With Patrick Kane heating up, the Chicago Blackhawks will try to continue their dominance over the slumping Edmonton Oilers and claim another win on their annual circus road trip. Kane has often proved troublesome for the Oilers and will seek to lead the Blackhawks to a fifth consecutive victory in the series tonight. Kanes tiebreaking goal in the third period of Thursdays 4-3 win over Calgary was his third in as many games, and he assisted on another in the opener to a six-game trek for Chicago (11-7-1). The Blackhawks star winger has six points in his last three games after totaling four goals and six assists in his first 16. I feel like I can make plays on the ice. Obviously, when youre moving well and trying to make those plays, things are going to develop, Kane said. Im playing with two very skilled players right now with (Kris Versteeg) and (Brad Richards) and theyre finding me in good areas and good spots. It seems like weve had a couple good games in a row. Kane has also had some fine performances against Edmonton (6-12-2), totaling nine goals and 19 assists in his last 17 meetings. Kanes 28 points against the Oilers since the start of the 2009-10 season are his second-most against any opponent, trailing only his 29 against Dallas. He has seven goals and 14 assists during a 12-game point streak versus the Oilers. The Blackhawks have totaled 19 goals during their four-game win streak in the series and have won eight of 10 in Edmonton. The Oilers are 0-4-1 in their last five contests and 0-5-1 at home since Oct. 29. Edmonton was outshot 19-8 in a pivotal second period Friday in a 2-0 loss to visiting New Jersey. The Devils scored both of their goals in a 4:28 span. The problem with our group right now is that we cant seem to get the full 60 (minutes), and you need the full 60, coach Dallas Eakins said. The Oilers will seek to avoid a season-high sixth consecutive defeat and their first seven-game home losing streak since Jan. 18-Feb. 13, 2011. Theyve been outscored 9-2 in Chicagos past two visits. Andrew Shaw had two goals and an assist in the Blackhawks last game in Edmonton, a 5-1 win Nov. 25, but is expected to miss his second straight contest because of an upper-body injury. Shaw, who could be replaced by 2011 first-round draft pick Phillip Danault, joins Patrick Sharp (lower body) and Trevor van Riemsdyk (leg) among the missing Blackhawks. Edmontons top-line winger Benoit Pouliot is out indefinitely after breaking his foot while blocking a shot Friday. I dont know how long hell be out for, but usually that (sidelines a player) for a while, Eakins said. Antti Raanta is expected to make his first NHL start since Oct. 25 and his second against Edmonton. Raanta, 1-2-0 with a 2.03 goals-against average in three games this season, got enough support for a 5-3 home win over the Oilers on Jan. 12. With Viktor Fasth starting the first game of the back-to-back set, Edmonton could turn to Ben Scrivens in this game. Scrivens, 0-5-1 with a 3.34 GAA in his last seven appearances, faced 40 shots in his only matchup against Chicago, a 3-1 road loss for Los Angeles on Dec. 15. Notes: Dallas Eakins confirmed Saturday morning that defenceman Nikita Nikitin is a healthy scratch for tonights game. Projected Oilers Lines vs Blackhawks Forwards Perron - Nugent-Hopkins - Eberle Hall - Drais - Purcell Joensu - Arcobello - Yakupov Hendricks - Gordon - Pinizotto Defence Ference - Petry Marincin - Fayne Aulie - Schultz Goaltender Scrivens . "Hes over there," the first baseman said. "You dont need to talk to anybody else." Indeed, Peralta did it all as the majors top team won again. . -- Jimmie Johnson has a sixth NASCAR championship in hand and two legends within reach.
http://www.suomiairmax.com/. Speaking on TSN Radio 1050s TSN Drive with Dave Naylor on Monday, Colangelo said he had no intention of tanking the shortened 2011-12 season, but definitely wanted a high pick in the draft. "I wish that word wasnt used for headline reasons," said Colangelo, "but the story behind it was: how can we fix the system? How can we tweak the system to make it less likely that teams are rewarded for losing records? "I do believe that if youre as transparent as we were at the time - with our season seat holders, our fans, the market place and the media - everybody knew what the plan was and what we were going through. .com) - The Miami Heat will try to close out the Charlotte Bobcats Monday night in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first round series. .Y. -- The Detroit Red Wings had just enough time to salvage a point. DETROIT -- Max Scherzer could have probably pitched one more inning after breezing through the first eight. Detroits powerful offence made that unnecessary. Scherzer allowed two hits and struck out seven, and the Tigers backed their star right-hander with three early homers in an 8-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night. With a big lead and Scherzers pitch count in triple digits, manager Brad Ausmus decided to go to the bullpen for the ninth inning, instead of sending his starter back to the mound for three more outs. "I had it in me to be able to do it, and I had an extra day (of rest) coming up this next time," Scherzer said. "But given the context of the game, it wasnt the right decision for me to go back out there. Its an 8-1 game. Ive got my work in." Scherzer retired 23 of the last 24 hitters he faced, and Ian Kinsler, Victor Martinez and Torii Hunter all homered as part of a five-run first inning for the AL Central-leading Tigers, who have won 12 of 14. Tampa Bays five-game winning streak came to an end. Detroit leads second-place Kansas City by five games. Scherzer (10-3) allowed a first-inning sacrifice fly by Evan Longoria, but that was the first of 10 straight hitters retired by the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner. After allowing a single in the fourth, Scherzer retired another 13 in a row before he was pulled with a pitch count of 106. There would be no talking the manager into another inning. Ausmus met Scherzer in the dugout and shook his hand. "He was done. I was just confirming to him that he was done," Ausmus said. "It didnt really matter what he said. That was going to be the end for him. There was no reason to send him back out at that point." Erik Bedard (4-6) allowed six runs and eight hits with two walks in two innings. Miguel Cabrera had two doubles, a single, a walk and four runs for Detroit. The Rays are still at the bottom of the AL East, and the improved starting pitching that fueled their recent run was nowhere to be seen Thursday. Affter a leadoff single by Austin Jackson in the first, Kinsler homered to put the Tigers ahead.dddddddddddd. Cabreras walk was followed by Martinezs 21st home run. Hunter added a solo shot with one out to make it 5-1. It was Martinezs first game back after he missed three with soreness in his side. Cabrera doubled in the second and scored on J.D. Martinezs single. He also scored on a single by Hunter in the fourth. Scherzer, coming off a 13-strikeout performance against Houston in his previous start, fanned seven with a walk, and the Detroit defence played well behind him. Nick Castellanos made a diving catch in the third when Desmond Jennings hit a line drive to the third basemans left. Then Detroit shortstop Eugenio Suarez jumped high in the air to snag a liner by Ben Zobrist. The first seven spots of Tampa Bays batting order, listed by position, went CF-SS-LF-3B-1B-DH-RF -- or 8-6-7-5-3-0-9. Rays manager Joe Maddon called it a "Tommy Tutone lineup" before the game, in reference to that bands early-80s hit "867-5309/Jenny." Maddon may have scored points with pop music fans of a certain age, but he couldnt have enjoyed watching his hitters scuffle against Scherzer. James Loneys single in the fourth was the only baserunner the Rays managed after the first inning. "We had some good at-bats," Maddon said. "I thought we played well today, but we just got ourselves in a hole, and that let him be more aggressive." Scherzer has only one complete game in his career -- a shutout of the Chicago White Sox less than a month ago. NOTES: The Tigers sent substitute Don Kelly to the on-deck circle in the fourth instead of Castellanos. Ausmus said Castellanos was in the bathroom, and Detroit wanted someone in the on-deck circle if there was a play at the plate -- to signal to the runner whether to slide. ... Scherzer has reached 10 wins every year since the Tigers traded for him before the 2010 season. ... Detroit LHP Drew Smyly (4-7) faces Tampa Bay RHP Alex Cobb (3-6) on Friday night. ' ' '
