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BOCA RATON, Fla. Matt Kalil Jersey On Sale . - Mike Gillis doesnt think John Tortorella deserves full responsibility for the disaster that this Vancouver Canucks season has become, yet also did not absolve him of blame. Gillis wouldnt comment on "rumour and speculation" when asked if Tortorella would remain the coach through the end of the season. In doing that, the general manager did little to quiet the rumblings. But perhaps his most telling comment about the Canucks "remarkable" free fall involved bringing up Tortorellas locker-room incident in Calgary as one reason why things have gone wrong. "Theyre not excuses but weve had massive injuries this year, weve had key guys out of our lineup for extended periods of time," Gillis said Wednesday at the NHL GMs meeting. "We had an incident in January that was hard to describe. It is what it is. We have to continue to try and find ways to win games." Tortorella was suspended for 15 days and six games for trying to enter the Flames locker-room after a first-period brawl in a testy Jan. 18 game. The Canucks are 4-12-1 since that night. Dating to Jan. 1, Vancouver is 6-17-3 and has fallen from one point out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference to six. Gillis called the drastic downturn this year indescribable. "The ebb and flow in this season has been as challenging as its ever been," he said. "Theres reasons for it — multiple reasons for it — but currently, right now, were not meeting my expectations, were not meeting a lot of peoples expectations and that has to change." That includes Tortorella, a Stanley Cup-winner 10 years ago who has become embattled after the trade of Roberto Luongo, request from Ryan Kesler to be dealt and then Monday nights embarrassing loss to the New York Islanders. After building a 3-0 lead, the Canucks gave up seven third-period goals to lose 7-4. Tortorella afterward called it a "kick in the teeth," while Gillis on Wednesday said the aftermath has been tough just like the past month and a half has been. Asked if changes to the coaching staff and/or front office were being considered, Gillis said he did not want to comment because it would lend credibility to that talk and that was not good for anyone. Asked directly if Tortorella would be the coach for the remainder of the season, he repeated a similar sentiment. "Thats rumour and speculation," Gillis said. "Im not commenting on that because then it just lends credibility to whats out there with bloggers and all kinds of different people. So its unfair to comment on any future plans other than what weve already said, which is were trying to get younger, were trying to retool and were trying to do some things a little differently the next one, three, five years." Gillis added that the Canucks need to "get behind our team and behind our players and behind our coaching staff." Later in his six-minute chat with reporters at Boca Beach Club, Gillis refused to answer a question about how Tortorella has handled Daniel and Henrik Sedin and then another about the suggestion that the coach lost the locker-room. "Im not going to comment about specific things with John," he said. "I think its unfair to him, its unfair to our team and its unfair to all of us that are responsible for whats going on." After losing to the Islanders, Tortorella shouldered a lot of the responsibility for the Canucks downfall. "You know, Johns an honest guy and he took responsibility, but its all of our responsibility and I dont want to focus on John," Gillis said. "We have a hockey team, we have an organization. To focus on one or two people in that organizations unfair. We have to win as a group, and every guy in that room has to win as a group. To single out anybody is unfair and Im not going to do that." Except for Tortorellas role in the infamous incident against Calgary. Everson Griffen Authentic . The St. Louis Cardinals were scheduled to arrive in Boston in time for a workout on Tuesday afternoon. Much of Mondays discussion focused on Bostons lineup considerations as the series progresses, specifically when the venue shifts to St. Alan Page Authentic . The Predators announced that Rinne had been cleared for the next step of his recovery after meeting with doctors earlier Monday. Coach Barry Trotz said a meeting was planned for later Monday to set a weekly plan for Rinne.ROME -- Juventus clinched its third straight and 30th overall Serie A title Sunday without even playing. With second-place Roma losing 4-1 at Catania, Juventus eight-point lead became insurmountable because Roma only has two matches remaining. Juventus, which has three games to play, can celebrate when it hosts Atalanta on Monday although the Turin squads players and coach Antonio Conte were already seen celebrating at their team hotel wearing championship T-shirts. "Its much more satisfying when you win on the pitch. But its still very gratifying," Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon said. Also, AC Milan got a 65th-minute goal from Netherlands midfielder Nigel de Jong to beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the city derby and stay in the hunt for a Europa League spot. Inter remained fifth while Milan moved level with Parma in seventh. The fourth, fifth and sixth-place finishers will qualify for the Europa League. Milan and Parma are one point behind Torino, which won 1-0 at Chievo Verona with an own goal from Gennaro Sardo in the 54th. The title was a bit of a consolation for Juventus after it was eliminated from the Europa League semifinals by Benfica on Thursday -- missing out on the final in its home stadium. "I was sleeping, resting up for tomorrows match," said striker Carlos Tevez, who leads Juve with 19 goals in 31 matches, on Sky TV. "But my teammates woke me up and there was a lot of excitement. Although I was hoping to celebrate the title before our fans tomorrow." In Sicily, Mariano Izco scored for Catania in the 26th and 34th minutes. Gonzalo Bergessio also netted for the hosts in the 55th after Roma captain Francesco Totti pulled one back in the 37th. Then Pablo Barrientos added another for Catania in the 79th. The loss ended Romas nine-match winning streak, and the Giallorossi put up little resistaance against a Catania side fighting to avoid relegation. Tom Johnson Jersey. Roma, which had already clinched second place and the last direct Champions League berth, was hoping to keep the title race open until next weekend when it hosts Juve. However, Roma coach Rudi Garcia said Saturday the title race was over and complimented Juve on its near-perfect season. "We did everything wrong today," Roma coach Rudi Garcia said. "The only thing I didnt get wrong was when I said yesterday that the season was over. Although I wasnt expecting a match like this. ... Ill expect a response next Sunday." Juventus has won all 17 of its home matches and lost only two away games. Both Tevez, who signed from Manchester City, and striker partner Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao) -- who has 15 goals -- joined Juventus before the start of this season and were key players in the title run. Juves defence featuring Italy stalwarts like Buffon in goal and defenders Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci was just as solid. And midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo is still performing near his best at 34. There was controversy two years ago when Juventus celebrated what it claimed was its 30th title, although it actually only had 28 championships then since two were revoked following a 2006 match-fixing scandal. Its the first time Juventus has won three straight since taking five consecutive titles from 1931-5. In Milan, the Rossoneri dominated the first half but had nothing but a shot off the crossbar from Kaka to show for it. Midway through the second half, though, De Jong rose to meet a pinpoint cross from Mario Balotelli with a perfect header for the decider. It was De Jongs first goal in all competitions this season. Elsewhere Sunday, it was: Genoa 0, Bologna 0; Parma 2, Sampdoria 0; and Udinese 5, Livorno 3. ' ' ' |
