wxy1123's blog: "lele"

VANCOUVER -- Cory Schneider might not get many starts for the Vancouver Canucks, but hes showing he can shine in big games. Victor Cruz Womens Jersey . Roberto Luongos backup made 37 saves against playoff rival Chicago Blackhawks in Vancovers tense 3-2 overtime victory on Tuesday. It was Schneiders third start of the month, all wins. He stopped 39 pucks Jan. 7 in a 4-3 win over Stanley Cup nemesis Boston. "Quality over quantity, right?" Schneider said after posting his 11th win of the season and fourth in a row against only five losses. "Its exciting to get these opportunities. I dont get them a whole lot because of the way Roberto plays and hes big in big games." Schneiders stock is rising. He will become a restricted free agent at the end of the season and is constantly mentioned when fans talk about potential trades. "For me, its an opportunity and I cant let them slip by," Schneider said of getting starts in big games. "I cant afford to have a bad game. In the first period it was a little ... getting my timing back (after the all-star break)." Daniel Sedins 22nd goal of the season at 3:37 of the extra period won it for the Canucks, who also got goals from Ryan Kesler and rookie Cody Hodgson. Jamal Mayers and Viktor Stalberg replied for Chicago, which took Vancouver to overtime in Game 7 of the first round of last springs playoffs. The Canucks won their third straight game to improve to 31-15-4 and move a point ahead of Chicago with a game in hand in the competitive West. The Blackhawks lost their third in a row to slip to 29-15-7. Chicago won the conference title in 2009-10 while the Canucks were the champions last season, Schneider made many key saves to preserve a 1-1 tie when Vancouver was outshot 18-6 in the middle period. "He made some unbelievable stops," said Vancouver defenceman Kevin Bieksa. "They had a lot of odd-man rushes and he made a lot of side-to-side stops (which) are not easy to do. Hes in position all the time." Schneider denied Stalberg several times including once in the third period when the Chicago forward broke in alone on a pass from Patrick Kane then robbed Andrew Shaw on the rebound. The Canuck netminder brought the crowd to its feet with 4:23 remaining in the second period when he foiled Brendan Morrison after misplaying the puck behind his own net. The Canuck goalie was prone on the ice but somehow got an arm on Morrisons shot when the Hawk newcomer fired at a nearly wide open net. "I botched it behind the net," said Schneider, who had help from defenceman Alex Edler as he scrambled back to his crease where he flopped as Morrison shot. "I just remember reaching as far as I could and the puck hit me. I was more upset with myself than happy about the save." Daniel Sedin scored the winner on a bang-bang play after taking pass from brother Henrik behind Chicago goalie Corey Crawford. "We were able to hold on to the puck for a while and Danny gave it to me behind the net," said Henrik, who won the offensive zone faceoff. "He knows where to go so it wasnt a tough pass to make." Crawford finished with 30 saves including a spectacular glove stop off Henrik Sedin in overtime. "I just tried to get over as quick as I could and take up as much net as I could," Crawford said. The Hawks got an offensive boost when Jonathan Towes and Patrick Sharp, who have 47 goals between them, came back from injuries. "Its definitely frustrating," Crawford said. "We keep getting these bad bounces against us. We controlled the second period. A tough game, two good teams." Keslers goal went in of the shaft of a defenders stick while Hodgson scored on a breakaway after a neutral zone turnover by Stalberg. Mayers scored in the first period with the Canucks scrambling in their own end while Stalberg bounced a shot in off Edler for a 2-1 lead early in the third period. The Hawks felt they should have been given at least a power play in overtime when Canuck defenceman Dan Hamhuis hacked at Stalberg in a scoring position. "He slashed my hands and I couldnt make the move I wanted," Stalberg said. "I think it was pretty clear it fit the definition of a penalty shot." Toews said it was a frustrating game where the Hawks, who had the only two power plays, paid for their mistakes. "We had chances to distance ourselves on the power play and five-on-five, a ton of odd-man rushes in the second period. Give their goaltender credit, he played well." Notes: Sharp (hand) was out eight games while Toews (arm) returned after missing one start ... Morrison made his Chicago debut after being dealt Friday by the Calgary Flames ... he was a Canuck from 2000 to 2008 ... Chicago is the Pitt Meadows, B.C. natives seventh NHL team ... the Hawks have eight games remaining on their season-long road trip which ends Feb. 16 against the Rangers. Victor Cruz Youth Jersey . The win snapped a five-game winless streak for Belleville while the Battalion lost for the first time in regulation in 12 games. "I have to give a lot of credit to the guys in front of me," said Graham. David Baas Womens Jersey . The 18-year-old from Nizhnekamsk, Russia, recorded 31 goals and 69 points in 42 games for the Ontario Hockey Leagues Sting during an injury-shortened 2011-12 season. http://www.officialnewyorkgiantsgear.com/lawrence-tynes-jerseys . Rainbow throws from quarterbacks on opposite ends of their careers may have done the trick. The 37-year-old Batch completed 11 of 14 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown to bolster his hopes of playing a 15th season and the Pittsburgh Steelers held off a late rally by Clausen and the Carolina Panthers for a 17-16 preseason victory on Thursday night. Hakeem Nicks Jersey . The 32-year-old Blake succumbed to fellow former top-five star Nikolay Davydenko, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, in two hours on the hardcourts at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park. The 2008 Miami champion Davydenko will meet world No. Lawrence Tynes Womens Jersey . But a six-run third inning off Randy Wolf proved to be plenty Friday night, and the Pirates pounded the Brewers 8-2. "I think it has a lot to do with how the games have gone here in the past," Correia said. "A five-run lead doesnt feel like much here.The Buffalo Sabres embraced a new owner with deep pockets last summer and spent big on free agency, only to stumble early and miss the playoffs. Off-Season Game Plan looks at a Sabres team that has the talent to be a playoff contender. Will they be willing to chalk up their disappointment in 2011-2012 to bad luck or bad seasons and re-set with much the same group next season? The Sabres did go 19-5-5 on a stretch from late January to late March, which got them back into the playoff discussion, but the early hole they put themselves in was too much to overcome. If there are positives to be gleaned from that second half performance, however, the Sabres may not be looking to overhaul the roster this summer. Maybe an overhaul isnt in the cards, but the Sabres could stand to improve in a few areas, most notably at centre. Derek Roy is ostensibly the teams top centre, but hes heading into the final year of his contract and has been rumoured to be on the block for some time and Buffalo dealt checking pivot Paul Gaustad to Nashville at the deadline. Upgrading the number one centre spot wont be easy, but its a reasonable objective going into the offseason since the Sabres have a significant number of assets (including prospects and picks) to make a deal. The lesson that probably needs to be taken away from last summer is that, just because they have Terry Pegulas financial wherewithal behind them, doesnt mean that the Sabres have to spend the money if the right assets arent available. Not to pick on anyone in particular, but the opportunity cost of signing Ville Leino for six years isnt only what it means if Leino doesnt perform, but its that Leino occupies a spot on the roster that might be used on a future acquisition. With that takeaway, the Sabres may be more selective in their approach this summer and they should be. This roster, with some tweaking, is certainly capable of making the playoffs and if their goaltender is on top of his game, who knows how far they could go? The TSN.ca Rating is an efficiency rating based on per-game statistics including goals and assists -- weighted for strength (ie. power play, even, shorthanded) -- plus-minus, hits, blocked shots, giveaways, takeaways, penalty differential and faceoffs. (Stats are listed in this format: G-A-PTS, , PIM, GP). Generally, a replacement-level player is around a 60, a top six forward and top four defenceman will be 70-plus and the biggest stars will be over 80. Evgeni Malkin finished at the top of the regular season ratings with a 93.12. Salary cap information all comes from the indispensable www.capgeek.com. GM/COACH Darcy Regier/Lindy Ruff Returning Forwards Player Rating GP G A PTS Cap Hit Jason Pominville 75.82 82 30 43 73 -7 $5.3M Thomas Vanek 71.33 78 26 35 61 -6 $7.143M Drew Stafford 70.27 80 20 30 50 +5 $4.0M Derek Roy 67.17 80 17 27 44 -7 $4.0M Cody Hodgson 65.02 83 19 22 41 +1 $1.667M Nathan Gerbe 62.88 62 6 19 25 +2 $1.433M Luke Adam 62.25 52 10 10 20 -6 $875K Ville Leino 60.18 71 8 17 25 -2 $4.5M Corey Tropp 57.90 34 3 5 8 0 $700K Matt Ellis 55.59 60 3 5 8 -3 $525K Cody McCormick 52.64 50 1 3 4 -7 $1.2M Free Agent Forwards Player Rating GP G A PTS Class 11-12 Cap Hit Tyler Ennis 71.38 48 15 19 34 +11 RFA $875K Jochen Hecht 62.57 22 4 4 8 +1 UFA $3.525M Brad Boyes 60.32 65 8 15 23 +2 UFA $4.0M Patrick Kaleta 56.86 63 5 5 10 -5 RFA $907.5K Captain Jason Pominville has played all 82 games in five of the last six seasons and last years 30 goals and 73 points were the second-best totals of his career and hes a force on special teams, topping 20 power play points for the fourth time in the last five seasons. Thomas Vanek was sizzling in the first half of the season, scoring 39 points in his first 37 games, but he dropped off badly in the second half, scoring 23 points in 41 games playing through injuries. Even after finishing on that down note, Vanek stands out as a high-end finisher and his 230 goals since the start of the 2005-2006 season ranks eighth in the league in that time. Stumbling through a forgettable season, Drew Stafford got his game on track when aligned with Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno late in the year and, after scoring 28 points in 58 games, he finished the year with a point-per-game in the last 22. 26-year-old Stafford has size and skill to be an offensive threat but consistency has not been a strong suit to this point in his career. Before a torn quad cut short Derek Roys 2010-2011 season, he had tallied 35 points in 35 games, but he was not the same player upon returning to the lineup last season, yet he played nearly as much (19:19 per game, down from 19:32 per game the year before). Going into the final year of his contract, its conceivable that Roy could be trade bait, unless the Sabres are confident that, a year removed from his injury, he can be more effective in a prime scoring role next season. By dealing Zack Kassian to Vancouver for Cody Hodgson, the Sabres sacrificed size and snarl for more offensive upside. Hodgson received more ice time in Buffalo (17:16 per game in Buffalo, 12:44 per game in Vancouver), but was scoreless in his first 10 games with the Sabres. Hodgsons rise as a highly-touted prospect has been a bumpy ride, but hes a 22-year-old who put up 41 points as a rookie, so there should be many more points to come. Nathan Gerbe is a solid enough complementary forward, and reliable enough to be used in the defensive zone, but six goals in 62 games last season wasnt ideal. Something closer to the 16 he scored in 64 games in 2010-2011 would be more in line with what the Sabres need from him. Big centre Luke Adam earned his keep early, scoring 19 points in 27 games through early December, before one point in the next 25 games earned him a ticket to Rochester for the rest of the season. Adam, 21, could use an extra gear, but he has 75 points in 84 AHL games, which is an indication that he should be able to produce points in the NHL if given the opportunity. If Roy goes elsewhere, that could present Adam with the chance he needs to flourish. There may not have been a more ill-advised free agent signing last summer than the Sabres long-term commitment to Ville Leino. Its not as if Leino is without merit as a player. Even in a disappointing 2011-2012 season with the Sabres, Leino still had a positive shot differential (per www.behindthenet.ca). He wont justify his exhorbitant contract, but used in a supporting role on the wing -- not centre -- Leino can be a useful contributor. 22-year-old energy winger Corey Tropp scored 22 points in 27 AHL games and was shuttled back-and-forth between Rochester and Buffalo for much of the season. He could eearn a fourth-line job or return to the AHL for the start of next season. Matt Ellis has never scored more than 13 points in a season, but has found a niche in Buffalo as an extra forward. He works cheaply and can be trusted in a defensive role in the limited minutes that he plays. Tough guy Cody McCormick was rewarded for what amounted to a breakthrough season in 2010-2011, but wasnt the same contributor last season. Hes still under contract for a couple more seasons and has fought 24 times over the last two seasons (according to www.hockeyfights.com), so there is a role for McCormick to play, but hes paid enough that he can provide more than one goal in 50 games. When the Sabres made their too-little-too-late run in a bid for a playoff spot late in the year, their resurgence was keyed by the emergence of Tyler Ennis, who scored 27 points in his last 26 games, while playing centre, which allowed him to thrive as a playmaker. There may not be a player more disliked by opponents than Sabres agitator Patrick Kaleta, who played in a career-high 63 games last season, yet was still the Sabres most active hitting forward. Kaleta plays on the edge, sometimes veering over, as he tries to get opponents off their games and thats his calling card, but hes a useful checker too. After trading Paul Gaustad to Nashville at the deadline, the Sabres could use another checking centre. Free agents like Jay McClement, Jim Slater or Colin Fraser might be veteran options that could help for a relatively inexpensive price. If prospects like Adam and Tropp are in the mix for next season, there may not be a lot of openings for the Sabres to add more free agent forwards, but trades may also alter the landscape and team needs. Returning Defence Player Rating GP G A PTS Cap Hit Christian Ehrhoff 71.44 66 5 227 32 -2 $4. Justin Tuck Womens Jersey. 0M Tyler Myers 71.30 55 8 15 23 +5 $5.5M Alexander Sulzer 70.31 27 3 6 9 +8 $725K Jordan Leopold 68.34 79 10 14 24 +4 $3.0M Andrej Sekera 65.02 69 3 10 13 +3 $2.75M Mike Weber 60.25 51 1 4 5 -19 $950K Robyn Regehr 60.14 76 1 4 5 -12 $4.02M Leaving the Vancouver Canucks power play had predictable results for Christian Ehrhoff, as he finished with 11 power play points last season, one year after tallying 28 with the man advantage for the Canucks. With that 17-point PP difference, its worth noting that Ehrhoffs 32 total points last season was 18 points below his 2010-2011 total. With all that said, Ehrhoff is as good as the Sabres have when it comes to offensive defencemen and he has been playing 21-plus minutes per night in each of the last five seasons. Tyler Myers offensive game has declined since his 48-point rookie season and there is some sense that his development has stalled, but a 22-year-old defenceman with 108 points in 217 career games is intriguing, even before noting that he stands 6-foot-8. After spending nearly four seasons bouncing around the fringes of the NHL lineup with Nashville, Florida and Vancouver before arriving in Buffalo late last season, Alexander Sulzer suddenly was a productive regular for the Sabres down the stretch, scoring eight points in 15 games. At this point, no one knows if Sulzer could carry on that production, but the Sabres just re-signed him, so they are willing to pay the relatively modest price to find out. For the third straight season, Jordan Leopold finished with at least 10 goals and hes a serviceable top four defenceman. At the same time, if the Sabres could upgrade on the blueline, Leopold could slide down the depth chart and maybe play a little less than the 22-23 minutes hes logged the last couple seasons. 25-year-old Andrej Sekera has had some decent stretches over the last couple of seasons and has worked his way into the top four, but if hes going to play 20 minutes per game, he should be more productive. Mike Weber adds toughness to the Sabres defence, but the 24-year-old was also a minus-19 in just 51 games last season. Though that looks ugly, Webers shot differential was middle of the pack among Buffalo blueliners, so there may have been some element of bad luck at play for a player who profiles as a sixth or seventh defenceman. After he waived his no-trade clause to come to Buffalo in a trade from Calgary, Robyn Regehr was expected to be a shutdown presence on defence for the Sabres, but that wasnt necessarily the case. He played 18:38 per game, which was his lowest since his rookie year in 1999-2000 and, while Regehr faced the tough matchups, his ice time also decreased as the season went along. Given the players that the Sabres already have under contract, there may not be a lot of big moves to be made on the blueline, unless they are prepared to deal one of their established vets (like Regehr, Sekera or Leopold). Otherwise, prospect Brayden McNabb also appears to be knocking on the door and could be ready for a job with the Sabres next season. Returning Goaltenders Player Rating GP W L OTL GAA SV% Cap Hit Ryan Miller 72.60 61 31 21 7 2.54 .916 $6.25M Jhonas Enroth 71.48 26 8 11 4 2.70 .917 $675K In 2009-2010, Ryan Miller was ranked among the top goaltenders in the game, but with a .916 save percentage over the two seasons since, hes lingering around those with the "above-average" label. After getting clocked by Bruins winger Milan Lucic in November, Millers game suffered and his season was nearly a lost cause before his game turned in February (2.08 GAA, .931 SV% after the All-Star break, 3.07 GAA, .899 SV% before). Its simple enough: when Miller is at the top of his game, the Sabres are a playoff team. When hes struggling, they arent. 23-year-old Jhonas Enroth established his credentials as a legitimate NHL goaltender, posting a .917 save percentage as Millers backup. If he can continue to play at that level, the Sabres wont hesitate to give Enroth more action when Miller goes through slumps. Top Prospects Player Pos. Team/League Stats Joel Armia RW Assat-Pori (SML) 18-20-38, +12, 54 GP Marcus Foligno LW Rochester (AHL) 16-23-39, +19, 60 GP Brayden McNabb D Rochester (AHL) 5-25-30, +15, 45 GP Mark Pysyk D Edmonton (WHL) 6-32-38, +15, 57 GP Jerome Gauthier-Leduc D Rimouski (QMJHL) 28-46-74, +13, 62 GP T.J. Brennan D Rochester (AHL) 16-14-30, +5, 52 GP Daniel Catenacci C Owen Sound (OHL) 33-39-72, +11, 67 GP Kevin Sundher C Brandon (WHL) 26-49-75, -15, 58 GP Connor Knapp G Miami-Ohio (CCHA) 15-8, 1.69 GAA, .933 SV%, 24 GP Alex Biega D Rochester (AHL) 5-18-23, +10, 65 GP A winger with size and scoring ability, Joel Armia has been productive in two seasons against men in Finland, so it could be time to bring him to North America, where a year in the AHL would help him get used to the schedule and provide a gauge for how close he might be to NHL readiness. Its almost foolish to pretend that Marcus Foligno is still a prospect, as though his late-season run with the Sabres -- which included a point per game and plus-7 rating in the last 13 games of the season -- wouldnt have him solidly in place for next season, but he did spend most of the year in the AHL, so he can be considered a prospect for these purposes. In any case, Foligno adds a physical dimension to the Sabres forward group and even if he cant maintain that scoring pace, he can be a solid top-nine winger for a long time. Brayden McNabb was pressed into service with the Sabres as a first-year pro, but didnt look out place and there will surely be a future for a big, physical defenceman who can also handle the puck, but Buffalos blueline is currently a crowded place, so McNabb may need to be patient or force the organizations hand to earn a spot in the lineup. A first-round pick in 2010, Mark Pysyk logged four-plus seasons in the WHL, marked by safe and steady play (hes plus-44 over the last two seasons). The 20-year-old will move to the AHL next season and could use time to get stronger. Even though hes not going to be a bruising physical presence, he can use a couple years of development before taking a run at the NHL. If theres one thing that Jerome Gauthier-Leduc knows, its how to contribute offensively, scoring 66 goals over the last three seasons in the QMJHL. Like Pysyk, hell need further seasoning, but the long-range hope will be that he can be a factor on the power play. When injuries hit the Buffalo blueline hard, T.J. Brennan was one of those to get the call from the AHL and he performed admirably, suffered a concussion and returned to play late in the year. Brennans been an offensive factor in his own right, scoring 31 goals in 124 AHL games over the last two seasons. A third-round pick last summer, Daniel Catenacci is a smallish centre who has offensive ability, but his speed and feistiness give him a chance to succeed at the next level. Kevin Sundher was enjoying a terrific season with Victoria of the WHL (64 points in 40 games) before a trade to playoff-bound Brandon, and he just wasnt the same player, producing 14 points in 27 regular season and playoff games for the Pats. Some time in the AHL will determine whether or not hes a legit prospect. 6-foot-5 goaltender Connor Knapp is coming off a strong senior season at Miami-Ohio and hell be joined by Western Hockey League grad Nathan Lieuwen as the next generation of Sabres goaltending prospects. Alex Biega is undersized as pro defencemen go, but the 24-year-old has put in a couple of solid AHL campaigns after four years at Harvard, so hes probably not far from getting a shot; the challenge, of course, being that he has a long list of defence prospects ahead of him on the Sabres depth chart. Signed out of the University of Maine (where he had 156 points in 153 career games), Brian Flynn and Philip Varone, a playmaking pivot who led Rochester with 52 points in the regular season, also add to the Sabres talent pool. DRAFT 12th - Cody Ceci, Brendan Gaunce, Sebastian Collberg 21st - Olli Maatta, Tom Wilson, Nicolas Kerdiles FREE AGENCY According to www.capgeek.com, the Sabres have approximately $57.8M committed to the 2012-2013 salary cap for 18 players. Check out my potential 2012-2013 Sabres roster on Cap Geek here. Needs: First line centre, checking centre, top-four defenceman. What I said the Sabres needed last year: Depth forwards, one top four defenceman, another defenceman. They added: Ville Leino, Luke Adam, Christian Ehrhoff, Robyn Regehr, Marc-Andre Gragnani. TRADE MARKET Derek Roy, Drew Stafford, Ville Leino, Jordan Leopold, Andrej Sekera, Robyn Regehr. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' '