Allgemeines » field goal early in the fourth to get Carolina within 21-1

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The do-everything, be-everything centre is slumping, at least as far as superstar slumps go.The elder statesman, resident prankster and unquestioned heart is out for the year and maybe forever with blood that just wont behave.The wunderkind 20-year-old defenceman beat cancer but not a shaky shoulder.The businesslike and still kind of mysterious rookie head coach remains months away from the real litmus test, but the early results are encouraging.And then theres the mumps.For the better part of a month, the Pittsburgh Penguins saw their roster almost comically ravaged by a childhood virus that temporarily —and quite painfully — turned Sidney Crosbys face into something created by a 4-year-old with Play-Doh and took a handful of teammates along for the ride.Yet here Sidney Crosby and the new-look Penguins are at the midpoint of an already eventful season back in their usual spot this time of year: near the top of the Eastern Conference and cruising toward the playoffs, which is only barometer that really matters.Pittsburgh trails the first-place New York Islanders by a point in the Metropolitan Division and are on pace for the second-best regular season in team history. Not bad considering nearly three dozen players — including a steady stream of prospects or minor leaguers thrust into action out of necessity rather than merit — have suited up.It hasnt been easy but to everybodys credit theyve done what they had to do, general manager Jim Rutherford told The Associated Press.Even if Pittsburgh is doing it in sometimes very un-Penguinlike ways. With defence. With goaltending. With responsible checking and attention to detail. While coach Mike Johnston allows plenty of work remains to be done by the time April rolls around, considering what his team has gone through during Johnstons first four months in charge, things could be a worse.The first half we were still learning a lot of different things, getting used to a new system still, forward Brandon Sutter said. Now I think in the second half its been kind of time to cement that into our game.The Penguins hired Johnston to replace Dan Bylsma last summer and tasked him with finding a system that could thrive in both the regular season and the playoffs. The first six weeks went relatively smoothly, even with forward Pascal Dupuis sent to injured reserve with blood clots that have jeopardized his career and Olli Maatta missing a few weeks while a cancerous tumour was removed from his thyroid.It was a mirage. The injuries and illnesses began piling up in December, forcing Johnston to abandon teaching the finer points and simply trying to find enough healthy bodies to throw onto the ice on a given night.Its also forced the Penguins to learn to win by any means necessary, relying more heavily on goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and less on the scoreboard-tilting exploits of Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Pittsburgh is just ninth in the league in scoring, with Crosby on pace for his lowest goal total over a full season. A sputtering power play over the last month hasnt helped, though Crosby did score an overtime goal at Montreal last weekend.Crosby brushes off any concern about his production. Really, wasnt the point of the off-season front office overhaul to find a way to make the team less reliant on their two centerpieces? Crosby and Malkin are both in the top five in the league in points and the Penguins have had 24 different players find the back of the net, the most of any team in the league.In the whole scheme of things its more about how youre playing and making sure the chances are there and everyone is contributing, Crosby said. That goes further than anything.Crosby hardly looked like a guy struggling to find his game in a 7-2 win over Minnesota on Tuesday, collecting three assists and putting together a handful of sublimely spectacular dashes to the net.Weve had so many injuries and so many moving parts here, both him and (Malkin) dont get to play with the same guys all the time, Rutherford said. Hopefully we can get these guys some regular linemates.The process is already well underway. Forward Chris Kunitz appears all the way back from a foot injury that kept him out for 10 games. Rutherford acquired David Perron from Edmonton on Jan. 2, and the talented forward has four points in his first four games, including a slick forehand to backhand rebound from in front of the net on Tuesday night that showcased his soft hands.Rutherford isnt sure the Penguins are done shopping. With Blake Comeau and Patric Hornqvist also nearing returns from their own medical issues and a schedule that includes games against the Rangers, Philadelphia and Chicago over the next couple weeks, theres a chance to build chemistry and make a statement at the same time.Ill get a better sense for it by the middle of February, Rutherford said. I want to see Hornqvist and Comeau get back in there and get that group of forwards together. I do feel were edging in the right direction. Nike Air Max 95 Goedkoop . Thats exactly what happened. And they enjoyed every moment. Durant remained sizzling with 33 points, Serge Ibaka added 22 and the Thunder roared back from an abysmal start -- they trailed 22-4 early -- to embarrass the Miami Heat 112-95 on Wednesday night, erasing that big deficit out of the gate by outscoring the two-time defending champions by 43 points over a 33-minute span. Nike Air Max 270 Goedkoop . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. http://www.airmaxkopennederland.com/uitverkoop-air-max-270.html . Neither striker Demba Ba nor Fernando Torres came close to scoring as Chelsea was left unsuccessfully appealing for penalties in this drab penultimate game of the season. "Our strikers are good strikers, no doubt about that, but players with some specific qualities," Mourinho said. Air Max 2019 Nederland . The (11-11-4) Jets are seventh in the Central Division with 26 points. Fifth place Dallas and sixth-seeded Nashville also have 26 points, but the Stars have three games in hand on Winnipeg while Nashville has two. Nike Air Max Groothandel . -- Oakland Athletics starting pitchers Jarrod Parker and A.Charlotte, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - New Orleans followed up Sunday nights drubbing of Green Bay with another impressive showing. Except this one came on the road. And it put the Saints on top of the so-so NFC South. Mark Ingram ran for 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns and New Orleans defeated the Carolina Panthers 28-10 on Thursday night. The Saints broke a scoreless deadlock by scoring on three straight possessions in between the second and third quarters to build a 21-7 advantage and cruised the rest of the way en route to ending their seven-game, regular-season road losing streak. Following a career-high 172 rush yards Sunday, Ingram topped the 100-yard mark again after tallying just one 100-yard rushing performance prior in his first 40 games. It feels good, Ingram said. We just have to continue to prove it. We know that if we bring our A-game on the road and execute, limit the mistakes and turnovers, we can beat anybody. Drew Brees was 24-of-34 for 297 yards with a touchdown and an interception and added a rushing score for the Saints (4-4), who have bounced back from a 1-3 start by winning three of their last four contests. Jimmy Graham caught seven passes for 83 yards and a score, while Kenny Stills added five receptions for 72 yards in the triumph. Junior Galette recorded two of New Orleans four sacks and its defense held Cam Newton to just 151 yards passing with an interception on just 10-of-28 efficiency. Newton carried the ball seven times for 43 yards and a touchdown for Carolina (3-5-1), which accumulated just 231 total yards. The Panthers are 1-5-1 since a 2-0 start. We have to be professional about the situation and take responsibility and ownership and hold ourselves accountable, Newton said. The first of the Saints three straight scores came at the 2:38 mark of the second quarter. Newton initially eluded some Saints pressure by moving to his right, but didnt see a converging Galette from behind as he strip-sacked him at the Carolina 4. New Orleans linebacker Curtis Lofton recovered the loose ball and Ingram followed the pulling left guard Ben Grubbs off the right side for a 3-yard TD run two snaps later. The Saints defense then forced a three-and-out and briskly traveled 85 yards in 10 plays to put another touchdown on the board right before the half.dddddddddddd Brees hit Stills for a 17-yard completion on a 3rd-and-10 and Carolina cornerback Antoine Cason committed a pass interference on Robert Meachem in the end zone on a 3rd-and-17 from the Carolina 33. Brees then flipped a back-shoulder throw to Graham isolated in coverage in the back right corner of the end zone with three ticks to go in the half. Carolina picked up 70 yards of offense on its initial march of the third, nearly matching its first half total of 89. DeAngelo Williams took a screen pass for 30 yards on the opening play and Newton finished off the sequence with a 10-yard TD run. On the highlight-reel score, Newton spun to his left to escape from cornerback Patrick Robinsons blitz off the edge and ran away from Galette along the left sideline before diving inside the 5 and reaching the ball out inside the left pylon. The Saints answered with an elongated 6:10, 14-play, 80-yard series. Brees found Brandin Cooks for a 15-yard completion on an initial 3rd-and-9, hit Stills to pick up 12 on a 3rd-and-7 and snuck it in on fourth down to complete the drive late in the third. Graham Gano nailed a 31-yard field goal early in the fourth to get Carolina within 21-10, but the Saints drained the ensuing 7:27 off the clock prior to Ingram darting through for the back-breaking 3-yard score with 5:30 left. New Orleans turned the ball over on its first two touches, each while in Carolina territory. Panthers defensive tackle Dwan Edwards hauled in a deflected pass while the Saints were driving inside the red zone on their first sequence, and Mario Addison recovered a Brees fumble following Charles Johnsons strip-sack on their second. Carolina, though, couldnt capitalize despite driving into Saints territory on each of its first three series. Saints cornerback Corey White picked off Newton to end the Panthers third drive after Brenton Bersin dropped a pass over the middle early in the second. Game Notes Ingram became the first Saints back to run for over 100 yards in consecutive games since Deuce McAllister from Dec. 3-10 of the 2006 season ... New Orleans began the season 0-4 away from home ... The Saints had 375 total yards ... New Orleans was 7-of-13 on third down, while the Panthers finished 6-of-14. ' ' '