SADASD2132's blog
Jose Peraza kept up the parade of slams, sending Matt Harvey and the Reds over the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers 8-2 Sunday.
Peraza connected in the sixth inning for the Reds’ major league-leading ninth slam this year, tying the single-season franchise record set in 2002. It was Cincinnati’s second in two games and third in the last eight – pitcher Mike Lorenzen had a pinch-hit slam Saturday, and pitcher Anthony DeSclafani went deep with the bases loaded on June 24 against the Cubs.
”I just tried to hit the ball,” the shortstop said. ”When I hit the ball in the sky, I say, `Wow, it’s a home run.’ Everybody is happy.”
Peraza hit his first career slam, tagging reliever Aaron Wilkerson.
Eight different Reds have hit grand slams. Adam Duvall is the only player with two.
The last-place Reds have won 11 of 14, and the last eight of 11 against teams that were in first place when their series started.
”We know we can play with these guys (division leaders) Tyron Smith Cowboys Jersey ,” manager Jim Riggleman said. ”We’ve got to go through those guys and win our share.”
Harvey (4-5) allowed two hits in 5 2/3 innings and won his third straight start as the Reds salvaged a split of the four-game series. Ryan Braun’s two-run homer in the ninth allowed the Brewers to avoid their 11th shutout loss of the season.
Joey Votto, National League RBI leader Eugenio Suarez and Scott Schebler had consecutive run-scoring singles in the first inning against previously unbeaten rookie Freddy Peralta (3-1).
Harvey, acquired in May from the Mets, struck out six and walked none. The right-hander didn’t return after a 54-minute rain delay.
”It was one of those when you come in and try to do as much as you can,” Harvey said. ”You come in and put a heat pack on, but once it creeps up to an hour … That’s the best I’ve felt in a long time. I could smell the CG (complete game) coming or at least getting deep in the game. I was pretty much in control the whole time, but I’m happy about the outing and another Reds win.”
Pitching in a gametime temperature of 93 humid degrees, Harvey retired the first 12 batters before Travis Shaw outflanked a defensive shift with an opposite-field single to left leading off the fifth.
Cincinnati’s first six batters reached base against Peralta, who’d allowed just a .093 opponents’ batting average (7 for 75) in his first four starts, all Milwaukee wins. He recovered from throwing 43 pitches in the first inning to retire the last 10 and 15 of the last 16 batters he faced.
”It started out rough Saquon Barkley Jersey ,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. ”He righted it. It was cool to see him right it. That’s a lesson that you’ve got to get it going right away or a big league team will take advantage of it. I thought he handled it very well.”
CHANGE OF SCENERY
The Brewers optioned .197-hitting SS Orlando Arcia to Triple-A Colorado Springs before the game. ”He’s been a good major league hitter,” Counsell said. ”He’s been a dominant minor league hitter. We’re confident he will get things going again.”
MOVING UP
Votto’s two hits pushed him past Hall of Famer Frank Robinson into ninth place on the Reds’ career hits list with 1,674. Brandon Phillips is eighth with 1,774 hits.
LAST MINUTE
Braun’s ninth-inning homer gave the Brewers at least one in each of their last 19 games at Great American Ball Park, the longest streak by any team, including the Reds.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: OF Christian Yelich took some swings before Sunday’s game, the third he’d missed since leaving Thursday’s game with a tight lower back.
UP NEXT
Brewers: LHP Brent Suter (8-5) is 6-2 with a 3.50 ERA over his last eight starts.
Reds: RHP Luis Castillo (5-8) didn’t allow a home run in his last start, but he still leads NL pitchers in homers allowed with 18.
.
That may be the most frightening aspect going forward for the Flyers and the other 14 teams hoping to end Pittsburgh’s run at history.
While it’s easy to point to Matt Murray’s 24 saves – including a fabulous diving stop on Philadelphia’s Scott Laughton in the first period that preserved a one-goal lead and set the stage for the blowout to come – it’s the little things the Penguins did that caught the attention of head coach Mike Sullivan.
Pittsburgh blocked 24 shots before the puck even got to the net. The defensemen in front of Murray turned Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds into a bystander. Philadelphia went on the power play four times and failed to produce a single scoring chance.
Yikes.
”It was just a commitment to defend and play the right way,” Sullivan said.
One the Penguins understand they’ll need to repeat in Game 2 on Friday night. For all of their dominance on Wednesday night, it still only counts as one. Last spring they drilled Ottawa 7-0 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals to go up 3-2 in the series only to lose Game 6 two days later.
”We know we’re going to see their best,” said Crosby, whose third career playoff hat trick in Game 1 started with a backhanded swat out of the air from in front that knuckled past Philadelphia’s Brian Elliott and into the net to put the Penguins up five.
It’s unlikely the Flyers could play much worse. Coach Dave Hakstol publicly endorsed sending Elliott back out for Game 2 in the immediate aftermath despite giving up five goals on 19 shots before getting pulled. Hakstol declined to elaborate on his plans Thursday, though he’s well aware Elliott’s play was not Philadelphia’s only issue.
”We just had too many holes and if you have holes in your game, that team is going to drive a truck through them,” Hakstol said.
Philadelphia returned to the playoffs this spring thanks in part to its resilience. The Flyers went nearly a month between victories while enduring a 10-game losing streak that spanned November and early December and then dropped seven of eight to start March before sprinting to third in the crowded Metropolitan Division.
”Nothing’s easy this time of year,” Elliott said. ”A close loss feels the same as a lopsided one. We all didn’t get to this level by not going through some type of adversity like this. It’s just a matter of fact of going back to work and having the confidence we can definitely be better than we were.”
Another loss would put Philadelphia in a perilous spot going home. The Flyers haven’t beaten Penguins once all season Aaron Rodgers Jersey Youth , getting outscored 27-11 in the process. Going down two games would require them to take down the reigning champions four times in nine days. Good luck with that.
”We’ve got to be sharper,” Hakstol said. ”That usually means you’ve got to be quicker and execute a little bit better. You can probably apply that to a lot of our game.”
Some things to watch Friday night:
—
Wild at Jets, Winnipeg leads 1-0 (7:30 p.m. EDT, USA)
It took Winnipeg nearly two decades to win the franchise’s first playoff game. If the Jets can do it twice in three days, they’ll have firm control against sloppy Minnesota.
The Wild let a third-period lead get away in Game 1, with the Jets getting the tying goal and the winning goal off Minnesota giveaways. The Wild understand they need to be smarter in their own end. Minnesota has won just one series in franchise history after dropping the first two games.
”I think in reality we had seven pretty bad minutes from the time we scored the second goal to the third goal,” Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. ”But it was a pretty even game after that. And I think we can play a lot better.”
The young Jets feel likewise. Having a crammed and raucous Bell MTS Place certainly helped.
”You saw the crowd last night, it was unbelievable,” said 22-year-old defenseman Josh Morrissey. ”We had a lot of energy built of that. For us Brian Urlacher Jersey Youth , it was a big comeback win and we won and we’ve got to keep going.”
—
Kings at Golden Knights, Vegas leads 1-0 (10 p.m. EDT, NBCSN)
The expansion Golden Knights looked every bit ready for the playoffs when they rode goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to a 1-0 victory in Game 1. The Kings will be without defenseman Drew Doughty for Game 2, suspended by the NHL for an illegal check to the head of Vegas forward William Carrier.
Doughty appeared lower his shoulder into Carrier’s head, connecting with his jaw, sending the Golden Knights wing to the locker room for the remainder of the game.
”I thought it was a bad hit, but it’s not for me to decide,” Vegas coach Gerard Gallant said. ”The referee didn’t think it was a penalty but I’m sure people will look at that hit and make a decision on it.”
The Kings outhit Vegas 68-59, though some Los Angeles players scoffed at the notion Game 1 was an overly physical.
”It was a physical game Josh Gordon Jersey , (but) I don’t think there was nearly as many hits as the stats credited,” Los Angeles wing Dustin Brown said. ”Some buildings you can kill a guy and not get credit for a hit.”
—
More NHL hockey: Leon Bennett/Getty ImagesFormer NFL offensive lineman Bryant McKinnie told TMZ Sports he believes NFL teams will continue manufacturing reasons for not signing quarterback Colin Kaepernick."Being too far removed from the NFL, teams will now use that as an excuse," he said. "He hasn't played in two years, three years, however long its been. So now that will be the new excuse as to why they won't sign him."McKinnie added that "collusion takes place" while discussing the Kaepernick situation.The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback is聽suing the NFL, alleging that the league has colluded to keep him out of a job due to his political stances and decision to kneel during the national anthem in protest of police brutality and racial discrimination.McKinnie has experience with collusion cases against the NFL. In 2002, the NFL Players Association聽led an investigation聽into collusion during McKinnie's 98-day holdout after being selected No. 7 overall in that year's NFL draft.The NFLPA was investigating the Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs for potentially colluding to lower the market value of McKinnie and Kansas City's No. 6 pick,聽Ryan Sims. The NFLPA ultimately settled the case after McKinnie was signed to a five-year Joe Montana Jersey ,聽$13.55 million deal."I'm well aware of collusion; I've been aware of it my whole career and know it happens," McKinnie told TMZ. "Nobody's gonna admit it, but why did you get my deal all of [a] sudden, and then you want to tell me in order to get this deal done you have to drop the case?"As for Kaepernick's chances in a collusion case, McKinnie believes the former quarterback can win his case provided he has sufficient evidence..
Linebacker Freddie Bishop was waived Wednesday to make room on the roster for Wilcox.
Wilcox was a third-round draft pick of Dallas out of Georgia Southern in 2013. He played four seasons with the Cowboys and signed with Tampa Bay last offseason. Wilcox was traded by the Buccaneers to Pittsburgh shortly before the regular season and had nine tackles and an interception for the Steelers Lawrence Taylor Jersey Youth , who released him in April.
ESPN reported that Wilcox visited San Francisco but left there without signing.
Miles is the Jets’ longest-tenured defensive player and a key member of the special teams unit but could be sidelined several months. He practiced during the first organized team activities session open to the media two weeks ago but was spotted last week with a sleeve on his left leg. NFL Network first reported Miles’ knee surgery.
—
Tampa Bay hasn’t played in a week, while Boston is coming off a hard-fought, seven-game playoff series.
Neither the Lightning nor the less-rested Bruins expect that to mean anything when their second-round playoff series begins Saturday.
A single point separated the Atlantic Division rivals in the standings after the race for the top seed in Eastern Conference came down to the final night of the regular season, and there’s every reason to believe this best-of-seven matchup will be just as tight.
”Obviously, these were the top two teams in the division, and it was a close call until the last game on who was going to finish first and second,” Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman said.
”It’s going to be a tough matchup. They are great team, so are we,” the Norris Trophy finalist said. ”It’s going to come down to the small detail in the game. We have the skill and depth up front to score goals, but we have to keep the puck out of our net.”
Boston won three of four meetings between the teams the regular season.
The Bruins won their opening round playoff series against Toronto in seven games. Tampa Bay Joe Thomas Jersey Youth , led by Nikita Kucherov’s 10 points (five goals, five assists) eliminated New Jersey in five games after going 0-3-1 against the Devils.
”I think you learn that the regular season means nothing,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. ”We know how they play. Very competitive group, very well structured, especially that top line. … We’re expecting a very tight series against a very good hockey team.”
The Bruins are bracing for a tough test, too.
”It’s going to be a battle,” Bruins forward Brad Marchand said. ”They were a top team all year. They compete very hard, have a ton of skill, and they have a lot of depth.”
THEY ALL COUNT
The Lightning earned home-ice advantage for the series by finishing one point ahead of Boston in the standings. In fact, it all came down to the final night of the season Josh Gordon Browns Jersey , when the Bruins were playing Florida in a makeup game for a Jan. 4 game postponed by a snowstorm.
The Panthers won 4-2, leaving Boston with 112 points to 113 for Tampa Bay.
”We’re not going to allow one game to define us, yet we understand the meaning,” coach Bruce Cassidy said then. ”We let one get away, an opportunity lost to have home-ice advantage, and we’ll see if that haunts us down the road. I think it’s too early to tell that right now.”
NOT THE FIRST TIME
The Lightning and Bruins are facing each other in the postseason for only the second time. The other meeting was in the 2011 Eastern Conference Final, won by Boston in seven games.
FALLING IN LINE
In the four playoff games the Bruins won against Toronto, the trio of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand had a combined 30 points. In the three games they lost, they were held completely scoreless.
”They’re our most important line Clay Matthews Jersey Youth ,” defenseman Torey Krug said after they tallied three goals with four assists in Game 7. ”They’re the best line in the NHL, and when they’re going it’s hard to stop.”
TONGUE LASHING
Marchand will do whatever it takes to get under the skin of his opponents, and in the first round that meant skating up to Toronto forward Leo Komarov and appearing to lick his face. (In November, he appeared to kiss Komarov on the cheek.)
”I thought he wanted to cuddle. I just wanted to get close to him,” Marchand explained after the playoff game. ”He keeps trying to get close to me. I don’t know if he’s got a thing for me or what. He’s cute.”
Several news organizations reported this week that the NHL sent a message to Marchand to knock it off, but he said he has received no such message. ”This is false,” he tweeted in response to a Boston Globe story that picked up on the original report, from Sportsnet.
I KINDA LIKE HIM
Lightning coach Jon Cooper was asked how he views Marchand.
”To be honest, what I have seen of him, what goes on out on the ice Deion Sanders Jersey Limited , he’s a competitive you know what and I love that. I think some of the greatest comments you can give a player is I hate that kid but I do wish he was on my team,” Cooper said.
”I was fortunate enough during the All-Star game to meet him … and off the ice to spend a little time. It actually was disappointing, I was hoping he was going to be an idiot. I was hoping I wasn’t going to like him,” Cooper added. ”But he was unreal, and it’s amazing that a guy who is that kind and nice and outgoing and friendly is the same guy who jumps on the ice. You have to respect that about him. And when that kids jumps on the ice, he comes to play.”
—
AP Sports Writer Jimmy Golen in Boston contributed to this report.
—
.
First and foremost Roquan Smith Jersey , the team is officially for sale.
The end of the season means Panthers owner Jerry Richardson will begin actively accepting offers to purchase the franchise he brought to the Carolinas as an expansion team in 1993. The Panthers began play in 1995 but never won a Super Bowl under Richardson, despite his promise in 1993 to win a championship ”within 10 years.”
The 81-year-old Richardson announced last month he was selling the team after reports of alleged sexual and racial misconduct in the workplace led to an NFL investigation. That investigation is ongoing.
”It will be an interesting offseason to see how things work out,” Panthers tight end Greg Olsen said as he cleaned out his locker on Monday.
”None of us have been through something like this, of course. It doesn’t happen often in the NFL.”
Panthers coach Ron Rivera at his final news conference of the season that ”it’s going to be different; it’s going to be weird” not having Richardson around.
While the league will surely push to keep a franchise in Charlotte, where it has successfully sold out all but two games during its history, there is no telling if the new owners would consider moving the team. Rivera hopes the Panthers stay in Charlotte.
”I think this is a great area and I think we have shown that we (are) supported by the community,” Rivera said.
Panthers interim general manager Marty Hurney got emotional Monday as he shook hands with players as they left the locker room.
He tried to hold back tears when asked about the end of the Richardson era.
”Sure, it’s more emotional,” said Hurney Joe Namath Jets Jersey , who previously worked for the Panthers from 1998-2012. ”Anytime the finality of losing a playoff game is hard to take. And then when you have these other things it’s hard.”
The impending sale of the team is just one of many uncertainties surrounding the Panthers this offseason. Here are some others:
FRONT OFFICE QUESTIONS: While Rivera received a two-year contract extension through 2020 last week, the Panthers front office remains up in the air. Hurney was re-hired by Richardson to serve on an interim basis last summer but his contract expires June 30.
Hurney said Monday he would like to stay on, saying ”I love what I’m doing right now.” Rivera and several players also threw their support behind Hurney coming on in a full-time role again.
REPLACING ANOTHER COORDINATOR: Rivera seems pretty certain he will lose a defensive coordinator for the second straight offseason with Steve Wilks scheduled to meet with the Giants, Lions and Colts for vacant head coaching positions.
Wilks is viewed as a favorite in New York, where former Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman is now calling the shots. Rivera said if Wilks leaves he’s leaning toward promoting an assistant from inside the organization.
”I feel really good about the guys that we have in place and being able to replace Steve,” Rivera said. That means linebackers coach Al Holcomb, defensive line coach Eric Washington and defensive backs coach Curtis Fuller would be the top candidates.
PEPPERS UNDECIDED ON FUTURE: The future of defensive end Julius Peppers remains uncertain, too. Peppers, who turns 38 this month Jimmy Garoppolo 49ers Jersey , said he will take some time before making a decision whether to return for a 17th season.
Peppers had a successful season with 11 sacks and two forced fumbles in a situational role and served as a valuable mentor in the locker room to players such as Mario Addison. ”He can play as long as he wants, clearly,” said defensive end Charles Johnson.
ROSTER CHANGING: While linebacker Thomas Davis said ”the window is still open” for the Panthers to win a Super Bowl, the reality is this is getting to be an old football team. Peppers is not alone in the long-in-the-tooth category.
Safety Mike Adams will be 37 next season, Davis 35, Olsen and center Ryan Kalil 33, Johnson 32, running back Jonathan Stewart 31, and safety Kurt Coleman and nickel cornerback Captain Munnerlyn will have turned 30. All but Munnerlyn are starters. Olsen thinks the core of the team will remain.
”This is a team that has been very competitive and I don’t see why anyone would come in and mess with that Myles Garrett Jersey Youth ,” Olsen said.
DEEP THREAT NEEDED: Clearly one of the biggest needs for the Panthers this offseason will be finding some help for Cam Newton, particular a deep threat at wide receiver.
While last year’s second-round pick Curtis Samuel and Damiere Byrd helped fill that role at times this season, neither could stay healthy leaving the Panthers without a player who could stretch the defense.
The Panthers let wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. walk last offseason in free agency and it bit them again Sunday as Ginn caught an 80-yard touchdown pass in the Saints’ wild-card win.
—
Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank believes players should have the right to speak out on important issues even though he isn’t expecting his players to protest during the national anthem this season.
Blank says just like last season, Falcons players have been asked to stand for the national anthem.
He said the Falcons are ”very committed to the military.” He also says he believes players have ”very significant rights” and appeared to say he wouldn’t fine players for exercising those rights.
Blank said players should be allowed to make their own decisions on what he described as the ”complex issue” of standing or kneeling for the national anthem.
”So if you have players who still feel that’s the way they have to express themselves, they will,” he said, adding ”I don’t think you’ll see” protests.
”But it’s far better in my opinion to have somebody make those decisions themselves than to hit them over the head with a hammer,” he said.
Blank’s comments came as the NFL and NFLPA, the players’ union Eli Manning Jersey , held what they said in a joint statement was ”a constructive meeting” about the anthem policy. They said their talks will continue.
Last season, two Falcons defensive linemen – Grady Jarrett and Dontari Poe, now with Carolina – knelt during the anthem before the team’s game at Detroit on Sept. 24. After the game, coach Dan Quinn described the action as a ”one-off.”
The Falcons held a team meeting and decided players would stand together during the anthem for other games.
Quinn said that decision was not a written policy ”but more one that was really based on the heart of brotherhood to say, `What we do, we’ll do it together.”’
No players took a knee during the anthem the remainder of the season.
—
.
The American standout beat Goggia by two hundredths of a second as their ongoing rivalry in Alpine skiing’s fastest discipline continued.
”It’s a big number,” Vonn said of her 80 wins, just six short of the all-time record set by Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark in the 1980s.
”I remember when I got my 50th here, I never thought I would even get close to Annemarie Moser-Proell’s record (of 62 wins) and now I am getting close to Stenmark’s. It’s incredible,” she said.
”Also the timing of this win, coming into the Olympics, I really feel strong mentally and physically.”
Vonn skied a solid run but didn’t seem to go to the limits as she trailed Italian rival Goggia by 0.08 at the last split time. However, Vonn overcame the deficit in the final section.
”I definitely skied aggressively, don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t leave all the cards on the table Eddie Rosario Minnesota Twins Jersey ,” Vonn said. ”I hold those extra aces for the Olympics.”
It was Vonn’s second straight downhill win after Cortina, Italy, two weeks ago. She and Goggia are the only racers with more than one downhill victory this season.
Cornelia Huetter of Austria was 0.13 behind in third, and Vonn’s teammate, Breezy Johnson, finished fourth for her career-best result.
Earlier, Johnson and Vonn posted the fastest times in a mandatory training session two hours before the race, after training was canceled on the previous two days.
Vonn’s joy was tempered, however, by a crash that ruled her teammate Jacqueline Wiles out of the Olympics with a knee injury.
Shortly after completing her run and taking the lead in the race http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-ito-smith-jersey , Vonn saw on a large video screen in the finish area how Wiles lost balance after skiing off the course, fell and went into the safety netting. Wiles had to be transported off the hill by helicopter.
Wiles was set to compete in her second Olympics. She had her second career podium by placing third in the race that Vonn won in Cortina two weeks ago.
Also, Laurenne Ross, who’s working her way back after a severe knee injury, crashed hard but she stood up and eventually skied down.
”It was really hard to actually be happy and excited and celebrate because Jackie is in the hospital,” said Vonn about Wiles, who has been financially supported by Vonn’s foundation.
”It’s a really rough day for the whole team,” Vonn said. ”I am happy that Laurenne wasn’t hurt. She will be really sore tomorrow but at least her knee is OK.”
Another downhill on the Kandahar course is scheduled for Sunday, the last World Cup race before the Olympics, and Vonn was expecting another close duel with Goggia.
The Italian edged Vonn in both speed races that were held as test events on the Olympic hill in South Korea last year.
”She is always risking everything Breeland Speaks Color Rush Jersey , she’s the person that I have to beat,” said the American, who is chasing another Olympic downhill medal to add to the gold she won in Vancouver 2010.
”She is a personality that is really needed on the World Cup. We are playing a little game with each other: Who has the hundredths, you know. It makes it more exciting for us and also for the spectators.”
Goggia was smiling and hugged Vonn afterward.
”From the start gate to the red finish line, it’s a battle. But after, we are friends,” Goggia said. ”This is the rivalry that I like. It’s really fun and challenging for me.”
The Italian’s daredevil style of racing has sometimes been seen as similar to Bode Miller’s approach, but Goggia laughs off any comparisons with him.
”It would be a great honor just to have one percent of Bode,” she said. ”I am far away from him. I am a show girl on the skis sometimes and that’s the only thing we have in common. He has a class that I will never reach.”
Tom Brady shook off a hand injury and threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Danny Amendola with 2:48 remaining, rallying the New England Patriots back to the Super Bowl with a 24-20 comeback victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC championship game Sunday.Brady Miguel Andujar New York Yankees Jersey , wearing a black bandage on his right hand, showed no signs of being hampered. And, with the game – and possibly the season – on the line, the Patriots star came up big again.
Brady finished 26 of 38 for 290 yards and two touchdowns for the Patriots (15-3), who’ll play Philadelphia in Minneapolis on Feb. 4.
The Jaguars (12-7) led 20-10 early in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t hold against the defending champions.
Jacksonville – looking to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history – had one more shot, but Blake Bortles’ throw on fourth-and-15 to Dede Westbrook was knocked away by Stephon Gilmore.
The Patriots then ran out the clock, with Dion Lewis’ 18-yard scamper with 90 seconds remaining sealing the victory. And they did it mostly without tight end Rob Gronkowski, who left the game late in the first half and didn’t return.
EAGLES 38, VIKINGS 7
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Nick Foles threw for three touchdowns and Philadelphia made big play after big play http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-brian-o_neill-jersey , winning the NFC title in a stunning rout of Minnesota.
Next up: the Eagles’ first Super Bowl appearance since 2005, against the team that beat them then, AFC champion New England.
Foles was on fire, throwing for 352 yards in a performance that might make the Philadelphia faithful miss injured Carson Wentz a whole lot less.
Patrick Robinson’s spectacular 50-yard interception return got Philadelphia (15-3) started. Then Foles and his offense tore up the league’s stingiest scoring defense, with long TD throws to Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith.
LeGarrette Blount had an 11-yard scoring run when things were decided in the first half, and the Eagles were headed to an NFL title game the Vikings (14-4) hoped to be in at their own stadium.
—
.
Pittsburgh has had great success against the Washington Capitals in the playoffs Ryan Jensen Color Rush Jersey , but the Penguins will be challenged by the absence of a couple key players when the teams open a second-round series Thursday at Capital One Arena.
Center Evgeni Malkin, who led Pittsburgh in scoring in the regular season, and Carl Hagelin, a prime penalty-killer, have been ruled out for Game 1 because of unspecified injuries sustained late in the Penguins’ first-round win against Philadelphia, coach Mike Sullivan said Wednesday.
“Guys have to step up in different roles maybe,” Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby said Wednesday. “I don’t think anybody has to put too much pressure on themselves. I think collectively we can find ways (to bridge the gap). Those guys aren’t easy to replace, but that’s what we’re faced with.”
Washington has one known injury. Forward Andre Burakovsky is out at least for the start of the Penguins series because of an undisclosed injury he got in the first round against Columbus.
The Capitals also have history working against them. They are 1-9 all-time in playoff series against Pittsburgh, including losses the past two seasons and in 2009. In each of those three years, the Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup.
The Capitals don’t find that discouraging.
“There’s not a person in our locker room or on our coaching staff that doesn’t want to play the Penguins,” Washington coach Barry Trotz said. “It’s probably fitting. We’re actually quite excited about it. They’re two good teams. They always have been Chris Rusin Colorado Rockies Jersey , and you get another match. It’s all good.”
Washington sniper and captain Alex Ovechkin has repeatedly declared, “I can’t wait,” since just moments after the Columbus series, and he expanded on that Wednesday.
“It’s just fun. That’s why we worked so hard all year, to be in this position,” Ovechkin said. “It’s a big challenge for us, especially against Pittsburgh. It’s always a rivalry, always lots of attention to the series, and it’s fun.”
Ovechkin, 32, who has never won the Cup or even reached the Eastern Conference final Jordan Akins Color Rush Jersey , figures the law of averages will catch up with the Capitals eventually and they will beat the Penguins.
“One day it has to happen,” he said. “If we want to get success, we have to beat Pittsburgh and move forward. They’re the most experienced team right now in the league. Lots of great players. It’s a huge challenge.”
The Metropolitan Division clubs split their four games during the regular season. Washington won the division, with Pittsburgh finishing second, five points back.
“I don’t think they’re going to change the way they play. They’ve done it all year long,” Penguins winger Phil Kessel said. “I don’t think at this time of the year you change much what you do.”
While the Penguins are set with goaltender Matt Murray, who has won two Cups and had two shutouts in the first round, Washington will start off with Braden Holtby, a former Vezina Trophy winner who struggled at times during the season and lost the No. 1 job at the start of the playoffs before regaining it during Game 3 of the Columbus series.
“He’s been professional,” Trotz said of Holtby. “When we made the decision to start (Philipp Grubauer), (Holtby) was all in. He just said http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-terrelle-pryor-sr.-jersey , ‘If I get a chance to get in, I’m going to stop the puck for you.’ … When he got in, he backed his words up.”
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Houston Rockets will attempt to close out the defending champion Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals on Saturday night, but will have to go about it without star point guard Chris Paul.
Paul had 20 points, Eric Gordon 24 and James Harden 19 when the Rockets moved to within one win of their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1995 with a 98-94 home victory over the Warriors on Thursday.
As it turned out, the key play of the game — in more ways than one — occurred when Paul suffered a strained right hamstring while attempting a missed floater in the key with 51.7 seconds remaining and the Rockets clinging to a 95-94 lead.
Paul was unable to return to the defensive end after the miss, giving the Warriors a five-on-four power play with a chance to go ahead.
But instead of placing their uncovered man, little used Quinn Cook, close to the basket, the Warriors spotted him up for a 3-pointer http://www.49ersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jeremiah-attaochu-jersey , which he missed after nervously fumbling a pass.
The Rockets went on to score the final three points on free throws to go ahead 3-2 in a playoff series for the first time since 2009.
“We don’t want to just be down on it. We want to keep our same swag, our same positive energy,” Harden said of the loss of his backcourt sidekick. “We’re not here moping around and sad. We’re good.”
Paul is seeking to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in his career. Now it’s possible the Rockets will make it, but he won’t.
The club wouldn’t speculate about his availability past anything more than Game 6. He will be re-evaluated when the Rockets return home Sunday, either for a Game 7 against the Warriors on Monday or for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.
The Rockets went 15-9 without Paul in the starting lineup during the regular season, with Gordon replacing him on 21 of the 24 occasions.
Gordon has been a key contributor to the Rockets’ success off the bench in the series. He has single-handedly outscored Golden State’s reserves 38-16 in the last two games, both of which Houston has won to reverse what had been a 2-1 deficit in the series.
Of course, the Warriors have had health issues of their own in the series, with Andre Iguodala having missed Games 4 and 5 with a bruised left knee.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted Friday that he had “no idea” whether Iguodala would be available for Game 6, while at the same time noting that “he’s gotten incrementally better each day.”
With or without Iguodala, history says the Warriors will be tough to beat under the circumstances they’ll be experiencing in Game 6.
Since Kerr took over as coach in 2015 Authentic Blake McLaughlin Jersey , the Warriors are 36-6 at home in the postseason, including an NBA-record 16-game winning streak that was snapped in their 95-92 loss in Game 4.
They’ve won 26 of their last 32 playoff games regardless of the site, and have a 3-1 record under Kerr in potential elimination games, with the lone loss coming in Game 6 of the 2016 Finals against Cleveland.
The Rockets, meanwhile, have wasted no time disposing of vulnerable opponents this postseason, eliminating Minnesota in the first round and Utah in the Western semifinals at first crack after going up 3-1 in each series.
.
For two months Lorenzo Carter Color Rush Jersey , they looked like a team on the rise in the Eastern Conference during a 19-14 start that included victories at Golden State, Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Boston. Then an ankle injury to point guard Reggie Jackson derailed Detroit’s season, and even a bold trade for Blake Griffin wasn’t enough to push the Pistons to the playoffs.
Detroit’s promising start now feels like a long time ago, and the big question for this offseason is the status of Stan Van Gundy, who has just one playoff appearance in four seasons as coach and president of basketball operations.
”I think we have to make changes,” owner Tom Gores said earlier this week.
It’s not clear if those changes will involve moving on from Van Gundy, who never had much of a chance to coach the Pistons at full strength after Jackson’s ankle injury Dec. 26. He didn’t come back until the latter half of March.
After faltering badly following Jackson’s injury, the Pistons acquired Griffin in a blockbuster trade at the end of January. Detroit went on a brief run after that deal but quickly regressed and finished 39-43.
The Pistons have made the playoffs only once in the past nine seasons.
”Hopefully we can have a more healthy year next year,” Jackson said.
Jackson has played only 97 games over the past two seasons Sampo Ranta Blackhawks Jersey , a big reason the Pistons have been unable to build on their playoff appearance in 2016.
LIMITED FLEXIBILITY
The Pistons now have Griffin and Andre Drummond locked into expensive deals, and they’ll probably need to make that combination work because they sent the Los Angeles Clippers a protected first-round draft pick in the deal for Griffin. Although there are always health concerns with Griffin, his production wasn’t an issue. He averaged 19.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 25 games with Detroit.
YOUNGER OPTIONS
The first-round picks Detroit has had under Van Gundy have produced decidedly mixed results. Stanley Johnson can provide a boost defensively but is still limited at the offensive end, and Henry Ellenson played in only 38 games this season. Rookie Luke Kennard shot over 40 percent from 3-point range, but even that felt like a missed opportunity since he was taken one spot ahead of Donovan Mitchell in last year’s draft.
BRIGHT SPOT
Drummond came into the season with a lot to prove, and he delivered with perhaps his best season as a pro. Not only did he improve his free throw shooting to a more respectable 60.5 percent, but he also averaged 15 points and a career-high 16 rebounds.
NEW ARENA
This was the team’s first season at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. A glaring number of empty seats early in the season indicated that the Pistons couldn’t expect packed houses just because they were in a new venue, but the team hadn’t been drawing well at its previous home either, and the move downtown could still pay dividends if Detroit wins a few more games.
VETERAN
Anthony Tolliver did an impressive job as a role player for the Pistons this season http://www.cowboysauthorizedshops.com/authentic-bo-scarbrough-jersey , shooting 44 percent from beyond the arc and averaging 8.9 points per game. He’s carved out a decade-long career after going undrafted out of Creighton.
—
Aqib Talib is reuniting with Wade Phillips in Los Angeles after the Denver Broncos agreed to trade the star cornerback to the Rams, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.
The Rams will send Denver a mid-round pick, believed to be a fifth-rounder, in next month’s draft for the perennial Pro Bowl cornerback, said the person, who spoke off the record because the trade isn’t official until the start of the new league year Wednesday.
”Man, I’m so excited,” Talib told The Associated Press from Dallas on Thursday night. ”I can’t wait to play for Coach Sean McVay, go back with working with Wade, and playing with my young man Danny Shelton Color Rush Jersey , Marcus Peters. He’s going to bring that young energy back to me.
”I’m super excited to play with those guys. Aaron Donald is a good friend of mine, too, so I get to go from playing behind Von Miller to playing behind Aaron Donald. That’s not too shabby. I got another MVP in front of me.”
The NFL Network first reported the agreement. The Broncos had been in talks with the Patriots, 49ers and Rams about Talib, who signed a six-year, $57 million deal in Denver in 2014, part of a defensive makeover that carried the team to the Super Bowl title two years ago.
In Los Angeles, Talib will reunite with Phillips, who was his defensive coordinator in Denver until last year, and will play alongside a fellow star defensive back in Peters http://www.coltsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-quenton-nelson-jersey , whom the Rams are acquiring from Kansas City .
Talib had an eventful four seasons in Denver, both on and off the field. He missed the Broncos’ visit with former President Barack Obama to celebrate their Super Bowl 50 triumph after accidentally shooting himself in the leg during a night of partying only to come back to have an All-Pro season in 2016. He was suspended for one game for fighting Michael Crabtree last season.
None of that is why the Broncos are moving on from Talib.
They needed to clear both salary cap space and room for rising cornerback Bradley Roby, who’s getting a big pay raise from about $1 million in 2017 to $8.526 million this year in the final season of his rookie contract.
On Thursday, the Broncos also picked up cornerback Chris Harris Jr.’s $1 million option, guaranteeing his 2018 salary of about $7.5 million. He’ll cost them $10.26 million against the cap in 2018.
By trading Talib, who’s due $11 million this season and $8 million next year, the Broncos will have about $35 million in salary cap space to pursue free agents, including quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Talib said Donald was the first Ram to reach out to him after word of the deal got out Thursday night. They share an agent in Todd France.
Talib said he’ll miss playing with Harris, his college teammate at Kansas, and the rest of the Broncos Russell Bodine Color Rush Jersey , however.
”It’s a business, man, so them guys understand,” Talib said. ”Chris hit me up. We’re all talented corners and they couldn’t pay all of us. They got that quarterback situation they’ve got to fix.”
Talib’s departure further breaks up the ”No Fly Zone ” secondary that saw its first departure last fall when the Broncos cut safety T.J. Ward so they could play second-year safety Justin Simmons more.
Talib, who was one of the Broncos’ defensive captains last season, called his stay in Denver special.
”I’m going to miss it. It’s a one-of-a-kind group in that locker room,” Talib said. ”Von’s going to be out here in Dallas this weekend for the grand opening of my workout facility. So, I’ll get to hang out with him again. But I’m definitely going to miss it. A lot of good memories in that locker room.”
—
.
LeBron James has rescued the Cavaliers from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals and just pulled them out of a 2-0 hole against Boston.
Neither such comeback had ever been accomplished http://www.lionsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-frank-ragnow-jersey , so James has stared down tough situations before.
Winning another championship now, leading this group of Cavaliers past a much mightier Golden State team, might even be a bigger challenge. Perhaps it’s simply too much to ask.
Except for the guy being asked.
James is playing at such an extraordinary level that anything is possible, including what would go down as one of the biggest upsets in NBA history.
”No matter what the story line is going to be, no matter if we’re picked to win or not, let’s just go out and play ball,” James said. ”We’re going to have a great gameplan. We’re going to try to get better throughout the series, and we’ll see what happens.”
The Warriors are better, and few outside James’ native Ohio would bother to argue. Golden State is deeper, quicker, more potent offensively and much more reliable defensively. The Cavaliers only got one game off them in last year’s finals, and that Cleveland team http://www.chiefsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-robert-golden-jersey , with Kyrie Irving, was better than this year’s version.
But none of their weaknesses have stopped the Cavaliers from pulling out two Game 7s in this postseason, or from stomping on a 59-win Toronto team in four straight games. They find a way to play well enough to keep the games in striking distance so James can will the Cavs across the finish line, and that will be the strategy again starting Thursday at Oracle Arena.
As Stephen Curry noted, the Cavaliers are more than just James. Tristan Thompson rarely showed up anywhere but the gossip pages for much of the season, but has regained his role as a rugged rebounder and defender in the postseason. If All-Star Kevin Love is cleared from his concussion in time to play, Cleveland can surround James with dangerous perimeter shooters such as himself, Kyle Korver, George Hill and JR Smith, forcing the Warriors to play James 1-on-1 – and possibly without one of their top defenders in Andre Iguodala if he can’t return from his leg injury.
Golden State won two of the three finals meetings and is heavily favored to take this one. But the one Cleveland got is perhaps King James’ crowning achievement, when the Cavaliers overcame that 3-1 deficit to beat the 73-win Warriors in Oakland in Game 7.
Another title now wouldn’t be far behind. It might require four games of around 34 points, nine rebounds and nine assists – about what James is averaging in 18 games this postseason. It’s hard to expect that level of anyone Terrelle Pryor Sr. Color Rush Jersey , but that’s what’s demanded of No. 23 in Cleveland.
James can do it.
Believe it or not, so can the Cavaliers.
The pick: Cavaliers in seven.
—
After rain washed out Thursday’s scheduled series opener, the Oakland Athletics and Chicago White Sox will play a day-night doubleheader on Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field to kick off a four-game series.
The A’s will go for their season-high fifth win in a row when they finally take the field on Chicago’s South Side.
Oakland (38-36) has won four straight games on four occasions this season, including its current stretch, but has yet to make it five. The A’s have outscored opponents 28-15 during this week’s streak, which includes two wins apiece against the Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres.
A’s hitters slugged five homers in a 12-4 rout of the Padres on Wednesday. The team already has four players with double-digit blasts including Khris Davis (20), Matt Olson (15), Jed Lowrie (11) and the injured Matt Chapman (10).
“We definitely have some power,” A’s manager Bob Melvin told the A’s official website. “That’s one of the strengths of the team.”
As Oakland is riding a hot streak, Chicago (24-49) is mired in a seven-game losing streak. A loss in the series opener would give the White Sox their worst skid of the season, which is saying something considering the club’s ugly record.
White Sox manager Rick Renteria’s club has been swept in its last two series, against the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians. In Wednesday’s series finale Will Hernandez Color Rush Jersey , Chicago managed only two hits in a 12-0 shutout loss to the Indians.
“It’s tough, but instead of getting frustrated, we have to keep working, use that feeling to work harder,” White Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada told the team’s official website. “There are still plenty of games to play, and we can improve. We can keep getting better, and if it is not this year, then next year. But definitely the games we have this year, we have a chance to improve.”
The White Sox will turn to right-hander James Shields (2-8, 4.63 ERA) in the first game of the twin bill. The 36-year-old has pitched at least six innings in 11 consecutive starts as part of a bounce-back season atop the club’s rotation.
In his career against Oakland, Shields is 6-7 with a 4.86 ERA in 19 games (18 starts). He came in as a reliever in the 14th inning of a game against Oakland in April this season, and gave up two hits http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-mike-remmers-jersey , two walks and the game-winning run in two-thirds of an inning.
The A’s will start the doubleheader with left-hander Sean Manaea (6-6, 3.56 ERA), who grew up in Northwest Indiana, not far from Chicago. The 26-year-old is off to a good start this season with 19 walks and 68 strikeouts in 93 2/3 innings.
Manaea has never faced the White Sox in his career.
In the nightcap, White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (4-7, 7.19 ERA) will look to improve in his 15th start of the season. The former first-round pick of the Washington Nationals (No. 16 overall in 2012) has terrific potential but has been unable to produce consistent results in his first full season in Chicago.
Poor command has plagued Giolito, who has 45 walks in 71 1/3 innings. He also has hit 10 batters, which is tied for most in the majors along with Cole Hamels of the Texas Rangers and Carlos Martinez of the St. Louis Cardinals.
This will mark the 23-year-old’s first career appearance against Oakland.
For the A’s, right-hander Chris Bassitt (0-2, 2.45 ERA) will make his third start of the season in the nightcap. The 29-year-old is seeking his first victory since Aug. 4, 2015, against the Baltimore Orioles.
Bassitt is quite familiar with the White Sox Authentic John Tavares Jersey , who drafted him in the 16th round in 2011 and developed him in the minors. He went 1-1 with a 3.94 ERA in six appearances (five starts) as a rookie in Chicago in 2014.
Bassitt has faced the White Sox once in his career, giving up eight hits and four runs in 5 1/3 innings on April 5, 2016. He did not get a decision in Chicago’s 5-4 victory.
On Dec. 9, 2014, the White Sox shipped Bassitt, Marcus Semien, Josh Phegley and minor leaguer Rangel Ravelo to Oakland for Jeff Samardzija and Michael Ynoa. The trade did not pan out as hoped for Chicago, which retained Samardzija for one underwhelming season before he signed as a free agent with the San Francisco Giants.
This is the first series of the season between the teams. Last year, Oakland won the season series 5-1.
.
Lee is charged with harassing a hotel shuttle driver in Buffalo during the NHL’s pre-draft scouting combine two weeks ago. He was initially scheduled to appear in court on June 22, the day the league holds the first round of its two-day draft in Dallas.
The court date was changed shortly after Lee entered a plea of not guilty to making lewd comments and rubbing the shoulders of a 19-year-old male hotel shuttle driver on May 30.
Lee was charged with second-degree harassment and faces a fine and up to 15 days in jail if guilty.
In an email to the AP, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league has no position on whether Lee can attend the draft. Daly said that decision was up to the Senators.
The Senators have declined comment since saying on June 1 they were reviewing the situation.
—
More NHL hockey: Zach LaVine is staying in Chicago, with one of the biggest deals of free agency this summer now complete.
The Bulls on Sunday formally matched the four-year, $80 million offer sheet LaVine signed with the Sacramento Kings Carlos Carrasco Cleveland Indians Jersey , a move that was expected almost from the instant the restricted free agent got the offer.
LaVine is one of only six free agents to get deals worth that much so far this summer, joining Chris Paul ($160 million), LeBron James ($153 million), Nikola Jokic ($148 million), Paul George ($137 million) and Aaron Gordon ($80 million). Phoenix’s Devin Booker signed a $158 million deal as well http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-preston-brown-jersey , his coming in the form of an extension and not through a foray into free agency.
LaVine has missed 91 of a possible 162 games over the past two seasons because of injuries, and the Bulls will have some language in this contract protecting them if his surgically repaired left knee remains problematic.
”Zach showed a relentless work ethic in rehabbing his ACL injury to return to the court, and he has a visible passion for the game of basketball,” Bulls vice president of basketball operations John Paxson said. ”We know that those attributes, along with his honed skills Bills Josh Allen Jersey , will make him an impact player in this league for years to come. We’re thrilled to keep Zach on this Bulls team moving forward.”
LaVine appeared in only 24 games for the Bulls last season, averaging 16.7 points on 38 percent shooting. The Bulls acquired LaVine a year ago, as part of the trade that sent Jimmy Butler from Chicago to Minnesota.
”We’re excited now that we get to keep him,” Paxson said.
Deals have continued coming at a relatively slow pace since the July 1 opening day of free agency, when basically $1 billion in new contracts were agreed to in 24 hours – and only $400 million or so more in deals have been struck since.
Paul’s four-year Royce Freeman Color Rush Jersey , $160 million deal to stay in Houston was officially signed Sunday. He announced that he agreed to the terms of that contract right at 12:01 EDT on July 1, when free agency was officially beginning.
Also Sunday, a pair of veteran centers found new homes.
Zaza Pachulia is signing a one-year, $2.4 million contract with the Detroit Pistons after starting 127 regular-season games over the last two seasons with the Golden State Warriors – helping them win championships in both seasons. And Brook Lopez has agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks Saquon Barkley Jersey Giants , after spending last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Both deals were confirmed to The Associated Press by people directly involved in the negotiations, both of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because neither had been formally announced by the clubs involved.
—
.
Los Angeles announced the whopping deal Friday for its two-time Stanley Cup-winning cornerstone.
After cracking the Kings’ roster as an 18-year-old, Doughty has been among the NHL’s top defensemen throughout a 10-year career spent entirely with the Kings.
He won the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman in 2016. As an aggressive, skilled two-way blueliner, he has been a finalist for the award in three other seasons – including 2017-18, when he scored a career-high 60 points while playing in all 82 games for the fourth consecutive season.
Doughty played a major role in the Kings’ Stanley Cup triumphs in 2012 and 2014, and he also has two Olympic gold medals from playing for Canada.
”Drew Doughty is one of the best defensemen in the world, and we are obviously excited to have reached this point in the process in which he has committed to the Kings long-term,” Kings general manager Rob Blake said.
He still has one year left on an eight-year Authentic Baker Mayfield Jersey , $56 million contract signed in September 2011. Doughty can’t formally sign the new deal until July 1, when he will be one year away from free agency.
By the time his new deal ends, Doughty will be 37 years old. Neither the Kings nor Doughty seriously expected the defenseman to leave his adopted home in free agency next year. He grew up a Kings fan in southern Ontario, and he was thrilled when Los Angeles chose him with the second overall pick in 2008.
Doughty is second among Kings defensemen in career goals (102), assists (320) and points (422), trailing only Blake in every category. He also has appeared in 84 playoff games, scoring 51 points.
The 28-year-old Doughty’s new contract has the NHL’s highest average annual value among defensemen, although it could be surpassed by the next contract for Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-nate-solder-jersey , whose current contract expires in 2019.
Los Angeles’ core of elite veterans is all signed to long-term contracts through at least the next three seasons. Those players include captain Anze Kopitar, goalie Jonathan Quick, Dustin Brown, Jeff Carter, Alec Martinez, Dion Phaneuf and newcomer Ilya Kovalchuk, who signed with the Kings earlier this week.
—
The New Jersey Devils can take a big step toward locking up a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in six seasons with a win against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre on Sunday.
The Devils (41-28-9) have 91 points and enter the game against the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card position, five points ahead of the Florida Panthers Danny Shelton Color Rush Jersey , who hold a game in hand.
“Any win right now is going to be huge and we have to keep it going to give ourselves the best chance to control our own destiny and come out strong in Montreal tomorrow,” Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid told reporters.
The Devils are one point behind the Philadelphia Flyers, who hold the first wild card.
Both the Devils and the Canadiens will be playing the second of back-to-back games.
New Jersey is coming off a 4-3 win against the New York Islanders on Saturday while the Canadiens lost 5-2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid made 27 saves against the Islanders and improved his record to 22-10-3 with a 2.89 goals-against average and .910 save percentage.
“Kinkaid is playing lights out. There’s not much more you can say. He’s stepped up and answered the bell. He’s carrying us right now,” New Jersey forward Blake Coleman told the team’s website after scoring a short-handed goal. “He’s a great guy and deserves all this praise. I don’t expect anything less down the stretch.”
Devils forward Taylor Hall, a candidate for the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player, scored his 35th and 36th goals of the season in the win against the Islanders. He also is looking to reach the playoffs for the first time in his eight-year career.
The Devils are 20-14-5 on the road this season, tied for the third-most victories away from home in the Eastern Conference behind the Tampa Bay Lighting (25) and the Boston Bruins (22).
Coleman’s goal was his third short-handed tally and New Jersey’s 11th this season, tied with the Edmonton Oilers for the most in the NHL.
“We love our PK. We have a lot of speed and a lot of workers Kerryon Johnson Color Rush Jersey ,” Coleman said. “We have fun out there. We skate with the best of them. It’s certainly fun to have that attack mindset when we turn pucks over versus just chucking the puck down the ice.”
Goaltender Carey Price is expected to start for the Canadiens, whose 68 points are fourth-worst in the league. He is 16-24-6 with a 3.07 goals-against average and .902 save percentage.
Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher, one of the few bright spots for Montreal this season, had a pair of assists against the Penguins to give him 51 points on the season, the first time he has surpassed the 50-point plateau.
The Canadiens lost for the 38th time in regulation Saturday against the Penguins. Montreal gave up three power-play goals against the Penguins and will be looking to stay out of the penalty box against the Devils to avoid a repeat of what happened against Pittsburgh.
“Especially against a team like that, which has talent and speed and is capable of making plays out of nothing,” Canadiens forward Jonathan Drouin told the team’s website. “When you give them five power-play chances, it’s hard to stay in the game.”
“Right now Mike Remmers Color Rush Jersey , I think there are guys who aren’t ready to pay the price on the penalty kill and that winds up costing goals. At 5-on-5 it’s not that bad, but our PK gave up three goals,” Canadiens coach Claude Julien told the team’s website. “When you’re not ready to work or pay the price (you don’t win). We had a few chances, but we weren’t able to score.”
.
