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With two days to go until Wednesdays 3pm et deadline, theres some trade speculation surrounding Jason Spezza and the Ottawa Senators. Junior Galette Saints Jersey . Sources tell TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger that the team is quietly gauging interest on the Senators captain, though Spezza has a limited no-trade clause and carries a large contract. The news comes amidst other reports that the Senators have been searching for a winger to play with him. However, general manager Bryan Murray says he has not talked about the 30-year-old centre. "I had one guy ask if I want to comment to quiet the rumours and I said, No. Im not going to ... The more I say about it the more its going to be played over and over in the next couple of days," Murray told reporters in Vancouver, where the Senators beat the Canucks 4-2 in the Heritage Classic on Sunday. "Ill just say we have not talked, at this point in time, about Jason Spezza." Spezza, who was named captain last fall after the departure of free agent Daniel Alfredsson, has one year remaining on his current deal which pays him $4 million next season - but with a $7 million cap hit. The team signed him to a seven-year, $49 million contract in 2007. He has 15 goals and 46 points in 56 games this season. Saints #92 Jersey . The 25-year-old Spaniard, who joined United from Chelsea in January, scored twice, including directly from a free kick, to take his tally to three goals in his last two games. "I think he has made us better," United manager David Moyes said. Saints #23 Jersey . Third-place Napoli remained three points ahead of Fiorentina, which won 2-0. "We played with high intensity and skill, at a very high level," Napoli coach Rafa Benitez said. "Higuain is making the difference but his teammates helped him a lot.LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- Jayna Hefford scored the winning goal Friday as Canada survived a scare with a 4-3 win over Sweden at the Four Nations womens hockey tournament. The Swedes looked like they were on their way to an upset when they scored goals 20 seconds apart to take a 3-1 lead early in the second period. But Canada responded and was spared blushes as Natalie Spooner scored two straight goals, setting up Heffords winner. "We really dont feel like we played our game very well today and there was a bit of a struggle throughout," Hefford said. "But sometimes games are like that. You have to grind them out and chip away, and thats how we looked at it." Canada finished the round-robin portion of the tournament with a 3-0 record and advanced to Saturdays final against Finland (2-1), which stunned the United States 3-1. Meghan Agosta-Marciano also scored for Canada, while Shannon Szabados made eight saves on 11 shots. Sweden goaltender Valentina Wallner was outstanding, making 41 saves on 45 shots. Anna Borgqvist, Jenni Asserholt and Lina Backlin scored for Sweden, which finished the tournament 0-3. Canada brrought a younger squad to the Four Nations tournament, leaving several veterans, including talismanic leading scorer Hayley Wickenhiser, off the roster for a rest. Saints #8 Jersey. Coach Dan Church said he welcomes the way the young squad battled through adversity. "Coming out and struggling in the first two periods today wasnt part of our game plan," Church said. "But the response form our group was good in the third period. "The young players have really worked hard over these last three games and that is what you want to see. Leaving some veterans at home is an opportunity for them to step up and play some more minutes and show some leadership." Noora Raty made 58 saves and Karolina Rantamaki and Susanna Tapani scored in a 9-second span in the second period to help Finland defeat the U.S. for the first time in the history of the tournament Megan Bozek had a power-play goal for the U.S. (1-2) in the second period to cut it to 2-1, and Tapani set up Jenni Hiirikoskis goal midway through the third period. Canada beat Finland 3-1 on Tuesday. The U.S. will face Sweden in the third-place game. ' ' ' |
