VANCOUVER - For one game at least, Zack Kassian lived up to his billing as a power forward who can produce points.
Karl-Anthony Towns Jersey . Kassian recorded four assists to earn the first four-point night of his star-crossed NHL career
Sunday night as the Vancouver Canucks rallied to beat his former team, the
Buffalo Sabres 4-2. "It was one of those games (where) it seemed the puck
followed me," said Kassian. "Its nice personally, but its even better we keep
this streak going." The Canucks (33-30-10) have now posted two consecutive wins
for the first time since mid-January. Vancouver pulled within three points of
eighth-place Phoenix, and one point of ninth-place Dallas in the race for the
second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Sabres (20-43-8),
last in the NHL by a wide margin, suffered their eighth loss in the past 10
games as they squandered an early 2-0 lead. Brad Richardson, Shawn Matthias,
Yannick Weber and David Booth, with his first goal in 33 games, scored for the
Canucks, who have won five of their last eight contests. The Sabres went ahead
2-0 only 3:29 into the game, but the score was tied 2-2 after the first period
and the Canucks led 3-2 following the second. "In this league you cant play good
sometimes," said Sabres coach Ted Nolan. "Youve got to play good all the time.
Thats a lesson to learn and something we have to do to move forward."
Tyler Ennis and Jamie McBain provided the offence for Buffalo. Kassian has often
faced criticism since he was traded to Vancouver from the Sabres at the NHL
trade deadline in February 2012 in the four-player deal that saw former Canuck
fan favourite Cody Hodgson head to Buffalo. Kassian, Buffalos top 2009 draft
pick (13th overall) excelled offensively two days after saying he is playing
primarily a checking role now while Hodgson is primarily an offensive player.
Hodgson, Vancouvers first choice (10th overall) in 2008, went without a point
while the Sabres were badly outplayed for most of the game. "Im excited for
every game, but obviously you want to play hard against your old team," said
Kassian. "You definitely want to get the win, but its nice when you play well
individually and as a line." Matthias, who was acquired in the Roberto Luongo
trade from Florida, also had two assists while Richardson had one helper. The
Canucks had not posted two straight wins since beating the Calgary Flames on
Jan. 18, when coach John Tortorella drew a suspension for charging their
dressing room between the first and second periods, and Edmonton Oilers on Jan.
21. Vancouver goaltender Eddie Lack overcame a slow start to earn the win. After
allowing goals on Buffalos first and third shots of the game, Lack was sharp and
finished with 16 saves. "The team did a great job bouncing back," said Lack. "I
felt like I wasnt really tracking the puck well the first half of the game but
then I just kind of settled down and felt better after that." Vancouvers quick
rally from its early deficit spoiled a strong effort from rookie Buffalo
goaltender Nathan Lieuwen, a 22-year-old Abbotsford, B.C., native who made just
his second NHL career start and third appearance after being promoted from
Rochester of the AHL on March 16. He recorded 32 saves as his club was outshot
36-18. "Thats frustrating and thats hockey," he said. "You get some good bounces
and you do good things and you make mistakes, so Ill definitely learn from it."
Weber scored the winning goal just 1:40 into the second period as he put a shot
through Lieuwens legs to give the Canucks a 3-2 lead. Sabres defenceman
Mike Weber was close to his Canuck namesake on the play, but Lieuwen said the
puck went straight in. "I thought I had it and, obviously, there was a hole,"
said Lieuwen. "I dont know what to tell you. Thats obviously one that I feel I
can obviously save. What a terrible night for that to go in." The goal sullied
his "dream come true" of playing in Vancouver, where he has "tonnes of family."
Ennis was also left frustrated as he watched the Sabres lead disintegrate after
he had McBain had put them ahead. "We heard (Lack) has been shaky, so we wanted
to get on him early, and we did," said Ennis. Kassian was not around for the
final horn because he took a puck between the eyes, for the second time on the
night, with 1:32 left in the game. He needed "about 10 stitches" to repair a
cut. "So my face isnt getting any prettier, thats for sure," he said. Notes:
Vancouver lost Henrik Sedin to an apparent knee injury late in the second period
as he collided with a fallen Buffalo player behind the Sabres net. "I went to
hit a guy and he came back off the boards and he fell on top of me, so well see
how it is (Monday)," said Sedin. The mishap occurred after the Canucks and NHL
honoured the Canucks captain for his 1,000th NHL game, played March 12 in
Winnipeg. NHL senior vice-president of hockey operations Jim Gregory represented
the league. ... Vancouver forwards Ryan Kesler and Daniel Sedin returned after
suffering injuries earlier this month, but Alex Burrows missed the game with a
hand injury suffered Thursday against Nashville. ... Hodgson played his 200th
NHL regular-season game. … Lack made his 35th start of the season. At the outset
of the season, Tortorella indicated he would get 15-20 starts. … Buffalo
defenceman Alexander Sulzer, who was acquired with Hodgson from the Canucks,
missed his fifth consecutive game with an upper-body injury. … Sabres starting
goaltender Michal Neuvirth, acquired from Washington at the trade deadline, also
missed his fourth consecutive contest, with a lower-body ailment. … Neuvirth and
Matt Hackett, who dressed as Buffalos backup, were traded for each other in the
2007-08 OHL season. Neuvirth went to Windsor from Plymouth while Hackett went
the other way.
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9 mm pistol in the early hours of Feb. 14, 2013 remains the crux of the South
African trial that has captured worldwide attention and is about to start its
seventh week of globally televised proceedings. It was initially scheduled to
run for three weeks.
Swingman Nikola Pekovic Jersey . Now, Sarah Burkes legacy will live on in Canadas Sports Hall of Fame. Burke, who tragically
died at age 29 from a training accident in 2012, headlined the 2014 class named
for induction Wednesday.ARLINGTON, Texas -- Nick Tepesch and Robbie Ross helped
the Texas Rangers hold off the Seattle Mariners. Tepesch, back from the minor
leagues, earned his first major league victory in more than 10 months and the
Rangers edged the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Wednesday. Ross, back in the bullpen
after an unsuccessful stint in the rotation, bailed Tepesch out of a
seventh-inning jam. Neal Cotts, whose ERA has ballooned from 1.11 in 2013 to
4.34 this season, had a strong eighth. Joakim Soria, back in a closers role this
year for the first time since 2011, pitched a perfect ninth inning for his
eighth save in eight opportunities. The Rangers offence had three first-inning
runs and Shin-Soo Choos leadoff home run in the bottom of the fifth that broke a
3-3 tie. Choos fifth homer went into the bullpen in left-centre. "Two strikes, I
was in a rough spot. I think about more (getting) on base," he said. "Got a home
run that got up in that gust a little bit, thats it," Mariners manager Lloyd
McClendon said. "Its a tough ballpark to pitch in, but I thought (Chris Young)
did a pretty darn good job for us. Texas turned two double plays. The second was
on Ross second pitch after entering the game with one out and runners on first
and second for the Mariners. Pinch hitter Stefen Romero grounded to
Adrian Beltre, who stepped on third base and threw to first to complete the
inning-ending double play. "I was thinking, Gosh, here we go! Im in a situation
where I like to be. I was pretty amped," Ross said. "I wanted to be out of that
inning without those runs scoring." Tepesch (1-0) allowed five hits and two
walks in 6 1-3 innings for his first win since defeating Houston 10-5 on July 5,
2013. The second-year pitcher threw a career-high 112 pitches. It was his second
start this season for the Rangers after being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock,
where he was 6-1. Texas manager Ron Washington has noticed a difference. "He has
an out pitch right now. Hes got that slider working, and hes able to llocate his
sinker.
Swingman Karl-Anthony Towns Jersey. With that going on and commanding the baseball, I think theres the difference right
there." Washington visited Tepesch on the mound with one out in the seventh and
Dustin Ackley coming up. Tepesch assured the manager he was OK. Then he walked
both Ackley and John Buck. "I just wanted to know how he was feeling,"
Washington said. "Did he think he had enough to get this lefty up there? Because
I had a lefty ready. The look in his eyes, he convinced me, and I had to end up
getting Robbie to bail me out." After that, it was Cotts striking out
Robinson Cano, who had homered earlier, and Seager, who entered the game with a
.358 average in Arlington, with a runner on second base in the eighth. Against
former Rangers right-hander Chris Young (3-2), Daniel Robertson led off the
first with a walk and scored on Elvis Andrus homer. Alex Rios singled home the
third run. Seattle tied it in the fourth. James Jones tripled and scored on
Michael Saunders single. Cano then hit his two-run homer. Center fielder
Michael Choice ran back to attempt a catch, but his glove hit the wall as the
ball barely cleared it. Seattle had only one baserunner against Tepesch in the
first three innings: Seager on a leadoff single in the second. He was erased in
an unusual 4-5-3 double play. With Texas defence shifted to the right, Smoak
grounded to second baseman Luis Sardinas, who threw to Beltre covering second.
Beltres relay throw to first beat Smoak. Young gave up seven hits and three
walks in 6 1-3 innings. "You have those games where if you can limit the damage
early, you feel like youll pitch a good game, and I gave up one too many in the
first," Young said. NOTES: Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder (neck) missed a
fourth consecutive game, and centre fielder Leonys Martin (stiff neck) was not
in the starting lineup for the second game in a row. Martin entered the game as
a defensive replacement in the ninth. ... The teams split the two-game series.
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