Offtopic/fun » 10 years now and we were really ke

TORONTO -- Sidney Crosby was at his best on one of hockeys biggest stages.Again.Crosby scored once and assisted on both of Brad Marchands goals, including the winner early the third period, to help Canada beat Russia 5-3 on Saturday night in the World Cup of Hockey semifinals.He always comes up big in the big games, Marchand said.The Canadians will face the winner of Sundays Sweden -Team Europe game in the best-of-three finals that will start Tuesday night.Were going to be measured on what happens next, said coach Mike Babcock, who has helped Canada win gold at the last two Winter Olympics.Crosby opened the scoring at 7:40 into the game on a spectacular sequence, showing he has plenty of energy despite having a brief summer between winning the Stanley Cup and competing in the World Cup.It was short, but exciting, knowing we were coming here, he said.Crosby skated hard into a corner, forcing Alexey Marchenko to give up the puck earlier than he wanted. Dmitry Kulikov ended up with the puck in the left circle, but didnt have it long because Crosby snatched it away.Crosby made the puck dance on both sides of his stick as he skated across the front of the crease and as soon as Sergei Bobrovsky went down on his left hip, he backhanded the puck into the net without a Russian player near him.I had a little bit more time than you typically get, Crosby said.Bobrovsky made 16 of his 42 saves in the first period, keeping the Russians in it.Thats why hes one of the best goalies in the world, teammate Alex Ovechkin said. He played unbelievable. When they score, its not his mistake. He gave us a chance.Nikita Kucherov made it 1-all midway through the first and Evgeny Kuznetsov put Russia ahead 2-1 with 3:36 left in the second.Crosby, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time Stanley Cup champion, made a cross-crease pass to set up Marchand for his tying goal just 1:12 after Russia went ahead.In the dressing room after two periods, Babcock delivered a brief message.Theres no chance they can keep up if we keep doing what were doing, Babcock recalled telling his team.The Russians, and perhaps any other team, may not have much of an opportunity to win against a Crosby-led team with some of the games biggest stars.With a chance to take a pivotal lead in the third, Crosby chose to give up the puck, not shoot it. He deftly dropped a pass to Marchand atop the left circle to assist on the game-winning goal 1:16 into the third.Corey Perry gave Canada a two-goal cushion at 5:48 of the third and John Tavares made it 4-2 midway through the period.Carey Price made 31 saves for the Canadians. He made some momentum-stunting saves early in the first, but backchecking forwards and poke-checking defensemen made his job relatively easy for much of the night.Russia was not in a position to come back in a game in which it gave up more than twice as many shots as it put on the Price-protected net until pulling their goalie late to add an extra skater in a nothing-to-lose attempt to get back in the game. Artemi Panarin scored with 9 seconds left, making the score look slightly more respectable.The Russians were without one of their top players, Pavel Datsyuk , because of a lower-body injury.As usual in a matchup of NHL superstars, Crosby came out on top against Ovechkin.It looked as if it might end up that way even before the puck dropped.Both captains were called the center ice for a goodwill gesture, pairing them up with young boys on skates holding flags that represented each country.While Crosby put his arm around the youngster next to him, a stone-faced Ovechkin stood with his gloves at his side.Crosby helped the host Canadians crush the Ovechkin-led Russians 7-3 in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Vancouver Games. Four years later, with a chance at redemption at the Winter Olympics in Russia, Ovechkin couldnt do enough to help his team get past the quarterfinals while Crosby and the Canadians earned gold again. Ovechkin is also left waiting and wondering if hell ever hoist the Stanley Cup.Given a chance to help his team and country get a desperately wanted win, Ovechkin didnt have a shot through two periods and finished with just two shots.Maybe he doesnt have enough of luck, Russian coach Oleg Znarok said through an interpreter.---Follow Larry Lage at www.twitter.com/larrylage and follow his work at www.bigstory.ap.org/content/larry-lageFake College Basketball Jerseys .5 seconds to play in the game, Kevin Love never stopped believing that they would come out of there with a win. Fake College Jerseys From China . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. https://www.fakecollegejerseys.com/ . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. Wholesale College Jerseys . A forerunning sled crashed into the worker Thursday at the Sanki Sliding Center. The unidentified worker broke both legs and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. Custom College Jerseys . The 29-year-old Baines has established himself as one of the top attacking full backs in the country and was the subject of two bids from United during the last off-season. Everton manager Roberto Martinez says that keeping Baines at the club is a "massive boost and exciting for the future" because he brings "maturity and football knowledge in a very specialized position on the pitch" and an "infectious and positive influence to the rest of the squad.Hawthorn defender Grant Birchall has turned his back on AFL free agency, the Hawks announcing on Thursday he had signed a contract extension.Birchall was due to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season, but agreed to a deal that ties him to the club until the end of 2019.Grant is a really important player for us and a vital member of our back line, list manager Graham Wright said.He has been a part of this club for over 10 years now and we were really keen to retaThe season is right around the corner, so this is a perfect time to sit down and figure out my preseason Top 40.Of course, we can go back and forth on so many teams. There is parity in the sport, and the competition is great. The key is to live up to your billing and make it to the Big Dance.I know a few teams in my top 40 will surprise you. That is part of the fun of picking the creme de la creme and then comparing notes as the season goes on. This is just a first opinion. Injuries and ineligibility could change the fate of a team.1. Duke Blue Devils Grayson Allen should be the preseason player of the year. Amile Jefferson is back, and a stellar recruiting class comes in.2. Kentucky Wildcats John Calipari will not rebuild, he will reload. DeAaron Fox will be special at the point guard slot. Isaiah Briscoe has a year of experience that will help.3. Villanova Wildcats The defending national champions have Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins returning. Coach Jay Wright is glad they didnt enter the NBA draft.4. Kansas Jayhawks Frank Mason III and Devonte Graham form an outstanding backcourt. Look for big things from diaper dandy Josh Jackson.5.?North Carolina Tar Heels Joel Berry II, Justin Jackson, Kennedy Meeks, Isaiah Hicks, Nate Britt, Theo Pinson ... a lot of experence returns.6. Michigan State Spartans Miles Bridges will become a star in East Lansing. Eron Harris will step up his game and develop into a consistent, double-figure scorer.7. Louisville Cardinals Last years top scorers are gone, so guys like Donovan Mitchell and Ray Spalding will have added responsibilities. Keep an eye on diaper dandy V.J. King.8. Virginia Cavaliers Tony Bennett always gets the most out of his talent. London Perrantes is the team leader, and big things are expected from transfer Austin Nichols.9. Xavier Musketeers Chris Macks team will make more noise this season. I love Trevon Bluiett and Edmond Sumner.10. Indiana Hoosiers Thomas Bryant will have to step up his production inside. The Hoosiers also need a healthy James Blackmon Jr.11. Oregon Ducks If Dillon Brooks started the season healthy, I would have had the Ducks higher. Dana Altman has a special group.12. Wisconsin Badgers Nigel Hayes has stated hes hungry. Bronson Koenig is a clutch performer. Greg Gard will have a Big Ten contender.13. Arizona Wildcats Newcomer Rawle Alkins teams up with Allonzo Trier for coach Sean Miller. It helps to have Ray Smith back from injury.14. West Virginia Mountaineers Bob Huggins team will always scrap and claw, playing tenacious defense. Backcourt play is a key with Daxter Miles Jr.?and Tarik Phillip.15. Purdue Boilermakers I love the size inside with Caleb Swanigan and Isaac Haas. Vince Edwards is an underrated forward.16. Connecticut Huskies Kevin Ollie will expect big things from Rodney Purvis. Amida Brimah has to stay healthy in the post. Transfer Terry Larrier from VCU is a nice addition.17. Maryland Terrapins This is going to be Melo Trimbles team, and I think he is going to enjoy a monster season.18. Saint Marys Gaels Randy Bennett has a roster loaded with experience and a desire to make the Big Dance after being left out last season.19. Texas Longhorns Shaka Smarts kids will get better and better as the season rolls on. The Longhorns lost their top scorers from last season but can show balance this time around.20. Syracuse Orange Jim Boeheim had to be happy to add Nebraska transfer Andrew White III late in the process. Tyler Lydon will be very tough to stop.21. Florida State Seminoles Dwayne Bacon and Xavier Rathan-Mayes decided to return, making Leonard Hamilton very happy.22. Gonzaga Bulldogs It helps to have transfers Nigel Williams-Goss (Washington) and Jordan Mathews (California) stepping in. They will miss Kyle Wiltjer.23. San Diego State Aztecs Guard Trey Kell is one of the top players in the Mountain West. Malik Pope will improve and Montaque Gill-Caesar (Missouri) is an important transfer coming in.24. Iowa State Cyclones Monte Morris will have a lot of pressure on him. Cyclone fans will miss Georges Niang.25. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mike Breys team will surprise a lot of people. V.J. Beachem gets his opportunity to shine on a nightly basis.26. Cincinnati Bearcats 27. Creighton Bluejays 28. Miami Hurricanes 29. Oklahoma Sooners 30. California Golden Bears 31. Wichita State Shockers 32. Colorado Buffaloes 33. Texas A&M Aggies 34. Ohio State Buckeyes 35. Iowa Hawkeyes 36. Rhode Island Rams 37. Michigan Wolverines 38. UCLA Bruins 39. Florida Gators 40. Virginia Tech HokiesChicago White Sox Pro Shop .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play. Wholesale White Sox Jerseys . Dukurs winning time was 1 minute, 45.76 seconds, a quarter-second better than Russias Alexander Tretiakov. Lativas Tomass Dukurs was third, 1.41 seconds off the pace. Jon Montgomery of Eckville, Alta. https://www.cheapwhitesox.com/ .ca! Kerry, Two nights after the Scott-Eriksson incident in Buffalo, the Bruins returned home to play San Jose. In that game, Zdeno Chara put a check on Tommy Wingels that clearly targeted his head. White Sox Jerseys 2019 . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. Chicago White Sox Gear .C. at the helm of the top team in the Eastern Conference. His tenure as the GM in Vancouver was all too brief. Though he led the Canucks to what was then a franchise record-shattering campaign in just his second season, Nonis was gone and replaced one year later.CHASKA, Minn. -- A look at the European team in the 41st Ryder Cup. Players are listed in the order they made the team.RORY MCILROYAge: 27.Country: Northern Ireland.Ryder Cup record (3 teams): 6-4-4.World ranking: 3.Career victories: 21.Majors: U.S. Open (2011), British Open (2014), PGA Championship (2012, 2014).2016 victories: Irish Open, Deutsche Bank Championship, Tour Championship.Ryder Cup partners: Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia.Outlook: McIlroy comes into the Ryder Cup as the FedEx Cup champion on the strength of winning the Deutsche Bank Championship and Tour Championship. The putter has come under serious scrutiny this year, when the four-time major champion failed to contend in any major and missed the cut in two of them. He is unbeaten in three singles matches at the Ryder Cup. Europe needs him to put up points. And remember that Minnesota is in the Central time zone. (The last time the Ryder Cup was held on U.S. soil, McIlroy nearly missed his tee time on the final day at Medinah.)---DANNY WILLETTAge: 28.Country: England.Ryder Cup record (rookie): 0-0-0.World ranking: 10.Career victories: 5.Majors: Masters (2016).2016 victories: Omega Dubai Desert Classic, Masters.Ryder Cup partners: None.Outlook: One of six rookies, Willett is the only one of them with a major. He comes into the Ryder Cup off a runner-up finish in the Italian Open. However, that was only his second top 10 since he won the Masters.---HENRIK STENSONAge: 40.Country: Sweden.Ryder Cup record (2 teams): 5-4-2.World ranking: 5.Career victories: 18.Majors: British Open (2016).2016 victories: BMW International Open, British Open.Ryder Cup partners: Justin Rose, Paul Casey, Oliver Wilson, Robert Karlsson.Outlook: Stenson might be Europes most reliable player, though he is coping with a slight tear of the meniscus in his right knee. He withdrew after one round at The Barclays and sat out the BMW Championship to rest. He turned in the years best performance at Royal Troon, where his 264 set a major championship record. He also was the silver medalist at the Olympics.---CHRIS WOODAge: 28.Country: England.Ryder Cup record (rookie): 0-0-0.World ranking: 32.Career victories: 4.Majors: None.2016 victories: BMW PGA Championship.Ryder Cup partners: None.Outlook: The lanky Englishman made the team largely on the strength of his victory in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. He has been slowed by a neck injury this year, which might have contributed to the lack of any top 10s since his victory.---SERGIO GARCIAAge: 36.Country: Spain.Ryder Cup record (7 teams): 18-9-5.World ranking: 12.Career victories: 24.Majors: None.2016 victories: AT&T Byron Nelson.Ryder Cup partners: Jesper Parnevik, Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Jose Maria Olazabal, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Paul Casey, Nicolas Colsaerts, Rory McIlroy.Outlook: Garcia won in Dallas this year and followed that with three finishes in the top five, including the U.S. Open at Oakmont. He figures to be the threat he always has been in the Ryder Cup, particularly with his driving and iron play.---RAFA CABRERA BELLOAge: 32.Country: Spain.Ryder Cup record (rookie): 0-0-0.World ranking: 30.Career victories: 4.Majors: None.2016 victories: None.Ryder Cup partners: None.Outlook: The Spaniards last victory was more than four years ago, but he has been steady all year. His only missed cut in 21 events worldwide was at Thee Players Championship, and he tied for fifth in successive weeks at the Olympics and the Wyndham Championship.dddddddddddd---JUSTIN ROSEAge: 36.Country: England.Ryder Cup record (3 teams): 9-3-2.World ranking: 11.Career victories: 16.Majors: U.S. Open (2013).2016 victories: Olympics.Ryder Cup partners: Ian Poulter, Martin Kaymer, Henrik Stenson.Outlook: Rose is unbeaten in his last six Ryder Cup matches, dating to that 45-foot putt he made on the 17th at Medinah on his way to beating Phil Mickelson. He only has one victory this year, but it was memorable -- an Olympic gold medal after going head-to-head with Stenson. Putting is the only unreliable part of his game.---ANDY SULLIVANAge: 30.Country: England.Ryder Cup record (rookie): 0-0-0.World ranking: 50.Career victories: 3.Majors: None.2016 victories: None.Ryder Cup partners: None.Outlook: Sullivan had three victories last year, none this year. His best stretch, which secured his spot in the Ryder Cup, was in the summer when he tied for fifth in the French Open, tied for sixth in the Scottish Open and tied for 12th in the British Open.---MATT FITZPATRICKAge: 22.Country: England.Ryder Cup record (rookie): 0-0-0.World ranking: 44.Career victories: 2.Majors: None.2016 victories: Nordea Masters.Ryder Cup partners: None.Outlook: The youngest player for Europe, the Englishman has five top 10s and 11 missed cuts. He locked up his spot on the team by finishing fifth in the Czech Masters. His match play history includes his victory in the U.S. Amateur in 2013. As an amateur, he won the British Boys Amateur and was low amateur at the 2013 British Open.---LEE WESTWOODAge: 43.Country: England.Ryder Cup record (9 teams): 20-15-6.World ranking: 46.Career victories: 39.Majors: None.2016 victories: None.Ryder Cup partners: Nick Faldo, Darren Clarke, Sergio Garcia, Colin Montgomerie, Soren Hansen, Luke Donald, Martin Kaymer, Francesco Molinari, Nicolas Colsaerts, Jamie Donaldson.Outlook: Westwood is playing on his 10th consecutive team. He has 23 points, fifth all-time in the Ryder Cup and with a chance to break Nick Faldos record of 25 points. This is his third time, and second in a row, that he has needed a captains pick. He had the same chance as Willett to win the Masters and tied for second.---MARTIN KAYMERAge: 31.Country: Germany.Ryder Cup record (3 teams): 4-3-3.World ranking: 48.Career victories: 15.Majors: U.S. Open (2014), PGA Championship (2010).2016 victories: None.Ryder Cup partners: Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Thomas Bjorn.Outlook: Kaymer has something special happen in even-numbered years, so hes still waiting. He won the PGA Championship in 2010, holed the clinching putt at the 2012 Ryder Cup in 2012 and won the U.S. Open in 2014. He hasnt won since that eight-shot victory at Pinehurst No. 2 for his second major.---THOMAS PIETERSAge: 24.Country: Belgium.Ryder Cup record (rookie): 0-0-0.World ranking: 42.Career victories: 3.Majors: None.2016 victories: Made in Denmark.Ryder Cup partners: None.Outlook: Pieters victory in Denmark was enough to persuade Darren Clarke to use his last captains pick on him. Pieters won the NCAA title at Riviera when he played at Illinois. Much like countryman Nicolas Colsaerts, he is blessed with enormous power. ' ' ' n him.We are really pleased that Grant has signed on for another two seasonss and believe he has plenty of good footy ahead of him.dddddddddddd.It is understood Birchall signed the new contract some time ago, with the club waiting to announce the deal after a turbulent trade period that saw fellow veterans Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis depart for West Coast and Melbourne respectively.The 28-year-old has played 240 AFL games since debuting in 2006 and has featured in the Hawks past four premiership teams. ' ' '