Pages: 1
vive123654 |
Posted on 10-26-15, 03:27 am
|
Karma: 100 Posts: 5/10 Since: 10-26-15 Last post: 3247 days Last view: 3247 days |
GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Henrik Lundqvist had his game-day face on at practice. He still smiled and answered all the questions thrown at him Monday about the Los Angeles Kings -- the New York Rangers long-awaited opponent in the Stanley Cup finals. "Exciting. Long flight," the star goalie said Monday before he and his teammates headed to California for New Yorks first appearance in the finals since winning the title in 1994. "East Coast-West Coast. Ill look forward to this matchup." If there wasnt already enough pressure on Lundqvist to lead his team to the championship, he is now part of the hype machine heading into Game 1 on Wednesday. Headlines are screaming: "King Henrik vs. the Kings." "Clever," he said with a slight laugh. The Rangers have been waiting since Thursday to find out if they would face the 2012 Stanley Cup-winning Kings or the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks in the finals. They took two days off before returning to practice on Sunday. Most of the players said they watched at least part of Los Angeles third road Game 7 win of this playoff year that night. So practice on Monday had a bit more focus for the Rangers as they knew exactly who was standing in their way next. "Any team you play at this time of year is a good hockey team, especially a team that has kind of been around the playoffs and the Stanley Cup finals a couple of times in the last few years," forward Derek Stepan said. "This is a very good hockey club, We have a tough challenge in front of us." The Kings returned to Los Angeles after their 5-4 come-from-behind overtime win at Chicago and took Monday off. They have played a record 21 playoff games before the finals -- one more than the Rangers, who eliminated the Montreal Canadiens in six games during the Eastern Conference finals. Before this year, no team that played seven games in each of the first two rounds had reached the finals. Now, both clubs have done it. The Kings taking it a step further with a trio of seven-game series. "When you knew you were playing L.A., the adrenaline started coming a little bit more," Lundqvist said. "Youve been thinking about this ever since you beat Montreal, but now knowing were going to L.A., it was easier to focus on whats coming. "You just try to now come back to the focus and mindset you had last week. Its been nice to get a little break here and get away from it a little bit because its been that intense." Both teams will be back to the grind on Tuesday for media day, leading up to the opener the following night. The Rangers and Kings split two games during the regular season -- with each team winning in the other clubs building -- but they havent seen each other since Los Angeles 1-0 victory at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 17. New York opened with a five-game Western road trip as final renovations were being made at the Garden. Its only win during that stretch was a 3-1 victory at Los Angeles on Oct. 7 -- a 28-save performance by Lundqvist. "Great goaltending. Great defence. Great forwards. Great special teams," Kings coach Darryl Sutter provided as a quick scouting report on the Rangers. "Were up against it again." The Rangers know that many, if not most, in the hockey world arent giving them much of a chance to win the Cup. They neither mind nor embrace the role of underdog. They have heard it before, and have just gone about their business. "When you get into the NHL, you know how hard it is to win," forward Brad Richards said. "The underdog thing and the favourite thing really doesnt mean anything in the locker room. You have to go out and play." New York needed seven games to get past division rival Philadelphia in the first round. The Rangers werent expected to beat Pittsburgh from the start, and certainly not after they fell into a 3-1 series deficit. Montreal was coming off a stirring seven-game victory over defending Eastern Conference champion Boston, so odds makers favoured the Canadiens in their matchup against New York, too. But here the Rangers are as the last team standing. "To put it quite simply, were up against the team that won the Stanley Cup two years ago that just beat the defending Stanley Cup champions, that without a doubt is battle-tested," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "We know exactly what we have to do. If we want to have a chance, were going to have to bring our best hockey of the year. Its as simple as that. "Weve had a couple of good practices, were going to have another good one tomorrow, and were going to be ready come Wednesday." He added one more thing as he left the media interview tent while wearing his sandals, to go prepare for a cross-country flight. "Bring your shorts," he said. Daryl Johnston Cowboys Jersey . Durant added eight rebounds in Istanbul, the city where he was MVP of the world basketball championship in 2010 when he led the U.S. to the gold medal. Serge Ibaka added 15 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots for the Thunder. Randy Gregory Cowboys Jersey . According to the Washington Post, the Washington Capitals placed Green on the long-term injured list on Thursday meaning he wont be back in the lineup before February 1st. http://www.officialthecowboysonline.com/AUTHENTIC-DOUG-FREE-COWBOYS-JERSEY/ . When it comes to the struggling New York Knicks, Derek Fisher might be running out of ways to motivate them… so hes resorting to stating the obvious. Cowboys Jersey . The testimony contrasted with several messages read out in court at the request of the prosecution a day earlier in which Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp argued in the weeks before he fatally shot her. In those messages, Steenkamp told the double-amputee runner that she was sometimes scared by his behaviour, which included jealous outbursts in front of other people. Emmitt Smith Youth Jersey . Pretty soon he started hitting a few, and on Friday night he was a career-best 6 of 6 from behind the arc. Parsons scored 21 points and the Rockets picked up their fourth straight win, rolling to an easy 114-95 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. NEW YORK -- Tone Time is over for the New York Jets. The Jets parted ways with wide receiver Santonio Holmes on Monday, cutting the talented but injury-plagued playmaker after four seasons. The move, which had been expected, saves the Jets $8.25 million, which Holmes was due to make as his base salary this season. He was also scheduled to have a $10.75 million cap number, a lofty total for a one-time Super Bowl MVP who has struggled with injuries and inconsistency the last two seasons. The Jets also released cornerback Antonio Cromartie on Sunday, clearing $17.75 million of salary cap space before the NFLs free agency period starts Tuesday. New York could also save another $8.3 million if they cut quarterback Mark Sanchez, who missed last season with a shoulder injury. Holmes, who turned 30 last Monday, had 23 catches -- the second-lowest total of his career -- for 456 yards and a touchdown in 11 games last season. He missed five games midway through the season with a hamstring injury. Holmes played in just four games in 2012 and was sidelined for several months after suffering a career-threatening foot injury. In December, Holmes said he would be willing to restructure his contract to remain a member of the Jets, adding that how much of a pay cut hed be asked to take probably wouldnt play into his decision to want to stay. "I appreciate Tones contributions over the last four seasons," coach Rex Ryan said in a statement. "Ive always admired his knack for making the clutch play. Hes a tremendous competitor who wants the ball in his hands when the game is on the line. I wish him nothing but the best." Holmes signed a five-year, $45 million deal before the 2011 season after a solid first year with the Jets, who acquired him from Pittsburgh for a fifth-round draft pick. He agreed to restructure his contract in March 2012, when he took a $3.5 million cut to his scheduled base salary of $11 million for last sseason.dddddddddddd Holmes was a controversial figure at times during his tenure with the Jets, butting heads with Sanchez and the teams offensive linemen during the 2011 season. In the season finale at Miami, he got into an argument with offensive tackle Wayne Hunter in the huddle and was benched for the rest of the game. The mercurial wide receiver also had a contentious relationship with the media, keeping his answers short during most group interviews. He inadvertently made headlines last season when he called Carolinas secondary the Panthers defences "weakest link" while trying to credit the unit -- but providing bulletin board for an opponent that went out and beat the Jets 30-20. Holmes was a first-round draft pick by the Steelers out of Ohio State in 2006 and was selected the Super Bowl MVP in his third season after he caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger with 35 seconds left to lead Pittsburgh past Arizona. He had his best statistical performance the following season with 79 catches for 1,248 yards and five touchdowns. But Holmes was traded to the Jets the following off-season after the Steelers tired of his numerous legal troubles. Holmes was suspended for his first four games with the Jets for violating the NFLs substance abuse policy, but quickly became one of the teams primary playmakers when he returned. He played a key role in three straight wins with big catches late in games, prompting Ryan to label those types of clutch moments as "Tone Time." He also helped lead the Jets to their second straight AFC title game appearance, in which they lost to Holmes former team. Holmes has 381 career catches for 5,963 yards and 36 touchdowns in eight NFL seasons. NOTES: The Jets offered a one-year tender to restricted free agent LB Nick Bellore, who is one of the teams core special teams players. He has until May 2 to accept the offer or negotiate with other teams. cheap custom jerseys wholesale jerseys store cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '
|
Pages: 1