nd, I wanted to crawl into a corner and cry. Were so used to a seven-day-a-week training grind, that the disruption -- and all the attention -- really threw us for a loop.Honestly, I feel like my decision to pursue an Olympic dream w | Forum

RALEIGH, N. Martin Brodeur Devils Jersey.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes have been playing their best hockey of the season during the past week and theyre likely to need more of that when they take on the NHLs top team.The Montreal Canadiens visit PNC Arena on Friday night.It doesnt change for us, Carolina coach Bill Peters said. Its about what we do.Yet while the Hurricanes have been on a brief uptick to move out of the Eastern Conference basement, the Canadiens have encountered their first sustained glitches of the season.Montreal has failed to win its last two games, marking the first time this year it has gone that long without a victory. The Canadiens are coming off Tuesday nights 4-3 overtime loss at home to the Florida Panthers.We need to win battles for the puck and protect the pick, said Canadiens coach Michel Therrien, whose Montreal team has a league-best 13-2-2 record.With back-to-back wins against Washington and San Jose, the Hurricanes have been particularly successful on defense. Theyve given up one goal across the last two games, including posting their first shutout of the season by blanking San Jose 1-0.Its starting to come together, Peters said. We want chemistry and we want continuity. We have an identity were trying to get to. I like the direction were headed.Peters said the Hurricanes (5-6-4) have shown good discipline and that has allowed the team to flourish in several areas.Its a combination of a lot of different things that have been working for the lines, Peters said. The execution has been very high. ... Weve got to get seconds and thirds (attempts on goal).The Hurricanes, who are 15-for-15 on penalty kills across the last seven games, have dominated at times with faceoffs, giving them extra possessions.Faceoff execution, not only winning it but doing something with it, Peters said.Fridays game will mark the fourth in a five-game homestand for Carolina.We need to get some points in the bank, Peters said. This is a big homestand for us and we have two left.The Canadiens are playing their only road game during a five-game stretch.Montreal forward Alexander Radulov will miss the Carolina game because of illness, meaning hell skip his second game in a row.The goalie matchup is listed as Montreals Al Montoya and Carolinas Cam Ward.He has made the big saves at the big moments, Peters said of Ward. Were better in front and hes better.Ward credited teammates for tying up sticks and limiting rebounds.You just try to keep a quiet mind, Ward said. Youve got to build some momentum. These last two games have been our best two games of the year. We did it in real good fashion. ... Its not going to get any easier.The Hurricanes will need to keep watch on Montreal center Alex Galchenyuk, who holds a six-game points streak. To Therrien, that kind of production seems just about right.Hes working hard and hes getting his reward for that, Therrien said. His positioning (has been good). ... Thats a process. Ken Daneyko Jersey. With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. Will Butcher Devils Jersey.com) - The Chicago Blackhawks aim for their third three-game winning streak of the season when they host the struggling Edmonton Oilers in Sundays battle at the United Center. http://www.devilssale.com/...zacha-devils-jersey/. Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. Ask any elite athlete how she made it to the Olympics, and she will probably tell you a story about falling in love with her sport as a child. I am not one of those athletes.My Olympic journey began only six years ago when I Googled rowing lessons in Hartford, Connecticut. Working as a programming coordinator for ESPN in nearby Bristol at the time, I figured rowing could be a fun competitive outlet. I played volleyball and softball at the University of Virginia, but the rowing coach always told me he thought I was built for his sport. This was a chance to see if he was right.Ill never forget walking down to the boathouse for the first time. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, which was part of the allure. As a kid, youre not self-conscious. As an adult, you have to overcome that initial fear of looking ridiculous. And, as a 25-year-old, I saw that as the ultimate challenge.I was invited to join the team at the U.S. rowing training center in Princeton, New Jersey, less than six months later. It was a big surprise. And it didnt take long for one of my fellow athletes to start asking the questions Im sure everyone was wondering: Who are you? Where did you come from? What were you doing before this?The last one was easy. I had a full-time job -- a dream job at that. I had already worked out a part-time arrangement with ESPN in which I could work remotely when I wasnt training. While my fellow athletes slept and recovered, I answered emails and hopped on conference calls.By 2013 I knew I needed to let go of one dream job to pursue another. It was clear that the Rio Olympics was within my reach. Thanks to some encouraging friends and family, I took that last step off the ledge and left ESPN to train full time.That year I was fortunate to be paired up with two-time Olympian Ellen Tomek in the double sculls, and weve been together ever since. While we knew we had Olympic potential, we also knew that a lot could happen in the lead-up to Rio.Its easy to think your hard work deserves success, but thatt is not always true. Jamie Langenbrunner Devils Jersey. And last fall, we hit rock bottom. We had a terrible showing at the world championships. I was pissed off. Parts of me wondered if it was worth it to continue. I just wanted to forget it all.But on the flight home, we forced ourselves to list some things that needed to change in order to achieve our goals. It was time to move forward. Ellen and I decided to use our own funds to bring on Olympian Sarah Trowbridge as our coach, and the change was immediate.We became a cohesive team of three badass women. In April, just seven months later, we crossed the finish line at the U.S. Olympic trials in first. Wed secured our spots on the Olympic team. Its all a little blurry, but I remember yelling for joy -- with everything I had. The emotions were overwhelming and thanks to the media blitz that followed, I had little time to process our accomplishment. An appearance on The Today Show, and many more interviews -- lets just say these arent things we deal with on a daily basis as rowers.On one hand, I was thinking, This is incredible! On the other hand, I wanted to crawl into a corner and cry. Were so used to a seven-day-a-week training grind, that the disruption -- and all the attention -- really threw us for a loop.Honestly, I feel like my decision to pursue an Olympic dream was selfish. I wanted to see if I could do it, so I did. Now that Ive had some time to reflect, I find myself humbled by people who tell me Im an inspiration. I dont think of myself that way at all. The fact that I might inspire people is a huge, unexpected bonus.Of course, I know the job is not finished yet. Despite the fact that American teams have historically been underdogs in the womens double sculls event, Ellen and I have made it our mission to prove we belong in that elite group. I hope our success in that will be the next chapter in my unconventional Olympic story. ' ' '