The Russian mens hockey team got a little more push back than they anticipated, but they eventually pulled away and defeated Slovenia 5-2 on Thursday in Sochi. Forward Evgeni Malkin led the Russian attack with a goal and two assists. Alex Ovechkin opened the scoring and added an assist. Ilya Kovalchuk, Valeri Nichushkin and Aton Belov also scored for Russia. Ziga Jeglic got Slovenia their only two goals of the game. Russian goaltender Semyon Varlamov was rarely tested, making only 12 saves. Slovenias Robert Kristan made 30 saves on 35 shots. The Russians looked like they were going to run Slovenia right out of the building. It began early when Alex Ovechkin roofed a laser over the right shoulder of Kristan. Russia struck again more than two minutes later when Malkin broke in alone to make it 2-0. But Slovenia answered back in the opening two minutes of the second period as Jeglic took a drop pass and fired a shot by Varlamov. Kovalchuk added a power-play marker from the high slot with 2:12 remaining in the second after a feed from Malkin, who was stationed behind the Slovenian net. It only took Slovenia 1:04 to get that goal back when Jeglic scored his second goal of the game as he raced in alone and clipped the puck by Varlamov. However, Russia put the game away in the third period with insurance goals from Nichushkin and Belov. Ra Shede Hageman Jersey. According to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, Brodeurs agent Pat Brisson has spoken to six teams so far regarding the veteran goaltender. Cheap Devonta Freeman Jersey.com) - The Vancouver Canucks hope an upcoming stretch of home games will be enough to get the club into the postseason. http://www.authenticfalconsteamstore.com/Youth-Tyson-Jackson-Elite-Jersey/. The Thunder knotted the series with a 92-89 overtime victory in Memphis Saturday night. It was the third overtime contest during the four games of this series. "Now its tied up 2-2," OKC head coach Scott Brooks said. Ra Shede Hageman Falcons Jersey. The teams global ambassador acknowledged the leagues reigning MVP in the crowd and asked the five-time All-Star to consider Toronto as a free agent destination next summer. Ricardo Allen Falcons Jersey. The commissioners office said Friday that Sears tested positive for metabolites of Methandienone. Sears will be 23 in March. He signed with the Braves in June 2013 out of Arizona Christian, an NAIA school, and is on the roster of the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Braves. MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Ben Cranes back is OK, and his putter couldnt be working much better. The combination helped him shoot a 5-under 65 on Friday to open a six-stroke lead in the St. Jude Classic before heavy rain delayed play twice and forced the suspension of play for the day. Crane birdied his final hole Thursday night for a 63 and rolled in a 44-footer for birdie to start the second round Friday morning. He had a 12-under 128 total at TPC Southwind, matching the winning score in relation to par last year. "I certainly didnt see this coming," Crane said. "But you know when youre putting well, I started to feel like I was a little more in control of my ball, just felt like I was tightening my draws and fades a little bit. I had access to some holes I havent this year and so gosh, its been an incredible two days." Crane has spent the past six months changing his swing to protect his back. A four-time PGA Tour winner, Cranes last win came in 2011 at the McGladrey Classic and his best finish this year was a tie for ninth in the Humana Challenge in January. But he was in such pain he had a therapist with him for treatment during the round. "Its been a really, really hard year, racking my brain whats going on, whats going wrong and have I changed that much," Crane said. "You start wondering, Am I going to get it back. So this is super encouraging. My wife said last night, looks like you still got it. Because you wonder. But anyway, its been a fun start." Carl Pettersson and Jason Bohn were tied for second at 6 under. Pettersson had one hole left, and Bohn had two to play. Davis Love III (70) and Billy Horschel (68) were in at 5 under. Phil Mickelson and Retief Goosen were unable to start the second round. Mickelson, winless in his last 19 events since the British Open, opened with a 67 on Thursday, and Goosen had a 66. Friday got off to a slow start with 60 players needing to wrap up the first round with the second started 40 minutes later. Lightning delayed play at 1:03 for 59 minutes before play resumed for 13 minutes. Micckelson had just gotten to the tee when the horn blew again.dddddddddddd Fans were sent home before a severe thunderstorm drenched the course, filling bunkers, fairways and cart paths with water. Finally, play for the day was suspended just before 5 p.m. Players are due back at 7 a.m. so they can make the cut for the third round. Love was glad to be done before the weather moved in even at 5 under, and he doubts Crane will run out to 24 under. This course where John Cook won at 26 under in 1996 was redesigned to a par of 70 after 2004. "So hes off to a great start and well have to run him down," Love said about Crane. "Hes a great putter, and these greens are perfect, so hes got the advantage on us right now, but just hang in there." Crane had perfect timing for most of his rounds. He played most of the first round after the lengthy delay Thursday afternoon, which left nearly perfect scoring conditions with little wind and soft greens. He was in the first group off No. 1 starting the second round, and he birdied rolling in a putt with a break of more than 4 feet for the first of 24 putts. He followed up his opening birdie by sinking a 22-footer for birdie on No. 7. He hit his approach from 147 yards out to 3 feet for birdie on No. 9 to reach 10 under through 27 holes. He sunk a 14-footer on the par-3 11th with the island green before rolling in a 9-footer for birdie on No. 13. His 8-foot birdie on the par-5 16th put him at 13 under. But Crane hit into a bunker on No. 18 and missed a 7-footer to save par on way to his first bogey in two rounds. "How do I keep this going?" Well, certainly just keep doing what Im doing, and hopefully the same game shows up, and obviously continuing to putt well helps your score," Crane said. "I think thats the key. Divots: This was the second straight round where fans were sent home early due to weather. ... Memphis hadnt had a weather delay since 2010 when the first round was suspended due to lightning. ... This is the 16th tour event this season with either a delay or suspension due to weather or darkness. Wholesale Jerseys　 Cheap NFL Jerseys　Wholesale Jerseys　Authentic Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '

LONDON -- Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen was ruled out for a month on Tuesday after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury, adding to the London teams problems at the start of the Premier League season. The Belgium centre back, who missed eight months of last season with an Achilles injury, had the operation to remove an inflamed tendon from his left ankle after consultation with specialists. Vermaelen was injured in Arsenals 2-1 win over Udinese in the second leg of their Champions League qualifying playoff match in Italy, forcing him out of the teams humiliating 8-2 defeat at Manchester United in the Premier League four days later. He will miss Arsenals first two Champions League group games as well as possibly four Premier League matches, denying manager Arsene Wenger the chance to link Vermaelen with new signing Per Mertesacker, who joined from Werder Bremen on transfer deadline day last week. Key midfielder Jack Wilshere said Sunday he expects to be sidelined for at least two months with an ankle injury, leaving the club without two of its most important players. Arsenal is fourth from bottom in the Premier League with one point from three games. Dak Prescott Cowboys Jersey.com) - Luke Donald saw a 4-shot lead quickly evaporate on Saturday, but a birdie at the last helped him regain the lead after three rounds at the Nedbank Golf Challenge. Terrance Williams Cowboys Jersey. The fourth-year guard from Carleton University kicked off his varsity career with rookie of the year honours in 2011, before racking up three straight Mike Moser Memorial Trophies for outstanding player. http://www.footballcowboysstore.us/authentic-zack-martin-cowboys-jersey/. Zimmerman hit a 2-0 pitch off Mike Fiers (0-1) over the wall in left field to score Adam LaRoche for the Nationals fourth consecutive win. Tyler Clippard (5-2) pitched a scoreless 15th for the win. Bill Bates Jersey.  My seventh week of fight ready fitness had me arguing flexibility and conditioning with a few people. The comment that got me riled up was that Heavyweights run out of gas all the time. Randy White Cowboys Jersey. Coach Miguel Herrera said Wednesday he had told his players more than a month ago not to eat red meat. During the 2011 Gold Cup, five Mexico players tested positive for clenbuterol, a muscle-building drug. The Mexican Football Federation eventually cleared the players of doping. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Ryan Getzlaf has been shooting the puck more this season, and its been paying off for himself and his teammates. Getzlaf put Anaheim ahead to stay in the final minute of the first period with his career-high 26th goal, and Corey Perry, Patrick Maroon and Daniel Winnik also scored as the Ducks beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3 Thursday night. Getzlaf, in the first season of an eight-year, $66 million contract extension he signed last March, scored 25 goals during the Ducks 2006-07 Stanley Cup championship season and matched that total in 2008-09. "If he shoots the puck, hes going to score. And he shoots the puck a lot -- a lot more than hes done in the past. So consequently, hes getting goals," coach Bruce Boudreau said in reference to Getzlafs 136 shots on net. The Ducks captain also recorded his second career "Gordie Howe hat trick" -- a goal, an assist, and a fight with Steve Downie. "He said to me earlier that I owed him one from that first game of the season when we fought and he was with Colorado," Getzlaf said. "So he asked me to go, and I thought it an OK time for me to do it." Saku Koivu added an empty-net goal and Frederik Andersen made 27 saves, helping the Ducks improve their NHL-leading record to 40-11-5 and their home mark to 22-2-2. They have won 22 of their last 26 games, and are off to the best start in franchise history. Winnik gave Anaheim a 4-2 lead with a short-handed goal, the ninth allowed this season by the Flyers -- tying Edmonton for the league lead. Koivu broke up a pass in the Ducks zone and went off on a 2-on-1 break with Winnik, who beat Steve Mason to the glove side with 7:34 remaining while teammate Hampus Lindholm was off for high-sticking Claude Giroux. "The way they play on the power play, they get four guys down below the hash marks after a shot," Winnik said after his first goal since Oct. 10. "It was something we knew going into the game, so we felt there could be chances that way and we were fortunate to get one tonight. It felt really good. It was a long time coming. Its nice to get that pressure off me." Andersen is 13-2-0 in his first 15 NHL starts, and hasnt allowed more than three goals in any of them. He has a 1.94 goals-against average, including a two-period relief stint in his NHL debut on Oct. 20, when he earned a 6-3 win in relief against Dallas by stopping all 24 shots he faced after Jonas Hiller left with a 3-1 deficit. "Our depth at goaltending has been outstanding, and when Freddies played hes been unbelievable," Getzlaf said. "Hes a big kid and for a young guy, he plays really calm in the net. Hes not too active, and thats a good sign. Hes a goalie that setttles things down back there.dddddddddddd" Vincent Lecavalier, Matt Read and Michael Raffl scored for the Flyers, and Mason stopped 23 shots following his 33-save shutout against Detroit on Tuesday at Philadelphia. The Flyers are 3-6-2 in their last 11 games following a 7-1-0 stretch. "It was a pretty physical game," Boudreau said. "They were trying to push us around, but I thought we did a pretty good job of standing up for ourselves." Philadelphia came in averaging a league-worst 15.9 penalty minutes, but it was the Ducks who couldnt stay out of the box during the first period as the Flyers cashed in on one of three power plays. Lecavalier beat Andersen through the pads with a 25-foot wrist shot from the right circle, tying it at 1 with 3 seconds left on Matt Beleskeys interference penalty. Getzlaf regained the lead for Anaheim parking himself at the edge of the crease and redirecting Lindholms 50-foot slap shot past Mason with 36 seconds left in the period. Perry made it 3-1 at 10:29 of the second, beating Mason to the glove side from the low slot after getting a cross-ice pass from Getzlaf. The Ducks are 9-0-1 this season when Getzlaf and Perry score goals in the same game, and 23-3-4 under those circumstances since Feb. 1, 2010. "There wasnt a single clean shot from the point the entire night," Mason said. "They did a great job of getting sticks on it, bodies in front. When you have a team like that, it makes it difficult to stop pucks. We controlled a lot of the play, but they were able to get two deflections in there. For the most part, we did a pretty good job." Read scored his 14th goal with 14:12 remaining, after Mark Streits sharp-angle shot from the left corner struck Andersen in the chest and bounced into the net off Reads right leg. NOTES: C Nick Bonino, one of four players to appear in all 56 games for Anaheim, went to the dressing room with an upper-body injury after an open-ice hit from C Zac Rinaldo at 12:38 of the opening period. He played four shifts in the second period before calling it a night. ... Rinaldo returned to the lineup after missing 10 games with a high left ankle sprain. ... Lindholm leads all rookies with a plus-minus figure of plus-25. He was a plus-2 against the Flyers. ... Winniks goal was his second this season and third in his last 96 games. ... The Flyers have connected on the power play in five straight games and 11 of the last 14. ... The Flyers are 26-20-6 since Craig Berube replaced Peter Laviolette as head coach following the teams second consecutive 0-3 start. ... The Ducks are 32-1-2 when scoring three or more goals, and 31-0-2 when allowing fewer than three. They also are 30-1-2 when leading after two periods. Wholesale Jerseys　 Cheap NFL Jerseys　Wholesale Jerseys　Authentic Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '

Daytona Beach, FL (SportsNetwork.com) -- NASCAR announced a radical change to its qualifying format for the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series on Wednesday, making it similar to knockout qualifying used for Formula One and IndyCar Series road/street course races. At NASCAR racetracks measuring 1.25 miles or longer in length, qualifying will consist of three rounds. Tracks measuring less than 1.25 miles will feature just two segments. NASCAR noted its revised qualifying format will not be used for the Daytona 500 (Feb. 23) and the Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway (July 23), which is the only national touring series event contested on a dirt track. It also wont be used for the Sprint Cup non-point races -- the Feb. 15 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway and the May 17 NASCAR Sprint All- Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "Were looking forward to the new qualifying format for all three of our national series this year," NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said during a teleconference. "The new format is something that weve been looking at for quite some time. The goal is providing a more fan- friendly and exciting qualifying session for each race event across the board, with the exception of the Daytona 500 and Eldora, which are unique in their own right. "NASCAR fans will be treated to highly competitive elimination-based qualifying segments that will be more engaging to the fans in the stands and those watching on television or online." For those races on tracks 1.25 miles or greater, the first qualifying elimination round will be 25 minutes in duration and includes all cars/trucks. The 24 entries that post the fastest single lap from the opening segment will advance to the second round. The remaining cars/trucks will be sorted from their times in descending order posted during the first segment. The 12 cars/trucks that recorded the quickest single lap during the second round, which is 10 minutes in length, will then advance to the third and final segment, which lasts five minutes. Positions 13 through 24 will be based on lap times during the second round. Positions 1 through 12 will be determined during the final round, with the driver posting the fastest lap winning the pole position. There will be a five-minute break between each of the three qualifying rounds. For those tracks shorter than 1.25 miles, the opening segment in qualifying will be 30 minutes in duration and includes all entries. The 12 cars/trucks that recorded the fastest single lap time will advance to the second segment. The remaining field will be determined by lap times in descending order during the first round. Positions 1 through 12 will then be decided in the final segment, which is 10 minutes in length. "We believe the timing is right for this new style of qualifying, and for our drivers and teams, we believe that it will create even better competition leading into the event," Pemberton said. NASCARs new format is scheduled to be used for the first time on Feb. 21 when the Nationwide and Truck Series have qualifying for their season-openers at Daytona. Sprint Cup will utilize the format beginning with the March 2 race at Phoenix International Raceway. Womens Geno Atkins Jersey. Sipp will earn $500,000 this season if he remains in the majors and $100,000 in the minors. There is $200,000 in performance bonuses in the major league deal. Womens Anthony Munoz Jersey. Perez says the Colombia striker "wont come during the January transfer window but in June, who knows? Falcao wants to play for Madrid (. http://www.footballbengalsnflstore.com/Youth-Giovani-Bernard-Elite-Jersey/. The Prince George Cougars and Regina Pats have both entered agreements to transfer ownership, the WHL said Wednesday in a statement. Custom Bengals Jersey. Dallas running back DeMarco Murray caught a 20-yard touchdown pass with 41 seconds left and Carolina running back Mike Tolbert plunged into the end zone for a 2-point conversion to give Rice a 22-21 win over Sanders in the first schoolyard-style Pro Bowl on Sunday. Cedric Peerman Bengals Jersey.J. Brennan couldnt have asked for a better debut with the Toronto Marlies.Wide receiver Sidney Rice and defensive end Red Bryant were released by the Seattle Seahawks on Friday, giving the Super Bowl champions additional salary cap space as free agency approaches. Seattle made the expected roster moves official eight days before teams can start speaking with potential free agents. Bryant had spent his entire career with the Seahawks after being a fourth-round draft pick in 2008, while Rice signed as a free agent before the 2011 season. According to the leagues transaction report, Rice was released with a "failed physical" designation. Both were due hefty salaries in 2014 that didnt necessarily match the production they had shown on the field. Rice had struggled with injuries with the Seahawks and was lost for the 2013 season after Week 8 with a knee injury. Bryant was a unique player as a 300-pound defensive end for the Seahawks, but his playing time had diminished. Seattle should save more than $12 million in salary cap space with the moves. Rice was due $8.5 million in base salary for 2014 and Bryant $4.5 million. "We want to thank both Red and Sidney for their effort, commitment and contribution to the Seattle Seahawks over the last few years," Seattle general manager John Schneider said in a statement. "These are extremely tough decisions, but we wanted to give them a head start on free agency. We wish them well in the future." Both moves were expected to happen and are likely the first in a sseries that will change the makeup of the Super Bowl champions.dddddddddddd Bryant was one of just four players left from before the arrival of Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll. He was given a new contract during the 2012 off-season, but the emergence of Michael Bennett -- one of Seattles top free agent priorities -- appeared to make Bryant expendable. The only players still remaining from the pre-Carroll era are centre Max Unger, defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and punter Jon Ryan. Bryant was also a captain and vocal leader of Seattles league-best defence. He could be an attractive option in free agency for a team seeking a defensive end that can hold the edge in defending the run in a 3-4 defence. Rice had not matched the production that came with his big contract, mostly because of injuries. Rice played in 33 games with 31 starts with 97 receptions for 1,463 yards and 12 touchdowns. But his 2011 season was cut short by a concussion and he was unable to finish the 2013 season after suffering an ACL tear in his knee and being placed on injured reserve. Rice led Seattle in receptions (50) and yards receiving (748) during the 2012 season, one of just two seasons in his career that hes played in all 16 regular-season games. Rice tweeted a goodbye to Seattle fans shortly after his release became official: "The amount of love I have for the .12thman and the (at)Seahawks organization! Thanks for a wonderful experience!" Wholesale Jerseys　 Cheap NFL Jerseys　Wholesale Jerseys　Authentic Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '

NEW YORK -- Another sweltering day at Yankee Stadium. Only this time, the Oakland Athletics finally sweated out a win against New York. Hideki Matsui homered against his former team, Victorias Rich Harden earned his second win of the season and Oakland snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Yankees with a 4-3 victory Saturday. "Obviously, you dont want to let something like that linger on too long," said As reliever Grant Balfour, who got four big outs. "Sounds like it had already gone far enough." Andrew Bailey barely held on in the ninth inning, allowing a run before retiring Robinson Cano on an easy grounder with a runner on third to end it. Josh Willingham hit a two-run homer off A.J. Burnett and Jemile Weeks had an RBI single for the As, who beat the Yankees for the first time since April 22, 2010, in Oakland. "I havent been around for a lot of it. But of course, when it gets to that point you have to answer a bit more," Oakland interim manager Bob Melvin said. About 14 hours after New York polished off a 17-7 rout in 38 C heat, Harden and four relievers held the Yankees in check on a 34 C afternoon. Derek Jeter had three hits and a walk, and Nick Swisher chased Harden (2-1) with a solo homer deep into the second deck in right that cut Oaklands lead to 3-2 in the sixth. With two on and two outs in the seventh, Balfour retired Cano on a long fly to centre. New York put the first two batters on in the eighth, but Eduardo Nunez flied out after failing to get a bunt down and pinch-hitter Jorge Posada grounded into an inning-ending double play as Balfour pumped his fist. Before that, Posada was 4-for-4 with a homer and two walks in his career against Balfour. "I had to get the guy out sometime. It was a good time to do it," Balfour said. Bailey, raised in New Jersey, had family and friends in the stands to watch him work the ninth for his 11th save in 13 chances. The first two batters reached safely and the Yankees pulled off a double steal as Curtis Granderson struck out. Mark Teixeira hit a sacrifice fly before Cano grounded out. "We ran out of innings," Swisher said. "A.J. and the guys did a good job of keeping us in it, we just couldnt score runs." It was a rare loss under the sun for the Yankees, who began the afternoon a major league-best 28-5 in day games. They also dropped to 14-4 at home since June 10. New York lost for only the second time in the last 17 meetings with Oakland and fell to 25-5 against the As since the start of the 2008 season. The Athletics have lost nine straight series to New York, an Oakland record against any team. But they can end that slide Sunday when all-star lefty Gio Gonzalez faces Yankees veteran Bartolo Colon. Making his fourth start since missing the first three months of the season with a strained right shoulder, Harden threw 104 pitches in 5 1-3 innings. He allowed two runs and five hits while striking out six in the sapping heat. "It was pretty hot, but really thats what we do. Weve got to play in cold weather, hot weather, whatever it is, youve just got to get prepared for it and deal with it," Harden said. "Thats really what I wanted to be aware of today is just trying to slow everything down and trying to give myself an opportunity to recover." Burnett (8-8) threw 100 pitches and dropped to 0-2 in four starts since beating Milwaukee on June 29. He was yanked after walking the Nos. 8 and 9 batters to load the bases with two outs in the sixth and never looked at manager Joe Girardi on the mound. "I just thought he ran out of gas," Girardi said. "I thought he threw the ball really well today." Weeks followed with a soft single off Cory Wade to make it 3-1. Leading off the seventh, Matsui pulled lefty reliever Boone Logans first pitch just over the right-field fence for his 501st home run combined between Japan and the United States. "It took me a month to get 500, but 501 just took two days. Hopefully that will continue," Matsui said through a translator. Matsui was the 2009 World Series MVP for the Yankees when they beat Philadelphia. Recalling all the big hits he delivered in pinstripes from 2003-09, fans in the crowd of 46,188 applauded as he rounded the bases. Some even stood up for the ovation. "I did notice it. But I think they made a mistake. They must have thought the Yankees scored," Matsui said. "I was here for such a long time that they all have a very special place in me." Oakland right-fielder David DeJesus made a sparkling grab to rob Jeter of extra bases in the first inning. Jeter returned the favour in the third with a quick release on a difficult jump-throw from the shortstop hole to nip DeJesus at first. NOTES: Oakland had lost six straight and 13 of 14 in the Bronx. ... Yankees reliever Rafael Soriano (right elbow inflammation) is scheduled to pitch Sunday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as part of his rehab assignment. ... New York reliever David Robertson struck out Ryan Sweeney to end the ninth, the ninth consecutive batter he has fanned with the bases loaded. Pat McAfee Colts Jersey. -- Charles-David Beaudoin and Jerome Verrier scored in the third period to lead the Drummondville Voltigeurs past the Victoriaville Tigres 3-2 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play Sunday. Cheap Donte Moncrief Jersey. "There are two things in baseball that never change: history and numbers," said Cromartie, who is spearheading a drive for Montreal to get a Major League Baseball team. "Montreal, we have the history for baseball in this town. http://www.nflcoltsteamprostore.com/Youth-Andrew-Luck-Elite-Jersey/. Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. Organizers poked a little fun at the now-infamous opening ceremony gaffe that saw only four out of five snowflakes open up into rings, leaving the Olympics logo one ring short. Frank Gore Colts Jersey. Coach Jose Pekerman has until June 2 to name the final 23-man squad. Falcao has been sidelined since January. If he recovers in time -- surgeons initially gave him a 50-50 chance -- Colombia could be one of the real threats in the World Cup. Johnny Unitas Colts Jersey.J. -- Jaromir Jagr has hit so many NHL milestones this season for the New Jersey Devils that he is starting to downplay them.Kerry, Have you ever worked the final game of a Stanley Cup Final? If so, what do the officials do after the game? Is it a special night for them, too? And what is involved in the off-season? Thanks, Mark in Edmonton -- Mark: Even though it has been a couple of days since the Cup was hoisted by the Los Angeles Kings in the Staples Center the celebration continues through Monday with a scheduled Stanley Cup Parade for the players and their fans. Congratulations to the Kings on their success; not only for winning the Cup but for the way they battled through each of the previous series to advance to the final! Their never quit attitude and strength of character was something special to watch. The New York Rangers also deserve tremendous credit for overcoming adversity on different fronts and for their outstanding playoff run. The final game was as intense and exciting as any fan could hope for regardless of who you were cheering for. The officials would have observed the post-series handshake from near the referees crease and most likely remained on the ice as Commissioner Bettman presented the Stanley Cup. This is as close as a referee or linesman can get to being part of the Stanley Cup experience; some 45 feet away as it being presented to the winning team captain. After Dustin Brown received the Cup the officials would skate slowly along the boards, unnoticed as they retreated from the ice at the Zamboni entrance and then enter the safety and solitude of their dressing room. There is certainly an element of relief that the series and their season is over as the officials shake hands and congratulate each other on their work together as a team. The playoff run is a long grind for the officials as well and the thought of going home to their family and not having to pack their equipment bag for at least a couple of months are both welcome thoughts. There might also be some trepidation as to how the crews performance will be regarded and evaluated by their superiors. There is intense pressure surrounding each game and every closely-scrutinized decision that an official is called upon to make. Regardless of the outcome, they give their best and hope that their effort and judgment is perceived as “good enough”. It is also a moment for self-reflection on their personal performance and in the bigger picture of the journey that began at training camp and ended in this pinnacle of the season and perhaps in their career. There is a sense of accomplishment. The referees are required to attend to one last piece of business by scribing their signature on the final game sheet once it is brought into their dressing room by the Official Scorer. Although not required, I always had the linesmen sign the game sheet as well and then asked for copies that each of us could keep as a memento of the final game. After the Officiating and Hockey Operations Department personnel completed their debriefing comments the officials would relax with a cold beverage followed by a hot shower. Food would have been catered in and once the officials were showered and dressed they would open the room to family and friends that might have attended the game. My wife, Kathy attended all but two of the dozen Stanley Cup Final series that I worked, in addition to the 98 Winter Olympics in Nagano and the ‘96 World Cup of Hockey in Europe. Each of our seven children took turns attending Cup Final games and they share wonderful memories of being part of ssomething very special from behind the scenes.dddddddddddd I always wanted to share any business success that I enjoyed with my family since they made sacrifices as a result of me being away from home so much during the season. The referees and linesmen returned to their home base the morning after the game in Los Angeles and will attempt to quickly get back into the swing of family life in time for Fathers Day. I hope they plan to get away to relax and reconnect. Kathy and I always planned a vacation; just the two of us to get away for a week or 10 days immediately after the season. It was an important time for me to decompress and for us to enjoy each other as husband and wife. Once school ended for the children we took them on a special family vacation as well. It is very important for an official to try to keep his life in balance and reward the best and sometimes only fans he has; namely his family! Mark, I worked several final games but one of the most memorable was Colorados seven-game victory over the New Jersey Devils in 2001. The primary reason for that is because it was Raymond Bourques first and only time hoisting the Stanley Cup. In his 20 full seasons with Boston, the Bruins had come up short against Edmonton in both 1988 and 1990. At the age of 40, the five-time Norris Trophy winner as the leagues top defenceman led all Avs blue liners in scoring, with 59 points, was named to the First All-Star team, and was runner–up to Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings in the Norris Trophy voting. He also scored the winning goal in Game 3 of the final. As I prepared to work Game 7 of that series, I must tell you the city of Denver was electrified from the moment the sun came up that morning. The only minute of calm I found that day was at 8am, when I went down to the Pepsi Center for a skate before the teams arrived. I skated alone in the empty, dimly lit arena for 30 minutes, while outside the building, television trucks and equipment filled the nearest parking lot. I had never seen so much media coverage for a final, and the big story was Raymond Bourque. The Avalanche won Game 7 that night, and in a remarkable display of class and respect, team captain Joe Sakic, after posing with the Cup, handed it directly to Ray Bourque so that he could be the first to skate a victory lap. My colleagues and I watched Ray skate the Cup around the ice from the Zamboni entrance and then retreated to our dressing room. It was something special to have been part of. The game had gone well for us and there had been no controversy. We felt good about the job we had done and felt peace and contentment as a result. We celebrated the end of our season together as colleagues and then quickly showered and brought our wives and family members into the room to celebrate with us. We went to a fine Denver steakhouse as a close-knit group and held our own “Stanley Cup party;” not because we won anything but because we had done our job well. Kathy and I flew home the next morning feeling joyous in the knowledge that it was, once again family time even though it would only last a month or so until it was time to begin my conditioning program to get ready for training camp. Then it would all begin again! Such is the life for an NHL referee and his family. Thank you for another terrific season on Cmon Ref. Please enjoy a safe and happy summer with your family. I hope to see you back here again next season. Wholesale Jerseys　 Cheap NFL Jerseys　Wholesale Jerseys　Authentic Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '

DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Kevin Harvick won his first career pole at Darlington Raceway on Friday as he looks to chase his first Southern 500. Harvick came out on top in the first knockout qualifying session at NASCARs oldest superspeedway since the circuit made the change from single-car laps. Joey Logano, the winner Monday in Texas, was second, followed by Aric Almirola. Almirola finished first in the second of three rounds of qualifying and set a track record of 184.145 mph, shattering Kurt Buschs mark of 181.918 set last May when the Southern 500 was held on Mothers Day weekend. Its the sixth time in eight races this season the qualifying record fell. Almirolas teammate, Marcos Ambrose, was fourth, followed by Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman and Kyle Busch. Cheap Calvin Johnson Jersey. MLS will maintain the 34-match schedule used in 2011, when the leagues 18 teams each played two matches against the other teams - one home and one away - only make changes to prevent the season from expanding to 36 fixtures. Custom Detroit Lions Jersey. The Hall of Famer was saluted at Petco Park on Thursday night in a ceremony that would have made "Mr. http://www.thenfllionslockroom.com/Youth-Haloti-Ngata-Elite-Jersey/.The list of nominees was reduced Thursday to 15 from the modern era, one senior and two contributors. A finalist must receive at least 80 per cent of the votes from the 46-person selection committee to be elected. Cheap Ameer Abdullah Jersey.Russian security was tight at the Sochi Olympics this year, though it was not immediately clear whether Putins comments would signal a different approach for the soccer tournament. Golden Tate III Jersey.ca. Hi Kerry, This may sound like a silly question but Im watching Anaheim and Vancouver Monday night and during a stoppage of play, I noticed that when the linesman Brian Mach No.SUNRISE, Fla. -- Robert Luongos return to Florida couldnt have been better. Luongo made 25 saves, while Dmitry Kulikov and Jesse Winchester each scored power-play goals to lead the Panthers over the Buffalo Sabres 2-0 on Friday night. Luongo, acquired in a trade with Vancouver on Tuesday, was in net for the first time for Florida since April 18, 2006. Luongo previously played for Florida from 2000-2006. "Kudos to all the guys in front of me tonight. It was really a team effort," Luongo said. "Shutouts are always nice, but at the end of the day its about the wins. We did a good job." Luongo received a warm reception from the fans, with chants of "Louuuuu" resonating from the stands after every save. "It was nice. It was a great reception right off the start of the game," Luongo said. It was the fourth shutout of the season for Luongo. His last was on Dec. 13, a 4-0 win for Vancouver over Edmonton in which he made 19 saves. It was the first regular-season shutout for the Panthers since a 2-0 win over Carolina on March 11, 2012 in which Jose Theodore had 34 saves. Michal Neuvirth stopped 42 shots in his first start for Buffalo since being acquired from Washington last Wednesday. It was a great performance by Neuvirth, seeing his first action since before the Olympic break. "This was my first time with a new team; for sure I was nervous," Neuvirth said. "Ive been practicing hard, but a game is a different story." The Panthers won for just the second time in seven games. The Sabres lost their second in six games. Florida went ahead 2-0 on its second power-play goal. Kulikov took a slap shot from above the right circle that beat Neuvirth on the stick side at 4:04 of the second period. Neuvirth never saw it coming as he was screened on the play. "I?just saw a bunch of bodies in front of the net," Kulikov said. "I was screaming for the puck because I was wide open." The Panthers scored two power-play goals for the third time this seasonn.dddddddddddd The last time was Dec. 3 against Ottawa. The Panthers grabbed a 1-0 lead when Winchester took a pass from Scottie Upshall in the low slot and flipped it over Neuvirths glove midway in the first period. The goal came with just 5 seconds left in a power play that lasted 6:30, including a 5-on-3 for 25 seconds. The Panthers have been woeful on the power play, entering the game 30th in the league. That extended penalty was due to a delay of game on Matt DAgostini. About 30 seconds later, Buffalos Marcus Foligno drew a five-minute major and a game misconduct when he drove Brandon Pirri into the boards. Pirri left briefly, but returned later in the period. "I dont think it was worthy of getting kicked out of the game," Foligno said. "That put our team in a tough position and I think it was a tough call to make." The Sabres were outshot 30-13 through the first two periods, and 44-25 in the game. They may have been sluggish after playing their second game in as many nights, beating Tampa Bay 3-1 on Thursday. That victory was costly as the Sabres lost forwards Zemgus Girgensons and Chris Stewart with lower body injuries. "Back-to-back games this late in the season, its tough for anybody," Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. "For two nights in a row, it was really tough." It didnt get any better on Friday, as defenceman Alexander Sulzer suffered a lower body injury and will be out one to two weeks, according to Nolan. The Panthers were awarded a penalty shot in the second period when Drew Stafford tripped Sean Bergenheim skating in on Neuvirth. But Neuvirth easily stopped Bergenheims shot with his stick. NOTES: Buffalo recalled Luke Adam and Nicolas Deslauriers from AHL Rochester due to injuries. Both played in Fridays game, with Deslauriers making his NHL debut. ... Florida C Vincent Trocheck made his NHL debut after being called up from AHL San Antonio on Wednesday. ... Upshall has six points in his last seven games. Wholesale Jerseys　 Cheap NFL Jerseys　Wholesale Jerseys　Authentic Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '