court for Notre Dame and that is a huge plus for this team going forward. Grant will be joined in the backcourt by sophomore Demetrius Jackson (6.0 ppg), who did some nice things as a freshman last season. Jackson will see an increased role with the departure of Eric Atkins (13.9 ppg). Senior Pat Connaughton is a jack-of-all trades out on the wing, providing scoring (13.8 ppg), rebounding (7.1 rpg) and distribution skills (3.0 apg). Center Garrick Sherman (13.5 ppg. 7.3 rpg) was solid in the middle for Notre Dame last year, but has moved on. A couple of incoming freshmen will get a chance to make an impact in Bonzie Colson (6-5, 225) and Martinas Geben (6-9, 230), while 6-9 junior Zach Auguste (6.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg) will move from valuable reserve to primetime contributor this time around. The Irish will improve simply with Grant on the floor all year long. However, to make a move up the conference ladder, the newcomers will need to excel from the get-go. MIAMI-FLORIDA: Despite having a slew of newcomers last season, Jim Larranaga managed to lead the Hurricanes to a winning record. The Hurricanes did win the ACC the year prior, but a 17-16 overall mark was really a solid job considering all that had to be replaced from that championship squad. Unfortunately, this season will likely mirror last year, as the team needs to replace a ton of talent, including Rion Brown (15.5 ppg) and Garrius Adams (10.2 ppg). The good news is that Kansas State transfer Angel Rodriguez is ready to suit up and handle the point. A gifted distributor and defender, Rodriguez posted 11.4 points and 5.2 assists per game for the Wildcats two seasons ago and was an All-Big 12 defensive team member two times. The point guard spot is settled, leaving scoring along the perimeter to be vetted out. Texas transfer Sheldon McClellan could be the man for the job, after averaging 13.5 ppg in 2012-13 with the Longhorns. Sophomore guard Manu Lecomte (7.7 ppg) showed flashes of strong play a year ago and a lot is expected of incoming freshman scorer DeAndre Burnett (6-2, 191), who averaged a ridiculous 37.0 ppg as a high school senior. The frontcourt isnt nearly as stocked as Miamis backcourt and balance may be hard to come by. There simply werent any players of note on the roster following last year, but the hope is that Niagara transfer Joe Thomas (6-7, 235) and/or incoming freshmen Chris Stowell (6-7, 190) and Omar Sherman (6-8, 220) can develop into solid contributors. CLEMSON: Brad Brownell was on a bit of a hot seat at Clemson a year ago, but his team responded with a 23-win campaign and a sixth-place finish in the ACC (10-8), resulting in a six-year extension for Brownell. No player meant more to his team than forward K.J. McDaniels, who averaged 17.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, while also being named the ACCs Defensive Player of the Year. McDaniels has moved on to the NBA, leaving a huge hole to fill along the frontline for the Tigers in 2014-15. Clemson made it to the NIT semifinals last year and does return four starters from that group, so the cupboard isnt completely bare. The backcourt is in good hands with veterans like seniors Rod Hall (9.7 ppg, 4.0 apg) and Demarcus Harrison (7.8 ppg) and junior Jordan Roper (7.4 ppg) back in the fold. Redshirt freshman Patrick Rooks and true freshman Gabe DeVoe add to the perimeter depth on the roster. The frontcourt is void of that kind of depth and will likely keep the Tigers fighting for position in the ACC all year long. Sophomore forward Jaron Blossomgame showed flashes of strong play a year ago, but suffered a leg fracture in the postseason. Blossomgame needs to take it to the next level as a key figure up front for Clemson this season. The center position will be manned by junior Landry Nnoko (6-10, 250), who was third in the ACC in blocked shots a year ago. Freshman Donte Grantham (6-8, 205) is the prized recruit coming in and will need to make an immediate impact for Clemson to compete at a high level this season. VIRGINIA TECH: Three straight last-place finishes in the ACC was simply more than the Virginia Tech brass could handle, prompting an all-around change. The streak should stop there with the arrival of Buzz Williams, who left Marquette for the task at hand in Blacksburg. The roster is well stocked with four of five starters returning and a strong recruiting class. The backcourt will feature a myriad of options starting with 6-1 junior Adam Smith (11.0 ppg), 6-5 sophomore Ben Emelogu (10.5 ppg) and 6-4 sophomore Devin Wilson (9.2 ppg). A lot is expected of incoming freshman Ahmed Hill (6-4, 197) as well. The frontcourt isnt nearly as loaded, although familiar faces like senior forward C.J. Barksdale (8.1 ppg) and junior forward Joey van Zegeren (6.4 ppg, 1.7 bpg) should provide some balance. Juco transfer Shane Henry (6-8, 193) is on the frail side, but plays much bigger with his rebounding and shot-blocking skills. The Hokies ranked 326th in the nation in scoring last season, but that is likely to change this time around. Despite improved scoring though, scaling the ACC landscape is a few years away, even for Williams. GEORGIA TECH: Brian Gregory was supposed to deliver in 2013-14, but a slew of injuries prevented Georgia Tech from making a move up the ACC, instead finishing with a mere 16-17 overall mark and a tie for 11th in the conference at 6-12. Excuses arent acceptable though and Gregory could find himself on the hot seat in 2014-15 if things dont get better fast. The good news is that the backcourt seems to have some depth. USF transfer Josh Heath will get the first crack at the point. Heath left USF after his father, Stan was fired as head coach. He has been given immediate eligibility and has three seasons left. Travis Jorgenson (6-0, 177) will see minutes at the point as well following a redshirt year last season for an ACL injury. The two distributors will try to get the ball to scorers in junior guard Marcus Georges-Hunt (11.7 ppg) and prized recruit Tadric Jackson (6-2, 220). The frontcourt has much more work to do, thanks in part to the transfer of Robert Carter (11.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg) to Maryland. Likely candidates to replace Carters production include East Carolina transfer Robert Sampson (9.1 ppg, 9.2 rpg in 2012-13), Maryland transfer Charles Mitchell (6.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and Ole Miss transfer Demarco Cox (6-8, 276). Scoring along the perimeter will be a strength, but if balance doesnt come in the frontcourt and Georgia Tech doesnt start showing results in the win column, the writing could be on the wall for Gregory. WAKE FOREST: The Demon Deacons did finish last season with a winning record (17-16), but an 11th-place finish in the ACC (6-12) simply wasnt the kind of year that Wake Forest was looking for. The powers that be went out and made a huge splash by landing one of the most accomplished players in the history of college basketball in Danny Manning. The hope is that the former Conference USA Coach of the Year with Tulsa will make a difference right out of the gate in Winston-Salem and restore Wake Forest to conference relevancy. There are some key losses, most notably Travis McKie (10.7 ppg) and Coron Williams (10.2 ppg), but there is enough left on the roster, along with some intriguing newcomers that points to a bright future for the Demon Deacons. The backcourt returns 6-3 junior Codi Miller-McIntyre, who can both score (12.6 ppg) and distribute (4.2 apg). Freshman Mitchell Wilbekin (6-1, 165) signed on at Tulsa and was allowed to come over when Manning made the move. He is the younger brother of SEC Player of the Year Scottie Wilbekin (Florida) and has some of the same attributes as his accomplished brother. Wakes frontcourt has talented depth, starting with 6-9 junior Devin Thomas (11.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg). Campbell transfer Darius Leonard (6-9, 225) could develop into a go-to player under Mannings watchful eye, after averaging 10.2 ppg for the Camels a year ago. Juniors Andre Washington (7-0, 240) and Aaron Roundtree III (6-8, 195) provide defensive grit. Wake is in good hands with Manning, although a climb up the ACC isnt expected in year one. BOSTON COLLEGE: Jim Christian did some nice things at Ohio the last couple of seasons and the hope is that it will carry over to Chestnut Hill, as Boston College moves away from the Steve Donahue experiment. The Eagles finished with just eight total wins a year ago despite having a couple of top-notch scorers, with only four wins coming in an ugly conference run that saw the team finish in 14th place. Joe Rahon (9.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.2 apg) was a savvy do-it-all guard but he is now gone. Senior Lonnie Jackson (7.0 ppg) will see more minutes at the point as a result. The off-guard spot is much more stable with the return of prolific scorer Olivier Hanlan (18.5 ppg), who scores from all over the floor. Rotational players in the backcourt include Old Dominion transfer Dimitri Batten (11.0 ppg) and seniors Patrick Heckmann (6.0 ppg) and Alex Dragicevich (3.9 ppg). The frontcourt lacks similar depth, and the transfer of two-time All-ACC forward Ryan Anderson (13.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg) to Arizona only adds to the problem. The team may be alright if oft-injured big man Dennis Clifford (7-1, 250) can stay healthy. Clifford played just two games a year ago due to injuries. There just arent many standout performers on a roster in desperate need of them. The Eagles will remain at the bottom of the conference as a result, although Christian will have them competing each and every game. 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LUXEMBOURG -- Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark won her first tournament of the year, beating German teenager Annika Beck 6-2, 6-2 in Sundays final of the Luxembourg Open. Chiefs Jerseys China . Wozniacki, ranked ninth in the world, completed a confidence-building week in which she only lost one set by dominating throughout against her 19-year-old opponent. She wrapped up the match in 1 hour, 14 minutes, leaving the 57th-ranked Beck with little more than the experience of having played in her first WTA tournament final. Victory gave Wozniacki her 21st career title and ended a year-long drought. She never went beyond the fourth round in a grand slam this year. Wholesale Chiefs Jerseys . The Toronto Maple Leafs forward and Nashville Predators goaltender highlighted Mondays waiver transactions, with Calgarys Chuck Kobasew and Edmontons Philip Larsen also being placed on waivers. Youth Armani Watts Jersey . Lynchs attorney, Ivan Golde, told The Associated Press on Thursday of the plea deal that was reached with the Alameda County District Attorney Office. The plea will be formally entered in court in Oakland, Calif. http://www.wholesalekansascitychiefsjerseys.com/?tag=youth-dorian-odaniel-jersey . An in-person hearing allows for Garbutt to be suspended for five games or longer as per the leagues Collective Bargaining Agreement. Garbutt delivered a high hit to Penner in the second period of Sundays game.NEW YORK -- U.S. captain Tom Watson went with experience and a gut feeling Tuesday night when he filled out his Ryder Cup team with Keegan Bradley, Hunter Mahan and Webb Simpson. Not so valuable was recent success. He left out Chris Kirk, who finished higher in the final Ryder Cup standings than Simpson, and who won the Deutsche Bank Championship a day earlier by going head-to-head with Rory McIlroy the final 36 holes. "That was a snapshot," Watson said of his decision not to take Kirk. The other two choices were not surprising. Even though Bradley has not won a tournament in two years and missed out by three spots qualifying on his own, he has raw power suited for this event and won all three matches in a partnership with Phil Mickelson two years ago at Medinah. Mahan is the only pick who has been on a winning team, though he is associated more with the wrenching emotion that losing brings. Mahan was in the decisive match four years ago at Wales when Graeme McDowell made all the right shots in another European victory. Mahan was left off the 2012 team, even though he narrowly missed qualifying. Whomever he chose, Watsons message was clear. The Ryder Cup, to be played Sept. 26-28 at Gleneagles, is all about redemption. The Americans were poised to win at Medinah two years ago when they took a 10-6 lead into the final day, only for Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer to deliver key putts and big comebacks that allowed Europe to retain the cup. Europe has won seven of the last nine times, and it will be heavily favoured in Scotland. Earlier Tuesday, at the European Tour headquarters in Wentworth, captain Paul McGinley selected Poulter, Lee Westwood and Stephen Gallacher, who will be 39 when he makes his Ryder Cup debut in his home country. Bradley said last week at the Deutsche Bank Championship there wasnt a moment that he was not thinking about the Ryder Cup. He feared being left off the team when he finished his round on Monday, and shared an emotional hug with his girlfriend when Watson gave him the good news. "I made no secret how badly I want to go back and win the Ryder Cup," he said. "This is a redemption year for a lot of guys who were on the team last year." Bradley and Simpson are among seven players who were on that U.S. team that was on the losing end of the "Miiracle at Medinah. Cheap Chiefs Jerseys Authentic. " The others are Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson. The U.S. captain will be 65 when he leads his team, the oldest captain in history. Watson last was at the helm in 1993 at The Belfry, which also is the last time the Americans won the Ryder Cup in Europe. He said Bradley and Mickelson likely will play together, as will Simpson and two-time Masters champion Watson. The captain said he was leaning toward a couple of players Monday night, but went with his instincts in taking Simpson. He said he looked at the 2012 results and saw a pair of 5-and-4 victories by Simpson and Watson during team matches. In the Sunday singles, Poulter won the last two holes for a 2-up victory over Simpson. As for Kirk, he might as well keep those tickets for the Tennessee-Georgia game on Sept. 27. Even after winning a FedEx Cup playoff event for the biggest title of his career, Kirk said he was not entitled to a pick because he didnt earn his spot on the team. Watson loved the attitude. He just went with Simpson, instead. Simpson is No. 32 in the world, the lowest-ranked player on the U.S. team. He tied for ninth at the Deutsche Bank Championship, and knew it might be tough when Kirk won the tournament. "It was a big win for him. I knew it was going to be a difficult decision," Simpson said. "But I knew a good, solid week would make it tough for the captain not to pick me." Mahan was a popular pick after his victory at The Barclays against one of the strongest fields of the year. Furyk, Mahan and Mickelson are the only Americans on the team who know what its like to celebrate a victory. They all played on Paul Azingers team at Valhalla in 2008, while Furyk and Mickelson were part of the Great American Comeback at Brookline in 1999. Mahan knows better than most what its like to lose. The 2010 matches came down to the final game, and McDowell went 2-up with a birdie on the 16th hole. Mahan stubbed a chip short of the 17th green that all but secured a European victory, and it seemed to him as though all of Wales stormed across the green when it was over. "Losing lingers," he said. "Its been four years, but it feels like yesterday. I remember walking off the green and everyone was having a big party, and I felt like I was walking by myself for 600 yards to the clubhouse." Cheap Nike Buccaneers Jerseys Cheap Nike Packers Jerseys Cheap Nike Vikings Jerseys Cheap Nike Lions Jerseys Cheap Nike Colts Jerseys Cheap Nike Texans Jerseys Cheap Nike Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Nike Dolphins Jerseys Cheap Nike Patriots Jerseys Cheap Nike Jets Jerseys Cheap Nike Browns Jerseys Cheap Nike Broncos Jerseys Cheap Nike Chiefs Jerseys Cheap Nike Bengals Jerseys Cheap Nike Steelers Jerseys Cheap Nike Titans Jerseys ' ' '