The Vancouver Canucks ended a lengthy losing streak in their first appearance after the Olympics.
[b]Nick Easton Jersey[/b] . Theyll shoot for another positive result when they host the Minnesota Wild in tonights clash at Rogers Arena. The Canucks went into the NHLs Olympic break mired in an 0-7-0 slump, but halted that slide with Wednesdays 1-0 win over the visiting St. Louis Blues. It had been Vancouvers longest stretch of regulation losses since the 1998-99 season, but goaltender Eddie Lack helped snap the skid with a 20-save shutout performance. "Lack was outstanding," Vancouver head coach John Tortorella said of his rookie goaltender. "Key saves at key times. He calms this team down." Jannik Hansen provided the offense needed for Vancouvers recent win, scoring the games only goal late in the third period. After outshooting St. Louis 28-17 over the first 40 minutes, Vancouver finally broke the scoreless deadlock late in the third when Tom Sestito picked up the puck along the right midboards in his own zone and backhanded a beautiful outlet pass to Hansen. Hansen corralled the disc near the red line and split two defenders near the blue line before skating into the inner half of the right circle and rifling a wrister under the right arm of Jaroslav Halak to make it 1-0 at the 11:13 mark. The Canucks played Wednesdays game without forward Ryan Kesler, who is dealing with a bruised right hand. The American Olympian has been the subject of trade rumours ahead of next weeks deadline and returns to the lineup for tonights tilt. Despite the win on Wednesday, Vancouver was knocked out of a playoff position while idle on Thursday as Dallas moved into the eighth spot in the West with a win over Carolina. The Canucks are tied with Phoenix and one point back of the Stars. Lack will get another start tonight while Roberto Luongo sits this one out. Luongo won his second gold medal with Team Canada in Sochi after playing a backup role to Carey Price. Tonights test marks the final test for Vancouver before hosting Ottawa in Sundays outdoor battle at BC Place. The Wild posted a third straight win when they came back from the break to post Thursdays 3-0 victory in Edmonton. Darcy Kuemper made 21 saves for his second shutout of the season to anchor the win. Mikael Granlund, Stephane Veilleux and Dany Heatley scored for the Wild, who will aim for their first four-game winning streak since Jan. 2-9. "I thought that our guys had a real good focus on defending tonight and doing it the right way," Minnesota head coach Mike Yeo said. Kuemper is expected to get the start again tonight. Niklas Backstrom is dealing with an abdominal problem at the moment, but he was able to dress as the backup on Thursday. The Wild, who are seventh in the West and six points ahead of the Canucks, are completing a two-game road trip tonight. Minnesota is 11-14-5 as the away team this season. Minnesota beat the a visiting Canucks team 3-2 in a shootout on Dec. 17, giving the Wild wins in three straight and four of the last six meetings in this series. Vancouver, however, has dominated the Wild in B.C. in recent seasons, winning 11 straight at Rogers Arena in this series before Minnesota halted that streak with a 3-1 win on March 18 of last season.
[b]Hokie Gajan Jersey[/b] . Bryant underwent an operation in December to correct an irregular heartbeat. His season ended with four games left because of a rapid heartbeat, a condition he has known about for several years and had been treated for in the past.
[b]Stephone Anthony Jersey[/b] . Tokarski, a somewhat controversial choice -- with his 10 games of NHL experience and all -- to replace an injured Carey Price in Game Two had a night to remember, turning back a Rangers team that was dominating play from the get-go, outshooting the Canadiens 14-4 in the first period and 37-25 overall. EDINBURGH -- Meaghan Benfeito couldnt hide her disappointment. The Canadian diver had just made a critical mistake on her and partner Roseline Filions fourth attempt in the womens synchronized 10-metre platform final at the Commonwealth Games -- an error that left their medal hopes hanging in the balance. But instead of dwelling on the flubbed back 3 1/2 somersault, Benfeito gathered herself in hopes of still securing a top-three finish. "Theres still another dive left. I know how to do all my dives properly," said 25-year-old. "I think our last dive is our strongest one and I knew if we nailed it we could get on the podium." And nail it they did. Benfeito and Filion produced a textbook back 2 1/2 somersault with 1 1/2 twists to not only get on the podium Wednesday, but win a gold medal that seemed improbable just minutes earlier. "I wasnt expecting to come out of this with a gold," said Benfeito. "I knew that we were still in the hunt for a medal. Gold, I didnt think so, but our last dive is a strong dive and its the reason its our last dive. "We did it pretty well and were happy with the result." Montreals Benfeito and Filion, of Laval, Que., scored a total of 310.65 points, just ahead of Englands Sarah Barrow and Tonia Couch with 307.92. Malaysias Pandelela Rinong Pamg and Nur Dhabitah Sabri took bronze with a score of 300.12. Benfeito and Filion were awarded 76.80 points on their final dive, but the 2012 Olympic bronze medallists could only wait for the leaders final attempts. When Barrow and Couch tallied just 70.08 on the same dive, the Canadians knew they had pulled out the tricky event that was delayed by 35 minutes due to a technical glitch that forced judges to display scores using flip cards. "It was tough for everyone," said Filion. "I knew it was going to be close, but I didnt expect to win at all." The 27-year-old has partnered with Benfeito for more than a decade and said they werent affected by the late start. "We were prepared for all these kinds of problems," said Filion. "Our team manager said in a meeting You never know whats going to happen. Be prepared, be ready. "We could wait the amount of time it took. We were there to compete and dive annd thats what we did.
[b]Rueben Mayes Jersey[/b]. ." Wednesday marked the first of four competition days at the cosy Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh, about a 75-kilometre drive from Glasgow. Later Wednesday, Lavals Jennifer Abel and Pamela Ware of Beloeil, Que., won silver in the three-metre springboard with a score of 295.65. Englands Alicia Blagg and Rebecca Gallantree won gold, and Australias Maddison Keeney and Anabelle Smith took bronze. The 22-year-old Abel was a bronze medallist in three-metre synchro at the 2012 Olympics with former partner Emilie Heymans, and again at last years world championships with the 21-year-old Ware. Abel won gold in the one- and three-metre individual events -- as well as a silver with Heymans in the three-metre synchro -- at the Commonwealth Games four years ago in New Delhi. Benfeito and Filions come-from-behind victory capped an impressive season for the pair, who finished 2014 with a podium appearance in each of their eight international events. But even with a gold medal hanging around her neck, Benfeito was still kicking herself for her miss on the fourth attempt. "Its a dive that causes me a lot of problems, but its usually good in synchro," she said. "I am disappointed that I missed because we could have won by a lot more, but it happens. "Its in the past. Youve got to move on, youve got to do another really good dive and thats what we did." Benfeito and Filion won silver in 10-metre syncho at last years world championships, and will compete in the individual 10-metre event here as veterans on a young Canadian team that has seen a number of retirements in recent years, including Alexandre Despatie. "Its so weird because we used to be the babies on the team," said Filion. "Its interesting for me because I get to give a little bit of advice, when I used to get all the advice." Added Benfeito: "The transition has been really easy so I think that makes the team even stronger." What the young Canadian divers here in Scotland learned on Wednesday from their now-veteran teammates was simple. "Anything can happen and its definitely not over until the last dive," said Benfeito. "You have to give everything you can until the end." ' ' '
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