and execution. The weather isnt going to decide the game. | Forum
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Aug 9 '18
ST. Marc Methot Jersey . PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild have turned their home ice into a deafening, discouraging place for opponents to play in the playoffs. For the second straight game, they dominated the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. Jason Pominville scored in the second period off the back of Chicago goalie Corey Crawfords skate, and the Wild beat the Blackhawks 4-2 on Friday night to even their Western Conference semifinal at two games apiece. "Its been fun to play here. I dont know what it is, but we have to find a way to bring that on the road as well," said Jared Spurgeon, whose third-period goal gave the Wild a cushion for the final stretch while the fans cheered and chanted louder and louder. "They play hard in their building, and theyre good in their building, and they check well so its tough to get momentum in here," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. Matt Cooke returned from his seven-game kneeing suspension to give the Wild a jolt, assisting on Justin Fontaines opening goal, and Nino Niederreiter also scored. "I think I should have fresh legs. I have to go out there and lead the way. Hopefully my energy is contagious," Cooke said. Yes, it was. Cooke had a team-high five hits -- the Blackhawks were only credited with seven -- to help the Wild hold an intensity advantage from start to finish. "He brings a physical presence," Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. "You never know what hes going to do, so youve got to be aware of him out there." Crawford made 27 saves, but he gave up four goals for the second straight game. "Weve just got to play the way we can: Move the puck and play with speed and skill, make the right plays at the right time," Crawford said. "Everyones got confidence in everyone else in this room, so weve just got to play together." Patrick Sharp snapped out of his slump with his second post-season goal and Michal Handzus also scored, but the Blackhawks again found themselves unable to establish a consistent attack against the Wilds stifling defence. The teams will return to Chicago for Game 5 on Sunday night and be back in Minnesota for Game 6 on Tuesday night. Quenneville shuffled up the lines, moving Ben Smith to the first group with captain Jonathan Toews and Bryan Bickell and bringing defenceman Nick Leddy back to the lineup in a search for more speed and flow. The Wild wouldnt let that happen. Leading the NHL in takeaways in the playoffs and allowing an average of fewer than 21 shots on goal per game in the series, the Wild improved to 5-0 at home this post-season with a 16-5 goal differential. The franchise playoff record at Xcel Energy Center was a mere 5-10 prior to this year. Sharp, coming off a 34-goal, 44-assist season, got his first goal of the series. But the Blackhawks managed just 20 shots on Wild goalie Ilya Bryzgalov after stressing the importance of testing him more. Cooke set Fontaine up for a slap shot on a 2-on-1 rush early in the game, and the puck sailed over the glass. Fontaine buried his next chance, a bad-angle attempt from the front edge of the circle that skidded through Michal Rozsivals legs after Cooke swiped the puck from the defenceman. After two full periods of trap-filled, tight-checking play in Game 3, the pace in this one was quick from the start. The fans resumed their sing-song jeering of Crawfords last name from the last game, and the chants grew louder throughout the night. The buzz in the building was killed for a bit when Sharp, whose struggles prompted a move down to a new third line with Handzus and Marian Hossa, caught defenceman Clayton Stoner stuck in the offensive zone on a turnover by Niederreiter and beat Mikko Koivu to slip a wrister between Bryzgalovs pads with 38 seconds left before the break. But the Wild roared right back in the second period with goals by Pominville and Niederreiter to bracket the score by Handzus. Bryzgalov did his part by sticking his pad out to stop Sharps breakaway with a thud. "That was huge for us," left wing Zach Parise said. As was all that noise from the crowd. NOTES: Spurgeons goal was just the fourth in 42 opportunities against the Blackhawks in the playoffs, the best penalty-kill percentage in the league. ... The Bickell-Toews-Smith line totalled just three shots. ... Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, drafted from Louisville the night before, took in his first hockey game. Brian Bellows Jersey .C. -- Marcus Paige and his North Carolina teammates have endured so many wild swings -- big wins, surprising losses, NCAA drama -- that no one can blame their Hall of Fame coach for wondering whats next. Martin Hanzal Jersey . He did one better Sunday by holing out a pitching wedge from 142 yards for eagle, capping a remarkable 28 on the back nine to win The Championship at Laguna National.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Peyton Manning found no need to dunk his right hand in a bucket of ice water Thursday — it was 9 degrees when the Broncos returned to their practice field for the first time since clinching a spot in next weeks Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium. "Anytime you can have ... a situation that you can simulate during practice that might be in a game, thats always a good thing," said Manning, his breath vaporizing as he spoke from the podium after the two-hour workout. Manning, who spent much of his career inside in Indianapolis, has prepared for some cold-weather games since coming to Denver in 2012 by soaking his right hand in ice water. He welcomed the blast of wintry weather after a relatively balmy stretch of January, which included a 63 degree Sunday afternoon when he led the Broncos past the New England Patriots for the AFC title. The knock on Manning is that for all his greatness he crumbles in the cold and in the playoffs — he has just one championship ring in 12 previous trips to the post-season, eight of which ended in first-round exits, including last years double-overtime loss to Baltimore on a frigid night in Denver. Manning could take care of both of those criticisms next week when the Broncos face the Seattle Seahawks in East Rutherford, N.J., in the first outdoor Super Bowl ever held in a cold-weather city. With a win, he would be the first quarterback to lead two teams to the title. Although its too early for forecasters to predict what the weather will be, theres a decent chance for freezing temperatures or snow by kickoff on the night of Feb. 2. Although Manning is 167-73 in the regular season, hes 11-11 in the playoffs. And hes 4-7 in games that are below freezing at kickoff, although some of those were games where he played sparingly because the Colts had already locked up playoff seeding. Others were against New England, when the Patriots clearly had the better team. And Manning did complete 39 passes for 397 yards and four touchdowns against Tennessee last month when the temperature at kickoff in Denver was 18 degrees. If the Broncos beat the Seahawks — and theyre favoured by oddsmakers for the 30th straight game — Manning will match little brother Elis two Super Bowl rings. Eli said Peyton doesnt have to beat Seattle to secure his legacy, however. "I think Peytons already created his own legacy," Eli said during a conference call Thursday. "Hes played at a very high level for a long period of time and hes overcome injuries and obviously set numerous records and been on a lot of playoff teams, playing in his third Super Bowl. Dallas Stars Jerseys. " Peytons resume is impressive: 13-time Pro Bowler, seven-time All-Pro and odds-on favourite to win his fifth MVP after setting NFL records by throwing for 55 TDs and 5,447 yards. Eli does not think the cold will be a factor in the game, either. "I dont think this hurts or helps either team," he said. "Peyton has been in Denver this year and played outside in a lot of cold games. I think obviously if it were to snow or be very windy, it could be a disadvantage to the Broncos, just because how much they like to throw the ball, compared to Seattle and their running game. "For the most part, its really going to be the best team that is going to win, whoever plays the best football that day. Its going to come down to that and execution. The weather isnt going to decide the game." Although the Seahawks are more run-oriented, the Broncos do have a good 1-2 punch in running backs Knowshon Moreno, who grew up 45 minutes from the Meadowlands, and Montee Ball, who combined for 2,290 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns this season. Denver safety Mike Adams, whos also from New Jersey, scoffed at the notion that inclement weather could hurt the Broncos. "Were talking about the Super Bowl. Im not worried about the cold, I promise you that," Adams said. "Werent we practicing in like minus-3 degree weather here? So Im definitely not worried about any cold weather. If anything, Im worrying about them cancelling the game." The NFLs contingency plans call for the game to be played anywhere from Friday, Jan. 31, to Monday, Feb. 3, in case of a major snowstorm. Manning — who is 10-3 while wearing a glove on his throwing hand the last two seasons — and the Broncos are embracing the elements. "We practice in the cold all the time. I think we practiced indoors one time," Denver pass-rusher Shaun Phillips said. "Were definitely cold weather bred, and well be ready for it." Notes: K Matt Prater (illness) didnt practice. Neither did DT Mitch Unrein (knee). RB Knowshon Moreno (ribs) was limited. ___ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org ___ AP Sports Writer Tom Canavan contributed. ___ Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton ;Cheap Arizona Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Falcons JerseysCheap Ravens Jerseys Cheap Bills Jerseys Cheap Panthers Jerseys Cheap Bears Jerseys Cheap Bengals Jerseys Cheap Browns Jerseys Cheap Cowboys Jerseys Cheap Broncos JerseysCheap Lions Jerseys Cheap Packers Jerseys Cheap Texans Jerseys Cheap Colts Jerseys Cheap Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Chiefs Jerseys ' ' '
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