KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Nelson Cruz has only two hits in 15 at-bats against the Kansas City Royals this season. Both are home runs. Cruz hit a two-run homer and the first-place Baltimore Orioles beat the Royals 2-1 on Thursday night to snap a four-game losing streak. Cruz homered in the fourth after Chris Davis drew a walk to lead off the inning. It was Cruzs 12th home run, which is second in the American League to the 15 of Chicago White Sox rookie Jose Abreu. Cruzs 35 RBIs are tied for second in the AL. "Hes one of the best power hitters in the American League over the past five or six years," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "Hes hit in a good hitters park in Texas, but hes got power to all fields." Wei-Yin Chen (5-2) limited the Royals to one run and seven hits over 5 1-3 innings with one walk and one strikeout. Chen, who is 5-1 in his past seven starts, was removed in the sixth after Salvador Perez walked and Alex Gordon singled with one out. Darren ODay replaced Chen and struck out Danny Valencia and retried Johnny Giavotella on a fly to right. Royals rookie right-hander Yordano Ventura (2-3) struck out nine and walked one in 6 1-3 innings, allowing two runs and seven hits. After Cruzs home run, Ventura retired the next 10 batters, striking out seven, including six straight at one stretch. "He made a mistake to Nelson Cruz and it wasnt even a mistake," Yost said. "I think he threw a good fastball to Nelson. It was up and over the middle of the plate and he ambushed it." Cruz hit the first pitch out to right-centre from Ventura, who has a fastball that routinely hits triple digits on radar guns. "We know hes got a great fastball," Cruz said. "He can get you quick. Hes got great stuff. It was one of those at-bats that I got what I was looking for. We were trying to be aggressive and he was throwing a lot of first-pitch fastballs. I was looking for a fastball." With a northwest wind blowing 15 mph and gusting up to 28, it was less than ideal conditions to hit a home run. "You could have made some money off me if youd have bet me that somebody could have gotten a ball out of here tonight," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. Valencias sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the fourth scored Eric Hosmer for the only run off Chen. "Ventura pitched great," Giavotella said. "We just couldnt back him up with any runs." Left-hander Zach Britton, who had not allowed a run in 7 1-3 innings in his past eight appearances, worked a perfect ninth for his first major league save. Showalter elected to go to Britton after closer Tommy Hunter blew his past two save chances. "Guys graduate," Showalter said. "It was a good start and its good to know that if we need him for a given night hell be ready. Well see how it goes from here." The Royals did not have a baserunner off four Baltimore relievers, who retired 11 straight. "Our pitchers did a really good job and we really needed this win," Cruz said. "Anytime you can win a game by one run its huge. We feel like we can get something going." The Orioles, who went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position, threatened in the seventh and eighth innings, but came away empty. Gordon, a three-time Gold Glove Award winner, threw out J.J. Hardy at the plate to end the seventh for his fourth outfield assist this season and his 58th since moving to the outfield in 2011. Hardy attempted to score from second on Nick Markakis single. Manny Machado and Adam Jones led off the Orioles eighth with singles off Louis Coleman, the third Kansas City pitcher. Kelvin Herrera replaced Coleman and struck out Davis and Cruz and retired Steve Clevenger on a grounder to strand the runners. NOTES: The Orioles recalled RHP Evan Meek from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned RHP Kevin Gausman, who lost a Wednesday start to Detroit, to the same club. ... Markakis snapped an 0-for-14 skid with three singles. ... Royals RHP Wade Davis has a stiff neck and was not available. Dan Marino Dolphins Jersey .C. Lions. The clubs former starting quarterback, assistant and head coach returned Thursday as its receivers coach. Minkah Fitzpatrick Dolphins Jersey . DETROIT LIONS AT CHICAGO BEARS, 1:00 PM (ET) Detroit - G Rodney Austin, WR Ryan Broyles, DT Nick Fairley, QB Kellen Moore, DT Caraun Reid, CB Mohammed Seisay, DE Larry Webster Chicago - S Chris Conte, DT Brandon Dunn, QB David Fales, K Robbie Gould, CB Terrance Mitchell, OT Michael Ola, DE Trevor Scott GREEN BAY PACKERS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, 1:00 PM (ET) Green Bay - LB Carl Bradford, DT Bruce Gaston, C Garth Gerhart, CB Davon House, WR Jeff Janis, TE Justin Perillo, QB Scott Tolzien Tampa Bay - OT Anthony Collins, CB Isaiah Frey, WR Robert Herron, RB Mike James, WR Solomon Patton, FB/TE Evan Rodriguez, LB Lawrence Sidbury KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS, 1:00 PM (ET) Kansas City - WR Donnie Avery, CB Marcus Cooper, OT Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, OL Eric Kush, QB Aaron Murray, RB Charcandrick West, DT Nick Williams Pittsburgh - WR Justin Brown, DE Clifton Geathers, G Chris Hubbard, QB Landry Jones, S Troy Polamalu, TE Matt Spaeth, CB Ike Taylor MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS, 1:00 PM (ET) Minnesota - LB Anthony Barr, OT Carter Bykowski, DB Ahmad Dixon, OT Charlie Johnson, FB Zach Line, CB Shaun Prater, TE Kyle Rudolph Miami - G Nate Garner, WR Matt Hazel, S Don Jones, WR Rishard Matthews, LB Chris McCain, G Dallas Thomas, RB Daniel Thomas NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT NEW YORK JETS, 1:00 PM (ET) New England - CB Kyle Arrington, RB LeGarrette Blount, OL Dan Connolly, CB Alfonzo Dennard, OT Jordan Devey, WR Julian Edelman, RB James White NY Jets - DT T. http://www.dolphinsteamauthenticshop.co ... ersey.aspx. With newly minted president of hockey operations Trevor Linden looking on from above one day after being handed the keys to the franchise, it was more of the same on Thursday night. A.J. Derby Dolphins Jersey . Granlund scored 2:04 into the first period. Max Reinhart, on his first NHL shift of the season, neatly stripped the puck from Zack Smith at the Senators blue-line. As he moved in, his attempted shot deflected into the slot where Granlund buried a shot past Craig Anderson. Mike Gesicki Dolphins Jersey . And, just for good measure, lets say the lottery team finishes the game short-handed because two starters come down with the very same injury.Greensboro, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - Ashley Wagner has her eyes on a third national title after a big win in the womens short program at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Wagner, who won consecutive national titles in 2012-13, earned 72.04 points for her performance Thursday night and leads defending champion Gracie Gold by 5.02 points. The competition ends with Saturdays free skate. One down. One to go, Wagner tweeted shortly after the last of the 22 skaters was ffinished.dddddddddddd Gold won last years title at the age of 18 and finished fourth at the Sochi Olympics. She and Wagner both won bronze medals as part of the U.S. team in Russia. Polina Edmunds, who finished second to Gold at nationals last year and ninth at the Olympics, was in third place after Thursdays short program with 66.04 points. Mirai Nagasu, the 2008 champion and last years bronze medalist at nationals, was in fourth with 65.28 points. 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SAN DIEGO - After watching a full season of expanded-replay review, Joe Torre is unhappy with what he saw — that is, before managers challenged plays.Major League Baseballs chief baseball officer thinks one way to cut down lengthy games is to adjust replay rules.Initially when we talked about rolling out replay, we basically talked about if you go out of the dugout you cant challenge it. That was the first thought we had, Torre explained Tuesday at the winter meetings. And then I said, I hate to take that away from the manager. But I didnt really, in thinking that way, I really didnt plan on watching managers meander on out. ... That looks bad.Time and again, the Dance of the Manager would play out after a close play to give the teams replay crew a chance to look at the video. Whether it was Don Mattingly with the Los Angeles Dodgers or Joe Girardi with the New York Yankees or Joe Maddon with Tampa Bay, the moves were the same.The manager hesitated on the top step of the dugout before taking a slow stroll out to an umpire. The manager inevitably coaxed the umpire into swinging around so the skipper could have a clear view into the dugout while awaiting a thumbs up or down from a coach: review or not. More often than not, the manager and umpire engaged in what appeared to be friendly banter.The 1,275 reviews in the first year of expanded replay averaged 1 minute, 46 seconds in a season in which game times ballooned to 3 hours, 2 minutes on average for nine-inning games.With Commissioner-elect Rob Manfred making attracting younger viewers a priority, everything on the field is up for discussion when it comes to enlivening Americas pastime, plagued by sagging national TV ratings.Torre will be meeting with the 30 managers at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, overlooking San Diego Bay, home of the famed aircraft carrier USS Midway, and one of his main topics will be replay review. The Hall of Famer will then gather with the rules committee to further discuss pace of game among other issues.I think what were looking at now in regards to pace of game is strictly pace of game. Not necessarily length of game, although that would pick up if you helped the pace, Torre said. And part of that was I guess you could look at the replay stuff where the challenge system, where we had managers go out.Torre said about two-thirds of the managers he spoke with during the season were not happy with the expanded-replay system and he cited Kansas Citys Ned Yost as being someone to look to for a possible solution.He pretty much just came out of the dugout top step, just to sort of alert the players that I may be doing something, Torre said. And that worked well for him.When the rules committee meets, all sorts of ideas for speeding up the pace will be addressed. One of the most talked about ideas this off-season is a 20-second pitch clock. Torre had a chance to see it used during an Arizona Fall League experiment.I was never a proponent of introducing the clock in baseball. But I went out there the one afternoon and I was pretty impressed, Torre said. It was there. But it really wasnt intrusive in any way. Im not discounting down the road that it may be a benefit, maybe some kind of variation of it. Mike Conley Grizzlies Jersey . He made that dream a reality Wednesday night. Olt, who grew up in Branford, Connecticut, attended UConn and made a nearly 2 1-2 hour trek to Boston a handful of times to watch the Red Sox, belted a two-run homer, one of four hit by Cubs in a 16-9 rout that completed a three-game interleague series sweep. Allen Iverson Grizzlies Jersey .com) - Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James will sit out Thursdays game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with left knee soreness. http://www.grizzliesbasketballpro.com/Z ... ersey/.com) - No Sidney Crosby, no problem. Vince Carter Jersey . The unrestricted free agent agreed to terms with the club on Thursday on a one-year, two-way deal worth $700,000. Mike Conley Jersey . Completely. Two days after releasing Peyton Manning, the longtime face of the franchise, the Colts announced they were cutting four fan favourites: running back Joseph Addai, linebacker Gary Brackett, safety Melvin Bullitt and tight end Dallas Clark.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Sacramento Kings will try to get over the .500 mark on Monday night when the struggling Utah Jazz pay a visit to Sleep Train Arena. The Kings have been reeling since DeMarcus Cousins left the lineup with a viral infection which caused him to be hospitalized. He wont be back for Mondays matchup with the Jazz. Sacramento has lost five of its last six, including a 105-96 home setback to the Orlando Magic on Saturday. The Kings are just 1-3 on this current homestand, which ends Monday. Orlando polished off a 3-3 road trip thanks to its win in Californias capital city. Give them credit, thats a hell of a road trip for them, said Kings head coach Mike Malone. This is their fourth game in five nights, and youd never be able to know it by the energy they played with tonight. Darren Collison had 22 for the Kings to lead the way. Jason Thompson scored 18, followed by 16 from Rudy Gay, who also handed out six assists and grabbed five rebounds. Derrick Williams chipped in 14 off the bench and Ramon Sessions added 10. The Kings allowed the Magic to shoot 50.6 percent from the field. The Jazz have dropped eight in a row. They havent won since a home victory over the Oklahoma City Thhunder on Nov.dddddddddddd 18 and only two of the losses during this skid came on the road. On Friday, the Jazz fell to the same Orlando team, 98-93. Derrick Favors provided 21 points and 13 boards with Magic center Nikola Vucevic sidelined with a back injury, while Trey Burke added 13 points and 11 helpers for Utah. Enes Kanter chipped in 16 points, while Rodney Hood, starting for the injured Alec Burks, had 15 points on 4-for-6 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from long range. Despite shooting 45.6 percent from the floor and 50 percent from the 3-point line, the Jazz let the Magic shoot 50 percent from the field. And no matter how decently Utah shot the ball, it was still an eighth consecutive loss. Regardless of our long-term beliefs and commitment, theres an immediacy with losing thats difficult, explained head coach Quin Snyder. We live here in the moment, and in the moment losing is no fun. At the same time, we cant hang our heads or feel sorry for ourselves because were going to be in these situations and weve got to make them work to the best of our ability. The Jazz took two of three from Sacramento last season, but the Kings have won four of six as the host in this series. 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Frisco, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - The North Dakota State football dynasty was thought by many to be ending this season - that the Bison would be unable to roll over opponents anymore after the departure of a dominant senior class and their head coach following last season. What might have been overlooked is the Bison didnt need to just pound opponents into submission, they could have a new winning formula of dramatic finishes. The Bison completed a postseason of heart-stopping wins Saturday with an unprecedented fourth consecutive FCS national championship, rallying past Illinois State, 29-27, on quarterback Carson Wentzs 5-yard touchdown run with 37 seconds remaining as 20,918 watched in near disbelief at Toyota Stadium. What great resolve by our guys, first-year coach Chris Klieman said afterward. Thats a great football team that we were able to beat. A lot of respect for Coach (Brock) Spack and Illinois State. Theyve got an unbelievable program and great players. We just made one more play, really, because it was a game of making plays, and we were fortunate enough to make one more play, and our hats off to those guys. Wentz, a redshirt junior, had served an apprenticeship under quarterback Brock Jensen in the first three title seasons. In following Jensen as the championship games most outstanding player, Wentz finished with 324 total yards (237 passing, 87 rushing) and both a touchdown run and pass, and the Bison (15-1) gained more than just bragging rights from fellow Missouri Valley Football Conference co-champion Illinois State in the first national title game that matched two teams from the same FCS conference. It seemed only a punch in the face would end NDSUs historic run and Illinois State nearly had it when transfer quarterback Tre Roberson ran for a 58-yard touchdown with 1:38 remaining to give the Redbirds (13-2) a 27-23 lead. He had a similar scoring run late in a national semifinal at New Hampshire, and it was a knockout blow. But when a field goal wasnt going to be enough for NDSU, the Bison dug for more resilience from their championship DNA. Wentz completed three passes to freshman wide receiver RJ Urzendowski on the final drive, including a 33-yarder to the Illinois State 5 as Redbirds safety DraShane Glass slipped to the turf with 50 seconds left. Following an NDSU timeout, the 6-foot-6 Wentz took a snap out of the shotgun, followed his left tackle and banged off a defender while lumbering into the Illinois State end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. Yeah, we actually called two plays right away, Wentz said about the discussion during the timeout, and something that I love about Coach (Tim) Polasek (the offensive coordinator) is right when that timeout had been called, I came over and I got on the headset and we started talking about what play to call, and he definitely took my input there, and it was just -- a relationship like that is so nice and so special for the coach to have confidence in me to kind of almost choose what play -- at least voice my input. We called both plays there and we were going to get on the ball if I didnt get in and run the other play, so fortunately we got in the first one. Keller had converted 117 straight extra points to that moment, but this one was blocked to keep NDSUs lead at 29-27 and vulnerable to a field goal. But on Illinois States desperate final drive, a Roberson pass to tight end James OShaughnessy bounded into the hands of Bison senior linebacker Esley Thornton at his teams 45, and the interception with 8 seconds left basically ended the game and kept the dynasty going. With our guys, you never saw any doubt in their mind, Klieman said. You never saw panic in their eyes. Weve obviously been in this situation before, even in the playoffs, and our guys just know that, hey, its our time. When you have the success that weve had over the past four years now, guys just know how to win, and when you know how to win, you just always feel you have that chance if you can get that last possession. Incredibly, most members of the NDSU senior class finished their careers with more national titles than defeats as the Bison have gone a combined 58-3 over the last four years - the first three titles under former coach Craig Bohl. But Illinois State, fifth-seeded in the playoffs and making its first national championship game appearance, made the second-seeded Bison work to keep their historic run going. Ill try to put it into words the best I can, said senior linebacker Carlton Littlejohn. Its an amazing accomplishment. You never dream of coming to college and winning four straight national championships, only losing three games. Thats something you only dream about, something that happens in video games or something like that. But to experience it right now, its unbelievable. Illinois State led 7-3 after the first quarter and didnt go away after the Bison scored 17 unanswered points to grab a 20-7 advantage late in the third quarter. OShaughnessy, the Redbirds big-statured, big-play tight end, sandwiched 41-and 3-yard touchdown receptions from Roberson around Adam Kellers third field goal of the game, and the Redbirds found themselves down only 23-21 with 8:05 left to play. When they got the ball again, Roberson, who was at Indiana University while NDSU won its first three titles, ran the perfect delayed draw, as he often does, by faking a handoff to running back Marshaun Coprich, and racing near his teams sideline for his 58-yard touchdown. NDSU was penalized for a false start before the first play of its ensuing drive, but Wentz quickly provided the composure by completing two straight passes to Urzendowski. The Bison went 78 yards on six plays in 1 minute, 1 seconds, rallying the way they did in the fourth quarter against South Dakota State in the second round of the playoffs and then against Coastal Carolina in the quarterfinals. Different script but same championship result for NDSU much to Illinois States dismay. It was a tremendous football game played by two very good teams, Spack said, and I felt that - I just told our players after the game that you didnt lose the game, you just ran out of time, just one of those scenarios. NDSU built its 20-3 lead as Keller sandwiched two 41-yard field goals around Wentzs 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Luke Albers. John Crockett then scored on a 7-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter. Wentz was 15-for-22 for 232 yards and rushed for 87 yards on 16 carries. Urzendowski finished with 100 yards on five receptions, while Crockett gained 74 yards on 22 carries, finishing a mere six yards below 2,000 for the season. Kellers 11-point, three-field goal game gave him FCS single-season records of 146 points and 29 field goals. Roberson was only 11-for-23 for 157 yards, but three passes went for touchdowns, including a 13-yarder to freshman wide receiver Jon-Marc Anderson to open the scoring in the first quarter. Coprich carried the ball 16 times for 106 yards to go over 100 yards for the 14th time in 15 games and finish the season with an FCS-high 2,274 yards. But while the Missouri Valley got the de facto conference championship game that it wanted, only North Dakota State left with an even bigger prize - a fourth straight national championship. Jaleel Scott Ravens Jersey . -- The Oakland Athletics and free agent right-hander Bartolo Colon have agreed to terms on a US$2 million, one-year contract, bolstering their depleted starting rotation. Robert Griffin III Ravens Jersey . Last years runner-up, Sara Errani, also reached the last eight in straight sets. Flipkens converted all four of her break points against Meusburger, and the third-seeded Errani broke Karin Knapps serve five times to win their all-Italian match 6-4, 6-3. http://www.cheapravensshoponline.com/. Or how his team has defended Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Or just about anything that has happened on the court in the first-round playoff series. Instead, Rivers and his players spent Saturday talking about how they would respond to an audio recording of a man identified as Clippers owner Donald Sterling telling his girlfriend not to bring black people to games. John Brown Jersey . Gough finished in fourth, 0.433 seconds behind American Erin Hamlin, who took the bronze medal at the Sanki Sliding Center in Rzhanaya Polyana. Willie Snead IV Ravens Jersey . TSNs coverage of the Third Round gets underway Sunday with Game 1: Los Angeles at Chicago at 3pm et/Noon pt. TSNs broadcast schedule for the Third Round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs is as follows: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Los Angeles Kings• Game 1: Los Angeles at Chicago – Sunday, May 18 at 3pm et/Noon pt• Game 2: Los Angeles at Chicago – Wednesday, May 21 at 8pm et/5pm pt• Game 4: Chicago at Los Angeles – Monday, May 26 at 9pm et/6pm pt Featured in the broadcast booth for TSN are play-by-play announcer Chris Cuthbert and game analyst Ray Ferraro, with Farhan Lalji contributing reports from rinkside.METAIRIE, La. -- Saints coach Sean Payton says newly acquired safety Jairus Byrd has undergone surgery to address a nagging problem with a disc in his back and is expected to be fully recovered by the start of training camp. The procedure is preventing Byrd from participating in voluntary off-season practices, which were opened to media for the first time on Thursday. Payton says the procedure waasnt necessary and that Byrd could have played with his condition, but that the club and player both agreed that taking care of it now "would prevent any issues in the fall.dddddddddddd" Byrd, signed as a free agent this off-season, has gone to three Pro Bowls in his five NFL seasons, all with Buffalo. He has 22 interceptions, 11 forced fumbles and three sacks in his career. Cheap Heat Jerseys Cheap Bucks Jerseys Cheap Timberwolves Jerseys Cheap Pelicans Jerseys Cheap Knicks Jerseys Cheap Thunder Jerseys Cheap Magic Jerseys Cheap 76ers Jerseys Cheap Suns Jerseys Cheap Blazers Jerseys Cheap Sacramento Kings Jerseys Cheap Spurs Jerseys Cheap Raptors Jerseys Cheap Jazz Jerseys Cheap Wizards Jerseys ' ' '

The puck drops for the 2015 World Junior Hockey Championship on Boxing Day and while its still 112 days away, Canadas challenge remains the same - figuring out which players may or not be available to Team Canada because of potential spots available on NHL rosters. The challenge was certainly there during the gold medal years, but the spoils of victory demonstrated the enormous depth of talent Team Canada could draw upon. Now going five years without a gold medal - not to mention two consecutive years without any medal at all, five countries winning gold in the past six years and this years tournament on home ice - Hockey Canadas challenge isnt any easier. And the expectations remain as high as ever. Starting today and at the start of each month going into the 2015 tournament, TSN will examine candidates for Team Canada leading up to the selection camp in December. A roster of 13 forwards, seven defencemen and two goaltenders will be tabled, along with other potential players who could challenge. And this list will certainly change as the season unfolds. The September edition allows us to look at all candidates prior to NHL training camp. For the initial roster, Jonathan Drouin is not listed because the belief that hell be in the NHL on Oct. 8 is very strong. Who are the other players Canada may be missing? As always, the players are ones that can have a significant impact on the team. Its one thing to understand who may be unavailable, but the challenge is actually identifying the players who can fill the void. First-overall NHL draft pick Aaron Ekblad will almost certainly be unavailable. Think back to the 2014 Mens Olympic Team when head coach Mike Babcock wanted balance between the left and right shots on the blue line. With the absence of Ekblad, that leaves one right shot defenceman - Madison Bowey - on the roster. Chris Bigras was on the World Junior Team last winter, but with the quality of players on the left side he may have to demonstrate a strong ability to play the right side. Jeremy Roy is a draft eligible player for next June - and is a very good player at that. His maturity is excellent and he may be able to challenge for a spot. Given that hes a right-handed shot, it could give this years team the balance theyre looking for. At forward, the potential for missing players is always at the top end of the lineup in terms of skill and impact. Possible returnees Sam Reinhart and Curtis Lazar lead the group and Max Domi was close to starting with the Phoenix Coyotes last season. Replacing Sam and Curtis is a significant challenge, because their impact has a wide-ranging effect. They can play all situations in the game, are versatile and can move throughout the lineup. Theyre also game changers and either one of them could be team captain. Meanwhile, Jake Virtanen is coming off shoulder surgery and his health may be a key factor in stepping into the void. He fits the bill of being a top-end talent with the skill to impact a game. The tricky part of the evaluation is identifying those players who can play outside their natural positions and contribute. Centre Robbi Fabbri had a fantastic playoff for the Guelph Storm and would be a leading candidate to step into a vacancy because hes shown a capability to play to his strengths - down the middle or on the wing. On the left side, Anthony Duclair is a tremendously talented player and when looking to replace a guy like Max Domi, it appears to be seamless with respect to his skill. Keep in mind that Sam Bennett and Connor McDavid have played alongside one another with great success, so this may be a natural fit. Brendan Lemieux brings a different element, but his ability to rise to the occasion in important games could see him fit in a different way - perhaps coming in from the bottom part of the roster as others push up. Canadas depth is strong, but replacing key performers is never easy. The expectations arent lower, but the task for the Team Canadas personnel is to form a team that meets those expectations - regardless of whos available or not. Ron Francis Jersey .Y. -- Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire will have less time to remain eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot under changes made Saturday. Bryan Rust Jersey . "Im going to send Webbie a six-pack (of beer) tonight," she said. Webb wasnt sure that would help. "Ill probably drink one and go to sleep," the Australian veteran said. 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Carl Hagelin Jersey . -- Another baseball tradition is about to largely disappear: a manager, with a crazed look in his eyes, charging the field and getting into a face-to-face shouting match with an umpire.PARIS -- Canadas Eugenie Bouchard played like someone who belonged in the final four of a Grand Slam on Thursday. She gave Maria Sharapova a stiff challenge at the French Open before the Russian veteran pulled away late for a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory, derailing Bouchards attempt to become the first Canadian to reach a major singles final in the Open era. As painful as the defeat was for the 20-year-old from Westmount, Que., it will go down as another valuable learning experience on the heels of her first Grand Slam semifinal appearance at this years Australian Open. A look of dejection was etched on her face as she left the court after the nearly 2 1/2-hour long match. It was clear Bouchard wasnt just happy to be on the big stage. She wanted the victory and was crushed when it didnt happen. "She was actually very, very disappointed," Canadian Fed Cup team captain Sylvain Bruneau said on a conference call. "She was not speaking much and I think it shows how much she believes in herself. Sometimes those tough losses are painful but sometimes theyre good. "Sometimes you learn from it and they hurt a little bit and the next time youre in this position, you do a couple things differently and the outcome is different." Sharapova, the No. 7 seed, lost the first set for the third straight match, but again managed to turn things around. "It was a tough battle, it was what I expected," said Bouchard. "I didnt play as well as I had earlier in the tournament. Its always disappointing to be a bit off. I needed to be aggressive and go for my shots." Sharapova won eight of the last 10 games, and has now won 19 straight three-set matches on clay. "I would love to win those matches in two sets, but I always feel like I put in the work to be ready to play whatever it takes," she said. "If it takes three hours to win the match in three sets, I will be ready for that." Sharapova completed a career Grand Slam by winning the title at Roland Garros in 2012, but lost to Serena Williams in last years final. Bouchard, the No. 18 seed, was playing at the French Open for the only second time. Last year, she lost to Sharapova in the second round. "Im always disappointed with a loss," Bouchard said. "I expect a lot from myself. You know, I felt like I was close today and just came up a bit short. That happens sometimes. I feel like I played a lot of good matches the past two weeks, three weeks even, and so its sad to see it come to an end. "But it just motivates me ... I was still so close. That just gives me extra motivation to work hard in practice and get ready for the next one and have that belief that I can do it." Fourth-seeded Simona Halep of Romania defeated 28th-seeded Andrea Petkovic of Germany 6-2, 7-6 (4) in the other semifinal. The final is scheduled for Saturday. Sharapova struggled a bit with her serve, double-faulting nine times and getting broken four times. But she made up for it with solid groundstrokes, either going for winners or waiting out errors from Bouchard. Bouchard took the early lead with her first break in the third game of the match, smacking a forehand winner to give herself a 2-1 eddge.dddddddddddd She quickly made it 3-1 by completing a run of winning 12 of 17 points. The pair traded breaks early in the second set, and then again later. But Sharapova managed to stay ahead and broke Bouchard for the third time in the set to even the match at one set apiece. "I dont feel that I played my best tennis, but to be in the semifinals of a Grand Slam and winning a match where I felt my opponent played extremely well, exceptional tennis, and I didnt feel that I was playing my best, I fought, I scrambled, and I found a way to win," Sharapova said. The Russian served first in the third set, and made her move in the fourth game, converting her third break point to take a 3-1 lead that she held onto until the end. "I constructed the points well but I didnt finish them as well as I could," Bouchard said. "In the third set, I didnt feel tired, but she does put so much pressure on you. She elevated her game later in the match, I tried to do my thing and I had a couple of chances but I didnt take my opportunities. "Maybe I let off a bit on my shots in the second and third sets." Bouchard, who lost to eventual champion Li Na at the Australian Open in January, saved four match points before Sharapova won it with a forehand that Bouchard missed on the other end. Bouchard and Carling Bassett-Seguso, who lost in the US Open semifinal in 1984, are the only Canadian singles players who have made the final four at a Grand Slam in the Open era. "The semis of a Grand Slam are always exciting," Bouchard said. "I felt good on the court. I enjoyed it on the big stage. I tried to compete (and gave it) my best. I love playing tennis so I enjoyed being out there. I actually felt better on court than I did in Australia." Sharapova won her first Grand Slam title 10 years ago at Wimbledon. She followed that with major titles at the U.S. Open in 2006 and the Australian Open in 2008. But since she recovered from having right shoulder surgery in 2008, she has vastly improved her clay-court game and has won six of her last eight titles on the red surface. This year, Sharapova has already won clay-court titles in Stuttgart and Rome, and her six wins so far at Roland Garros give her an 18-1 record on the dirt this season. And like against Bouchard, its been tough to beat her in three sets on the surface. The last time Sharapova lost a three-set match on clay was at Roland Garros in 2010, when Justine Henin beat her in the third round. The loss ended a 10-match winning streak on clay for Bouchard, who came to Paris after winning a warmup event in Germany. Sharapova owns a 3-0 career record against the Canadian. She also beat the former Wimbledon junior champion last year in Miami. In the late semifinal, Halep played aggressive tennis from the outset. She finished the first set with 12 winners and seven unforced errors, while Petkovic had only three winners and 14 unforced errors. The second set was much closer as Petkovic played with more consistency, but the 22-year-old Romanian was able to close it out in the tiebreaker with a forehand winner. Both Halep and Petkovic were playing in a major semifinal for the first time. Cheap Heat Jerseys Cheap Bucks Jerseys Cheap Timberwolves Jerseys Cheap Pelicans Jerseys Cheap Knicks Jerseys Cheap Thunder Jerseys Cheap Magic Jerseys Cheap 76ers Jerseys Cheap Suns Jerseys Cheap Blazers Jerseys Cheap Sacramento Kings Jerseys Cheap Spurs Jerseys Cheap Raptors Jerseys Cheap Jazz Jerseys Cheap Wizards Jerseys ' ' '

MONTREAL - It was an intense week at the Bouchard household as daughter Eugenie worked her way to the Australian Open semifinals. "We were yelling like idiots," Mike Bouchard, the players father, said Thursday of his daughters stirring win over Ana Ivanovic in the quarter-finals, which made her the first Canadian to reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament since Carling Bassett-Seguso in 1984. It wasnt quite as frenzied at their Westmount, Que., home two nights later, when Bouchard bowed out with a 6-2, 6-4 loss to fourth-seeded Li Na of China in the semis. "It was also exciting, but in the first set Li Na came out strong and Genie was a little nervous," he said. "I felt for her, but she came back well in the second set. Overall, it was an excellent tournament." Bouchard stole the show in Melbourne, where a dozen or so local fans formed Genies Army to cheer her on and toss her stuffed Australian animals after her wins. Several commentators spoke of Bouchard, the 2012 Wimbledon junior girls champion, being the next big thing in womens tennis and a potential future Grand Slam tournament winner. Already, her results are expected to move her from 31st into the top 20 in next weeks rankings. And it has stirred ticket sales for her next appearance on home turf. She will play for Canada against Serbia Feb. 8-9 in a Federation Cup tie at the Claude Robillard Centre in Montreal. Eugene Lapierre of Tennis Canada, tournament director for the Montreal half of the Rogers Cup, said 500 to 600 tickets per day have been sold since Bouchards win over Ivanovic. The 4,000-seat venue will likely be sold out. And ticket sales have picked up for the womens Rogers Cup at Uniprix Stadium next summer, which is rare in January. "It will drag a lot of people out to come and watch her play," said Lapierre. "It will be interesting to see how she makes the switch from a Grand Slam and playing in a 20,000 seat stadium to the Claude Robillard here with 4,000. But it will be a lot of fun." Canadian tennis has been on a high lately with Milos Raonics rise into the top 10 in the world on the mens side and Vasek Pospisil also climbing in the rankings. Both made the Rogers Cup semifinals in Montreal last summer and led the Davis Cup team to a first-ever semifinal appearance. "Its phenomenal what Eugenie has done," said Lapierre. "I wouldnt say she opened the gates for Canada. The boys started that last year. "But its a new era thats started with the sport of tennis in Canada. Itll be tremendous for the promotion of the game in Canada. Thats our goal at Tennis Canada — to get more kids playing the game. Everyones talking about Eugenie, and thats bound to be good for the sport." Louis Borfiga, Tennis Canadas high performance director, said Bouchard could have a similar impact to Nadia Comaneci, the Romanian who drew slews of girls to try gymnastics after her stunning performance at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. Or the effect that Anna Kournikova and Maria Sharapova had on womens tennis in Russia. "It will enlarge the pool of players and that will produce more very good players," said Borfiga. "Thats the difference between Canada and countries like France and Spain — their pool of players is larger." Mike Bouchard, an investment banker, is fine with having a daughter who may be seen as a role model for young players. He doesnt even mind that she is quickly becoming a celebrity. "Its good for her," he said. "Shes put in so much work and effort. "If she can be an ambassador for tennis and help tennis grow in Canada, thats fantastic. If it becomes bigger than that — international stardom — good for her. She has a strong head. Shes well grounded, and I think shell be able to go through that unscathed." Mike Bouchard knew he had a special daughter when Eugenie was a young child. When she was 12, the family the moved to Florida so she could learn at an academy run by Nick Saviano, who remains her coach. She spent more than three years in Florida before returning to Montreal to work at the national tennis centre. "It was difficult to find players at her own level to play against, and we also wanted to expose her to international coaching," said Mike Bouchard. "It takes a lot of dedication. Everyone in the family chipped in." Eugenie has a fraternal twin sister Beatrice, an 18-year-old sister Charlotte and a 14-year-old brother William, so the move was a big commitment for all of them. It paid off when Bouchard became one of the worlds top junior players and then made a rapid rise in WTA rankings. The group cant go to every tournament and they elected not to go to Australia, where Eugenie lost in the qualifying tournament last year. But her father said he was tempted to jump on a plane when she reached the semifinals. "We never anticipated shed go this far in the first Grand Slam of the year, so we gathered the kids and some friends and we watched (on TV)," he said. "There was a lot of emotions when she was hitting some winners. We were screaming and laughing and encouraging her." He was a little taken aback at a bizarre question put to Eugenie by an on-court interviewer after the quarter-final. She was asked who shed most like to date. To the apparent displeasure of Genies Army, she named Canadian pop star Justin Bieber. "Youve got to get used to that if youre going to become a celebrity," Bouchard said. "I actually thought she answered pretty well. She said Justin Bieber with a question mark at the end. It was tongue in cheek." It became a little awkward when Bieber was arrested in Florida on Thursday for reportedly taking part in an early morning drag race. "I actually dont follow anything that goes on in his life," Bouchard said with a laugh. "But I did hear about that." Michael Cooper Jersey . He is nigh unstoppable against the leagues worst. The 31-year-old dangerman set up two goals and scored two himself as Toronto FC rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the slumping Houston Dynamo 4-2 on Saturday night. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Lakers Jersey . The 48th-ranked Williams made her first appearance in Dubai since she won her second straight title here in 2010. Shed missed the last three years either because of injury or Sjogrens Syndrome. http://www.lakersbasketballshop.com/LeB ... es-Jersey/. 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Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset." No contract details were disclosed.dddddddddddd Vidic said last month he would be leaving United at the end of this season after eight years at Old Trafford. His contract expires this summer, so he will join Inter on a free transfer. The Serbian centre back joined United from Spartak Moscow for 7 million pounds in 2006. Cheap Heat Jerseys Cheap Bucks Jerseys Cheap Timberwolves Jerseys Cheap Pelicans Jerseys Cheap Knicks Jerseys Cheap Thunder Jerseys Cheap Magic Jerseys Cheap 76ers Jerseys Cheap Suns Jerseys Cheap Blazers Jerseys Cheap Sacramento Kings Jerseys Cheap Spurs Jerseys Cheap Raptors Jerseys Cheap Jazz Jerseys Cheap Wizards Jerseys ' ' '

WASHINGTON -- Check two more items off the list in an impressive homestretch by the Boston Bruins. They are now Atlantic Division champions, and Jarome Iginla has recovered from his slow start to reach 30 goals once again. Boston accomplished those feats Saturday against the Washington Capitals, a desperate team whose first and foremost goal -- making the playoffs for a seventh straight season -- looked a bit more distant after Saturdays 4-2 loss. "We need these wins so bad," Washington defenceman Karl Alzner said, "that sometimes you overplay. It can be a big problem that can really mess your game up." And its not a good idea to mess up against the Bruins, who have won 14 of 15 and have allowed only 13 goals over 11 games. Iginla scored twice, and Carl Soderberg added a goal to give Boston a 3-0 lead in the second period, more than enough to hold off a surge from a Washington team that woke up too late. The Bruins had already clinched a playoff spot, so the division title didnt create so much as a celebratory ripple in the locker room. "We dont even talk about that. I wasnt even -- I knew there was something that would happen if we won tonight, but we find out now weve clinched and thats fine," coach Claude Julien said. "Again, weve got an opportunity to do even more than that." Patrice Bergeron added a third-period goal to extend his goal-scoring streak to a career-high six games, and Chad Johnson made 31 saves. Iginla reached the 30-goal mark for the 12th time, a nice comeback after scoring only four in the first 24 games this season. "When you look at the start he had, nobody would have predicted that," Julien said. "But hes a pretty streaky goal-scorer." Iginla now has 10 goals in nine games. "Ive been getting some good bounces lately, and its been a fun year," he said. "Fun to win games and be at the top of the league, and to be on some streaks as a group." Washington began the day tied with Columbus, Detroit and Toronto in what has essentially become a four-way race for two playoff spots, but the Capitals would lose a tiebreaker against all three teams. The Bruins gave the Capitals top-rated power play only three chances, and they corralled Alex Ovechkin enough to keep the NHLs leading goal scorer in a 5-on-5 slump. Ovechkin has 48 goals this season, but hasnt scored at even-strength since Feb. 27. The Capitals had no shots on goal in the first 6 minutes and only two after 14 minutes. The game was scoreless after the first period solely because of goalie Braden Holtby, but he could hold down the fort for only so long. A turnover at centre ice allowed Soderberg to spring Iginla for a breakaway that opened the scoring in the second period. A few minutes later, Soderberg redirected an already deflected shot by Bergeron on a power play to make it 2-0, and Iginla made it a three-goal lead by stuffing in his own rebound 41 seconds later. Washington coach Adam Oates said he was "shocked" at how poorly his team started. "I thought our forechecking was lousy," Oates said. When the Capitals finally turned up the intensity, it came from the third line that has led the team in recent weeks. Jason Chimera put Washington on the board with 10 seconds remaining in the second period, and a dominant shift by Chimeras line drew a penalty on Andrej Meszaros in the third. But the Capitals couldnt score during the man-advantage, and soon the Bruins had a power play of their own. With Ovechkin off for charging, Bergeron put in a rebound to restore the three-goal cushion. Oates said the penalty on Ovechkin was a "terrible" call. "I dont like the call, but he called it," Oates said. "He saw something that I dont agree with now, but our job is to kill it." NOTES: Evgeny Kuznetsov scored his second NHL goal in the final minute. ... Capitals D Jack Hillen sat out with an upper-body injury sustained in a collision with Ovechkin during overtime of Tuesdays loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Hillen was replaced by John Erskine, who had been out with a lower-body injury and played for the first time since March 5. ... The Capitals are the last team to beat the Bruins in regulation, a 4-2 win on March 1. Since then, Boston has outscored opponents 54-20 in non-shootout goals. Trevor Siemian Vikings Jersey . "Im excited just for a new start, just to see where things are going, to bring some kind of tradition back to the team and guys being excited about something new," the defensive back said during a conference call Monday after agreeing to stay with the Bombers rather than go to free agency next month. Sheldon Richardson Vikings Jersey .com) - The Chicago White Sox have officially announced that the club has agreed to terms with utilityman Emilio Bonifacio on a one-year, $4 million contract that includes a team option for the 2016 season. http://www.thevikingsshoponline.com/You ... gs-Jersey/. The Italian football federation announced the appointment, three days after new president Carlo Tavecchio was elected. Tavecchio and Conte spoke on the phone early Thursday. Trevor Siemian Jersey .com) - Nino Williams posted 18 points and seven rebounds, as Kansas State edged No. Kendall Wright Jersey . There were no real chances until Augsburg broke the deadlock through Raul Bobadilla in the 33rd minute. Frankfurt failed to clear a cross and Bobadilla slotted home from close range at the far post.CHICAGO - The Minnesota Wild entered this Western Conference second round battle as considerable underdogs to the Chicago Blackhawks, but they have a chance to grab a series lead over the defending Stanley Cup champions in tonights Game 5 showdown in the Windy City. You can watch all the action on TSN and TSN GO beginning at 8:30pm et/5:30pm pt. Minnesota dropped the first two tests of this best-of-seven set at Chicagos United Center and was outscored by a combined 9-3 margin in those setbacks. However, the Wild righted themselves at home by taking Game 3 by a 4-0 count before knotting the series at two games apiece with Fridays 4-2 triumph at Xcel Energy Center. In order to grab their first lead of the series, however, the Wild will have to be the first team to beat Chicago on home ice in this postseason. The Blackhawks, winners of two Cup titles in the previous four years, are 5-0 at the United Center in the 2014 playoffs and boast a 16-2 record at home since the start of last springs postseason. Chicago will aim for a seventh consecutive home playoff victory on Sunday night. Minnesota is just 1-5 as the road team in the 2014 playoffs, with its lone away victory coming in Game 7 of the opening round against Colorado. The Wild are 2-15 over their past 17 road tilts in the postseason. On Friday, Matt Cooke provided an immediate spark in his return from a suspension to help the Wild remained undefeated at home in these playoffs. Cooke received a seven-game ban for kneeing Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie in Game 3 of the opening round, and he didnt take long to make his presence felt, helping give Minnesota an early lead. The antagonizing forward stole the puck from Chicago defenseman Michal Rozsival on the forecheck and dished to Justin Fontaine, who went top shelf to beat Crawford from the right circle 7:24 into the game. It was the first career playoff goal for Fontaine. "Its fun to contribute and its fun to chip in. Its just fun to be back out there again," Cooke said.dddddddddddd"I should have fresh legs. Ive got to go out there and lead the way and hopefully my energy is contagious." In addition to the assist, Cooke also registered two shots on goal and delivered five hits in nearly 16 minutes of ice time. Jason Pominville, Nino Niederreiter and Jared Spurgeon supplied the other goals for the Wild, who have outscored the opposition 16-5 while winning all five games at Xcel Energy Center. Ilya Bryzgalov made 18 saves to help the Wild even the series. Patrick Sharp and Michal Handzus each had goals for Chicago, while Corey Crawford stopped 27 shots in the setback. "They worked for everything they got and we got to do the same," said Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. While Cooke returned from a suspension to make in impact in Game 4, the Blackhawks lost forward Brandon Bollig for two games due to a boarding incident in Fridays contest. The NHL handed Bollig a two-game suspension for his hit from behind on Minnesota defenseman Keith Ballard late in the second period. Bollig was assessed with a minor penalty on the play, while Ballard was injured an did not return to the game. Ballard has endured a history of concussions, the latest of which cost him seven games early in the regular season. He had returned to the lineup in Game 3 after missing the final 14 games of the regular season and nine postseason tilts with a pulled groin muscle. Both Ballard and forward Matt Moulson, who sat out Game 4 due to a lower-body injury, did not make the trip to Chicago for tonights game. In addition to Bollig, Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw missed a third straight game with a lower-body injury he suffered in the series opener and expects to sit out again on Sunday. The winner of tonights contest will get a chance to end the series when the clubs meet in Minnesota for Game 6 on Tuesday. Cheap Heat Jerseys Cheap Bucks Jerseys Cheap Timberwolves Jerseys Cheap Pelicans Jerseys Cheap Knicks Jerseys Cheap Thunder Jerseys Cheap Magic Jerseys Cheap 76ers Jerseys Cheap Suns Jerseys Cheap Blazers Jerseys Cheap Sacramento Kings Jerseys Cheap Spurs Jerseys Cheap Raptors Jerseys Cheap Jazz Jerseys Cheap Wizards Jerseys ' ' '