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PHILADELPHIA -- Sundays regular-season finale felt almost like a playoff game for Carolina Hurricanes coach Kirk�Muller. White Jason Witten Elite Autographed Jersey Mens . Its the closest his team will get this year. Eric�Staal scored twice in regulation and had the only goal in the shootout to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-5 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in regular-season finale Sunday. Jeff�Skinner added a pair of goals for the Hurricanes, who finish the season in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division, outside of the playoff picture. Wayne�Simmonds scored twice for the Flyers, who had already wrapped up third place in the Metropolitan Division and a date with the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs later this week. "Games like this are good for our team," Muller said. "Not that its a playoff game or anything or but this is a tough rink to play in, it was sold out and the guys were intense until the end. For our guys to find a way to win was what we like to see as coaches. It was a good finish for us." Cal�Heeter made 33 saves in his NHL debut for the Flyers, before stopping one of two shots in the shootout. Heeter was recalled from the Philadelphia Phantoms and given the start after Steve�Mason suffered an upper-body injury in Saturdays win over the Penguins. Mason is day-to-day but the Flyers are hopeful hell be able to return to net for Game 1 of their series with the Rangers. "He battled back," Flyers head coach Craig�Berube said of Heeter. "Its tough for a kid like that coming in here. Hes nervous obviously and this is probably not the best situation (for his NHL debut). But it is what it is and the kid hung in there and did a good job." Anton�Khudobin made 39 saves and stopped all three of shots in the shootout for the Carolina. Skinner scored his 33rd goal of the season on a power play with 4:21 left, giving the Hurricanes a 5-4 lead after the puck took a weird carom off the boards and left him shooting at an open net. But Simmonds tied the game, scoring on a rebound with 9.5 seconds left for his career-high 29th of the season. Fighting back in the final minute felt like a positive sign to the Flyers heading into the post-season. "If we play as a team and keep doing what weve been doing the past few months, well be a really tough team to beat," Flyers defender Kimmo�Timonen said. Trailing 4-1, the Flyers went on a second-period offensive, scoring three goals to tie the game, including two within 10 seconds of each other -- on a power-play slap shot from the point from Kimmo�Timonen and a wrister from Simmonds. With less than five minutes remaining in the period, Sean�Couturier tied the game with a steal and pretty move on a breakaway, matching his career high with his 13th goal. "I thought we skated and were competitive the whole game," Berube said. "We were just looking for good habits and getting our skating legs, and I thought that they did that." Heeters debut got off to an inauspicious start as he failed to stop the first shot he faced, with Skinner beating him with a wrist shot. The Hurricanes scored twice more before the first period ended, with Staal beating Heeter on a low shot from the left circle and Manny�Malhotra going five-hole on the rookie for his first goal since Jan. 25. Staal scored his second just 17 seconds into the second period on an easy shot from the right circle. "In my dreams, Id say I didnt give up six goals," Heeter said. "But its a fabulous experience. Ive been working my whole life to get to here and to finally get the opportunity to play a game and to have the support of the management, players, coaches, fans, everybody here . its a dream come true." The Flyers scored their first goal midway through the first period when Matt�Read blasted in a one-timer from Jason�Akeson, who logged his first NHL assist. Akeson, who was called up from the Phantoms for Sundays game, has two points in two career NHL games. Notes: Before the game, Claude�Giroux was presented with the Bobby Clarke Trophy, given to the teams MVP as voted on by local sports writers and broadcasters. Mason, Timonen, Jakub�Voracek and Michael�Raffl also won team awards, and Vincent�Lecavalier was honoured for recently reaching the 400-goal milestone. . The Flyers finished 0-2-2 against the Hurricanes this season, marking the first time they went an entire season without beating the Carolina/Hartford franchise since 1991-92. White Dan Bailey Limited Mens Jersey . Doneil Henry, the man who scored Toronto FCs last-gasp game winner Saturday, knows that probably better than anyone. Pink Dez Bryant Elite Jersey .m. Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Seattle Sounders FC hopes to rebound from a mid-week loss at D.C. United when it travels to Columbus for a Major League Soccer clash with the Crew on Saturday.CHONBURI, Thailand -- Sergio�Garcia finished with back-to-back birdies to shoot a second straight 7-under 65 Saturday and seize a four-shot lead after the third round of the Thailand Golf Championship. Garcia had eight birdies overall to go with a lone bogey on the fourth to move to an 18-under total of 198 at the Asian Tour event. "I was able to hit some really nice shots and then was able to roll two or three really good putts in and it was nice to be able to finish birdie, birdie on this difficult finishing stretch," Garcia said. Henrik�Stenson also shot a 65 to sit tied for second with Anirban Lahiri of India (67). Justin�Rose, who shared the overnight lead with Garcia, only managed a 70 to fall five shots back. Garcia raised some eyebrows by playing with his girlfriend, Katharina Boehm, as his caddie this week, but the partnership seems to be working just fine on the golf course. The Spaniard, though, did joke that Boehm was holding him back. "I think if she will not be on the bag it would probably be like 25 under," said Garcia, who had a hole-in-one on Friday. "No, seriouslly, its great to have her around, forget about having her on the bag this week. Grey Mens Emmitt Smith Elite Jersey. Just a very positive person, a lot of good energy, thats what I love about her, and its great to be able to go through this with her. I think the experience, not only for me but for her, Im sure is interesting and a lot of memories." Stenson, the hottest player in golf over the second half of the season, had a bogey-free round to put himself in contention. Having become the first player to win both the FedEx Cup and the European money title this year, Stenson certainly looks like the biggest threat to Garcias chances of winning a first title of 2013. "That was a good day, definitely was the best I played this week," Stenson said. "Made some good birdies and some really good saves to keep the momentum going. ... I saw Sergio, he finished with two birdies to pull away four ahead again, so its going to take some golf to catch him tomorrow. I know hes desperate to get his hands on a trophy, hes played well this year but has not managed to win anything. Ill try to challenge and see what happens." ' ' '

LAKE FOREST, Ill. Joique Bell Jersey . -- The Chicago Bears insisted all along that quarterback Jay�Cutler would get his job back once he was ready, no matter how well Josh�McCown was playing. On Thursday, they stuck to their word. Coach Marc Trestman said Cutler will start Sunday at Cleveland after missing four games because of a high left ankle sprain. McCown goes back to a reserve role after excelling. "I dont think that risk was part of this decision," Trestman said. "This decision was made a long time ago. That was that when Jay was ready to play, that he would play. Thats how we planned to do it, so I dont look at it like that. I look at it, Jays our quarterback, and when he was ready to play, he was going to play, and thats the same words I used a month ago and theres no change today." Cutler worked with the receivers following Wednesdays walkthrough. Trestman said there was no swelling or any "residual issues" from that, and he was a full participant in Thursdays practice. He also said Cutler is "100 per cent or certainly close to it if not." The news on linebacker Lance�Briggs wasnt quite as promising. He participated on a limited basis and Trestman wasnt optimistic about him returning this week, meaning he could miss his seventh straight game because of a broken shoulder. Cutlers return comes on the heels of a blowout win over Dallas on Monday night that vaulted the Bears back into the NFC North race after back-to-back losses at St. Louis and Minnesota. Theyre tied with Detroit at 7-6, but the Lions beat them twice. That includes the game at Soldier Field on Nov. 10, when Cutler returned after sitting out the previous week because of a groin injury only to hurt his ankle when a defensive player rolled up it. He stayed in until the Bears final drive, even though he was labouring, when McCown led them to a touchdown and the potential tying two-point conversion failed. Cutler was hoping to return against Dallas. Instead, hell face the Browns, a team thats 4-9 after losing four straight but boasts one of the leagues top defences. Theyre seventh overall and tied for eighth against the pass. Lurking not too far beneath the surface is that Cutler has an uncertain future with an expiring contract. "Cant worry about it," he said. "Were trying to win football games. Whatever it takes to win that game, thats kind of my mindset. Itll take care of itself. It always does." When healthy, Cutler has played as well as he has since he arrived from Denver before the 2009 season. He has thrown for just over 1,900 yards, and his 88.4 rating is his highest as a Bear. More than anything, he appeared to be clicking with Trestman, which was one of the main reasons Lovie Smith was fired after last season. The Bears wanted to get the most out of their quarterback, so they switched to an offensive-minded head coach. McCown has also excelled in Trestmans system, and there were at least some calls to stay with the hot hand. Cutler insisted hes not paying attention to that debate, saying hes simply focusing on Cleveland. McCown provided plenty of fuel through his play even if he and Trestman did their best to squash any controversy, saying all along that the job still belonged to Cutler. "There is not a debate in this building so that is kind of where my concern lies," Cutler said. If nothing else, the Bears know they can count on McCown if they need him again. Considering he was coaching high school football in North Carolina when they first signed him during the 2011 season, thats not bad. McCown has thrown for more than 1,800 yards and completed nearly 67 per cent of his passes in seven appearances. He has 13 touchdowns and just one interception, and his performance against Dallas might have been his best. He became the first player in franchise history with three straight 300-yard passing games, throwing for 348 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. He also ran for one, getting spun like a helicopter as he leaped into the end zone, but hes headed back to the sideline. "Ill do everything I can to help him," McCown said. "And hes going to study, hes going to work hard and hes going to put himself in a position to be successful. Before he got hurt he was playing some of the best ball of his career. So theres no reason to think that wont continue." If Cutler struggles this week, could he get a quick hook? "I wouldnt be prepared for any of those hypotheticals," Trestman said. "We plan on him playing and playing well and those situations come up game by game with anybody. But I wouldnt go near that one other than the fact that I expect Jay to play efficiently and play well and thats why hes going to be up." Nick Fairley Lions Authentic Jersey . This week, topics cover if and when the Blue Jays should start rebuilding, how good catchers handle a pitching staff and how best to develop young pitchers to best avoid arm problems. Reggie Bush Jersey . -- Kevin Pangos had 27 points and Drew Barham added 17 to lead No.WASHINGTON -- Bradley�Beal scored 26 points, and the Washington Wizards moved a step closer to claiming the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference on Saturday night with a 104-91 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, whose loss guaranteed they will finish with at least a tie for the worst record in the NBA. John�Wall added 15 points and eight assists for the Wizards, who also clinched the franchises first winning record since 2008 -- which was also the last time they made the playoffs. Washington leads the seventh-place Charlotte Bobcats, who beat the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, by one game with two to play. The Bobcats hold the tiebreaker if Washington and Charlotte finish tied. Both teams are hoping to finish higher than seventh in order to avoid a first-round series against Miami or Indiana. Khris�Middleton and Ramon�Sessions scored 20 points apiece to lead the Bucks, who trail the 76ers by two games with two to play at the bottom of the league. The Bucks also failed in their latest chance to have their first winning streak of the season. They had won Friday night after losing six in a row. Injuries and a suspension to Larry�Sanders had already thinned Larry Drews bench, and on Saturday the Bucks coach was down to a rotation of eight players after Brandon�Knight was a late scratch with a sore right hip. The Wizards, meanwhile, played without Nene, who was resting on a back half of a back-to-back, having recently returned from sprained left knee. His fill-in, Trevor�Booker, had another solid game, scoring 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting. Beal has been streakky of late, both good and bad. Eric Ebron Lions Authentic Jersey. He was 12 for 22 from the field Saturday night, but just 2 for 7 from 3-point range. He has made only five of 28 3-pointers in his last five games. Trevor�Ariza, whose shot has suffered while he battled the flu for more than a week, looked a bit more refreshed as he went 5 for 7 from the field and scored 13 points for Washington. Marcin�Gortat added 13 points and 13 rebounds. The Bucks and Wizards had gone to overtime in two of their three previous meetings this season, and this one stayed tight into the third quarter. Milwaukee stayed close by taking advantage of the offensive boards, while Washington had all the space in the world to work the baseline and drive to the paint. The Wizards never trailed in the first half, but their lead never reached double digits. The Bucks took their only lead of the game on Zaza�Pachulias layup early in the third quarter, but a three-point play from Booker, a dunk from Gortat and a 3-pointer from Martell�Webster -- along with six Milwaukee turnovers in eight minutes -- help put Washington ahead 87-74 headed into the fourth. NOTES: The Bucks shot exactly 50 per cent (10 for 20, 8 for 16, 8 for 16) in each of the first three quarters. ... The Wizards made 8 of 22 3-pointers, a modest improvement after going just 6 for 50 from in their previous three games. ... The Wizards signed 10-year-old Amaris Jackson to a one-day contract in partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Amaris, who is to have surgery to remove a tumour in her lungs, was introduced with the starting lineup. ' ' '

WARNING, graphic images! #pucktoear #about40stitches #toughdayattheoffice #greatjobdoc pic. White Mens Earl Thomas III Limited Jersey.twitter.com/lnroJFY8EG � Christian Ehrhoff (@TheRealHoff10) April 7, 2014 Grey Derrick Coleman Elite Mens Jersey . Speaking to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun on Friday, Brodeur said "Ive come to the conclusion that Im definitely going to be available July 1. K.J. Wright Jersey . Lowry led the Raptors to a 3-1 week, averaging 25.0 points per game, 8.0 assists and 2.3 steals.TORONTO -- Ken Hitchcock has a theory on how to deal with his team not scoring a lot of goals. "Just not talk about it," he said. "Talk about something else." Thats the approach the Stanley Cup-winning coach is taking with his St. Louis Blues, who have gone through a mini scoring slump. Of course they still lead the Western Conference, which is based on large part on being one of the NHLs stingiest defensive teams. "Ive always believed, like a lot of coaches, if youre not scoring, talk about checking. If you check better, youre going to get more chances," Hitchcock said Monday at Air Canada Centre. "The structure of our game, were just going to weather the storm. The structure of our game has got to stay solid like it is right now, and then well weather it and well come out on the other side fine." An 82-game regular season is a totally different animal than the Olympics, but a similar philosophy guided Team Canada to gold. Worries about a lack of offence from star forwards -- at least externally -- lasted well into the playoff round, but those were quieted by dominant play on the puck. "Its about controlling the hockey game. And you dont control the hockey game with offence, you control it with checking," said Hitchcock, who was one of Mike Babcocks assistants in Sochi. "We were tied or leading by one goal -- we werent concerned with the way we were playing that we werent scoring. It doesnt matter if youre leading 5-4 going into the third period or 1-0 as long as you have the lead youre in good shape." Like with Canada, Hitchcock said he feels comfortable seeing the Blues checking well because it means theyre "committed to the right things." One of those things hes proud of is that for a couple of games in a row St. Louis has displayed a high work standard. To Hitchcock, thats a bigger deal -- the way the Blues play -- than having ann offence thats always rolling or a power play thats constantly clicking at a high rate. Earl Thomas III Authentic Jersey. As far as special teams go, hes more concerned about the penalty kill and what that could mean come playoff time. "Ive seen a lot of (teams) who have had bad power plays do really well in the playoffs, but Ive never seen any team play worth a damn if you cant kill penalties," Hitchcock said. "Its more on can you kill the penalty at the right time because you can live with poor power plays and still win hockey games. But you cant survive if you cant kill penalties because your whole game falls apart, youre nervous, youre uptight, you panic and weve got to be great killing penalties." That would also follow Canadas blueprint. The gold-medal-winning Canadians converted on just 16.67 per cent of their power plays in six games, middle of the pack in the tournament, yet led the Olympics with a 93.75 per cent penalty-killing rate, giving up one goal on 16 chances. Hitchcock, though, must guide the Blues through choppier waters than Canada endured at the Olympics. Sixteen playoff victories are required to win the Stanley Cup, and most of those wont be by large margins. Perhaps thats one way the Blues balance plays in their favour. The have no one player in the top 35 in the league in scoring, but 10 with at least 30 points, led by Alex Steen and T.J.�Oshies 54. St. Louis isnt built on scoring, which means they could be built to withstand droughts like this. "Youre going to go through stages where youre not scoring, and youre still going to have to win hockey games," Hitchcock said. "If youve got to win for a week or 10 days, youve got to win 1-0, 2-1, youve got to do it until you get back engaged where youre going to score again." Until then, the Blues are happy to talk about -- and execute on -- checking well and frustrating opponents in the process. ' ' '

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. Malcolm Jenkins . -- Even without Tiger�Woods around, Sergio�Garcia couldnt avoid reminders of a week to forget at The Players Championship. The 17th hole is where Garcia last year lost the battle, along with the war of words. After two days of verbal sparring with Woods, the Spaniard put two balls in the water to make quadruple bogey, and he put another in the water on the 18th for good measure. Garcia already was 4 under on Thursday when he came to the par-3 17th with an island green. "It did cross my mind. Im not going to lie to you," Garcia said. "I was trying to be positive. Its a new year -- lets improve on it. I pulled it a little bit there, but it was an OK shot. I was able to do much better there, and much better on 18, so I was very happy to see that." Garcia was six shots better than the last time he played those holes. He wound up with a 5-under 67 and was four shots behind leader Martin�Kaymer, a good start for a past champion who has shown he can manage his way around the Stadium Course. As for those other memories? Garcia has put those behind him. Much like his golf shots, hes looking forward. Woods won The Players last year in a tournament marked by a weekend of squabbling with Garcia -- such public feuds are rare in golf -- that ended badly a few weeks later in London when Garcia made a racially insensitive comment about Woods while trying to be funny. It started in the third round, when Garcia blamed Woods for pulling fairway metal from his bag on a par 5 to stir up the gallery just as Garcia was trying to play his shot. Video doesnt support that sequence of events, but it set off a weekend of bickering -- and Woods got the last word by winning. "I think its over. I think its passed," Garcia said. "I didnt think I was a villain, but I think that weve all moved ahead of that. I certainly have. Im just looking forward to now and hopefully whats coming soon." Garcia says he is in a happier place, and it shows. He conducted a clinic for kids on Wednesday, and he is at his best in the presence of children. He played beautifully on Thursday, losing momentum with one bogey on his 14th hole, but no less satisfied with a 67. Even so, he conceded his battle with Woods last year unsettled him. He was at an awards banquet in London when asked if he would invite Woods over to dinner during the U.S. Open. "We will serve fried chicken," Garcia replied. He apologized twice, though it didnt quell the criticism that followed him the rest of the summer. Garcia spoke of the ups and downs in his career, of trying to play good golf when he feels miserable. Garcia went into a deep funk when longtime girlfriend Morgan Leigh Norman left him. He said after a poor third round in the 2012 Masters that he did not have the game to win a major. "You go through ups and downs in your life, in your career," Garcia said. "And Ive had really, really good times; really, really happy times. And then Ive had times that were a little bit more down. I think it happens to all of us. Youve got to try to enjoy those good times as much as possible and learn from the tough ones and hopefully make them as short as possible. I think at the end of the day, thats all you can really do." He said the last four years have been "pretty good," but not always. "I dont know, probably (what) comes to mind maybe last year is when everything went on with the little problem with Tiger," he said. "I think that was tough." Lately, he is on an upward swing. Garcia won in Thailand late last year. He won in Qatar at the start of this year. He is No. 9 in the world. He is thinking positively. And it probably doesnt hurt that Woods is sidelined indefinitely while recovering from back surgery. And yes, at 34, he believes hes good enough to win a major. "I think that when Im on, I can definitely win anywhere," he said. "I think Ive proven that. Its just a matter of getting that week where you feel good, where you feel comfortable, where things go your way, where everything feels relaxed, everything feels at ease and you manage to do things the way you know how to do them. Im still waiting for that particular week." LeSean McCoy . Exactly how many games Locker misses depends on how quickly he recovers. "If anyones going to get back quick, its him," Munchak said Tuesday night during his weekly radio show on 104. Reggie White Jersey . -- The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins erupted for five goals in the third period to beat the St.GENEVA - Qatar has been urged at the United Nations to abolish the sponsorship system tying migrant workers to employers. Delegates at a U.N. Human Rights Council panel reviewing Qatars record on Wednesday repeatedly raised concerns about exploitation of workers in construction and domestic households. Several of 84 states speaking in the session linked Qatar hosting the 2022 World Cup with the need to reform its laws. "There are widespread reports of violations of the rights of migrant workers, especially in the context of preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup," the Ireland delegation said in a statement. Recommendations, which are not binding, included scrapping exit visas which can prevent immigrant workers leaving, and giving legal protection against what Belgium said was "persistence of violence against women and girls." Qatars assistant foreign minister, Sheik Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, said there had been "some helpful recommendations from different countries." "We recognize that there are certain issues and challenges we are facing about the migrant workers," the minister told The Associated Press after the three-hour meeting. "We think the World Cup is a catalyst for us to help us accelerate our performance." Qatari authorities are preparing to announce some changes within weeks, after a review of their labour laws. "We will come, I think, very soon within the current month with an overall work program," Sheik Mohammed said. The minister opened the panel meeting outlining progress made enacting recommendations � including measures to combat human trafficking and protect women and children from domestic violence � since a previous four-yearly review in 2010. The International Trade Union Confederation and rights groups have criticized Qatar for slow adoption of laws to protect non-Qatari nationals, and failure to enforce existing laws properly. With the World Cup expected to kick off in November 2022, Qatar faces two further U.N. human rights reviews before matches start. Zach Ertz. Spain led calls on Wednesday to "strike from the books" the "kafala" sponsorship system which gives employers veto power over workers leaving their job or going home. The Netherlands called for Qatar to make adequate labour conditions "an important criterion for granting building contracts" and to blacklist contractors who violated rules. The Qatari minister called for understanding of the emirates issues handling an influx of foreign workers � comprising 85 per cent of a resident population of around 2 million � during its rapid growth. "There are some challenges with the current laws," Sheik Mohammed acknowledged. "In order to have partners in this development, we need the flow of ex-pat workers who are coming to work for us and helping us." Still, many U.N. member states on Wednesday expressed concern for migrant domestic staff who will be required in Qatari households after the construction boom. Belgium urged Qatar to assure women they could complain "without fear of reprisal or harassment" by their employers. Spain noted that marital rape is not a crime in Qatar, and the Czech Republic recommended criminalizing all violence against women. "We are encouraging them if there is any problem to report it and we have put the mechanisms in place," the Qatari minister told the AP. "This is a freedom which is granted by the government." France led recommendations that Qatari women who married foreign men be allowed to pass on their nationality to their children. Amid widespread requests to ensure freedom of expression and protest in Qatar, the United States recommended that the government release all prisoners of conscience including poet Muhammad ibn al-Dheeb al-Ajami. He is serving a 15-year jail term for writing verses judged offensive to the former Emir. A report reviewing Qatars progress will be adopted Friday, and is scheduled to be considered at a session of the 47-nation Human Rights Council in September. ' ' '

TORONTO -- A phone call from Canadian hip-hop star Drake helped sell England and Spurs striker Jermain Defoe on Toronto FC, according to Englands Daily Mirror. Adrian Peterson Jersey . The tabloid reports Defoe was "bowled over" by the call from Drake, who was unveiled in September as the Toronto Raptors "global ambassador." Toronto FC and the Raptors are both owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. The MLS club has yet to confirm Defoes signing in the January transfer window. But privately club officials consider it a done deal. The Mirror says the 31-year-old Defoe has been offered a deal worth 90,000 pounds a week (C$155,310) as well as unlimited flights for him and his family. The club will also provide the striker with two houses, according to the paper. Jasper Brinkley Vikings Jersey . The 32-year-old native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., said on his Twitter account that his knee was bothering him. Guay underwent knee surgery over the summer, then returned for the start of the World Cup season after an intensive rehab program. Cordarrelle Patterson Vikings Jersey . Fans can follow 150+ hours of Wimbledon coverage across TSN platforms � TSN, TSN2, TSN GO, and TSN Radio. French-language coverage of Wimbledon is available on RDS. As the undisputed Canadian home of the biggest events on the tennis calendar, TSN continues its exclusive coverage of Grand Slam tennis following record ratings from the French Open � including more than 1. NEW ORLEANS -- Rudy�Gay went from ejection to redemption in just a couple of days. One game after a miserable showing in Oklahoma City, Gay tied a career high with 41 points and the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 114-97 victory at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. "Honestly, I didnt even know how much I scored," Gay said. "It was more about getting the win." In a loss two nights earlier to the Thunder, Gay scored only six points before being sent off the court with two technical fouls in the fourth quarter. But Gay hit 16 of 25 shots in the Big Easy, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range, to match a point total he last put up on Dec. 13, 2009, in Miami. It was going so well for Gay that he casually walked the ball up the court with an eye on the clock late in the third quarter, and then drilled a pull-up jumper from 27 feet. "He put on a show tonight, coming off a game in Oklahoma City where he didnt play very well and got thrown out," Kings coach Michael Malone said. "He wanted to bounce back and show everybody what he is capable of." DeMarcus�Cousins had 18 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks for the Kings, who have won five of eight. Isaiah�Thomas added 20 points and 11 assists. "When in doubt, go to Rudy and youll get an assist," Thomas said. "He really carried us tonight." Tyreke�Evans scored 17 for New Orleans, which trimmed a 23-point deficit to six shortly before halftime, only to fall behind by 23 again in the third quarter and remain behind by double digits the rest of the way. Anthony�Davis scored 16 points and blocked four shots, and New Orleans rookie centre Jeff�Withey had a career-high 14 points, but that was not nearly enough to prevent the Pelicans from losing for the ninth time in 10 games. The latest loss came one night after the Pelicans snapped an eight-game skid in Memphis. "We just didnt have a lot of juice collectively from our starters tonight and certainly didnt play with any kind of intensity that was comparable to what we did last night," Pelicans coach Monty�Williams said. "That is just part of being a pro and understanding that when you have an emotional win like we did last night, theres a quick turnaround." Quincy�Acy grabbed 10 rebounds for the Kings, who outrebounded New Orleanns 46-35. Tom Johnson. The Kings were the sharper team from the outset, shooting 70 per cent (14 of 20) in the first period, during which they scored 38 points and built an 18-point lead. "Obviously I could point to a few things, but that would be emotional and I dont want to do that," Williams said. "Theres some things Ive discussed with our team that they need to be better at, and they understand. ... Were not the type of team that can just put our jersey on and step onto the floor. Weve got to go out and play with a high level of energy." New Orleans had 10 players in uniform, out of 15 on the roster. Ryan�Anderson (herniated disk), Jrue�Holiday (stress fracture, right shin) and Jason�Smith (right knee) were injured. Reserve shooting guard Anthony�Morrow was sick and newly acquired guard Tyshawn�Taylor was not with the team. All 10 active players had checked in before the first quarter ended, in part because four players --Davis, Al-Farouq�Aminu, Greg�Stiemsma and Alexis�Ajinca -- each had two fouls in the period. The Kings lead grew to 23 on Gays 3 midway through the second quarter, and it might have been worse if not for Witheys 12 points in the period. New Orleans enjoyed momentum for only the last half of the second period, scoring on 10 of its last 11 possessions. Witheys dunk sparked a 12-3 spurt, capped by Roberts fast-break layup. Next came an 11-2 run during which Evans scored eight, trimming Sacramentos lead to six before Derrick�Williams free throws gave the Kings a 64-56 halftime lead. The Pelicans second-quarter surge put them in striking distance of a memorable comeback, but Sacramento opened the third with a 17-4 run. The surge began with two baskets by Cousins and included two 3s by Gay, the second making it 83-60. "When we play that type of basketball, were a tough team to beat," Cousins said. "Weve got a long way to go to grow as a team, but were definitely on the right path." NOTES: The Kings conclude a six-game road trip Wednesday night at Houston. They are 2-3 on the trip so far. ... Four players spent at least one season of college under current Kentucky coach John Calipari: Cousins, Davis, Evans and Darius�Miller. All are former Kentucky players except Evans, who played at Memphis, Caliparis previous stop. ' ' '

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Missouri got the big plays it needed at the end of the Cotton Bowl to beat an old rival. Elite Matthew Stafford Youth White Jersey. Henry Josey ran for 92 yards and three touchdowns, the last a 16-yarder with 3:08 left, and Shane Ray returned a fumbled 73 yards for a touchdown after that, and the No. 9 Tigers beat No. 13 Oklahoma State 41-31 late Friday night. The former Big 12 and Big Eight rivals traded points on six consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter, until Oklahoma State quarterback Clint Chelf was sacked and fumbled with a minute left. Ray picked up the ball and rumbled 73 yards down the sideline in front of the stunned Cowboys bench to score. "All the drama you dont want as a coach in the fourth quarter," Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel said. "We had a lot of adversity, and our team handled the adversity well and made the plays we needed to win. I wanted that trophy really bad, wanted it bad for them." SEC East champion Missouri (12-2) matched its school record for victories, giving the SEC its 10th win in the last 11 Cotton Bowls, all against the Big 12. Joseys go-ahead TD came a play after James Franklins 27-yard pass to Dorial Green-Beckham to convert third-and-9. Franklin, the Missouri quarterback whose final two seasons were plagued by injuries, had two fumbles earlier in the second half when Oklahoma State (10-3) overcame a 10-point deficit to tie it in just over 3 1/2 minutes. Ray had been dragged into the end zone by Desmond Roland when the Oklahoma State running back bulled through the line for a 2-yard TD run with 5 minutes left to give the Cowboys their only lead of the night. Ray hit him immediately at the line, but couldnt keep Roland from scoring. Franklin was only 15-of-40 passing for 174 yards with an interception, and almost another returned for a score. Chelf threw for 381 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions, completing 33 of 57 passes. He also ran 10 times for 48 yards, including a 23-yard run to convert third-and-10 only a few plays before he was sacked by All-SEC defensive end Michael Sam sacked Chelf and knocked the ball loose. That gave Sam 11 1/2 sacks, the most in the SEC and matching a school record. Missouri wrapped up its second SEC season since leaving the Big 12. The Tigers debuted in their new league with a losing season, but made it to the SEC championship game in year two before losing to No. 2 Auburn. "What a great way to finish the season," said Pinkel, whose 102nd victory in his 13th season snapped a tie with Don Faurot for the most in school history. With the game tied, Franklin appeared to throw his second interception with 9 minutes left. But with Tyler Patmon running 40 yards to the end zone for an apparent go-ahead touchdown, a flag was thrown for pass interference and Mizzou kept the ball. The Tigers settled for Andrew Baggetts 46-yard field goal. "I felt as if both guys were competing for the ball," Cowboys linebacker Shaun Lewis said. "Its unfortunate. That play would have turned the game." Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said he was told only that Patmon interfered and didnt really get an explanation about the penalty from the referees. "I didnt see it. I just saw two guys competing for the ball," Gundy said. Oklahoma State then went 75 yards for its only lead, the longest play on the drive being when Tracy Moore was fully extended and lunging forward when he caught a 41-yard pass to the Tigers 28. "Its hard on our team," Gundy said. "Thats a very, very disappointed locker room right now." The Cowboys were trying to win 11 games for the third time in four seasons. Before Mike Gundy became the coach in 2005, the Cowboys had never won 11 games. Missouri trailed 17-7 at halftime before getting even after the two fumbles by Franklin. That sequence actually began when Cowboys quarterback Clint Chelf was picked off by Braylon Webb. But Mizzou gave the ball back on the next play when Franklin fumbled on a botched handoff, with James Castleman recovered at the Tigers 33. Chelf threw a 21-yard TD pass to Jhajuan Seales with 2:10 left in the third quarter. Early in the fourth quarter, Franklins pitch was well behind Josey, and recovered by Daytawion Lowe at the Tigers 11. Oklahoma State had to settle for a tying 32-yard field goal by Ben Grogan, making up for an earlier miss. Grogan had a 34-yard field goal attempt ricochet off the top of the right upright early in the second quarter. Missouri backup quarterback Maty Mauk, who filled in for Franklin when he was hurt, then trotted on the field with the Tigers offence for the first time. The freshman accounted for 105 yards on the drive, including runs of 35 and 34 yards before a 24-yard TD pass to Marcus Lucas. When Mauk got a series in the second half, the Tigers went three-and-out. Ziggy Ansah Jersey . The 22-year-old from Notre Dame started 29 games and had five goals and six assists this season. The league announced Monday that Powers received 93 per cent of team, media and player votes. Reggie Bush Jersey . -- Ernie�Els hardly ever catches a break at the Match Play Championship.SURREY, B.C. -- Quarterback Joey Elliott is returning to the B.C. Lions. He was added to the CFL teams roster today in preparation for Sundays game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Regina. His return follows Tuesdays announcement that B.C. starting quarterback Travis Lulay will miss the next two games with a shoulder injury. Elliott is the second former quarterback to return to thee team recently, following Buck Pierces return via trade from Winnipeg last week. C.J. Mosley Jersey. The Lions released Elliott earlier this month before acquiring Pierce. Prior to his release, Elliott served as B.C.s third-string quarterback, but did not see any action. Elliott passed for 2,101 yards to go along with five touchdowns and 12 interceptions with Winnipeg last season. ' ' '

SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal appeals court says it will reconsider Barry�Bonds felony conviction for obstruction of justice. Norichika Aoki Royals Jersey . The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that a special panel of 11 judges will review a 2011 jury verdict finding Major League Baseballs all-time homerun leader guilty of giving evasive testimony to a grand jury investigating elite athletes use of performance-enhancing drugs. A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit last year upheld the conviction, which stems from a rambling answer Bonds gave in response to a question about whether he received injections from anyone other than his doctor. Bonds has already served his sentence of 30 days house arrest and paid a $4,100 fine. The court has not set a date for a new hearing. Billy Butler Royals Jersey . -- Kevin Pangos had 27 points and Drew Barham added 17 to lead No. Justin Maxwell Jersey .Y. -- The New York Knicks hope to have Amare Stoudemire back before the end of the season after a second doctor said he wont need surgery on the bulging disk in his back.IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The way Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan sees it, the 16th-ranked Badgers are playing better because theyre making shots. Theyre also making plays -- and Frank Kaminsky came up two huge ones to beat No. 15 Iowa on Saturday. Kaminsky had 21 points and a crucial late steal as Wisconsin won 79-74 for its fifth straight win after a 1-5 stretch marked by poor shooting. Sam Dekker added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Badgers (22-5, 9-5 Big Ten), who swept the season series and moved a half-game ahead of the Hawkeyes (19-7, 8-5) in the Big Ten standings. "We like to get into our classroom and in the gym and teach guys things. Show them film, work with them," Ryan said. "Frank is one of those guys thats doing a heck of a job on his learning curve. Hes really been pretty sharp." No one was sharper than Kaminsky in the final 36 seconds. Josh Oglesbys jumper with 1:01 left put Iowa up 72-71, but Kaminsky answered with a jumper that gave Wisconsin a one-point lead. Kaminsky then stripped Iowas Roy Devyn Marble under the basket and hit two free throws as the Badgers went up 75-72 with 24.5 seconds left. "He was trying to make a play, and he presented the ball and I just hit it out of his hands. Thats one of those plays where its kind of up to the (referee) to see what theyre going to call. I thought I got it clean," Kaminsky said of the steal. "Im just happy it came out in our favour." Marble had 21 points and 11 assists for the Hawkeyes, who lost their third home game in four tries. Marble could have milked the shot clock down to just over a second on the games biggest play. He instead attacked the rim and paid for it with a turnover that the Hawkeyes didnt recover from. "You call a play and then hes got to read it. Thats what he did," Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said. This was just the second game in two weeks for Iowa. The Hawkeyes were off ahead of last Saturdays 82-70 win at Penn State, and Tuesdays postponement at Indiana gave the Hawkeyes an extra week off. After a ratheer rusty start, Iowa asserted itself in the second half. Salvador Perez Jersey. Marble hit a 3 and Aaron White followed with a strong drive to the hoop that put the Hawkeyes ahead 62-58 with 6:27 left. The Badgers seemed flummoxed at times by Iowas zone defence, scoring just 20 points in the first 16 minutes of the second half. Still, Wisconsin tied it at 66-all with 3:18 left on a three-point play by Nigel Hayes, and freshman Bronson Koenigs jumper put the Badgers ahead 71-70 with 1:21 left. "Hes a good player. Youre going to see a lot more of him over the next few years," Ryan said of Koenig, who had a career-high 12 points. Iowa was forced to make a rare lineup change. Forward Zach McCabe started in place of Melsahn Basabe, who was limited to just a minute because of illness. Basabe is one of Iowas top interior defenders, and the Badgers took advantage of his absence early on. Wisconsin hit 12 of its first 16 shots, and Dekkers 3 put the Badgers ahead 34-24. Wisconsin shot 57 per cent from the field in the first half, and Koenig matched his previous career high of 10 points in just 10 minutes as the Badgers led 40-31. But Wisconsin missed its first six shots after the break and Iowa eventually retook the lead, 52-51, with 10:55 left. Oglesby matched a season high with 17 points for Iowa. But White was held to just four points, and McCabes 3-point attempt with less than 20 seconds left and the Hawkeyes down 3 never reached the rim. "It didnt come out of his hand cleanly, but he was wide open," McCaffery said of McCabe. "I dont think hell make any excuses." Kaminsky shares Ryans assertion that shot-making has keyed Wisconsins recent surge. But Kaminsky added that the belief that those shots are going to fall has been whats really reinvigorated the Badgers over the past three weeks. "Having the confidence to step up and take those shots is back. I think we had that at the start of the season. It kind of went away for a little bit, and now I think we have that back," Kaminsky said. ' ' '

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- So much for the undercard. Zach Ertz Eagles Jersey . Now No. 3 Ohio State must take on the heavyweights in the main events remaining on its schedule. Lenzelle Smith Jr. scored 17 points and LaQuinton Ross added 15 to lead the Buckeyes past overmatched and undermanned Louisiana-Monroe 71-31 on Friday night. An announced crowd of 18,534 didnt see much drama after the Buckeyes rolled to a big lead -- scoring the first 12 points of the game and the first 15 of the second half -- to turn it into a landslide. Many left before the end. Not even the players really enjoy playing such lopsided games. "The better competition, the more exciting the games are for us," Ross said. "Sometimes during the non-conference as you play some of these teams that are not as good as you are, you actually play down to (their level). Thats not good for teams. Thats not what youre supposed to do. Definitely when we come out in Big Ten play, its going to be teams that are just as good as us and were going to have to play better." Amedeo Della Valle chipped in with 14 points for the Buckeyes (13-0), who have won their first 13 games in a season for the fifth time in school history (1961, 62, 91 and 2011). Ohio State opens Big Ten play on Dec. 31 at Purdue. After not facing a ranked opponent up to now, the Buckeyes will be tested by the likes of No. 4 Wisconsin, No. 5 Michigan State, No. 22 Iowa and the rest of the conferences bullies. "We tell our guys, Youve got 18 battles coming up (and) the wars decided in March," coach Thad Matta said. "Just from the standpoint of the challenges that lie ahead, thats what guys sign up for when they come to play at Ohio State. Theres going to be some tremendous battles every night we take the floor." The Buckeyes won each of their first 11 games by double digits. They had far from an easy time of it in their most recent game. Down by eight points in the last minute, they went on a 14-3 run over the last 48 seconds to beat Notre Dame 64-61 on Dec. 21 at Madison Square Garden in the finale of the BlackRock Gotham Classic. In that game they scored 17 points in the first 19:12 of the second half and 14 in those last decisive 48 seconds. "We got a win but we didnt execute and we didnt do the things that we needed to do in the Garden," Smith said. "Today was about establishing ourselves. We know whats getting ready to come down the pipeline starting in the Big Ten. ... So we just wanted to come out strong, get back to our system and what works for us, and being on top of our game." Smith said if the non-conference season did anything, it marked the Buckeyes as a team that no opponent will overlook. "Everybody else is watching now," he said. "Everybody cant wait to knock us off in the Big Ten." Friday nights game was a mismatch of epic proportions. Jayon James led the Warhawks (3-5), who have lost their last four, with eight points. They hit just 19 per cent of their shots from the field (10 of 54) and 17 per cent on 3-pointers (3 of 18). Ohio State came into the game fifth in the nation in scoring defence (55.9 points) and 13th in field goal percentage defence (.379). They went a long way toward padding those numbers while holding the Warhawks to 20 points on 23.3 per cent shooting in the opening half. The game was never in doubt after Ohio State bolted to a 12-0 lead in the opening 4 minutes. The Warhawks didnt score until Tylor Ongwae hit a baseline drive at the 15:34 mark. Ross got things going early with eight of the first 12 points, hitting his only two attempts from the field, including his lone 3, and adding a perfect 3 for 3 at the free throw line. Up 41-20, the Buckeyes opened the second half the same way they did the first -- on a run. Amazingly, ULM coach Keith Richard benched his starters at halftime and did not play them at all in the final 20 minutes. "The only way to make things happen is by playing hard. Im about tired of it. Its been going on at certain times during different games," Richard, who didnt attend a postgame news conference, said in a statement issued by the sports information office. "Those guys just arent going to play. Were not in a good place right now obviously after the last two ball games, mentally or physically." The Warhawks finally ended a 15-0 Ohio State run and a scoring drought of 9:50 when Chinedu Amajoyi hit two free throws at the 10:40 mark for their first points of the second half. It was all about getting ready for the next game for the Buckeyes. "I wouldnt say we got done everything we needed to get done but we definitely got better every time we stepped on the floor," Smith said, analyzing Ohio States first 13 games. "Just looking back to how we started the season until now, weve come a long way. I know we still have a long way to go. "Thats what we need to work to, getting ready for this game coming up on the 31st." LeSean McCoy . Even after the late injury dramas within the All Blacks squad, with captain Richie McCaw, Dan Carter and Mils Muliaina dropping out of the match, they were still far too superior to a second-string Japan.Wes Hopkins Jersey .� The first match will take place on October 25th in Edmonton and will be followed by a second match on October 28th in Vancouver.MIAMI - Major League Baseball has withdrawn its lawsuit against a defunct Florida anti-aging clinic at the centre of the scandal involving use of banned substances by players, including New York Yankees star Alex�Rodriguez. A lawyer for MLB, Matthew Menchel, confirmed Wednesday the league dropped its case against Biogenesis of America, its owner Anthony Bosch and several other individuals. The lawsuit had accused Biogenesis and Bosch of conspiring with players to viiolate their contracts by providing them with banned performance-enhancing substances. Riley Cooper Eagles Jersey. Fourteen players associated with the Coral Gables clinic were disciplined last year by MLB, including a season-long 2014 suspension imposed on Rodriguez. The Yankees star recently dropped his lawsuit against MLB and agreed to serve the suspension. Although the lawsuit sought unspecified money damages, it also provided MLB a way to subpoena clinic records. ' ' '

PORTLAND, Ore. Connor Barwin Eagles Jersey . -- Given an opportunity to clinch a post-season berth, the Trail Blazers made the most if it. LaMarcus�Aldridge had 25 points and 18 rebounds and Portland earned a playoff spot for the first time in three seasons with a 100-94 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night. Wesley�Matthews added 21 points, Damian�Lillard 20 and Nicolas�Batum had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Portland (50-28). The Blazers are in fifth place in the Western Conference with four games remaining. "Fifty wins is always a big honour in this league," Aldridge said. "Especially being in the West with so many good teams. Its definitely not something to take for granted. Guys are happy about it and were definitely happy to be locked into the playoffs." Memphis loss to San Antonio earlier in the evening cleared the way for Portland to clinch. It appeared the Trail Blazers might fumble the chance when New Orleans took a 10-point second quarter lead. But the Blazers blew past the Pelicans with a 25-6 third quarter run and never trailed again. Reserve Anthony�Morrow scored 17 for New Orleans and Anthony�Davis had 15 points on 6-of-18 shooting. New Orleans got within 97-94 with 35.9 seconds left when Morrow nailed a jumper, but Lillard scored on a driving layup and then made one of two free throws. "They made runs - thats what they do," said Morrow, who is averaging 19.4 points in his last seven games. "We know when this team is at home they are going to make runs, they are going to hit shots." Portland had won four in a row before running out of gas Friday and losing 109-93 in Phoenix. Clinching a playoff spot at home was an important step for a team that won just 33 games last season, but the Blazers werent whooping it up in the locker room after the game. "We were happy for about five minutes," Batum said. "But we have four more games and then the playoffs start." The Pelicans, last in the Southwest Division and out of the playoff race, have lost five straight games. Davis started the game despite back spasms that kept him out for long stretches of the past two games. He limited Aldridge to 6-of-16 shooting in the first half. "Hes just trying to do everything he can to help his team and tonight was no different," coach Monty�Williams said. "Thats why we love him." Davis had 11 points in the first quarter, but the Pelicans went on a run with their All-Star on the bench in the second, going up 39-29 as reserve big men Al-Farouq�Aminu and Alexis�Ajinca combined for 10 points in a 14-4 run. Portland trailed 55-48 at the half. The Blazers picked up the pace in the third, as Aldridge regained his shot and Lillard, Matthews and Batum each scored in transition. Portland led 77-67 just before the end of the third. Several players scoffed at suggestions that the Blazers rest some starters with the playoffs in hand, and coach Terry Stotts indicated there were no plans to change focus. "Were not prepping for the playoffs," he said. "We want to keep going in the right direction." NOTES: Portlands last playoff appearance was in 2010-11, when the Blazers lost a first-round matchup to the Dallas Mavericks in six games. ... New Orleans G Eric�Gordon missed his ninth straight game with knee tendinitis, and is not with the team after travelling to Los Angeles for a medical examination. . The Pelicans are 12-27 on the road this season. Their last win in Portland was in 2010. Randall Cunningham Eagles Jersey .C. -- Cam�Newton wasnt flawless on Sunday. Jerome Brown . Anthony�Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans ended up with the bigger problem. ATLANTA -- Juan�Nicasio took the pressure off a Rockies lineup missing some big names. Michael�Cuddyer and Troy�Tulowitzki each homered, Nicasio solved the Braves and Colorado beat Atlanta 3-1 on Saturday. The Rockies were missing some of their big bats as Carlos�Gonzalez missed his third straight start with a swollen finger and Nolan�Arenado was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a broken finger. Arenados injury came in a 3-2 loss on Friday night, and manager Walt Weiss said he wasnt surprised his team had a strong recovery. "It was a tough night last night, a tough loss and obviously Nolans situation," Weiss said. "Just like weve been all year, this team is resilient and they turn the page and show up the next day and compete. They dont lose confidence. It was a good gut-check for us today." Nicasio (5-2) didnt need much offence. The right-hander turned around his ugly history against the Braves -- 0-3 and 9.82 ERA in four starts. He gave up only two hits in six shutout innings. Leaning on his fastball, Nicasio pitched around four walks and had five strikeouts. "To bounce back after that loss last night was big, and we rode Nicasios shoulders today," Cuddyer said. Nicasio pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the third. Instead of being motivated by his poor history against the Braves or the need to take pressure off a weakened lineup, Nicasio said it was an important game only because the Rockies wanted to rebound from Friday nights loss. "I know I need to win today, tie the series 1-1 and tomorrow we try to win the series," Nicasio said. Atlantas Mike�Minor (2-3) allowed three runs on four hits -- including the two homers -- in 6 2-3 innings. "Im not happy with the loss but to not have your best stuff and to get a quality start out of it, Ill take it," Minor said. Trailing 3-0, the Braves tried to rally in the eighth. B.J.�Upton singled off Boone�Logan and moved to third on Freddie�Freemans double. Justin�Uptons fly to right field off Adam�Ottavino drove in B.J.�Upton as Freeman advanced to third. Ottavino struck out Evan�Gattis to end the inning. Mike Quick. LaTroy�Hawkins, who had given up at least one run in each of his last three appearances, earned his 11th save with a perfect ninth inning. The Braves loaded the bases with two outs in the third on Nicasios walks to Jason�Heyward and Freeman and a single by B.J.�Upton. Justin�Upton ended the inning with a foul popup. "We had the bases loaded there with the right guy at the plate early on in the game but (Nicasio) wiggled out of that one," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. "There werent a lot of opportunities but we had some and when you dont cash in on opportunities you have games like this." Atlanta didnt manage another hit off Nicasio until Justin�Uptons double with one out in the sixth. Nicasio retired the next two batters. Weiss successfully challenged home plate umpire Lance Barksdales call that Charlie�Culberson was tagged out at the plate in the seventh. Culberson, who hit a leadoff double and moved to third on D.J.�LeMahieus groundout, tried to score on pinch-hitter Charlie�Blackmons grounder to first base. Culberson slid head-first with his left hand reaching for the plate as Gattis applied the tag. The call was overturned following the lengthy review -- 4 minutes, 14 seconds. Culberson, who started for Arenado at third base, had two hits. Braves third baseman Chris�Johnson, who was pulled from Friday nights game by Fredi Gonzalez for losing his temper after a strikeout, was 0 for 4 in his return to the lineup. Gonzalez confirmed he and catcher Gerald�Laird were caught in the crossfire when Johnson broke his bat. Johnson has a history of similar outbursts and vowed he wouldnt have another incident. NOTES: The Rockies recalled INF Josh�Rutledge from Triple-A Colorado Springs. ... The homer by Tulowitzki was the first in 71 career plate appearances at Turner Field. ... Gattis returned to Atlantas lineup after missing four games with viral symptoms. ... The series ends Sunday when Braves RHP Julio�Teheran faces Rockies LHP Franklin�Morales. ' ' '

DENVER -- Nino�Niederreiter hesitated for just a moment after scoring the winning goal, not sure if what he just saw actually occurred. Billy Butler Royals Jersey . It happened, all right. His Minnesota teammates suddenly skating over to mob him made the moment real. Niederreiter scored his second goal of the game at 5:02 in overtime after Ilya�Bryzgalov made a big save filling in for the injured Darcy�Kuemper, leading the Wild to a 5-4 win over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 on Wednesday night. The right winger was a rather unlikely star with his first two goals of the series. "An unbelievable feeling," said Niederreiter, whose team captured their first playoff series since 2003. "I think our heart made the difference tonight." Minnesota trailed 4-3 before Jared�Spurgeon scored on a nifty play with 2:27 left in regulation. Spurgeon waited for a clear look at the goal, and then shot it over Semyon�Varlamovs shoulder and off the left post. Mikko�Koivu and Dany�Heatley had the other goals for the Wild, who will face the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks in a second-round series that begins Friday. The two met last season, with the Blackhawks winning in five games. Nick�Holden, Jamie�McGinn, Paul�Stastny and Erik�Johnson scored for the Avalanche as they returned to the post-season for the first time since 2010 and tied a franchise record with 52 wins in capturing the Central Division. Not that its much consolation -- not now, anyway. "The toughest part is to not come back tomorrow and be ready for Chicago," first-year coach Patrick�Roy said. "We believe in ourselves and its hard to see that its over. "Im sure tomorrow is going to hurt more thinking its over because we still have the emotion of the game." Rookie Nathan�MacKinnon couldnt agree more. "It tarnishes the year a lot," said MacKinnon, who had two goals and eight assists in the series. "We wanted to make a run here and we had a chance twice to win the series, once in Game 6 and obviously tonight. Its tough to describe what went on. "Weve got to wait until September to get things going again, which is going to be a long summer, especially watching the playoffs. Its going to be tough." The Avalanche took a lead on four different occasions, only to have the Wild respond. Niederreiter won it for Minnesota on a 2-on-1 break when he sent a shot over Varlamovs shoulder in the fourth overtime of the series. "Its not easy to play against a good team," said Varlamov, whos a finalist for the Vezina Trophy thats given to the leagues top goaltender. "Theyve been playing well against us the whole series." Bryzgalov took over in net for Kuemper midway through the third. Bryzgalov started the series but was replaced by Kuemper in Game 2. The veteran Bryzgalov stopped a shot with his left shoulder early in the overtime, paving the way for Niederreiters winner. It was his only save in 13:15 of action. Now, like most of the season, the Wild have a concern at goalie, especially since coach Mike Yeo isnt sure how badly Kuemper is hurt. "If only we had any experience dealing with this," Yeo jokingly said. "Were fortunate we have good depth at that position." Roys first season on the bench for the Avalanche ended the same way his Hall of Fame goaltending career did -- with a loss to the Wild in Game 7. Roy surrendered the winning overtime goal in 2003. This one was just as agonizing. "We had our chance -- dont kid ourselves," Roy said. "We had our chance and they took advantage of theirs." Niederreiter was starting to heat up in Game 6, but couldnt find the net. That changed on Wednesday. "He raised the bar," Yeo said. "Got himself in trouble now, because this is what we expect." Niederreiter was only happy to contribute. "As a little kid, its exactly the moment you dream about," Niederreiter said. "Im very happy and fortunate that it happened tonight." NOTES: Minnesota F Matt�Cooke served the fourth game of his seven-game suspension for his knee-to-knee hit on Avs D Tyson�Barrie. Cooke has appeared in the most Game 7s (seven) of any Wild player. ... Yeo said this is the start of a "budding rivalry" between the two Central Division foes. ... Wild F Kyle�Brodziak had three assists. ... Colorado Fs P.A. Parenteau and Matt�Duchene each had two assists. This was Duchenes second game back after missing almost a month with a knee injury. Yordano Ventura Jersey . - Former NFL safety Darren�Sharper pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that he drugged and raped two women he met at a West Hollywood night club, while the emergence of a new accuser in Florida left him under investigation in five states. Billy Butler Jersey . -- Philippe Cadorette made 22 saves as the Baie-Comeau Drakkar shut out the Victoriaville Tigres 3-0 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff action Monday.NEW YORK -- Major League Soccers referees and other on-field officials were locked out Friday, a day before the season openers. The Professional Referee Organization, which manages game officials for the U.S. Soccer Federation and MLS, notified the Professional Soccer Referee Association of the lockout and said replacement officials will be used. PRO said the union, which was formed last year, rejected a no strike-no lockout agreement that management had proposed. The sides have bargained since July without reaching a deal on a labour contract. "Our proposal represents a significant increase above current compensation for referees and places them above the average for officials around the world," said PRO general manager Peter Walton, an English Premier League referee from 2003-12. PRO said in the 1 1/2 years since its formation, it had increased full-time officials from two to nine and added 11 part-time officials. The PSRA has filed uunfair labour practice charges accusing the PRO of bad-faith bargaining and making threats against its members. Bo Jackson Royals Jersey. "We have requested a plethora of information, including financials, that PRO and MLS have refused to provide, instead demanding we take their pleas of poverty at face value," said Lukas Middlebrook, a lawyer for the union. Replacements this weekend include former Ireland referee Alan Kelly (Kansas City-Seattle); former Greece referee Ioannis Stavridis (Philadelphia-Portland); current Puerto Rico referees Javier Santos (Salt Lake-Los Angeles) and William Anderson (Chicago-Chivas USA); former MLS referees Abbey Okulaja (New York-Vancouver) and Ramon Hernandez (New England-Houston); former MLS fourth official Jorge Luna (Montreal-Dallas); and current North American Soccer League referee Andres Pfefferkorn (Columbus-D.C.). Kelly is a veteran of five World Cup qualifiers and three Champions League matches. ' ' '

BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona has unveiled plans for its 420-million-euro ($565 million) Camp Nou redesign, which will increase the stadiums capacity to 105,053 and transform the infrastructure around it. Calvin Johnson Lions Authentic Jersey . The Spanish champions games will be unaffected when work begins in 2017, lasting until 2021. The stadiums exterior will be completely transformed with a partial roof placed above as over 60,000 square meters of space are created inside. Club members will have to approve the project in a referendum to be held in April. Club official Javier Faus humbly called it "the most important sport project in Europe and the whole world." The plan comes days after rival Real Madrid announced a 400-million-euro ($540 million) remodeling plan for its Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. C.J. Mosley Lions Authentic Jersey . -- LaMarcus�Aldridge knew when it was his time. Ziggy Ansah Lions Authentic Jersey . This week, topics cover the Blue Jays rotation,�the futures John Gibbons and Alex Anthopoulos, protecting pitchers and a bonus question on his predictions for the MLB playoffs. ST. LOUIS -- After the St. Louis Blues let a two-goal lead get away, Vladimir�Tarasenko made sure they skated off with a win. Tarasenko scored and added an assist in regulation, and then netted the deciding goal in the shootout to lead the Blues to a 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night. Just seconds after Roman�Josi gave the Predators a 3-2 lead at 7:33 of the third period, Tarasenko got control of the puck. He moved into the Nashville end, and after hesitating from the high slot, beat goalie Carter�Hutton with a wrist shot at 7:49. Tarasenko credited his father, Andrei, who coaches in Russia, for his tying goal. "That was a set play that my father (taught) me," he said. "If you do it right, its probably hard to catch it. I just tried to make it through." But Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said Tarasenko, who has 18 goals, has the kind of skills that cannot be taught. "Theres not many pure shooters," Hitchcock said. "But hes one of them." Brian�Elliott, who has won 14 of his last 15 at home, stopped three of four shots in the shootout. Nashville fell to 1-7 in the tiebreaker. Predators coach Barry Trotz was pleased to get one point. "I thought it was a great point for us," Trotz said. "Youre down to the St Louis Blues 2-0, and its a real hard rink to come into. They come at you hard, but I thought as the game went on we got better and better." Jaden�Schwartz and David�Backes also scored for the Blues, who have beaten the Predators eighht of the last nine. Joique Bell Lions Authentic Jersey. Elliott made 28 saves to end a three-game losing streak. Paul�Gaustad, Mike�Fisher and Roman�Josi scored the Nashville goals, and Hutton turned aside 31 shots. Fisher got the Predators even 2-2 at 3:25 of the third period when he beat Elliott from a bad angle along the right boards. Josi then gave Nashville its first lead, but it lasted just 16 seconds. "Tarasenko is dangerous off the rush," Trotz said. Derek�Roy, who played on a line with Tarasenko and Jaden�Schwartz, said the sky is the limit for Tarasenko. "I feel like he gets better every game," Roy said. "Hes eager to learn. He wants to play well and he wants to win. Those are good qualities in a player." Schwartz opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 9:11 of the first period when he converted a centring pass from Chris�Stewart. Backes gave St. Louis a 2-0 lead when he redirected Jay�Bouwmeesters shot from the right point at 3:31 of the second. But Gaustad got the Predators back in it with 3:12 left in the second when the puck came to him in the slot off a scrum in the corner, and he buried a shot past Elliott. NOTES: Nashville D Shea�Weber, who scored twice in Friday nights 3-2 win against New Jersey, was listed as questionable because of an upper-body injury but he played his usual shifts. ... Backes played in his 543rd game with the Blues, tying him with Keith�Tkachuk for 12th place on the teams career list. ... Josi has 11 points in his last 10 games. ' ' '

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. Wallace Gilberry Bengals Jersey . -- As expected, coach John Fox has officially ruled out Wes�Welker for Denvers game against San Diego on Thursday night because of a concussion. The NFLs protocol for concussed players would have allowed Welker only to participate in light practice Thursday and only if he had passed baseline cognitive tests earlier in the week. For competitive purposes, Fox had been coy about Welkers status during the week, other than to say the receivers health was the teams top priority. Welker was going low to catch a pass Sunday when Tennessee safety George�Wilson legally hit him in the side of his neck, knocking him from the game. Welker also sustained a concussion Nov. 17 against Kansas City but played the following week at New England. Geno Atkins Bengals Jersey . The reported price for the Jays was Marcus�Stroman and Aaron�Sanchez. Would you make that deal? The Blue Jays are in first place in the AL East. Terence Newman Jersey .J. -- Before his team took the ice to face the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday, New Jersey Devils forward Ilya�Kovalchuk spoke to head coach Peter DeBoer about the possibility of taking a penalty shot.COSTA DO SAUIPE, Brazil -- Michel Platini says FIFAs choice of World Cup draw procedure was not his idea, despite it favouring his native France. Platini told reporters he offered to leave the room Monday during talks about a "FIFA administration" proposal. A lottery will now decide which unseeded European team goes into Pot 2 -- sure to face two high-ranked opponents from Europe and South America. France, the loweest-ranked European qualifier, was the expected automatic choice because of a 2006 World Cup precedent. Terence Newman Bengals Jersey. On Tuesday FIFA said all nine unseeded Europeans would be in the lottery which opens the draw ceremony Friday. FIFA vice-president Platini says: "I am not the only Frenchman in FIFA." A Netherlands federation official said its lawyers had checked whether the FIFA decision was allowed. ' ' '

LONDON -- The IOC formally opened an investigation Thursday that could result in Lance Armstrong being stripped of his Olympic bronze medal. Doug Baldwin Jersey . The IOC is looking into the Olympic involvement of Armstrong, other riders and officials implicated in the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report detailing "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen." Cyclings governing body, the UCI, last week formally stripped Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles from 1999-2005. Armstrong could now also lose the bronze medal he won in the road time trial at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. "The IOC will now immediately start the process concerning the involvement of Lance Armstrong, other riders and particularly their entourages with respect to the Olympic Games and their future involvement with the games," the International Olympic Committee said in a statement. Levi Leipheimer, a former Armstrong teammate who won the time-trial bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games, could also have his medal revoked. One of the key witnesses in the USADAs case against Armstrong, the American confessed to doping. The medals could come up for review at the IOCs executive board meeting next month in Lausanne, Switzerland. Meantime, the IOC is also monitoring the UCIs plans for an independent investigation to examine allegations about the federations own conduct and relations with Armstrong raised by the USADA report. "The IOC has taken note of the UCIs decision and welcomes all measures that will shed light on the full extent of this episode and allow the sport to reform and to move forward," the IOC said. "We await the findings of the independent commission which will look into the UCIs role, and the recommendations they will make to ensure a healthy future for cycling." In the case of Armstrongs medal, the IOC will have to study whether the eight-year statute for revising Olympic results applies or not. IOC vice-president Thomas Bach recently told The Associated Press that the USADA report took an "intriguing approach" that leaves the eight-year period open to discussion. "What we would have to check is whether this would also work under Swiss law or whether we find a way to apply U.S. law," Bach said. Armstrong finished behind winner and U.S. Postal Service teammate Vyacheslav Ekimov of Russia and Jan Ullrich of Germany. Fourth place went to Abraham Olano Manzano of Spain, who stands to move up to bronze if Armstrong is stripped of the medal. Finishing fourth behind Leipheimer in 2008 was Alberto Contador, the Spaniard who was stripped of the 2010 Tour de France title after testing positive for clenbuterol. Leipheimer is currently serving a reduced, six-month suspension after co-operating with the USADA probe. He was fired by the Belgium-based Quick Step team last week "in light of the disclosures." In August, the IOC stripped Tyler Hamilton -- a former Armstrong teammate -- of his gold medal from the 2004 Athens Olympics after he admitted to doping. Ekimov was upgraded to the gold. Russell Wilson Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. K.J. Wright Jersey . Stairs, who holds the major-league record with 23 pinch-hit home runs, was a disappointment for the Nationals. The 43-year-old batted just .154 with two RBIs in 56 games. He was 6 for 39 as a pinch hitter.An interesting question was posed to me on Twitter the other day: Should parents be allowed to coach their own children in soccer? From a practical standpoint, I see nothing wrong with it. As a nation, we have such a dearth of coaches in soccer that our recreational system is entirely dependent on volunteer parent coaches. If not for these willing volunteers, many of our children simply wouldnt be able to play organized soccer. Those volunteer coaches undoubtedly need more training and support, but their selflessness is essential to the growth of the game in Canada and they should be embraced, not shunned. The question wasnt posed in reference to recreational coaches, though. Most people concede that parents are more than capable of coaching their own children in recreational soccer, where the emphasis is on fun, friendship and fair playing time. The question was posed in reference to high-performance programs, where coaches are paid a salary by their club or academy to coach players. The general sentiment from many people (some of whom are directly involved in such programs) is that paid staff coaches should never be allowed to coach their own children. Their main argument is that there is an inherent conflict of interest for any parent coach. How does the coach allocate playing time? Is it done fairly - based on merit - or is there bias shown towards the coachs child? That conflict of interest is further emphasized in a high-performance environment, where playing time is seen not just as a development opportunity, but also as a showcasing tool. Critics argue that no matter how hard the coach tries, he or she will always be accused of favouring his or her own child over the other players. While there is some legitimacy to this argument - there are plenty of parent coaches out there who think they are "managing" their childs "career" - I think that the criticism is entirely unfair. How do teachers allocate their time in a classroom when it happens to contain their child as one of the students? Do those teachers hover over their childs desk, lavishing them with attention and instruction, while the other children in the class are left to fend for themselves? Of course not. They allocate their time and instruction according to the development needs of eeach student. White Steve Largent Elite Youth Jersey. . Their goal as a teacher is to equip each child with the skills needed to progress to the next level of the educational system. They dont direct all of their efforts into teaching their own child at the expense of the other students - which is the implication being made about the motives of parent coaches in high performance soccer programs. For me, the issue should not be about "parent coaches vs. non-parent coaches". The issue should be about "good coaches vs. bad coaches". Good coaches are able to separate their role as a parent from their role as a coach. They put as much time and effort into developing the soccer skills of each player under their care as they do into developing the skills of their own child. Good coaches allocate playing time based on performance - not based on parentage. They do not allow personal relationships with other parents to affect their judgment on players, and they consistently put the needs of the players ahead of all else. Good coaches dont play favourites - they demand the same level of commitment and effort from all of their players. In return, the players know that their coach will treat them all fairly, and that their playing time - what all players crave most - will be allocated as such. Critics will argue that there are very few good parent coaches out there - but that has nothing to do with them being parents, and everything to do with them being poor coaches. Banning all parents from coaching in high-performance programs - because there are definitely some misguided parent coaches out there - will only serve to lower an already shallow talent pool of coaches in our country.� We cant afford to do that. We need to embrace our coaches; identify them, train them and support them. Some parent coaches simply do not have the time in their schedules to coach a team other than the one that their child plays for. Should we abandon some of these talented coaches, simply because their children happen to be talented players as well? Absolutely not. Instead, the technical leaders of the clubs and academies, the Technical Directors and Club Head Coaches, must do a better job of identifying the good coaches from the bad ones - whether those coaches have kids playing or not. ' ' '

(SportsNetwork. George Brett Royals Jersey .com) - The Winnipeg Jets hope to set into motion a losing streak for the Colorado Avalanche this evening. You can catch all of the action on TSN Jets and TSN 1290 at 7pm ct. Winnipeg continues to lose ground in the Western Conference playoff race as it sits six points out of the second wild card position. The Jets snapped a six- game slide with a 7-2 win over Dallas on Sunday, but fell in defeat the following night 3-1 to the St. Louis Blues. Eric�ODell scored the Jets lone goal and the clubs were tied until the Blues David�Backes scored a power-play goal with 6:51 to play. Winnipeg went down a man when Evander�Kane went off for slashing. "We just cant be in the box there," Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice said of Kanes penalty, which occurred in the offensive zone. "Thats the bottom line on that play." Al�Montoya allowed two goals on 25 shots for the Jets. It is unknown when Ondrej�Pavelec will be ready to return from a lower-body injury, so Montoya will get the start again tonight. He has good numbers versus the Avalanche, going 2-1-2 with a 2.14 GAA and one shutout. Dustin�Byfuglien will miss his first game of the season tonight due to a lower-body injury.� Head coach Paul Maurice hopes hell be able to play Saturday against Carolina.�Eric Tangradim, who has been a healthy scratch for the last four games, replaces Byfuglien. The Avs are coming off just their third setback in the past 10 games, losing in head coach Patrick�Roys return to Montreal. Roy starred for the Canadiens franchise for 10-plus seasons before a trade to the Avalanche in 1995 and received a warm reception during the game. The home cheers eventually went to Montreals Thomas�Vanek, who notched a hat trick to help hand Colorado a 6-3 loss. Jamie�McGinn had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who also got goals from Nathan�MacKinnon and Maxime�Talbot. Jean-Sebastien�Giguere turned aside 30-of-35 shots. "I didnt want them to feel pressure of winning a hockey game for their coach. Its all about our team here," Roy said. The Avs fell into a tie with the Chicago Blackhawks for second place in the Central Division, eight points back of the first-place St. Louis Blues. Theyll try to avoid losing two straight for the first time since Feb. 4-6. Reto�Berra, the third goaltender on Colorados roster, will get the start tonight and it will be his first with the Avalanche since they acquired him from the Calgary Flames. Berra, signed to a three-year extension by the Avs last Friday, was 9-17-2 with a 2.95 goals against average in 29 games (27 starts) with the Flames. That includes a 1-1-0 mark versus the Jets with a 4.32 GAA. The Avs have won three of four versus the Jets this season, including a 4-3 shootout decision on Dec. 12 in the lone encounter in Winnipeg. Greg Holland Jersey . Louis Blues remain at the top spot of the TSN. Bo Jackson Royals Jersey . PAUL, Minn. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton�Kershaw was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday for the first time in his seven-year career because of a swollen muscle in his left upper back. The 26-year-old left-hander, coming off his second Cy Young Award in three years, already had been scratched from his scheduled start in San Diego on Sunday after an MRI revealed the problem. Kershaw was on a throwing progression program and was tossing the ball at different distances Saturday before the teams Freeway Series finale against the Angels when he experienced some discomfort on his 27th throw. "He felt it, and that was the last straw," manager Don Mattingly said. "So at that point, we knew we couldnt have gone any farther and that it was a DL situation. Its a situation -- not just for me, but for everyone -- that weve got to save Clayton from Clayton at this point and be cautious. We cant allow him to try to keep pushing and go forward. If it was up to him, Im sure hed want to go farther. But we cant allow him to do that right now." Kershaw, who signed a $215 million, seven-year contract on Jan. 15, won the Dodgers season opener 3-1 against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Australia last weekend. The three-time All-Star was hoping to get back in the rotation for Fridays home opener against San Francisco, but instead it will be Hyun-Jin�Ryu, who also will get the assignment Sunday at San Diego against Andrew�Cashner. Ryu started and won the second game of the Australia trip, but tore a toenaill while running the bases that day and wasnt sure hed be able to fill in for Kershaw until after his side session Friday. Mike Moustakas Jersey. "I think that once Clayton felt something, he knew that he wasnt going to make his start on Friday," Mattingly said. "With his throwing progression, the fact that he stopped right away is all weve asked of him from the beginning: If you feel it at all, youve got to stop. And he stopped right away." Kershaw has made 33 starts, struck out at least 229 batters and logged 227 2/3 innings or more in each of the last three seasons -- including a career-high 236 innings last year, when he finished 16-9 with an NL-best 232 strikeouts and a 1.83 ERA. Kershaw led the majors in ERA for the third straight year, becoming the first pitcher to accomplish that feat since newly elected Hall of Famer Greg�Maddux did it from 1993-95. Now that Kershaws run at a fourth straight ERA title has been adjourned for the time being, Mattingly wasnt making any predictions on when he will return to the rotation. The Dodgers have five off days scheduled between now and April 15. "This is not something that we say, OK, we think hell be ready by this date -- and if he doesnt get there, then its like, Oh, Claytons had a setback," Mattingly said. "We should just let it do what its supposed to do and let the medical staff do their work let them tell us what he could do. "And because of all the days off we have and the schedule we have, its really not worth pushing him." ' ' '

(SportsNetwork. Earl Thomas III Authentic Jersey .com) - The Edmonton Oilers will seek to cool off the red-hot New York Rangers on Thursday night when they visit�Madison Square Garden. The Oilers, who currently are in last place in the West, have won four of their last five games and recently posted a 3-2 regulation decision in Buffalo. After losing 4-0 in Boston on Saturday to begin its four-game road trip, a swing that will carry the club into the Olympic break, the Oilers bounced back with Mondays win over the Sabres. Matt�Hendricks scored the winner in the third period to help Edmonton edge Buffalo at First Niagara Center. Jeff�Petry and Justin�Schultz also scored for the Oilers, while Ilya�Bryzgalov stopped 42 shots in the win. "He played great because we put him behind the eight ball a lot with all the penalties we took and shots we gave up," said Schultz of Bryzgalov. "He really came up big several times tonight." The Oilers went 0-for-5 on the power play, but killed off five of Buffalos six chances with the extra man. Ben�Scrivens is expected to be back between the pipes for the Oilers on Thursday. Scrivens is 2-3-0 with a 2.21 goals against average and .944 save percentage in five games with Edmonton since coming over last month in a trade with Los Angeles. The 27-year-old netminder set an NHL record for saves in a regular-season shutout with 59 stops in a 3-0 win over San Jose on Jan. 29, but he yielded four goals on 41 shots in Saturdays setback in Boston. Edmonton improved to 9-19-4 as the visiting team this season. The Oilers will close their pre-Olympic schedule with Fridays game in New Jersey. The Oilers have won three of the last five meetings in the series with the Rangers overall, but New York has taken two of three and six of the last eight encounters in the Big Apple. The last time Edmonton visited MSG was on Nov. 14, 2010, when the Rangers picked up a victory with an 8-2 rout. The Rangers have earned four straight victories and the current winning streak gives New York wins in seven of nine and 10 of its past 13 games. The Blueshirts have won three of the four tilts during their recent hot streak by three or more goals and are outscoring the opposition by an 18-6 margin during that span. New York hasnt won five in a row since the 2011-12 season when it went 5-0 from Dec. 30-Jan. 10 of that campaign. Despite their recent hot play, the second-place Rangers still find themselves 17 points behind Pittsburgh for the Metropolitan Division lead. New York is three points in front of Columbus for the divisions second spot and also three clear of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. Ryan�Callahan played a standout role for the Rangers in their most recent win, as the team captain shook off recent trade rumors to score a pair of first- period goals that set the tone in Tuesdays 5-1 home rout of the Colorado Avalanche. Callahan, mentioned as a possible candidate to be moved prior to the upcoming trade deadline due to his unrestricted free agent status at seasons end, also added an assist on Brad�Richards late tally to help the Rangers record their longest win streak of the season. Richards and Derick�Brassard each posted a goal and assist and Anton�Stralman also lit the lamp for New York. Henrik�Lundqvist did his part as well between the pipes, turning back 27-of-28 shots in the triumph. "We had a real strong start," Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault remarked. "Obviously we were meeting a team that was tired and we were fresh. It was their third game in four nights, but we came out the way I thought we needed to come out and that was a determining factor tonight." The Rangers, who are 14-13-3 at MSG this season, will try to complete a three- game homestand tonight with a perfect record. New York will play its final tilt before the Olympic break Friday night in Pittsburgh. Jermaine Kearse Authentic Jersey . Louis Cardinals had a major need at shortstop and signed a veteran free agent who, while having PED issues, has been a potent hitter throughout his career. Steven Hauschka Authentic Jersey . And he thinks its "irresponsible" for the Buffalo Sabres to suggest otherwise. The NHLs new sheriff reacted strongly to complaints from the Sabres on Monday after he elected not to suspend Bruins forward Milan�Lucic for his collision with Buffalos Ryan�Miller.VANCOUVER - Alex�Burrows took lesson from the Detroit Red Wings offensive playbook. Burrows scored the winning goal in the first period of the Vancouver Canucks 4-2 victory Wednesday when he went to Detroit goalie Jimmy�Howards crease for an artful back-to-the-net tip-in. "Im trying to get a piece of it and try to surprise the goalie a bit," Burrows said of his deflection of a hard Daniel�Sedin pass. "Theyre one of the best teams at going to the net and we like to take pages out of their book and tonight it worked out in our favour." The goal gave the Canucks a 3-1 lead and Burrows, who scored his fourth goal in as many games, didnt think it would stand up as the game-winner. "Its too early," said Burrows who tied Sedin for the team lead with his 13th goal of the season. "When you give them room, theyre going to make some plays. "We sat back too much in the third and they kept coming in waves and (goalie) Roberto (Luongo) made some big saves." Luongo had to be sharp in the third period when the Canucks were outshot 16-4 while nursing their lead. He finished with 38 stops, including late saves on Darren�Helm and Pavel�Datsyuk. Burrows and Sedin twins Daniel and Henrik have combined for 10 points in the last two games. "Theyre such unbelievable players," Burrows said. "Theyre going to make plays all over the ice. "For me on that play, I think he (Howard) thought they were going to make a give-and-go or something and bought me time to get to the net." Daniel�Sedin the goal came from Burrows ability to get into a good scoring position. "Typical Burrows goal," he said. "Hes so good at hand-eye co-ordination, its unbelievable. He goes to open spots behind their (defencemen) and we try to find him." Chris�Higgins and Cody�Hodgson scored 21 seconds apart earlier in the period to give Vancouver a 2-0 advantage, prompting Detroit coach Mike Babcock to call a time out. Alex Edler completed the attack for Vancouver while Todd�Bertuzzi and Drew�Miller scored for Detroit. "Today we made too many mistakes through the neutral zone, and on our forecheck," Babcock said. "Behind 3-1, I thought we crawled back in the game, had a good push." Vancouver (21-11-2) won its third straight game, and 12th in its last 15 to close to within a point of Northwest Division-leading Minnesota Wild. The Red Wings (21-11-1), who are chasing the Chicago Blackhawks in the Central Division, llost for only the second time in seven games. Navy Blue Kam Chancellor Limited Youth Jersey. Both clubs, who have been climbing the Western Conference standings after sluggish starts to their season, scored crease-crashing goals. Bertuzzi jammed a puck past Luongo to cut the deficit to 2-1 after the Canuck netminder was knocked over when teammate Sami�Salo was pushed into him. Edler, who suffered back spasms late in the game, provided third-period insurance by burying Jannik�Hansens rebound behind a frustrated Howard while the Canucks were short handed. The Detroit netminder went after Hansen who bumped into him while fighting off a check by Detroits Henrik�Zetterberg. "I was interfered with," said Howard who blanked the Canucks 2-0 in Detroit on Oct. 13. "Im just sick and tired of getting run over. Every single game. Sometimes you cant help it, your Ds battling in front, things do happen. But I am actually just getting sick of it." The Canucks were killing a roughing penalty to Ryan�Kesler, who challenged Niklas�Kronwall after the Wings defenceman left his feet to deliver a hard hit along the boards. The check brought some feeling into a game that didnt see a penalty called until 18:36 of the second period. Kronwall said the hit was just part of the game. "The puck was right there and I just tried to put a clean check in," Kronwall said. "The way I looked at it is he had the puck and he had it under control. I thought the puck was right there." Kesler said he hadnt seen a replay but thought Kronwall should have responded to his invitation to fight. "If you want to hit guys like that, youre going to have to drop the gloves," he said. All four penalties in the game were called against Vancouver and Zetterberg said the Wings should have made more of their man-advantage chances. "You have to take care of your power play, you have to have at least one (man-advantage goal) to win games," he said. "Its so tight five-on-five." Notes: The two clubs have appeared three of the last four Stanley Cup finals ... Andrew�Ebbett returned to the Vancouver lineup for the first time since suffering a foot fracture on Nov. 10 ... minor league call-up Mark�Mancari sat out ... the Canucks were again without their third defensive pairing of Aaron�Rome (thumb) and Keith�Ballard (back) ... Andrew�Alberts and Alexander�Sulzer continued to fill in on the Vancouver blue-line ... the Wings continue their road trip Thursday in Calgary. ' ' '

EAST RUTHERFORD, N. Pernell McPhee .J. - The weather forecast for the first Super Bowl in an outdoor stadium in a cold-weather city is nothing out of the ordinary. National Weather Service meteorologist Anthony Gigi said Monday the forecast for Sundays NFL title game at MetLife Stadium calls for temperatures to reach a high of 39 with a low of 27, which is average for the area. There is little threat of precipitation. Gigi, who is based in Mount Holly, said a system is expected to pass through the region on Saturday night with the potential for a mixture of snow and rain. Since the Jets and Giants were awarded the Super Bowl in May 2010, there have been fears that a huge snowstorm would affect the game. The league and state officials have contingency plans for that scenario, including moving the game to Friday, Saturday or Monday, or changing the scheduled 6:25 p.m. starting time on Sunday. The coldest kickoff temperature in Super Bowl history was 39 degrees at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans for Super Bowl VI, when Dallas beat Miami 24-3. Baltimore Ravens Store ." Hextall was promoted to general manager by the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday to replace Paul Holmgren, who was elevated to president. Black Joe Flacco Mens New Elite Jersey . A noon downpour turned the 2.25-mile, 13-turn circuit into a slippery strand of roadway, but Bourdais proved to be the best on rain tires. The French driver made it through the first two qualifying rounds and into the Fast Six.LONDON -- Andy Murray of Britain overwhelmed Andy Roddick 6-3, 6-1 to reach the final of the Aegon championships at Queens Club on Saturday. The second seeded Scot, who won the title in 2009, produced a fine all-round display against an error-prone opponent to win their semifinal in just 59 minutes. Murray served 13 aces and ensured the third-seeded American failed in his attempt to become the first player to win five titles at the pre-Wimbledon tournament. In Sundays final Murray will play either fifth seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France or unseeded James Ward of Britain, who were playing later Saturday. "It was just one of those days," Murray said. "I hardly missed a ball and that doesnt happen too often on tour. Joe Flacco Jersey. Everything that touched my racket was going in and it felt great out there. "I got off to a good start. Andys one of the toughest guys on the tour to break, and I managed to get up an early break in both sets, which helped." Murray broke for a 2-0 lead when Roddick netted a backhand slice, and that was enough to decide the outcome of the opening set. Roddick was then broken at the start of the second set when he netted a forehand volley, and another error at net gave Murray a further break and a commanding 4-1 lead. Murray closed out the match with a fourth break when Roddick netted a weak backhand. ' ' '

SUNDERLAND, England -- Sunderlands relegation fears worsened with a 2-1 home loss to West Ham in the Premier League on Monday. Kate Spade Outlet Store . Andy Carroll helped the visitors take a major step toward securing their own status for next season by powering in a header from a corner in the 10th minute, and Mohamed Diame doubled the lead five minutes into the second half. Adam Johnson gave Sunderland hopes of a comeback when he pulled one back with a good finish in the 65th, but goalkeeper Adrian pulled off a double save to deny Ki Sung-yueng and Connor Wickham and protect the lead. Sunderland remains in 19th place, four points from safety but with a game in hand. West Ham is 11th. Kate Spade Outlet Online . - Wednesdays lightweight bout between Canadian Sam (Hands of Stone) Stout and K. Kate Spade Outlet . Bouchards high stick hit Blue Jackets winger Matt�Calvert in the face following a faceoff in the Wilds 4-2 season-opening victory over Columbus. Calvert lost teeth and needed stitches on his lip but returned and got an assist in the third period.SEATTLE -- Ryan Johnson flicked in a header early in the first half, and Darlington Nagbe scored midway through the second half on Saturday night as the Portland Timbers beat the Seattle Sounders 2-1 in the first leg of their Western Conference semifinals series. The third-year Timbers, playing in their first MLS post-season contest, need just a draw in Wednesdays second leg at Portland to advance to the conference finals. Osvaldo Alonso scored in the 90th minute for the Sounders, who need to win the second leg by at least two goals to win the aggregate total and advance. If the Sounders outscore the Timbers by one goal in the second match to even the aggregate total, there would be overtime to decide the series. Diego Chara started the play that led to Portlands first goal with a long pass toward the right side. Jack Jewsbury was on the receiving end and took it deep into the corner. Kate Spade Outlet Online store. He crossed it into the penalty area, and Johnson, cutting across goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemanns 6-yard box, flicked a header that went off Hahnemanns hands and into the far side of the net early in the 15th minute. Johnsons goal was his 10th of the year for the Timbers, who went unbeaten through their last eight games of the regular season (5-0-3) to secure the Wests No. 1 seed. Nagbe made it 2-0 in the 67th minute. Kalif Alhassan, playing on the right side, sent the ball into the box. Nagbe spun around a Seattle defender and parked a shot past Hahnemann into the left side for his 10th of the year. Alonso got one back for Seattle late after a long throw-in by Brad Evans was re-directed by Shalrie Joseph out to Alsonso, who drilled it in past Timbers goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts from 14 yards straight in front for his first of the season. ' ' '

LAKE LOUISE, Alta. Yordano Ventura Royals Jersey . -- Manuel Osborne-Paradis and Jan Hudec didnt want to leave home without securing their spots on Canadas Olympic team. The two men bounced back from disappointing downhill races at the Lake Louise World Cup to finish in the top 12 in Sundays super-G. Calgarys Hudec was 10th and Vancouvers Osborne-Paradis finished 12th, which met the criteria to be nominated to the 2014 Olympic team. "We were both talking about how frustrated we were so Im glad I got that out of the way now," Hudec says. "It takes the pressure off. The longer you leave it, the more pressure you put on yourself on tougher courses." They followed Erik Guay of Mont-Tremblant, Que., in meeting the Olympic team standard in Lake Louise. Guay was eighth in Saturdays downhill to qualify for his third Winter Games. The 2014 Winter Olympics are in Sochi, Russia, in February. Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway won the super-G at Lake Louise for the third straight year. Hes won six World Cup races at the Alberta resort during his career. His fifth super-G win broke the record of four previously held by Austrian legend Hermann Maier. Svindals lone downhill victory was last year. "Lake Louise has been good to me," Svindal said. "I won my first World Cup ever here in 2005 and its the one destination where I have the most wins. The super-G just seems to suit me well. "The snow in North America, especially here, and the snow in Scandinavia is more similar than from Scandinavia to Central Europe. I think that has something do to with it. Norwegians tend to do well in North America." Austrians were second and third with Matthias Mayer .24 seconds back of Svindal and Georg Streitberger .38 seconds behind. The men head to Beaver Creek, Colo., and the second stop on the World Cup circuit this 2013-14 season. They trade places with the women, who are travelling from Beaver Creek to Lake Louise this week for downhill races Friday and Saturday and a super-G on Sunday. U.S. ski star Lindsey Vonn has won a record 14 times at Lake Louise and swept all three races the last two years. But the 29-year-old crashed in training last week and partially tore a reconstructed ligament in her right knee. Vonn free skied, but didnt participate in the womens races at Beaver Creek on the weekend. She told The Associated Press she wants to race in Lake Louise. The first of three womens training runs scheduled for Tuesday has been called off because the women were delayed travelling from Colorado to Alberta. In addition to medals and prize money, medallists at Lake Louise were given white cowboy hats to wear for podium pictures and to take home. "Its pretty hard to walk around in Europe and think youre a cowboy," Svindal said. "Its one of those things where you wear them here and think its really cool and you get off the plane in Germany and its not that sweet anymore unless you are a real cowboy." Total prize money at the World Cup was 100,000 Swiss francs ($117,000 Cdn) with 30,000 going to the downhill and super-G winners. The Canadian team departs without a medal at their home race. Osborne-Paradis was the last Canadian man to stand on the podium at Lake Louise when he won the super-G in 2009. "When you look at the results on paper, its not quite where we wanted to be, but for the most part the three guys, Erik, Manny and Jan have good speed and theyre going to be building through the season," said Paul Kristofic, Alpine Canadas vice-president of sports. "Its good to see Erik up to speed so quickly. We didnt actually expect that." Guay tied for 18th in the super-G. Knee surgery in July kept the 2011 world downhill champion off snow until November. The 32-year-old said Lake Louise gave him positive feedback on his progress. "It was to see how the knee reacted, how the back reacted, how the skiing is in race situations," Guay said. "Theres good things that came out of this weekend and I have to build off of that." Hudec and Osborne-Paradis were 22nd and 28th respectively in Saturdays downhill. Hudec rapped his knuckles on the side of his helmet after crossing the super-G finish line Sunday. "That was the old fashioned Im an idiot," Hudec explained. "Even though Im not on the podium today, I knew I could have been. "Even though Im not quite in there, Im happy because I was skiing towards a podium finish. I just made a huge mistake. The reason I was hitting my head is I didnt trust myself for a split second to take a tighter line than what I expected. I ended up out in the weeds as they say." Osborne-Paradis was at a disadvantage with a No. 45 start bib. Courses generally get beaten and chopped up by the first 30 racers down the hill. So finishing 12th was the performance of the day for Canada, according to Kristofic. "Thats great. I needed it," Osborne-Paradis said. "I was really bummed yesterday. Im super-pumped with today. Its good to walk away from here with that Olympic spot." Mike Moustakas Royals Jersey .J. -- Thierry Henry and Lloyd Sam scored second-half goals to give the New York Red Bulls their first win of the season, 2-1 over the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday night. Alex Gordon Royals Jersey . -- The Los Angeles Galaxy have signed coach Bruce Arena to a multi-year contract extension.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Its two steps forward and potentially one step back when it comes to the health of the Buffalo Bills starting offensive line coming out of the bye. The Bills (3-4) are expected to welcome back starting left tackle Cordy�Glenn and starting right guard Kraig�Urbik for their game at Houston (6-1) on Sunday. Both players missed three games with sprained right ankles. Onn the downside, Erik�Pears status is uncertain after the starting right tackle missed practice Thursday. Billy Butler Jersey. . Coach Chan Gailey said Pears was visiting a specialist to have a nagging hip-groin injury examined. Gailey said hell know more regarding Pears on Friday. He didnt rule out the possibility of Pears having surgery to repair the injury for a second time this year. ' ' '

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Johnny�Cueto was striking out batters. Ndamukong Suh Lions Authentic Jersey . Joey�Votto and Jay�Bruce were driving in runs. For one night, the Cincinnati Reds felt like themselves. It hasnt happened that often this season. Cueto matched his career high with 12 strikeouts in six innings, and Votto and Bruce -- the missing core of Cincinnatis batting order much of the season -- each drove in runs Wednesday night, leading the Reds to a 5-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cueto (6-5) followed his shortest start of the season with one of his most dominating. He gave up three singles and didnt walk a batter, leaving after his 112th pitch. Cueto lasted only five innings during an 8-0 loss to Philadelphia on Friday. The Dodgers fouled off a lot of pitches, quickly elevating Cuetos pitch count. He lobbied for one more inning but manager Bryan�Price decided hed had enough. "Thats the way it was," Cueto said, with trainer Tomas Vera translating. "I wasnt trying to strike everybody out, but they made me throw a lot of pitches." Jonathan�Broxton escaped a bases-loaded, one-out threat in the seventh by getting Hanley�Ramirez to ground into a double play. "All were trying to do down there is get the outs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings and let (closer Aroldis�Chapman) have the spotlight," Broxton said. "Thats been working most of the year." Votto doubled home a pair of runs off Hyun-Jin�Ryu (7-3), who had won his last four starts. Votto hadnt driven in a run since May 10, missing 23 games in between because of a strained muscle above his left knee. Bruce missed two weeks following knee surgery. He hit a solo homer off Ryu, who gave up four runs in six innings. The Reds are hoping that with Votto and Bruce back in the lineup, they can get a lot more out of an offence that ranks second to last in the majors in runs scored. "We have a history here," Price said. "We have a real good understanding that we have players who have accomplished things at a high level here. You saw some of that tonight. Hopefully, itll be a precursor to good things." The loss snapped the Dodgers three-game winning streak, which matched their season high. Theyre 4-2 on a trip that concludes Thursday and 22-13 overall on the road. Dodgers left fielder Matt�Kemp was ejected in the second inning by plate umpire Seth Buckminster, a minor league umpire brought up to the majors. Kemp was called out on strikes and continued to argue from the dugout. It was Kemps eighth career ejection and his second this season. Kemp was ejected by Angel Hernandez on April 26 for arguing a called third strike. Cueto faced the minimum 15 batters through five innings -- Dee�Gordon singled but was picked off. He also fanned 10 over that span, including five in a row while getting up to 90 pitches. The Dodgers got a pair of singles in the sixth, but Ryu failed to get down a bunt to advance them. Ryu had won his first five decisions on the road this season. When he faced the Reds on May 26 at Dodger Stadium, he took a perfect game into the eighth before settling for a 4-3 victory. He helped the Reds get ahead in the rematch. Ryu walked two batters ahead of Vottos two-out double in the second. Votto scored on Brandon�Phillips single. Bruce homered in the sixth for a 4-0 lead. NOTES: Zack�Greinke (8-2) faces Alfredo�Simon (8-3) in the final game of the series on Thursday afternoon. The Reds are 4-5 on their homestand. ... Ramirez was a late scratch because of a sore shoulder but pinch hit in the seventh and hit into the double play. ... RHP Chad�Billingsley, who had reconstructive elbow surgery last year, didnt feel right while throwing in the bullpen on Tuesday and has put his rehab on hold until the elbow can be examined. ... RF Yasiel�Puig visited the Cincinnati Zoo and tweeted photos and video of himself with elephants, polar bears and a snake. ... The Reds wore camouflage jerseys and hats honouring the military. ... SS Zack�Cozart has a six-game hitting streak. Nick Fairley Jersey . Louis Cardinals 5-3 on Friday night and tightened the top of the NL Central. The Reds moved within three games of the second-place Cardinals, who have won seven of their last nine games while staying right behind the division-leading Brewers. Calvin Johnson Lions Authentic Jersey . -- Michael Phelps has competed in the second event of his comeback and failed to advance to the 50-meter freestyle final. ABERDEEN -- Rory�McIlroy surrendered the lead at the Scottish Open with his latest second-round meltdown on Friday, leaving three players tied for first place on a day when brutal winds played havoc with the field. Kristoffer Broberg of Sweden, Argentinas Ricardo Gonzalez and Marc Warren of Scotland were atop the leaderboard on 6 under, with just 17 of 150 players shooting below 70 on the par-71 Royal Aberdeen links course. McIlroy shot a course-record 64 in the first round but followed it up with a 78, continuing a worrying trend this season that has seen the former world No. 1 fail to build on strong starts. "Having to talk about it, its always being brought up, its sort of in your mind," a frustrated McIlroy said. Justin�Rose shrugged off the effects of hayfever to sign for a 68 and was alone in fourth place, a shot behind the trio of leaders. Defending champion Phil�Mickelson was among the afternoon starters who had to deal with a punishing breeze, especially on the back nine. A 73, which left him at 1 under, was something of an achievement but left him "mentally drained" just a week before the defence of his British Open title. "Im a little concerned that its taking up a little bit more energy than Id like ahead of next week," Mickelson said. "But its also a good opportunity to focus on the more difficult shots that well have next week. So it kind of goes both ways." Englishmen Lee�Westwood (73 for 3 over) and Ian�Poulter (74 for 5 over) were the high-profile names to miss the cut. McIlroys brilliant first round suggested the Northern Irishman had turned the corner in his bid to conquer the links but he looked a disgruntled, beaten man after he came off the 18th green. Over the same seven-hole stretch (Nos. 8-14) where he piccked up six shots on Thursday, McIlroy dropped six shots -- including a double-bogey 7 at the 12th. Stephen Tulloch Jersey. . "It was a grind out there," McIlroy said, "but at the end of the day, its a great way to prepare for next week, if nothing else." Gonzalez headed out in the next-to-last group and led by two shots on 8 under at the turn. He held himself together through the tough back nine until the last hole, when he made a double-bogey 6 after being forced to take a penalty shot for sending his drive into a gorse bush. A 71 dropped Gonzalez back into a tie with Broberg (71) and Warren (69), who is leading the Scottish charge and looking to make amends for blowing a three-shot lead with four to play at the Scottish Open in 2012. "What happened two years ago was tough to take at the time but hopefully it stands me in good stead," Warren said. "It would be a romantic tale." After admitting to needing an "adjustment period" to fully digest winning his first major at the U.S. Open at Merion in 2013, Rose returned to the winners circle after more than a year at the Quicken Loans National in June. That has given him some self-belief heading into the British Open -- and so will a solid start in northern Scotland, despite struggling with hayfever for the last 12 days. Rose rolled in three birdies on the benign front nine and held on grimly coming back in. "I came off a victory (on the U.S. PGA Tour) and didnt do much practice for whatever reason last week, so I came here and felt absolutely horrendous," Rose said. "The last couple of days I have been trying to find my feel again. "I am beginning to click back into gear again and see some good shots." Paul Waring of England shot a 66 for the lowest score of the day. ' ' '

NEW YORK, N. Jonathan Ogden Ravens Jersey .Y. - In nearly 800 NBA regular-games, Carmelo�Anthony had never played in one like this. It didnt matter. Eliminated from post-season contention for the first time in his 11-year career, Anthony said it was tough even coming to the arena on Sunday night. "But mentally, you just had to put yourself in that mindset. Although youre not playing for nothing, if you suit up, youve still got to go out there and play ball," Anthony said. He and the Knicks did it well, getting 20 points from Tim�Hardaway Jr. and beating the Chicago Bulls 100-89. No longer with any hopes of their own, the Knicks snapped the Bulls seven-game winning streak and dropped them back into a tie with Toronto for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with two to play. "We let a big game slip tonight. It was probably the biggest game of the season," Bulls centre Joakim�Noah said. "Disappointing the way our mentality wasnt good today, but overall we just wont have time, just got to let this one go, get ready tomorrow." Anthony and J.R.�Smith each had 17 points for the Knicks, who were eliminated Saturday when Atlanta beat Miami, ending New Yorks run of three straight post-season berths. Anthonys first season without a post-season comes as he prepares to become a free agent in July. He had a hard time looking ahead beyond the next two games � which he isnt even sure he will play in because of nagging shoulder pain that he might get checked. "Its just hard for me to even think past tonight, right now, at this moment," Anthony said. "Everything is just, for me, just cloudy. Ive never been in this situation before. I dont even know what to say about this situation." A 54-win division champion last season, they believed they were built to play deep into the spring, so confident in what they had that Amare Stoudemire said the expectations should have been even higher. "On paper, we might be the best team in the league," he said before the game. "Weve got great players on this team whove accomplished so much. We just couldnt put it together." Noah had 13 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists for the Bulls. Jimmy�Butler scored 17 points, but Chicago was just 6 of 22 (27 per cent) from 3-point range. "Defensively, we werent very good," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "I liked the fight to come back. I thought we made some good plays down the stretch and we missed some wide-open 3s that you live with." The Knicks led 45-39 at halftime, then Smith hit consecutive 3-pointers and Raymond�Felton made one for a 9-0 spurt that opened a 60-46 advantage, and the lead reached 67-50 when Anthony nailed a 3. Chicago was down 17 again with 7 1/2 minutes to play before finally making a push, cutting it to 93-87 when Taj�Gibsons three-point play capped a 15-4 run. But they repeatedly misfired from the perimeter, preventing them from getting any closer. The Knicks have played well in March and April, beating Toronto on Friday, but its too late after they had already fallen to 21-40. "Being the coach, I just apologize to the fans, because again, they pay their hard-earned money to come out and see us play and we didnt come into this season expecting this," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. Whatever expectations the Bulls had were gone after Derrick�Rose was lost to season-ending knee surgery in late November and Luol�Deng was traded on Jan. 7. But Chicago has not only regrouped but flourished, bringing an Eastern Conference-best 35-14 mark in 2014 into Sundays play. But they will need help now � perhaps from the Knicks, who host Toronto in Wednesdays finale � to get the No. 3 spot, since the Raptors would get the tiebreaker as a division champion. Chicago closes against Orlando on Monday and at Charlotte on Wednesday. Notes: The game was originally scheduled for a 1 p.m. start and be shown nationally on ABC, but was booted shortly after the Bulls 109-90 rout of the Knicks in Chicago on March 2. The Indiana-Oklahoma City game was shifted to that marquee spot. ... Chicago was trying for its first eight-game winning streak since Feb. 20-March 7, 2012. Womens White Steve Smith Sr Elite Jersey . Almost 18 months after Armstrongs seven Tour wins were wiped from the record, an independent panel created by the new International Cycling Union leadership has begun work to discover the extent of the sports past problems. Jimmy Smith Jersey . Later, his catcher delivered the deciding stroke. Price struck out 10 in his Detroit debut and was long gone when Alex�Avila homered in the 12th inning to lift the Tigers over the New York Yankees 4-3 Tuesday night. SHIMA, Japan -- Japans Shiho Oyama shot a 4-under 68 on Friday to take the first-round lead in the Mizuno Classic, the final tournament in the LPGA Tours five-event Asian swing. Oyama had six birdies and two bogeys at Kintetsu Kashikojima in the event also sanctioned by the Japan LPGA Tour. "I have been having this neck ache thats been affecting my golf recently," Oyama said. "But yesterday I had some massage and the pain is gradually fading." Jiyai Shin, the tournament winner in 2008 and 2010, was a stroke back along with fellow South Korean players Chella Choi, Hee-Won Han, Na-Ri Lee, Eun-Bi Jang, American Brittany Lincicome, Japans Junko Omote and Kaori Nakamura and Swedens Pernilla Lindberg. Defending champion Stacy Lewis opened with a 71. The American, the top-ranked player in the field at No. 3, has three victories this year. "It was kind of up and down," Lewis said. "I probably coould have played a lot better but I think it could have been worse. Justin Forsett Ravens Jersey. I played really tough through a lot of cross winds and I just hung in there all day." Torontos Rebecca Lee-Bentham also opened with a 71. Lincicome had an eagle on the first hole before carding four birdies against three bogeys. South Korean star Inbee Park, who leads the money list and player of the year rankings, is sitting out the tournament as is Suzann Pettersen of Norway, who trails Park on both lists. Lewis leads the LPGA Tour in top-10 finishes this season with 16. Her three victories this season include a major championship, and she still has a remote shot at winning the player of the year award with three events remaining. Karrie Webb of Australia, who won here in 2006, was tied for 36th place after an even-par 72. The 54-hole Mizuno Classic is made up of 43 LPGA Tour players and 35 members of the LPGA of Japan. ' ' '