Guiyu12200134's Blog (204)

Before the NHL playoffs get underway, its time to hand out the hardware. My picks for each NHL award: HART TROPHY Winner: Evgeni Malkin, PittsburghRunners-up: Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay; Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Comment: Malkin took the lead in the Hart Trophy race in the second half of the season, scoring 51 points in 33 games after the All-Star break, on his way to a league-leading 109 points. Malkins closest challenger should be Stamkos, who scored 60 goals, 10 more than anyone…

OTTAWA -- It can be hard to stay positive when your team is struggling as badly as the Ottawa Senators have been lately, but Paul MacLean can see the bright side. After losing 4-3 in a shootout to the Dallas Stars Sunday afternoon, the Senators coach took solace in the fact that his team forced the game past overtime. "I thought we dug in and found a way to get something out of a game," MacLean said. "Thats a great start for our team." While the Senators (4-6-4) will happily take the…

The Halifax Mooseheads are in control of their QMJHL first-round series against Saint John. Stephen MacAulay and Jonathan Drouin each had two goals as the Mooseheads took a 6-1 decision in Game 3 against the Sea Dogs on Tuesday. Andrew Ryan and Martin Frk also added singles for the Mooseheads, who lead the series 3-0. Jurij Repe scored for Saint John, while Sebastien Auger stopped 40 shots in the loss. Zachary Fucale made 20 saves for Halifax. The Mooseheads played hard out of the…

With the NHL Trade Deadline only weeks away, teams are making decisions on whether to buy or sell and deciding which players can make the biggest difference or hold the greatest value. Check out todays trade rumours from around the NHL beat. And follow TSN.ca each day until Deadline Day for all the updates. TSN Insider Trading While trade talks continue on many fronts, TSNs Insider Trading segment on Monday listed the Top 6 forwards that could be in play on or before the Feb. 27…

HOUSTON -- Josh Hamilton turned from his locker and saw a group of reporters waiting to talk to him after Saturdays game against Houston. "Im not answering any questions about hitting," he said. That was just fine after the defensive show the Angels struggling slugger put on in Los Angeles 7-2 win over the Houston Astros. Joe Blanton pitched seven sharp innings, and Howie Kendrick and Chris Iannetta both homered to lead the Angels. Alberto Callaspo and Erick Aybar drove in two runs…

MONTREAL -- The Vancouver Whitecaps earned some revenge and a big three points on the road while also leaving Montreal coach Marco Schallibaum and the Impact hopping mad. Kenny Miller scored from the penalty spot and Camilo Sanvezzo came off the bench to add two late goals as the Whitecaps kept their playoff hopes alive with a 3-0 victory over the sagging Impact on Saturday afternoon. But it was a penalty that referee Jorge Gonzalez called, then overturned, in the first half that had…

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- With his mask on, and for a brief moment without it, goalie Brian Boucher provided the Philadelphia Flyers the steadying presence they were looking for to gain an edge in their first-round playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres. Boucher stopped 35 shots as the Flyers new starter to lead them to a 4-2 victory and grab a 2-1 series lead Monday night. It was Bouchers first start and second straight win of the series after he stopped 20 of 21 shots in relief of rookie…

PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- With Argentina missing leading player Juan Martin del Potro, defending champion Czech Republic has high hopes of winning their Davis Cup semifinal this weekend and reaching the final for a third time in five years. Also bolstering the Czechs confidence is the reunion of Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek for the first time this year. Moreover, both have been in good form recently. Berdych climbed to his career-highest world No. 5 place in August while Stepanek…

Im sure youve heard your fair share of questionable analysis from the colour man during basketball games. But this week, lets give a little credit where its due, for both fair and insightful thinking out loud that added to the product on the court. Imagine that. Start with NBA Hall-of-Famer Chris Mullin, who went guns blazing over a controversial charging call against Dwyane Wade in the Heats game against the Nuggets. The controversy revolves around that half-circle thats been lining…

Current Non-Import Roster:John Bender, OL, NevadaJMicheal Deane, OL, Michigan StateMark Dewit, OL, CalgaryJon Gott, OL, Boise StateSteve Myddelton, OL, St. Francis XavierDimitri Tsoumpas, OL, Weber StateSpencer Wilson, OL, Calgary ColtsJabari Arthur, WR, AkronChris Bauman, WR, ReginaJohnny Forzani, WR, Washington StateArjei Franklin, WR, WindsorAnthony Parker, WR, CalgaryJon Cornish, RB, KansasRob Cote, RB, NoneTim St. Pierre, RB, Saint MarysMatt Walter, RB, CalgaryBrad Sinopoli, QB,…

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- One night after Columbus had its home opener spoiled, the Blue Jackets wrecked the New York Islanders first night in front of their fans. The Islanders came in with momentum Saturday after opening their season one night earlier with a shootout win at New Jersey. With a two-goal lead in the third period, New York seemed poised for a 2-0 start as the club seeks to return to the playoffs for the second straight season. Not so fast. Mark Letestu and Nick Foligno netted…

PITTSBURGH -- Troy Polamalu walked off the Pittsburgh Steelers practice field on Tuesday with rookie safety Shamarko Thomas hanging on the veteran safetys every word. To be honest, Polamalu admits its still a little strange to think that in the last decade hes morphed from precocious talent into respected leader. Yet he knows being a mentor is part of his job description these days, and for a team in the midst of startling change, its a role hell eagerly fill. "The great thing about…

PHILADELPHIA - The Winnipeg Jets will aim for a third straight win when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers for a Black Friday matinee at the Wells Fargo Center. Fans in the Jets viewing region can watch the game on TSN Jets beginning at 10am ct/11am et and listeners can tune in to TSN Radio 1290 Winnipeg. The Jets ended a four-game slide with Mondays win in New Jersey and then added a road victory Wednesday evening against the New York Islanders. The consecutive wins came at the start…

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Juan Pierre has made the Philadelphia Phillies opening-day roster. Philadelphia selected the contract of the 34-year-old outfielder from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Thursday after a 2-1 exhibition win over Tampa Bay. Pierre gets an $800,000 one-year contract and can earn an additional $300,000 in performance bonuses based on plate appearances. Pierre had agreed in January to a minor league deal that gave him the right to opt out if not put on the big league roster by…

NEW YORK - St. Louis forward Alex Steen, Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby and San Jose goaltender Antti Niemi have been named the NHLs three stars for October. Steen took first star honours, leading all players with 11 goals in the opening month of the season. He scored in nine of 10 games with a 35.5 shooting percentage as the Blues took 16 of a possible 20 points in October. He posted five multi-point games, including a four-point performance against the New York Rangers on Oct. 12.…

MIAMI - Suddenly, the road back to the Eastern Conference finals no longer looks daunting for Miami. Not after the Heat left the Pacers beat up and banged up. LeBron James scored 30 points, Dwyane Wade added 28, and the Heat moved a win away from the NBAs final four with a 115-83 victory over the hurting Pacers on Tuesday night, a game where three flagrant fouls added more chapters to an already-physical series and Indiana watched starting forwards Danny Granger and David West leave…

DETROIT -- Outfielder Rajai Davis and the Detroit Tigers agreed to terms on a two-year contract worth $10 million. The Tigers announced the deal Wednesday. The 33-year-old Davis spent the last three seasons with Toronto and hit .260 this year with six homers, 24 RBIs and 45 steals in 331 at-bats. He made $2.5 million this season. He will earn $5 million in each of the two years of this contract. "Rajais style of play adds another dimension to the makeup of our ballclub," Tigers general…

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have waived running back Isaac Redman and promoted LB Kion Wilson from the practice squad. Redman began training camp expecting to compete for the starting job but struggled to stay healthy. He managed just 12 yards on 10 carries this season and saw his playing time decrease behind rookie LeVeon Bell and veterans Felix Jones and Jonathan Dwyer. The 28-year-old Redman thrived at times. He ran for 121 yards in a wild card playoff loss to Denver two…

MADRID, Spain -- Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde is looking forward to "starting a new era" with his team Movistar after completing a two-year doping ban. "I am ready to start again from scratch," Valverde said at his introduction Wednesday. "We are beginning a new era with Movistar, which has given me the chance to compete with the best in cycling." The 31-year-old Valverde was stripped of his No. 1 world ranking and banned for two years from January 2010 after being implicated in…

INDIANAPOLIS -- New coach Chuck Pagano is returning to his past to rebuild the Colts future. On Wednesday, the Colts officially re-signed receiver Reggie Wayne to a three-year deal worth $17.5 million and signed free agent defensive end Cory Redding to help anchor Indianapolis conversion of a 3-4 defence. Terms of Reddings deal were not released. Wayne befriended Pagano when the two were with Miami at the same time, Pagano as a coach and Wayne as a player. Redding has played the past…