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NEW YORK -- The Tampa Bay Lightning got a key piece back in their lineup and he proved to be the No. Bobby Cox Authentic Jersey . 1 star in a win over the New York Rangers. No, top forward Steven Stamkos isnt ready to play yet, but Ben Bishop was on top of his game after a brief absence. Bishop made 33 saves in his return from injury and the Lightning cooled off the Rangers 2-1 on Tuesday night. "We played solidly, and I felt no rust," Bishop said. "This was big for us coming into this building and playing well. Its a fun place to play. You have to be excited playing at Madison Square Garden." Bishop was back in the net for the first time since he sprained his right wrist in the first period at Edmonton on Jan. 5. He missed three games before dressing as the backup to Anders Lindback on Monday at Columbus. He didnt play in the Lightnings 3-2 loss. "He was probably our best player," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "When youre going on the road and trying to win a hockey game, it all starts with your goaltending. He gave us a chance to win." Victor Hedman and Nikita Kucherov supplied all the offence, scoring goals 9 seconds apart early in the second period for Tampa Bay, 5-1-1 in the second half of back-to-back games. Hedman got the Lightning even with a power-play goal, and Kucherov gave them the lead for good on a breakaway. Tampa Bay went 5-3 in a stretch in which it played seven of eight on the road. "Its been tough, and I thought weve done a pretty good job," Bishop said. Brad Richards scored for the Rangers, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Henrik Lundqvist made 23 saves, but took the loss for New York, which was 8-2-1 in its previous 11. "I thought we played a really strong game," Lundqvist said. "We created a lot of chances. It was a good hockey game, but we just came up a little short." The Rangers got their first power play 6:37 into the third period, but Bishop was solid -- stopping Mats Zuccarello in close. Bishop is 5-0 with a goals-against average under 1 against the Rangers. "I like playing against the best," Bishop said. "Henrik is obviously one of the best goalies ever. Its fun to play against those guys. I dont think the record means much, but for now its pretty nice." New York had another advantage in the final 5 minutes but didnt score. The Rangers had netted a power-play goal in five straight contests. The game quickly turned early in the second when Rangers captain Ryan Callahan was sent off for high-sticking Bishop in the head -- the first penalty for either team -- at 29 seconds. Hedman then fired a slap shot from just inside the blue line that beat Lundqvist at 1:10. Hedman showed no ill-effects after injuring his shoulder in the first period when he was went awkwardly into the boards on a hit by Brian Boyle. "A lot of players wouldve run Hedman into the ground, and Boyle pulled up and held up," Cooper said. "Ive got to give Boyle a lot of credit for being a hockey player in the game and not trying to hurt somebody." Before Hedmans 10th goal was announced to the crowd, the Lightning had grabbed the lead. After the ensuing faceoff, Lightning defenceman Radko Gudas sent a long pass to Kucherov, who came in alone on Lundqvist and scored his seventh of the season at 1:19. "We were very excited to play here," Hedman said. "This was a big game for our young guys." New York threatened to get even several times in the second, and had a few odd-man rushes, but Bishop was sharp and kept them at bay. He made a lunging glove grab of a drive by Callahan with 9:05 left in the period. "Its tough," Callahan said. "You dont always get the calls to go your way. They get one there, and we have a little bit of a lapse and they score another one. We had a lot of chances to get the equalizer ... we just didnt find it." The Rangers got on the board first. Carl Hagelin sent a shot in on Bishop from the left circle, and the rebound went behind the net. Callahan gathered the puck and sent a pass to Richards, who was standing where Hagelin had been, and snapped a shot that beat Bishop at 11:55 for his 12th goal -- tying him for the team lead. NOTES: Rangers coach Alain Vigneault hinted strongly that backup G Cam Talbot will start one of the games this weekend when New York plays Ottawa and Washington on consecutive days. ... Lightning C Nate Thompson sat out because of the flu. RW B.J. Crombeen was a healthy scratch. ... Lightning D Matt Carle had a career-high, seven-game point streak snapped. ... Tampa Bay is 16-10-4 without Stamkos (broken leg). Chipper Jones Braves Jersey . Filion, from Laval, Que., and Montreals Benfeito finished third with 326.10 points. Ruolin Chen and Hao Wang of China won gold with 360.66 points and Paola Espinosa and Alejandra Orozco of Mexico were second at 327. Greg Maddux Jersey . 10 shirt. The Japan forward was presented on Wednesday as an AC Milan player after signing a 3 1/2-year contract on a free transfer from CSKA Moscow.PHOENIX - That dry desert air brought out the best of the Los Angeles Dodgers offence, especially Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez homered for the fourth consecutive game and the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 8-6 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep. Gonzalezs three-run shot off Trevor Cahill (0-4) in the third inning gave him 10 RBIs in the series. He has 27 career home runs and 87 RBIs against the Diamondbacks, most among active players. "Man, hes smoking the ball," teammate Matt Kemp said. "Hes probably the best hitter in the league right now." Kemp and Juan Uribe also homered for the Dodgers, who scored 22 runs in the series. "This is a good place to hit," Gonzalez said. "You go out here and take BP (batting practice) and the ball carries out of the ballpark. You take some of those swings and it kind of makes you feel better as a hitter." Dan Haren (2-0) allowed three runs in 5 2-3 innings to get the victory. Mark Trumbo hit a three-run home run and Eric Chavez had a solo shot for the Diamondbacks, who are off to a 4-11 start. Dee Gordon stole a career-best four bases, the most by a Dodger in a game since Rafael Furcal did it against Arizona in 2007. "Hes always been able to do that," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said, "but now hes getting on base a lot. Hes walking and hes getting his hits. Thats what really changes the dynamic." Cahill failed to make it through the fifth inning for the third time in his four starts. He went four innings plus two batters, allowing seven runs — six earned — on seven hits. Cahill struck out eight but walked five. Asked why Cahill can be good for a stretch then fall apart, Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said, "I think youd have to ask Trevor that. I dont have an answer for you." Cahill said the walks were a big problem, and that one pitch to Gonzalez. "I made a mistake and Adrians been swinging it good this series," Cahill said. "I kind of got away from the game plan with him and left a pitch down and in, right in his sweet spot." Haren scattered nine hits, striking out five and walking onne. Phil Niekro Jersey. Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save and second in as many games. The Dodgers led 8-3 before Trumbos sixth home run of the season, off Jamey Wright with two outs in the seventh, cut it to 8-6. Gonzalez, who also doubled, had an extra-base hit for the eighth consecutive game, one shy of the franchise record. Ten of Gonzalezs 14 hits this season have gone for extra bases. Kemps line shot into the Arizona bullpen down the left field line put the Dodgers up 1-0 in the second. Gordon walked to start the fourth, then stole second and third. Yasiel Puig walked and Hanley Ramirez bounced one high off the plate to Cahill, beating the throw to first for an infield RBI single. Gonzalez hit a 1-1 pitch into the right field seats to bring in three runs and Los Angeles led 5-0. Arizona got three in its half of the third. Parra led off with a double and scored on Aaron Hills triple to the left-centre gap. Goldschmidts groundout scored Hill, then Chavez skied one to the right field seats on the first pitch to cut the lead to 5-3. In the fifth, Cahill walked Ramirez, then Gonzalez lashed a double to right and the Arizona right-handers day was over. Randall Delgado, who just lost his spot in the rotation, came on in relief. Gonzalez scored on Andre Ethiers groundout, then first baseman Paul Goldschmidt couldnt snag a high bouncer for an error that brought in the Dodgers seventh run. Parra recorded the first right field-to-first putout in Diamondbacks history when he threw out Haren after the pitcher appeared to have singled. It was the first throw-out at first from the right fielder in the majors in two seasons. NOTES: The Dodgers struck out 15 times and were outhit 13-7. ... Gordon, who has nine steals, stole second in the sixth while Delgado was kicking the rubber and not paying attention. ... The Dodgers have Monday off, then open a three-game series in San Francisco on Tuesday. ... The New York Mets begin a three-game series at Arizona on Monday night. Josh Collmenter (0-0, 2.25 ERA) comes out of the bullpen to start for the Diamondbacks, Zack Wheeler (0-2, 2.25) goes for the Mets. cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
