Rezeptsammlungen » . Sonny Bill returns for NZ All Blacks star

Scott Cullen looks at Saturdays playoff action, including tough times for the undisciplined Chicago Blackhawks, Matt Calvert lifting the Blue Jackets to their first playoff win, and Nathan MacKinnon putting on a show as Colorado takes a 2-0 series lead over Minnesota. HEAVY HOCKEY The Chicago Blackhawks are within two minutes of having a 2-0 series lead, surrendering tying goals late in the third period (1:45 remaining in Game One, six seconds left in Game Two) of the first two games in St. Louis, leading to 4-3 overtime defeats in both games. Being that close doesnt amount to much now, though, as Chicago is facing a 2-0 series deficit along with the possibility that a top pair defenceman, Brent Seabrook, could be suspended for a crushing hit on Blues C David Backes, whose status has to be questionable in the immediate aftermath. Seabrook had a goal and an assist in Game Two, before taking a major penalty for his hit on Backes wit 4:51 remaining in the third period. If Seabrook is suspended, Sheldon Brookbank could move into the Chicago lineup, but Backes potential absence also causes issues for the Blues. Even though the St. Louis lineup was bolstered by the return of RW T.J. Oshie, their top three healthy centres after Backes in Game Two were Vladimir Sobotka, Maxim Lapierre and Derek Roy. If Backes is out (and Patrik Berglund is already out), then St. Louis may have to shuffle Steve Ott to the middle and add a winger, Dimitrij Jaskin or Brenden Morrow, to the lineup. Leading the way for St. Louis in Game Two was D Kevin Shattenkirk, who had a goal and two assists, and also happened to be break-even in Corsi%, which was rare on a Blues team that was easily handled by Chicago at even strength. The problem for the Blackhawks, however, was an appalling lack of discipline, as Chicago was shorthanded nine times, including 11 minutes of shorthanded time in the final 15 minutes of the game. A positive for the Blackhawks was the performance of RW Marian Hossa, who matched his season high with eight shots on goal in Game Two. Blackhawks C Jonathan Toews, who was on the ice for both the tying and game-winning goals against, had a dominant possession game (85% Corsi%), getting the better of a strength-on-strength matchup against the Blues top line of Backes, Alexander Steen and T.J. Oshie. Returning to the lineup for the first time since a late-season concussion, Oshies Corsi% for the game was 13.0%. The results through the first two games could have gone either way, so its not as if Chicago is out of the running as they head home for Game Three. However, their margin for error is gone. They need to get on the board with a win if they are going to make a series out of this. JACKETS EVEN UP Matt Calverts second goal of the game, 1:10 into double overtime, earned the Columbus Blue Jackets the first playoff win in the franchises history. Calvert, who was favourably included in my piece on which fighters can handle more playing time, played a career-high 22:26 in the double-overtime affair, having possession success with linemates Cam Atkinson and Brandon Dubinsky. Blue Jackets D Jack Johnson led all skaters with 38:21 of ice time and scored the game-tying goal with 6:01 remaining in the third period. Johnson now has 15 points in 14 career playoff games. Among defencemen with at least a dozen career playoff games, Johnsons 1.07 points per game in the postseason ranks second, behind only Bobby Orr. Blue Jackets C Ryan Johansen added a goal and an assist, while D David Savard contributed two assists to the winning effort. On the Penguins side, RW Brian Gibbons scored a pair of goals, and Sidney Crosby had a couple of assists, but no other Penguins forwards got on the scoresheet. D Paul Martin had two assists while Matt Niskanen added a goal and an assist. Perhaps the most troubling issue for Pittsburgh in Game Two was the play of D Kris Letang, who was stomped (32.5% Corsi%) in possession terms. His minus-14 Corsi was his lowest of the season. Even so, his 27:40 of ice time was behind only Paul Martin (34:07) and Brooks Orpik (28:02) on the Penguins blueline. Columbus D Fedor Tyutin left the game with a presumed upper-body injury after taking a couple of hard hits and playing just 6:55. If Tyutin is out, Dalton Prout or Nick Schultz are available to join the Columbus lineup, but Savard is the one who moves up the depth chart. He played 33:46 in Game Two. Earning the Game Two win ought to give the Blue Jackets some feeling of belonging in the postseason. They can compete with the Penguins, play them close enough that G Sergei Bobrovsky (who stopped 39 of 42 shots in Game Two) has a chance to make a difference. MACKINNONS COMING OUT PARTY 18-year-old Avalanche rookie RW Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists in Colorados 4-2 Game Two win over the Minnesota Wild, giving the Avs a 2-0 lead in the series, and MacKinnon seven points through two games. There is a good chance that MacKinnon is on his way to the best playoff scoring for an 18-year-old in league history, as Jaromir Jagr holds the current mark with 13 playoff points in 1991. The line of MacKinnon, LW Gabriel Landeskog (two goals) and C Paul Stastny (one goal, three assists) carried the day for the Avalanche, with MacKinnons speed and playmaking ability creating huge difficulty for the Wild, even though Minnesota frequently had their top defence pairing of Ryan Suter and Jonas Brodin matched up against them. Though he wasnt particularly to blame for Colorados first three goals, Wild G Ilya Bryzgalov was pulled with 8:01 remaining in the second period, replaced by Darcy Kuemper, the rookie who last played March 27. Kuemper stopped all 14 shots he faced. That Colorado has high-end skill up front comes as no surprise, nor is it shocking that G Semyon Varlamov has been the better of the goaltenders in the series but, coming home for Game Three, the Wild need their own top forwards to answer the bell and hope that whomever they go with in net, Kuemper or Bryzgalov, will give them a chance to get back in the series. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . "It feels good, Ive never had one before, not even in College," Hagelin said after the Rangers outgunned the Jets 4-2, behind some solid goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist following a pretty wide open first period. NFL Jerseys Cheap Authentic . On Wednesday, Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas hit back. In a passionate defence of himself and the London clubs medical staff, the Portuguese coach rebuked the "incompetent people" who have attacked Tottenham for allowing Lloris to continue playing after being briefly knocked unconscious against Everton on Sunday. http://www.wholesalejerseyschinastitched.com/ .Y. -- As if the worst start in franchise history isnt bad enough, Buffalo Sabres President Ted Black braced his teams win-starved fans for potentially more tough times. Cheap Jerseys From China . Mitchell first announced on Twitter that he has signed with the Steelers and his agent Brian Hamilton confirmed the signing to The Associated Press. Financial terms were not released. The Steelers have not announced the addition of Mitchell.Brian ODriscoll believes Olympics fever can eventually catapult Rugby Sevens onto a par with the 15-man game. Former Ireland and British and Irish Lions captain ODriscoll has tipped Sevens to one day sit alongside rugbys traditional format.Sevens will make its Olympic debut in the summers Rio Games and a new report highlighting rugbys future predicts rapid growth for the sports short format incarnation in the next 10 years. Banking giants HSBC and strategic planning consultancy The Futures Company have published The Future of Rugby, a report predicting the sports global participation to double in the next decade.With the market and the eyes that will see Sevens for the first time because of the Olympics, the sport has the potential for exponential growth, said ODriscoll.Sevens should grow into new areas, places in Asia like China, to grow far more in the United States as well.It can grow alongside the 15s game, I dont think it will replace it, but I definitely think it has the scope to be as big as the 15s game is currently. Simon Amor looks ahead to the Hong Kong stop of the HSBC World Sevens Series Global governing body World Rugby rates rugby unions current worldwide participation figures at 7.2 million. This new report projects that figure climbing to 15m by 2026.Women are also expected to account for 40 per cent of the worlds active rugby players in 10 years time.The coaching mastermind of Englands 2003 World Cup triumph Sir Clive Woodward has branded Sevens as rugbys sleeping giant in the report, while former dual-code star Jason Robinson predicted rugby league players may in future convert specifically to Sevens as opposed to simply rugby union.ODriscoll won 141 Test caps across 15 years with Ireland and the Lions but despite his numerous accolades he now admits pangs of jealousy seeing current top stars chasing the Olympic dream.The report claims Sevens could even boast franchise-based short tournaments in 10 years, creating rugbys answer to crickets Indian Premier League (IPL) or Australias Big Bash. Could Sevens become rugbys answer to Twenty20? ODriscoll believes Sevens must still prove its global appeal in Rio before realising such lofty aims, but admitted to excitement at the notion of a fast-growing discipline that ccould offer rugby an equivalent to crickets increasingly popular Twenty20 concept.ddddddddddddIm not a cricket connoisseur by any stretch but its hard not to like Twenty20, its exciting and fast, said ODriscoll. Its exactly what Sevens rugby is delivering - its fast, its exciting and it creates a huge party atmosphere.I think theres definitely potential for that. We have to get by the first Olympics first though.Im very excited about seeing rugby in the Olympics, but we have to just allow it to evolve afterwards. Quade Cooper scored his first Sevens try against England in Las Vegas New Zealands World Cup-winning centre Sonny Bill Williams and Australia fly-half Quade Cooper are just two superstars from 15s bidding to make the Sevens switch in time for the Olympics.Assimilating into Sevens lung-busting fitness and tactical nuance have not proved plain sailing for the Test stars aiming to make the conversion, and ODriscoll believes that only underscores the formats strength.The carrot of an Olympic gold later this year, thats luring a number of players from the 15s game, said ODriscoll. Sonny Bill returns for NZ All Blacks star is fighting fit after a knee injury Sonny Bill is unique in trying to cover every sport and medal going. So you wouldnt bet against him being in the mix with the All Blacks come August.Not all of those players coming from 15s have slotted in seamlessly. Its a different type of athlete, fitness and skill set and understanding of how the game works.Probably a lot of Sevens players have had a wry smile on their faces when theyve seen some 15s players not having a seamless transition across. The big names arent certainties within their national squads because of the quality of players who are already there. And thats a great thing too.The profile of players coming from 15s is brilliant. But it puts in perspective just how good these Sevens players are.Watch the Hong Kong Sevens live on Sky Sports this weekend, starting on Friday at 5.50am on Sky Sports 2 HD. Also See: WATCH: Amor eyes Hong Kong success Williams back for New Zealand England Womens travel blog Rugby on Sky ' ' '