Exercice M 3

CHICAGO -- There was a long slap shot, and then a nifty wraparound and a short-handed score off a 2-on-1 break. Mark Hutton Jersey . Once the Chicago Blackhawks started rolling, Ray Emery never stood a chance. Duncan Keith and Andrew Shaw scored in a 39-second span at the start of Chicagos five-goal second period Wednesday night, sparking the Blackhawks to a 7-2 victory over Emery and the Philadelphia Flyers. Patrick Sharp had a goal and two assists for Chicago, which has won three in a row after a three-game losing streak. Michal Handzus scored a short-handed goal in the second and Marian Hossa had three assists, helping rookie goaltender Antti Raanta win his second consecutive start in place of injured Corey Crawford. "We have a quiet confidence we can score goals," Keith said. "Our talk in the room is more about playing the right way, being good defensively, being hard on pucks, checking well. We know our offence is going to take care of itself if we play that way." The seven goals set a season high for the Blackhawks (23-6-5), who have scored 19 times during their winning streak and lead the NHL with 129 goals. Shaws sharp wraparound at 1:22 of the second made it six players with at least 10 goals for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who are once again on top of the league standings with 51 points. "Its a credit to our team game," Sharp said. "We know weve got guys in here that can put up big numbers and score goals. But when were playing well in all three zones, thats when our offence usually clicks." Emery was pulled in the third period of his first start in Chicago since he teamed with Crawford to give the Blackhawks one of the best goaltending tandems in the league last season. Emery went 17-1 with a sparkling 1.94 goals-against average during his second year with Chicago and then signed a free-agent deal with Philadelphia in July. He received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd when he was recognized on the overhead scoreboard during the first period. But his ninth start of the season took a turn for the worse when Chicago turned up the pressure in the second. Jakub Voracek and Steve Downie scored power-play goals for the Flyers (13-15-3), who have lost three in a row and went 2-3-1 on a six-game road trip. "We made a few stupid mistakes," forward Wayne Simmonds said. "We werent looking behind our backs and when you play a team like that theyre going to capitalize." Voraceks wrister at 12:31 helped Philadelphia to a 1-0 lead after one period. The Blackhawks were coming off a 6-2 victory at Dallas on Tuesday night and looked a bit listless at the start of their first game against the Flyers since Jan. 5, 2012. That all changed in the second. Keith got it started with a big drive past Emery just 43 seconds into the period. Then came Shaws goal, and Handzus made it 3-1 when he scored his third on a break with Marcus Kruger. Downies third goal momentarily slowed the Blackhawks run. Kris Versteeg beat Emery off a terrific pass from Brandon Saad, and Sharps slap shot went off Jonathan Toews and in to make it 5-2 at 14:15. "Great second period for us," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said, "and it kind of went from there." Emery departed after Brent Seabrook scored on a slap shot 65 seconds into the third. Emery finished with 12 saves. "Youre going to be frustrated," Emery said. "Theres an old saying, You show me a good loser and Ill show you a loser." Raanta made 28 stops to improve to 5-0-1. He drew a large ovation from the crowd when he stopped Brayden Schenn and Michael Raffl on a pair of short-handed breakaways in rapid succession in the third. NOTES: Blackhawks F Bryan Bickell (lower body) skated Wednesday morning and could practice with the team on Friday. "Showed good progress," Quenneville said. ... The Flyers scratched LW Tye McGinn and defencemen Erik Gustafsson and Hal Gill. ... Defencemen Michael Kostka and Michal Rozsival, along with Crawford, were the Blackhawks scratches. Crawford is out with a lower-body injury. Miami Marlins Store . While plenty of statistics illustrate Torontos turnaround in the second year of manager Ryan Nelsens tenure, stopping goals is not one of them. Jarlin Garcia Jersey . Notes on P.K. Subban, Dale Weise, Erik Haula, Mikael Granlund, Ilya Bryzgalov and more.The cap probably wont catch on as a fashion statement away from the game, but it would be nice to see more pitchers start turning to the protective cap. Perhaps it could have made a difference in these situations. Kurt Abbott Jersey . J.A. Happ Alex Cobb – Alex Torres came in to replace Cobb following the injury.Brandon McCarthyAroldis Chapman ' ' '

Vancouver, BC (SportsNetwork. Chris Webber Jersey .com) - Jannick Hansen notched his first career hat trick to lift the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. Bo Horvat tallied the first three assists of his young NHL career and Derek Dorsett supplied two helpers for the Canucks, who bounced back from a 4-3 shootout loss to Anaheim on Thursday. Ryan Miller stopped 24-of-25 shots fired his way in the win. Kris Versteeg potted the lone goal for Chicago, which had a three-game winning streak come to an end. Corey Crawford made 26 saves in his 11th straight start. It was a tough one, said Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook. I dont think we played our best. Hansen tipped Dorsetts dish over the glove of Crawford for a 2-1 lead with 13:36 left in regulation and Vrbata knocked home a rebound in front for an insurance marker with 2:24 to play. We want to get back to the playoffs, said Hansen. If I can contribute, thats what matters. The Blackhawks pulled their netminder and Hansen muscled past a defender to deposit the puck into the empty net to account for the final score. After Versteeg went off for roughing, Horvat relayed Dorsetts feed across the slot to Hansen, who beat Crawford with a wrister at 13:13 of the opening stanza. Versteeg was all alone at the top of the crease, where he deftly redirected Duncan Keiths shot for a power-play goal and a tied game 7:55 into the second. Game Notes Prior to the game, Canucks forward Daniel Sedin was presented with an engraved silver stick, a silver puck and a painting in honor of his 1,000th NHL game ... Sedin joins brother Henrik Sedin and Trevor Linden, the teams current president, as the only three players to participate in 1,000 games for the Canucks ... Seabrook extended his point streak to five straight games ... The two teams will continue the season series on Feb. 11 at United Center. Lavoy Allen Jersey . The actual winners on transfer deadline day are those clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City who were well prepared and managed to get their main incoming business done well ahead of the transfer window closing. Tottenham were able to add seven players by spending over 100 million pounds and also ensured maximum return for the Gareth Bale transfer to Real Madrid by managing the move superbly. Philadelphia 76ers Store .C. United on Saturday night and boost the Unions playoff hopes. Nick DeLeon scored in the 36th minute for United (3-23-6), which had ample opportunities to build on its lead but went its 10th straight match without a victory.In the Premier League era, which is now 21-and-a-half seasons old, Manchester United have ended a season without a trophy only five times. 1994-95, 1997-98, 2001-02, 2004-05 and 2011-12. And by a trophy I mean one you work hard to earn, not a shield you lift in the summer when half of England is still watching cricket. In four of the five seasons following those droughts, they won the Premier League the very next year. An instant response to a year of failure. The only year they didnt win it right away, they won it the year after. It is easy to stare at the achievements of Manchester United in the last 21-and-a-half seasons and be mesmerized. Recent high profile media items, such as Sir Alex Fergusons autobiography or the excellent The Class of 92 documentary, have also shone very bright lights on Uniteds incredible achievements. However, a look at the barren years also brings light to a relevant point. Read those five years above once again and you will notice that not once did United have two years within a three year period without a trophy. Until now. Wednesdays loss to Sunderland on penalties in the League Cup semi final at Old Trafford virtually ensured the season of 2013/14 will be added to the above list. Only the Champions League remains for United to win this season and anyone who watched them closely against Sunderland will tell you that they will have a tough time with Olympiakos, their last 16 opponents, let alone even thinking of winning European footballs crown jewel. As the Old Trafford faithful trudged away from the ground on Wednesday evening they did so with the sounds of Sunderland fans singing in their ears. Already this season that has happened with West Brom fans, Everton fans, Newcastle fans and Swansea fans. United fans are used to leaving the game happy. They are certainly not used to leaving it angry and upset after playing average teams. Indeed, these are troubled times for Manchester United and manager David Moyes. Troubled times on and off the pitch. On the pitch everyone has an opinion on what Uniteds failures are and many words will continue to be written about that, but what of the issues off it? Hung in the Stretford End of Old Trafford is a large banner with the face of David Moyes on it saying The Chosen One. The appointment of Moyes came via the approval of Sir Alex Ferguson and that was supposed to be enough for United and their fans. However, no matter how much patience United fans show Moyes it will always come with a caveat; just how good a manager is he? Having won nothing, it is a legitimate question. Manchester United may well be proven right in not hiring a Jose Mourinho or Guus Hiddink, for example, last summer but had they hired a manager with a track record of success, their current failures would have solely been attributed to the players. It is one thing for the media and fans to say Chris Smalling, Tom Cleverley, Ashley Young, for example, are not good enough for Manchester United but inside such analysis comes a question they cannot truly answer; would these players do better under a more established manager? And that is where many people now stand with United; turning around at a fork in the road, looking at the journey they have travelled this season and wondering how many failures happened on Moyess Motorway and how many took place on the Players Path. The easy answer is to say both. But what if you are Mooyes? You spent 11 relatively successful years at Everton and got hired by one of the worlds greatest clubs on a fantastic contract. Dolph Schayes Jersey . Five months into your first season do you think you are to blame for the mess? Of course you do not. And that is the silver lining for United fans. This club has backed Moyes with a six-year contract and now they have to back him when he believes his players are the reason for their poor results. The line between the barren seasons of 2011/12 and 2013/14 will be the shortest failure line in over two decade (the only common denominators between the two are players not called Robin van Persie) and it is absolutely vital that Manchester United Football Club address everything right now to ensure that doesnt happen again. Two seasons ago, United were very average for their high standards, yet came within a minute of winning the Premier League. That season United were stunned by a Champions League, where Benfica and Basel ran through their midfield and scored eight goals between them in four matches. United were sent into the Europa League and would go on to again be exposed in similar fashion, losing back-to-back home games to technically superior teams, Ajax and Athletic Bilbao. Their response? Buy Robin van Persie. An outstanding player who they needed, but it was a short-term fix papering over a long-term problem. Sir Alex Ferguson always believed in himself to make the players better and wanted players he could control. Except, when he was spending 60 million pounds on Young, Smalling, Phil Jones and Wilfried Zaha, the noisy neighbours across the city spent just 10 million more on Sergio Aguero, Matija Nastasic and Jesus Navas. United do not need to buy six or seven world class stars to become a force again. Three or four of the right signings in 2014 will be enough. What they do need is an overhaul in their approach; a change in the way they find players and a change in the way they set-up to play. Without that, they may never find out the answer to the one question they need to solve quickly. Is Moyes indeed the manager to make them legitimate contenders for trophies every season? Only this time next year will we have a true idea of that as the manager himself explained. "While we are actively scouting players all the time, a lot of the work we are doing now is preparation for the summer," Moyes wrote in his programme notes for the Sunderland game. "If we can do any business now then we will certainly try to do it, but I will not compromise the standards required for a player that can come into this club and help improve it." Manchester United fans are fortunate they have the funds available to get players like Juan Mata who ticks both boxes when it comes to a change of philosophy on the pitch and in the transfer market. The Spaniard, expected to arrive at Old Trafford this week, is exactly the standard United should be buying. He is also exactly the kind of player that will put to test the credentials of Moyes and his so-far rigid, uninspiring attack. Should Mata sign, he, along with those brought in this summer, suddenly become the face of a new look United. A United belonging solely to Moyes. Only then will the jury have reached its verdict on the manager. Uniteds response to failure in the past has always resulted in a trophy. This time the reputation of their manager depends on it. ' ' '

PRAGUE - The Czech Republic claimed its third Fed Cup title in four years after Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova fought hard to overcome Angelique Kerber of Germany in the opening reverse singles match on Sunday. Aaron Rodgers Jersey .In a matchup of two top-10 players, Kvitova prevailed 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-4 in nearly three hours to give the Czechs an unassailable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five series on the indoor hard court at Pragues O2 Arena.It was an amazing match from both of us, Kvitova said. It was a very big fight. Im just glad that I did it. It was really up and down from the beginning of the match. It was always a big fight about every single point.Kvitova fought back from 4-1 down in the decisive set and went 5-4 up after earning a break point with a stunning forehand crosscourt winner before serving out the match.She converted her fourth match point when Kerbers backhand hit the net, prompting a wild celebration of team members on the court and 13,000 fans in the stands of the sold out arena.Czechs win #fedcup!!!! Congrats:), tweeted Martina Navratilova, a prominent Czech supporter who was in the stands. Navratilova won the Fed Cup with Czechoslovakia and later with the United States.This is something you cant have every day and we have it here for the second time, Kvitova said.With Kvitova on the team, the Czechs won their first title as an independent nation following the 1993 split of Czechoslovakia in 2011 in Moscow and retained the trophy in Pragues O2 Arena the following year. Czechoslovakia won five times, including three straight from 1983-85. It beat Germany in the 1983 final.In a thrilling first set that took 76 minutes, Kerber wasted six set points before Kvitova converted her second one in a tie breaker with a forehand winner.Kerber wasted a 5-2 lead in the first set, allowing Kvitova to fight back to level the set at 5-5 and the two were not able to hold serve in the last two games before the tiebreaker.Unlike her victory on Saturday, Kvitova struggled with consistency, producing 30 unforced errors in the opening set compared to Kerbers 16.But at the key moments, Kvitova could still rely on her fierce groundstrokes and serve, hitting 70 winners and 12 aces.Kvitova marched on in the second. She broke Kerber in the opening game at love and again in the third game to jump to a 3-0 lead with a big forehand winner.Kerber was not ready to surrender. She capitalized on two Kvitova double faults in the sixth game for a break to claw her way back.Im playing for Germany, Im playing for my team, Kerber said. I gave everything I had today but at the end Petra was better. I think it was just two, three points which decided the match. She deserved to win but we both played on a high level today. It was for sure one of the best matches this season for me.The Germans have not won the trophy since 1992.The Czechs took control of the series with a 2-0 lead after the opening singles matches on Saturday.Kvitova cruised past Andrea Petkovic 6-2, 6-4 and Lucie Safarova doubled the lead by defeating Kerber 6-4, 6-4.Germanys pair of Julia Goerges and Sabine Lisicki defeated Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka 6-4, 6-3 in the doubles to make the final scoreline 3-1.Despite the final loss, Germany enjoyed a successful year, winning away at Slovakia and Australia to reach its first Fed Cup final since 1992. It beat Spain for the title that year with now captain Barbara Rittner in the side. Derrick Rose Jersey .That is precisely what they got Sunday.The Ravens trailed at halftime and never built a comfortable lead against lowly Jacksonville, yet did just enough to squeeze out a 20-12 win to stay in the thick of the AFC playoff race. Anthony Davis Jersey . He left in the 4th inning of Saturdays game against the Tigers after experiencing tightness. Reyes and the team still hope that he will be ready for Opening Day in Tampa Bay in one week.KAMLOOPS, B.C. -- Its one game Kevin Koe never looks forward to playing. "This one, you dont get a lot of enjoyment out of," the Alberta skip said, after beating younger brother Jamie Koe from the Northwest Territories-Yukon 8-3 in eight ends Monday at the Canadian mens curling championship. "Its never fun beating them because Im always cheering for them every year theyre here," he said. "That being said, we needed a win." Alberta improved to 3-1 at the Tim Hortons Brier, at least until the evening draw, when he was set to face unbeaten Manitoba and Jeff Stoughton. The Territories fell to 1-3. "Its good that its early in the week so hopefully both of us win the rest of our games," he added. "Theyre obviously better," Jamie said of the encounters with his brother. "Were going to have to play our best and hope for some breaks but its a fair battle." Jamie Koe has represented the Territories four out of the last five years but when Kevin has been there he has always won the brother-vs.-brother tussle. Monday also saw New Brunswicks James Grattan score his first win this year against Greg Balsdon of Ontario 9-6. Grattan gave Stoughton a fight Sunday as well and said it felt good to get a monkey off his back with the win. "When we went to bed last night we felt pretty good about it," he said of the Manitoba game. "The team in the last two games has really shown up." He says getting used to the ice has been an issue. They lost their first game 13-5 and the second 10-1. "We come from an area of the world where the ice is fairly straight all the time . . Coming out here and all of a sudden youre taking the 122-foot to get to the lid and its a different ball game. Dak Prescott Jersey . " Its also important to win games at the Brier if you want a reserved spot in the future. A new system is coming into place that will force the bottom finishers to compete for the right to return. Its being brought in to keep the field the same size with the addition of a Team Canada and new rinks from Nunavut and Yukon, instead of just one Territories team. P.E.I.s Eddie MacKenzie also grabbed a share of second place as he climbed to 3-1 after beating Quebecs Jean-Michel Menard. But, that could change after the evening draw. MacKenzie has already matched his combined record at his first two Brier appearances for Prince Edward Island , in 2011 and 2013. "Its definitely better than 0-5 or 0-6 like we were the last couple of times," he said. "Id say being here the last three out of four years helps for sure, playing on arena ice a little more." Saskatchewans Steve Laycock also sat at 3-1 after beating still winless Nova Scotia 5-3. "We kind of figured 3-1 or 4-0 was where wed want to be after this stretch because we do have some of the favourites coming up," he said. Nova Scotia skip Jamie Murphy isnt too thrilled at the Canadian Curling Association for the changes coming in 2015 that could see Nova Scotia have to fight for the right to play in the Brier. "Were firm believers that messing with traditions such as the Brier doesnt seem like a smart decision," he said of the new system, popularly known as relegation, although it seems anything but popular. "Were obviously biased when we say that because were probably going to be in the relegation pool." ' ' '