competence to talk about such things | Forum
miaowang123
Oct 12 '17
VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks prepared Monday to play without their coach and captain for the foreseeable future. Duke Ihenacho Jersey . Coach John Tortorella was suspended 15 days on Monday, a span that will include six games starting with Tuesday nights game in Edmonton. He missed practice to attend a disciplinary hearing in New York with NHL officials. Tortorella got in trouble for entering the Calgary dressing room area, in an apparent attempt to get at Flames coach Bob Hartley, after the first period of a game marred by a line brawl following the opening face-off. Meanwhile, assistant coach Mike Sullivan, who ran practice and will take the reins from Tortorella against the Oilers, confirmed that captain Henrik Sedin will miss the game due to an undisclosed injury. Sedins absence will bring his consecutive-games-played streak -- the second-longest among active NHLers -- to an end following 679 straight games. "His status is day to day, but he will not play in Edmonton," said Sullivan. While NHL officials did not appreciate Tortorellas actions, which were aired on "Hockey Night in Canada," the players did. "I think it shows how passionate he is and how much he cares about his team," said defenceman Kevin Bieksa, who was at the centre of the brawl. "The other guy (Flames coach Bob Hartley), I dont know what he was thinking. But I think you respect a coach more when you see that hell watch your back and you see how much he cares. "Were not just pawns out there." Bieksa was among the eight players -- four from each team -- who were ejected two seconds into the contest that featured 10 fighting majors and a total of 152 penalty minutes after both coaches put out their fourth lines first. The punches started flying when Bieksa moved from his defence position to take the opening draw after he saw Kevin Westgarth, usually a penalty-prone winger, preparing to take the opening draw against Kellan Lain, a rookie whose NHL debut lasted only two seconds before he was ejected for fighting. "I kind of put two and two together," said Bieksa. "We heard their starting lineup. We definitely knew what was going to happen and we were told to defuse the situation if we could. I saw Westgarth line up at centre and evened that match." Bieksa said Tortorellas between-period actions occurred because the coach was upset that Lain, whose parents travelled from Oakville, Ont., to watch him play, had to fight on his first shift, and the other bouts that occurred. Zack Kassian, who has been in and out of Tortorellas doghouse because of inconsistency, undisciplined play and penalties, also praised him. "No matter who you talk to in this (dressing) room, everyone knows (Tortorella) is changing the culture of this team," said Kassian, who was on the bench during the brawl. Tortorella indicated after the game that he put out his fourth line instead of his first forward unit because he was wary of potential injury to Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who do not usually fight. Winger Dale Weise, who was among the players ejected, said Tortorella, did not tell the fourth liners to drop their gloves. "I agree with putting that line out just in case something happened there," said Weise. "I totally agree with (Tortorella) 100 per cent. You cant take a chance with a guy like that, Westgarth, and how tough he is." "(Tortorella) is always preaching that hes always got our back," added winger Tom Sestito, Vancouvers resident heavyweight. "He was just showing up. Thats great. I think the guys rallied around him. I thought it was pretty good." Sullivan said the Canucks would accept Tortorellas punishment. The assistant felt Tortorellas actions near the Flames dressing room to the "heat of the moment" and declined to discuss them. "As far as the starting lineup, we talked about it as a (coaching) staff before he decided who he was going to put on the ice, and I know Torts motivation was to protect his players and his team," said Sullivan. Replacing Tortorella at the helm, he will try to get the Canucks back on a consistent track. Vancouver has only one win in its past four games and is 2-3-2 in its last 10. Bieksa said a switch to Sullivan, a former head coach with the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers, would be a change behind the bench, but not in how the team plays. "Sullys been a head coach in the NHL before and he knows what its like to be the big cheese behind the bench," said Bieksa. However, Henrik Sedins absence will prompt a change on the top line, where Ryan Kesler played centre in practice between Daniel Sedin and Alex Burrows. Henrik Sedin had ranked second in consecutive games played among active NHL players to St. Louis Blues defenceman Jay Bouwmeester. "I just think its a testament to how tough he is," said Sullivan. Henrik Sedin, who according to multiple media reports was playing with a splint on an injured finger and sore ribs, left Saturdays the game following the second period after Tortorella told him to take his equipment off. Burrows indicated it will take a while to get used to playing without Sedin, who has 40 points in 50 games and last missed a contest in March 2004. "Since Ive been here, hes played every game, and thats an amazing feat," said Burrows. "Hes such a big part of this team. a Well try to win without him, but well have to wait and see." Notes: Injured defenceman Ryan Stanton (ankle) and centre Jordan Schroeder (foot), who practised Monday, are close to returning to the lineup following extended layoffs and travelled with the team to Edmonton. a The Canucks have returned goaltender Joacim Eriksson now that starter Roberto Luongo has returned to the lineup. a Lane praised Bieksa for showing leadership by replacing him in the opening face-off Saturday. Evan Engram Jersey . - After a back-and-forth battle throughout the season, Alex Guenette has earned the 2013 rookie of the year award for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 by just one point over Ryley Seibert. Doug Kotar Jersey . -- Wes Welker is unlikely to suit up for Denvers game Thursday against San Diego after leaving Sundays win over Tennessee with his second concussion in four games. MADRID, Spain -- A week after finishing the World Cup as the tournaments top scorer with six goals, Colombia forward James Rodriguez signed a six-year deal with Real Madrid on Tuesday. The 23-year-old Rodriguez, who helped Colombia reach the quarterfinals in Brazil, passed a medical examination at the Sanitas Clinic in the northern suburb of La Moraleja. "Im very happy," Rodriguez said as he left the clinic. "Everything went well." In the afternoon he was presented to thousands of cheering fans at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Many wore Colombian national colours and waved flags. Madrid president Florentino Perez welcomed the forward and referred to him as James - which he pronounced in the Spanish style as ha-mes - Rodriguez. Perez said the late Madrid great and honorary president Alfredo Di Stefano had also come to the club from Colombia, where he had been playing before his arrival in Spain. "Colombia will be at your side," said Perez, raising a loud cheer from fans in the stadium. Rodriguez said: "I hope to win many titles here, Hala Madrid," invoking the clubs chant. Spanish sports newspapers Marca and As both reported that Madrid had agreed to pay French club Monaco 80 million euros ($108 million) for Rodriguez. He is expected to join the squad onn Aug. Davis Webb Jersey. 1. Rodriguezs goal against Uruguay in the second round of the World Cup, when he chested the ball down and then volleyed it in, was voted the best goal of the tournament. "I think they (Madrid) were interested in me before my goal against Uruguay," Rodriguez said. "But by scoring that goal I enhanced my chances of coming here." Rodriguez will strengthen Madrids attacking lineup, joining Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema up front. The forward said he was aware of Madrids strength in depth, adding that he was ready to play in different positions if required to do so by the coach. "I just want to train hard and be in good condition for when I am called upon to play," he said. The Colombia forward will wear the No. 10 shirt, vacated when Mesut Ozil left Madrid for Arsenal. The shirt is inscribed with just "James" above the number. Asked if he had heard rumours that fellow countryman Radamel Falcao might also be headed for Madrid, Rodriguez said Falcao is a great player. "But it is not in my competence to talk about such things." Rodriguez, who joined Monaco from Porto last year, is Madrids second signing ahead of the new season after Germany midfielder Toni Kroos joined Thursday from Bayern Munich. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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