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MONTREAL - Rene Bourque had just nine goals and 16 points in 63 regular season games, but the Canadiens forward has become a key cog in Montreals offence during the playoffs. Chris Young Jersey . A trade bait name brought up over and over again on local radio, web message boards and social media all season, Bourque netted his first career playoff hat trick in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final Tuesday, giving him eight goals and 11 points in 16 playoffs games and helping his team stave off elimination with a 7-4 victory over the New York Rangers. A while his sudden emergence as a scoring threat in the playoffs has surprised many, its nothing new to his teammates. Despite his regular season struggles, they never doubted the 62, 217-pound power forward would shine through when it mattered most. "Ive said it before and Ill say it again, hes got world class speed and a world class shot and its showing right now in the playoffs," said forward Max Pacioretty, who also chipped in Tuesday night with a goal and an assist. "Hes a bigger body and he plays a simple game and that suits him well in the playoffs. Its a great time for him to step up and he was huge tonight, he helped out a lot." After the Canadiens blew a 4-1 lead in the second period on Tuesday night, Bourque halted the Rangers comeback scoring his second goal of the game at 15:10 of the second period to make the score 5-4 and give Montreal a lead they wouldnt relinquish. Bourque then added another goal at 6:33 of the third period to complete the hat trick and help the Canadiens avoid elimination for the third time in these Stanley Cup playoffs. Montreal will try to repeat the feat for a fourth time in Game 6 in New York on Thursday and force a Game 7 back in Montreal on Saturday. "Even going back to last year, he just loves this time of year," said forward Brendan Gallagher. "Hes leading by example again. For him to go out there and score not only three goals but very timely goals was big. Anytime you give up the lead like that and can come right back and score thats big. Thats what clutch guys do at this time of year, they score timely goals." Since being acquired from Calgary two years ago in a trade that saw popular scorer Michael Cammalleri go the other way, many have doubted Bourques role on this team. But not Gallagher and his teammates. They saw a hard-working character player that could come up big when it mattered most. "You just gotta understand the character he has," Gallagher explained. "Hes big. Hes a guy that we rely on. He showed up and thats what we expect from him. Hes a competitor. He loves the atmosphere and he loves the opportunity we have right now and thats kind of expected from him." Michel Therrien was also thrilled with Bourques performance. "He played a great game; he was a force out there," the Canadiens head coach said. "On the forecheck, he took the man. He was moving his feet. He was going hard to the map mat. Hes a very good scorer, so definitely that was a great performance by him." The always quite and humble Bourque wasnt about to take all the credit though. "Everybody was ready for this game," he said after the game. "We knew the situation. We got a big power-play goal early and a few others. "It was just a see-saw battle back and forth. (Dale) Weise made a great play to me. I called for the puck and somehow it got through. It was nice to get in there." The pucks have gotten through for Bourque just one less time than they did in the regular season and the Canadiens are hoping his clutch run continues as they try to come back from what is now a one-game deficit. James Murphy is a freelance reporter who also writes for NHL.com, the Boston Herald and XNsports.com. He covered the Boston Bruins/NHL for last 11 seasons writing for ESPNBoston.com, ESPN.com, NHL.com, NESN.com, the Boston Metro, Insidehockey.com and Le Hockey Magazine. Murphy also currently hosts the radio show "Murphys Hockey Law" heard Saturdays 9-11 AM ET on Sirius/XM NHL Network Radio and 4-6 PM ET on Websportsmedia.com. In addition to that, he is a regular guest TSN 690 in Montreal and Sirius/XM NHL Network Radio as well as a hockey analyst on CTV Montreal. Dwight Gooden Mets Jersey .Y. - Centre Corban Knight scored 3:30 into overtime, and the Abbotsford Heat rallied to edge the Utica Comets 5-4 on Wednesday in American Hockey League play. Chris Young Mets Jersey . "Its time that you look at it," chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel said, setting the stage for a rigorous first day of cross-examination of Pistorius, the double-amputee Olympian charged with premeditated murder for shooting Reeva Steenkamp three times through a toilet door at his home.ATLANTA -- Jim Fregosis big league career got off to a real quiet start. His first three at-bats, as a teenager for the expansion Los Angeles Angels, he hit grounders back to perennial Gold Glove pitcher Jim Kaat. Over the next half-century, Fregosi made a lot more noise in majors. Fregosi, a six-time All-Star shortstop who went to manage the Angels to their first playoff appearance and guide the rowdy 1993 Philadelphia Phillies into the World Series, died Friday after an apparent stroke. He was 71. Popular on and off the field, full of opinions and an outsized personality, Fregosi could argue with the best of em. He could also laugh at himself, and would poke fun at his part in one of baseballs most-lopsided trades -- the deal that sent him to the New York Mets for a young, wild pitcher named Nolan Ryan. The Atlanta Braves said they were notified by a family member that Fregosi died early Friday in Miami, where he was hospitalized after the apparent stroke while on a cruise with baseball alumni. Fregosi ended more than 50 years in baseball as a special assistant to Braves general manager Frank Wren. "Jim played a vital role in our club over the last 13 years," Wren said Friday. "As a senior adviser he was someone you could always pick up the phone and get a feel for the players in the game. He covered all 30 teams for us and was such a positive, knowledgeable resource. He lit up a room and had just great relationships throughout the game. "When I first became GM, one of the things that made the transition so easy was having Jim as close as a phone call for advice and help or encouragement." Braves president John Schuerholz said the team would find a way to honour Fregosi this season. "He gave a lot to the game no matter what uniform he was in, no matter whether he was a player, a coach or a scout," Schuerholz said. "Some people say he could have managed again right now. He was so smart and knew the game so well. I agree with that." Schuerholz said Fregosi "didnt grow into this personality. I think he was born with it. I think he had that personality when he was born." Along with the Phillies and Angels -- where he was reunited with Ryan and made the playoffs in 1979 -- Fregosi managed the Chicago White Sox and Toronto. He took over the White Sox in the middle of the 1986 season after Tony La Russa was fired, and was hired by the Blue Jays after manager Tim Johnson was dismissed during spring training in 1999 for lying about his military service record. Phillies president David Montgomery said the team and others in baseball "lost a dear friend." "Hell be remembered for his vibrant personality, wisdom and love of the game," Montgomery said in a statement. "Our deepest sympathy is extended to his widow, Joni, daughters Nikki, Lexy and Jennifer and sons Robert and Jim. Zack Wheeler Jersey. ." Giants general manager Brian Sabean said Fregosis death "leaves a hole in the unique fabric of our great game. He was a great friend and mentor to so many, no matter what hat he wore." "He was a one-of-a-kind baseball lifer," he said. Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig spoke of Fregosis widespread relationships in the game. "The outpouring of support in recent days illustrates the vast respect that Jim earned in a great baseball life," Selig said in a statement. Fregosi was an infielder in the majors from 1961 to 1978, hitting .265 with 151 homers and 706 RBIs. His best seasons came with the Angels. From 1964-69, he teamed with second baseman Bobby Knoop to form a strong double-play combination. They played together in the 1966 All-Star game. Knoop, now an Angels coach, said Fregosi was the kind of guy who "would not have a tattoo, but would cover your back. He was a tremendous person who had tremendous passion for the game and loved the Angels." The Angels retired Fregosis No. 11 in 1988 and said he was a personal favourite of former owner Gene Autry. "His personality was infectious, his love of the game legendary, and his knowledge endless," the team said in a statement. Fregosi was traded from the Angels to the Mets after the 1971 season for a package of players that included Ryan. Fregosi played just 146 games over two seasons for the Mets and hit .233 with five home runs; Ryan turned into a Hall of Fame pitcher. Fregosi later played for the Texas Rangers and Pittsburgh Pirates. He began his managing career at 36 with the Angels in April 1978 -- two days after his final game as a player with the Pirates. In 15 seasons as a manager, he posted a 1,028-1,094 record. With the Phillies, Fregosi handled a team that included a lot of rough-and-tumble players and helped them reach the 1993 World Series. Philadelphia was beaten by Toronto on Joe Carters winning home run in Game 6. Former Phillies catcher Darren Daulton called Fregosi "the best manager Ive ever played for." "Our relationship was so special ... and he was the one that taught me how to be a leader," Daulton said. "Fregos and I could relate to each other whether we were in the clubhouse or on the field. In 1993 The City of Brotherly Love changed the world ... Fregos was the driving force!" Lenny Dykstra, a Phillies star in those days, said Fregosi "was a players manager." "Jim Fregosi was the reason that 1993 was one of the most exciting years in Philadelphia sports history," he said. James Louis Fregosi was born in 1942 in San Francisco and excelled in baseball, football basketball and track and field at Serra High School. He signed with the Boston Red Sox out of high school and went to the Angels in the 1960 expansion draft. cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
