m 50 metres. Farrells second penalty chance hit the upright, and

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Nashville Predators finished strong, even if was for naught. The Minnesota Wild are hoping this is only the start. Craig Smith had two goals and two assists, and the Predators used a second-period barrage against goalie Ilya Bryzgalov to beat the playoff-bound Wild 7-3 on Sunday. "Like the last exhibition game before the start of a season, always happy to have that one over with," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. The Wild wrapped up the first wild card spot in the Western Conference earlier in the week and had their first-round matchup with the Colorado Avalanche set before the game, so there were few motivators other than the maintenance of health and momentum and maybe a statistical milestone or two. Well, all but the momentum was accomplished. No new injuries were reported, and Jason Pominville got his 30th goal. "Obviously it wasnt pretty. It wasnt the way we want to end it and I dont want to make an excuse for it, but I think those things will happen when youre in and the other team is out, playing loose," Pominville said. For the second straight night, Nashville scored seven times. The Predators won 7-5 at Chicago on Saturday. Good way for coach Barry Trotz, the only bench boss the franchise has ever had, to go out if hes not retained. Trotz said he realized this could be his last game with the team. "If I said differently Id be lying," he said. Bryzgalov, though, didnt do himself or the Wild any good with this shaky performance, as meaningless as the game was. Bryzgalov posted back-to-back shutouts in victories over Pittsburgh and Winnipeg on April 5 and 7, but in a win over Boston he gave up three goals on 24 shots in regulation, though he was unscored upon in the shootout. Bryzgalov, acquired from Edmonton for a fourth-round draft pick, has allowed eight goals over the last 45 shots hes faced. John Curry, the fifth goalie used by the Wild this season, replaced him for the third period. Ryan Ellis, Shea Weber, Roman Josi and Smith scored consecutively in the second period to steer Bryzgalov toward the bench at the second intermission. Rich Clune had a goal in the first period, and Calle Jarnkrok and Smith scored in the final frame. Erik Haula, Jason Pominville and Zach Parise scored for the Wild, who gave up a season-high seven goals. One of the reasons the Wild were safely in, rather than scrambling to win their last game to qualify as they did last season, was the sturdiness shown by the 33-year-old Bryzgalov down the stretch with their top three goalies unavailable due to injury or illness. This was his first regulation loss in 11 starts — he went 7-1-3 — since arriving the day before the trade deadline. But this was ugly. Yeo didnt flinch, though. "Im not worried about him," the coach said, adding: "You look at tonight, and we were brutal in front of him." The Predators missed the playoffs for a second straight year, putting Trotzs future in question. "Thats not our decision to make. Theres nothing that we could do as players in this locker room. We played our hearts out for him. Hes a great coach and well see what happens," Weber said. Nashville went 9-1-2 in its final 12 games, including eight regulation wins, but finished in 10th place — three points below the cut. The Predators killed every penalty over their previous five games, a streak that ended when Parise scored his 29th goal — he missed 15 games earlier this season — early in the second period to give Bryzgalov and the Wild a 3-1 edge. Nashville also became the only team in the league this season to not allow a short-handed goal, stretching its streak to 99 games without one. "We stuck with it. You always want to go out on a good note," said Smith, who passed Weber for the team lead with 24 goals. Weber had 23 and Patric Hornqvist finished with 22. Weber tallied a career-high 56 points. "If he doesnt win the Norris this year its going to be an absolute crime," Trotz said. NOTES: With 98 points, the Wild matched their second-best record in franchise history. After going 5-14-5 on the road in last seasons lockout-abbreviated schedule, the Predators finished 19-15-7 away from home. ... Pominville became only the third different player in Wild history to hit the 30-goal mark. Marian Gaborik (five times) and Brian Rolston (three times) were the others. ... Clune was called for roughing and cross checking and slapped with a 10-minute misconduct. He finished with 166 penalty minutes this season, fourth-most in the NHL. Wholesale Air Max . The Heat centre scored 10 of his 30 points early in the first quarter to silence the Toronto fans as Miami defeated the Raptors 113-101 on Friday night. Air Max Sale . A groundswell for raising the number of playoff qualifiers to seven in each conference figures to get plenty of support from the 32 owners. Most notably, Arizonas Bill Bidwill, who saw his Cardinals go 10-6 and not get in, while Green Bay (8-7-1) qualified by winning the NFC North. https://www.airmaxchina.us/ . - Even with a new coach, the Denver Nuggets still love to push the basketball. Cheap Air Max From China .com) - A pair of programs shooting for their 10th win of the season get together at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, as the NC State Wolfpack tangle with 22nd-ranked West Virginia during the challenge round of the Gotham Classic. Fake Air Max . Felton was in court as the Manhattan district attorneys office outlined the agreement, which would resolve a gun case that arose amid the breakup of his marriage. Hes expected to admit June 30 to at least one charge, attempted criminal possession of a weapon -- he wont have to come to court to do so -- and get a $5,000 fine and 500 hours of community service.LONDON -- England edged Ireland 13-10 in a test of breathless intensity at Twickenham to open up the Six Nations into a four-team race at the halfway point on Saturday. Ireland was the last unbeaten side in the championship after France fell to Wales on Friday, and was favoured to end a three-match losing run to England with a side with more than twice as many caps, rampant momentum, and added incentive to celebrate Brian ODriscolls world record-tying 139th test cap. But England, with unexpected daring, overturned a 10-3 deficit to lead again within eight minutes, and more than a quarter of the match to go. In a match marked by gritty, desperate defence, the young English withstood a firestorm finish from Ireland to register what coach Stuart Lancaster called the best win in his tenure, considering the context. "Given the experience of the Ireland team, the form they were in, the quality of the coaching and the players theyve got and some of the relative inexperience we have, Im just so proud of the boys," Lancaster said. "We showed great maturity in closing out the game. It was character, spirit, playing for the shirt. Ireland, fair play to them, threw everything at us, and once we got that lead we just clung on in there." Four teams were tied at the top, with Ireland ahead only on points difference from England, Wales and France. The next decisive matches appeared to be England hosting two-time defending champion Wales in two weeks, and France closing the tournament at home against Ireland. England and Ireland scored one converted try each, with the difference on the scoreboard provided by Englands Owen Farrell, who knocked over two of his three penalty attempts. Jonathan Sexton hit the only penalty shot he had. Irelands scrum was dominant, taking advantage of England tighthead David Wilson playing with basically only a half of rugby in two monthss.dddddddddddd But for all of the ball Ireland had, it couldnt turn pressure into points as Englands defence and discipline was top shelf. England fired the first shot in the thriller. Left wing Jonny May should have crossed in the right corner early but he was slowed by Ireland flanker Peter OMahony and scrumhalf Conor Murray arrived just as May was diving over the line to knock the ball from his grasp. Then Ireland worked a brilliant move, with Sextons crosskick caught by Andrew Trimble on the right wing, but his offload inside to fullback Rob Kearney was bobbled, and he was swallowed by Englishmen. Farrell was lucky soon after not to be sin-binned. His late shoulder charge on Murray conceded only a penalty. Referee Craig Jouberts decision was critical, because Farrell then kicked the only points of the half, a penalty from 50 metres. Farrells second penalty chance hit the upright, and the teams could both be happy where things stood at the break. Just 90 seconds into the second half, Ireland was even happier. Ireland worked lineout ball to the middle of Englands 22, No. 8 Jamie Heaslip stood wide of a ruck and England believed he was spreading it wide. He was waiting for Kearney to scream up inside him, slice clean through and curve towards the posts untouched. Sexton converted for 10-3, and added a penalty in the 49th for 13-3. Then England turned on the pressure, and Ireland was happy to concede three points rather than five. Farrell obliged and the deficit was four. Englands try came from surprising ambition inside its own half. Farrell, under pressure in space, could have kicked the ball for relief but passed to Jack Nowell, who found Mike Brown inside speeding into a gap on halfway. Brown blew through, and scrumhalf Danny Care came up his inside to finish off between the posts. Farrell converted, England had the lead back, and this time kept it. ' ' '