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carried himself the same way as that person that was the three-time Gold Glov
GLENDALE, Ariz. Dennis Smith Broncos Jersey . -- Nathan Horton just kept on smiling. He grinned during warmups, beamed after his first shift and screamed with joy following his first goal. Horton sure is happy to be playing hockey again. And the Columbus Blue Jackets are thrilled their big investment made an immediate impact. Horton scored in his Columbus debut, Curtis McElhinney made 34 saves for his second shutout of the season, and the Blue Jackets beat the sluggish Phoenix Coyotes 2-0 on Thursday night. R.J. Umberger also scored for the Blue Jackets, who snapped a two-game losing streak amid a burst of energy provided by Horton, Columbus $37 million off-season free-agent acquisition. "I had so much fun out there," said Horton, unable to contain his smirk even after the game in dressing room. "Its so exciting to be back." Horton, the ex-Boston Bruins winger who missed the first 40 games following shoulder surgery, poked in a rebound late in the second period for his 199th career goal. Umberger added a second power-play goal midway through the final period and the Blue Jackets shored up their struggling penalty kill in a performance they hope helps them climb back into the Eastern Conference playoff race. "You can tell were a good team when we play hard," Horton said. "I really enjoyed being out there with the guys." Mike Smith stopped 29 shots for the Coyotes, who lost defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to injury early in the first period and they were shut out for the first time this season. It also ended a streak of six straight overtime games for the Coyotes. "We didnt compete hard enough," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. Horton, who helped Boston win the Stanley Cup in 2011 and then had 19 points in 22 playoff games for the Bruins last season, signed a seven-year, $37.1 million free-agent deal with the Blue Jackets last summer. In his first game since last seasons Stanley Cup final, Horton was matched with Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov. They had two solid opening shifts before Hortons first shot was kicked away by Smith midway through the first period. Late in the second period after Smith took a penalty for playing the puck outside the trapezoid, James Wisniewski took a shot that Smith poked away. But the 6-foot-2, 229-pound Horton was in front of the net and tapped in the rebound at 15:51. "Sometimes I felt good, sometimes I felt bad," Horton said. "Its been a long time since Ive played." How much did the Blue Jackets need Horton? His goal snapped an 0-for-18 power-play drought. His presence even seemed to inspire the defence, which had allowed six power-play goals in the previous two games. Columbus killed all five Phoenix power plays. "We had a big talk about it (Tuesday)," Umberger said of the penalty kill. The Blue Jackets also activated goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (groin), who had been out 12 games, and defenceman Dalton Prout (upper body), who had missed six games. Bobrovsky served as the backup to McElhinney. He made several difficult saves, including on Keith Yandles point-blank shot early in the third period. "I think he was disappointed after last game," Columbus coach Todd Richards said of McElhinney, who allowed five goals in Colorado Tuesday. "You could tell after the game he wasnt happy. Even (Wednesday) he wasnt happy. And its a great response." Ekman-Larsson suffered an upper-body injury early in the first period on a hit into the boards by Derek MacKenzie. No boarding was called on the play and Tippett said they kept him out as a precaution, leaving Phoenix with only five defencemen. A day after being passed over by the U.S. Olympic team, Yandle soon went after MacKenzie. The two served fighting majors in a sloppy first period that saw only six shots apiece. But the Blue Jackets dominated the second period and Phoenix had little energy as it failed to earn a point for only the third time in 12 games. "We didnt manage the puck very well tonight," Smith said. "You lose Ekman-Larsson early in the game like that and you turn pucks over, it puts a lot of stress on five (defencemen). It wears on them." NOTES: Blue Jackets D Jack Skille (abdominal injury) returned to Columbus after being injured Tuesday vs. Colorado. ... The Blue Jackets sent F Jonathan Marchessault, D Tim Erixon and G Mike McKenna to Springfield (AHL). ... The NHL record for consecutive OT games is seven, set by Edmonton (2003) and Toronto (2008). ... Former Columbus first-round pick Rusty Klesla (illness) returned for Phoenix after missing three games. Royce Freeman Womens Jersey . Villar connected off Joe Saunders (11-14), sending a drive well over the left-field fence for his first career homer. The Astros scored six times in the first three innings to chase Saunders. Bradley Chubb Youth Jersey . Browns advice worked. Irving scored 20 points, including seven in the fourth quarter, and Cleveland defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 88-82 Saturday night. Irving made his first shot of the night on a layup a little over three minutes into the game.TORONTO - It seems that Casey Janssens time in Toronto is coming to an end. While the Blue Jays closer of the last three seasons wouldnt formally shut the door on a return, Janssens poised to test the free agent waters for the first time in his big league career. Janssen reflects on his time in Toronto, his pitch selection and adjustments during a second half that didnt go as well as the first half and he shares the names of three teammates whove impressed him during his nine seasons with the Blue Jays. Listen to the full interview here. Here is the transcript of the interview: TSN.ca: Casey lets not waste any time getting down to brass tacks. Do you anticipate being a Toronto Blue Jay next season? JANSSEN: Its really tough to say. Ive never had the opportunity to test free agency. Ive enjoyed my time here and the opportunity that Ive got here to show what I was able to do is something Ill forever be grateful for. What the future holds is really out of my control and is something not only the Toronto Blue Jays would have to want me back but something that, you know, see what other opportunities arise and see what happens. TSN.ca: You have had, I think, two different halves to this season. The first half you looked like the guy from 2012 and 2013, locking down games. The second half its been a bit more of a struggle. I know youre not an excuses guy but we are looking for reasons. So maybe give me a reason or two that you think your second half has been a struggle for you and did the food poisoning from your trip to the Dominican Republic over the All-Star Break play a role? Did it take you longer to bounce back then maybe you were willing to acknowledge because you didnt want to make excuses? JANSSEN: I mean, looking back and looking at my first half and the rhythm I was in, yeah, I mean its very easy to point the finger at the food poisoning and what I had lost right there. Like you said, Im not one to make excuses but I think, looking back now its easy to say that probably affected him to some level and then from there I believe I probably created some little bad habit. TSN.ca: Mechanical? JANSSEN: Mechanical or pressing or whatever you want to call it. I left balls up and instead of being on the black they were catching a little more white. I wish I could go back and change those last two months. Obviously I cant but I think there was something, a portion and I dont know how long to say it affected me but I think from there I created some kind of flaw in my delivery that led to the downturn. TSN.ca: Over the last couple of months there have had to have been some frustrations that build up inside you. You just mentioned the word pressing there just a little bit. Was some of this mental too? Because I would think youre going through impending free agency for the first time, plus youre obviously wanting to close out games for a team that had won more than it had lost and was contending. Was there an element of that at all? JANSSEN: I would say it was more the team portion than the free agency portion. I want to win so bad. Thats all I want to do. I want to bring a championship to Toronto. Ive always wanted to do that. Pressing on my end, saying that man, I want to be flawless every time out there because I know every time Im out there the game is on the line and every win is so important. So, yeah, I was pressing. I wanted to save five games in the one game that I was trying to close and obviously put ourselves in the best position to win the AL East and to make the playoffs and then as I struggled I think the snowball started to get a little bigger and you know, maybe a touch there of loss of confidence and its a tough game and when youre struggling, youre searching. Youre searching for answers and sometimes its hard to just get that ball rolling on the good side again. TSN.ca: You were talking about leaving balls up. Are you referring mostly to your fastball? I was just looking at your splits for your pitches. Your usage of fastball is down a little bit over last year, about five-percent. Usage of your curveball is up three or four-percent. Have you intentionally changed anything or is that just kind of a random act this season? JANSSEN: Well I think it was definitely intentional that I did change. I think when I was going through those tougher times I felt like I was getting hit with my fastball. Yes, my command wasnt where I expect it to be and I think that led to, like you said, some of the struggles was I was getting beat with my bread and butter which is my fastball and my cutter. The only way to get the hitters off of my fastball and my cutter, because my command wasnt perfect, it was I needed to change speeds more often so I think, yes, I mean obviously throwing more offspeed pitches was intentional from the standpoint of get them off my fastball but at the same time I really like the action on my curveball this year. It was still an aggressive pitch. It wasnt that I was pitching scared with offspeed pitches. I was still, what I felt, pitching aggressively. TSN.ca: It seemed like last year, as good a year as it was for you, there was always conversation about your shoulder and there was more conversation about your shoulder through spring training because you missed a lot of time back in Dunedin dealing with some of that stuff. Von Miller Jersey. Where is your shoulder at right now? JANSSEN: It feels great. My body feels great. I think the arm stuff is something of the past. The spring training mishap, I think I can change up my offseason routine a little bit to make sure that doesnt happen again but Im really excited about the way my shoulder feels, the way my arm feels, the way my body feels. I cant wait for the offseason to build on what Ive started here throughout the season and continue to maintain a strong body and arm and so none of those injuries or DL time ever happen again. TSN.ca: Youre, I hate to say this but its true, youre pushing into your mid-30s now. Has all of this over the last eight, 10 years happened way quicker than it seems? I mean, youve got so much to reflect on, probably more so than youve got to look ahead. JANSSEN: Yeah. I dont feel 33. The guys keep it young and keep it fun and at the end of the day Im still playing a game so I definitely dont feel 33. But, yeah, saying most of my time here, baseball time, is in the past is crazy to think about but definitely not looking in the past, looking in the future and excited about the future and excited for whatever doors open. TSN.ca: Talk about your ties to Toronto. I know your fianc??e is a Southern Ontario girl so youre always going to have links to this area whether you live here or not sometime down the road. For a Southern California kid who, correct me if Im wrong, probably didnt spend a lot of time here in Toronto growing up, what has this city and this area come to mean to you? JANSSEN: Well, its become my second home. Ive enjoyed my time here. Its definitely a city that, if youve never been here, you wouldnt appreciate it as much as I do. Its an unbelievable city. Its fun. Its a great time. I love the downtown area where you can walk everywhere. The people are great and youll have no trouble finding stuff to do in this city. Ive enjoyed every minute of it. Its been great and like I said, you might see me back here next year or you might not but there will definitely be a place in my heart for this place and either baseball or not baseball Im sure I havent seen the last of it. TSN.ca: Youve been through a few eras here so Im going to put you on the spot. This is going to be a tough one to answer but I want you to try to do it. Give me the names of three current or former teammates who youve played with with the Blue Jays who really stand out for you in terms of elite performance on the field or the way that they handled themselves on and off the field, that sort of thing. JANSSEN: The first that comes to mind is probably Roy Halladay. Just with what he was able to accomplish as a front line starter in this division and among baseball. He was as impressive to watch as anyone I can remember and definitely learned a lot from the way he approached the game. Number two, jeez. TSN.ca: Its not supposed to be easy. Youve probably had a few. JANSSEN: I would say the few years that Bautista had here when he was hitting 50-plus home runs was something to really watch and definitely was glad he was on my team and I was getting to watch it as opposed to having to compete against him. But hes a heck of a player. Hes probably right now the face of the Toronto Blue Jays and he deserves every bit of it. Third, let me think of third. Third, Id probably have to go with Vernon (Wells). Although it was more toward the beginning of my career he manned centrefield and held it down pretty well and he had some pretty special seasons as well when I was here. He was a true professional. You learned a lot about him just, like you said, how he carried himself on and off the field. He was there for the media everyday. He was the ultimate pro. Even when he did have a year or two where it didnt go perfectly his way, he was still the same person that a€| still carried himself the same way as that person that was the three-time Gold Glove winner and however many time All-Star. So I appreciate those guys and being able to watch them and learn from them. TSN.ca: When you assess the market and the needs of the 30 teams and Im sure youll delve more into that when the season ends, is the priority for you to close next year wherever you are? Is it winning? What is it? JANSSEN: Ive always said this, I was given the opportunity to close and I absolutely love to close but its not everything to me. If another team wanted me to pitch in the late innings, if its the seventh or the eighth or even the ninth I just like to embrace my role, whatever my role is and try to be the best at it that I can. So, no, closing isnt the ultimate priority. Obviously I want the opportunity to win and if closing and winning combines itself, great. If it doesnt then I really want to win. I really do. Thats why you play and hopefully somebody out there has seen what Ive done and wants my services. TSN.ca: Well, whatever happens Casey we wish you the best. Good luck. JANSSEN: Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Wholeslae Jerseys NFL Jerseys CheapWholesale NBA Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Cheap College Jerseys Cheap Football Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Cheap Baseball Jerseys' ' '
- Created: Jun 28 '19
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