Spaß & Spiel » its a matter of coming out this week

MONTREAL - Rene Bourque had just nine goals and 16 points in 63 regular season games, but the Canadiens forward has become a key cog in Montreals offence during the playoffs. A trade bait name brought up over and over again on local radio, web message boards and social media all season, Bourque netted his first career playoff hat trick in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final Tuesday, giving him eight goals and 11 points in 16 playoffs games and helping his team stave off elimination with a 7-4 victory over the New York Rangers. A while his sudden emergence as a scoring threat in the playoffs has surprised many, its nothing new to his teammates. Despite his regular season struggles, they never doubted the 62, 217-pound power forward would shine through when it mattered most. "Ive said it before and Ill say it again, hes got world class speed and a world class shot and its showing right now in the playoffs," said forward Max Pacioretty, who also chipped in Tuesday night with a goal and an assist. "Hes a bigger body and he plays a simple game and that suits him well in the playoffs. Its a great time for him to step up and he was huge tonight, he helped out a lot." After the Canadiens blew a 4-1 lead in the second period on Tuesday night, Bourque halted the Rangers comeback scoring his second goal of the game at 15:10 of the second period to make the score 5-4 and give Montreal a lead they wouldnt relinquish. Bourque then added another goal at 6:33 of the third period to complete the hat trick and help the Canadiens avoid elimination for the third time in these Stanley Cup playoffs. Montreal will try to repeat the feat for a fourth time in Game 6 in New York on Thursday and force a Game 7 back in Montreal on Saturday. "Even going back to last year, he just loves this time of year," said forward Brendan Gallagher. "Hes leading by example again. For him to go out there and score not only three goals but very timely goals was big. Anytime you give up the lead like that and can come right back and score thats big. Thats what clutch guys do at this time of year, they score timely goals." Since being acquired from Calgary two years ago in a trade that saw popular scorer Michael Cammalleri go the other way, many have doubted Bourques role on this team. But not Gallagher and his teammates. They saw a hard-working character player that could come up big when it mattered most. "You just gotta understand the character he has," Gallagher explained. "Hes big. Hes a guy that we rely on. He showed up and thats what we expect from him. Hes a competitor. He loves the atmosphere and he loves the opportunity we have right now and thats kind of expected from him." Michel Therrien was also thrilled with Bourques performance. "He played a great game; he was a force out there," the Canadiens head coach said. "On the forecheck, he took the man. He was moving his feet. He was going hard to the map mat. Hes a very good scorer, so definitely that was a great performance by him." The always quite and humble Bourque wasnt about to take all the credit though. "Everybody was ready for this game," he said after the game. "We knew the situation. We got a big power-play goal early and a few others. "It was just a see-saw battle back and forth. (Dale) Weise made a great play to me. I called for the puck and somehow it got through. It was nice to get in there." The pucks have gotten through for Bourque just one less time than they did in the regular season and the Canadiens are hoping his clutch run continues as they try to come back from what is now a one-game deficit. James Murphy is a freelance reporter who also writes for NHL.com, the Boston Herald and XNsports.com. He covered the Boston Bruins/NHL for last 11 seasons writing for ESPNBoston.com, ESPN.com, NHL.com, NESN.com, the Boston Metro, Insidehockey.com and Le Hockey Magazine. Murphy also currently hosts the radio show "Murphys Hockey Law" heard Saturdays 9-11 AM ET on Sirius/XM NHL Network Radio and 4-6 PM ET on Websportsmedia.com. In addition to that, he is a regular guest TSN 690 in Montreal and Sirius/XM NHL Network Radio as well as a hockey analyst on CTV Montreal. Rafael Marquez Jersey . -- Lindsey Vonn squeezed in a little freeskiing on Thanksgiving morning, a step in the right direction for a return to racing after reinjuring her right knee in a recent training crash. Jose de Jesus Corona Jersey . The Giants chances of winning the division were dealt a serious blow by the three-game sweep at the hands of the lowly Padres. The Giants open a three-game series at Dodger Stadium on Monday night. San Francisco is still in good shape to clinch a wild-card berth, although it dropped into a tie with Pittsburgh in the race for the top spot. http://www.soccermexicojerseysteamstore....ico-jersey/.com) - Matt Duchene picked up the deciding goal early in the third period and added an assist, as Colorado escaped with a 4-3 victory over Dallas at Pepsi Center. Guillermo Ochoa Jersey . Cox started the season with San Francisco, but was released by the team on Nov. 12 before being signed by Seattle, where he appeared in two games and tallied three tackles before being released on Dec. Javier Aquino Jersey .Corey Brewer had 19 points eight rebounds, five assists and five steals for the Timberwolves, who snapped a six-game losing streak and won for just the third time since Ricky Rubio went out with an injured ankle on Nov.SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers have added another quarterback to the competition to be Colin Kaepernicks backup, signing nine-year veteran Seneca Wallace to a one-year contract Thursday. While Colt McCoy had appeared to be the favourite to win the No. 2 job coming into training camp, neither he nor Scott Tolzien have separated themselves. Even rookie B.J. Daniels has been deemed a contender, though clearly Wallace now will get a chance with little time to prepare before the Sept. 8 season opener against Green Bay. 49ers offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman said this week that Sundays game against Minnesota would be important for all of the quarterbacks. "I think its going to be a big game for them, big game for all of us," Roman said. "But, I think they just need to improve really down-in, down-out consistency. The right reads, obviously making the right throws. Theyve done some really good stuff up til now, stuff thats under-the-radar type things. Again, theyve had some plays that theyd love to do over again. So, its a matter of coming out this week and having a really strong performance." Wallace, who was competing with Luke McCown to back up Drew Brees in New Orleans, had his contract terminated by the Saints on Monday. Coach Jim Harbaugh said Wednesday that McCoy likely would play second after Kaepernicks stint is done in Sunday nights exhibition against Minnesota at Candlestick Park. McCoy, Tolzien and Daniels each have been getting regular repetitions in practice with the No. 2 offence, Harbaugh said. He isnt aggainst giving a rookie the backup quarterback job, which Kaepernick had behind Alex Smith after being drafted in the second round from Nevada in 2011.dddddddddddd "Yes, its OK. How that plays out, we will see," Harbaugh said. "Its OK for a veteran to be the backup." McCoy hasnt looked sharp or comfortable this preseason, and it appears he is still trying to find his way in Harbaughs expansive offence. He has completed 6 of 13 passes for 76 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions while also getting sacked once. "Definitely, its a factor," Harbaugh said of transitioning to a new team. "I dont know if its a percentage that youre looking for. Is it a percentage youre looking for or how much? Its definitely a factor, and the good improvement this week, hes working at it very hard, it means a lot to him and it does to us, too. Were coaching him up the best we can and well keep striving for improvement each day." San Francisco waived wideout Ricardo Lockette, who worked out with Kaepernick in Atlanta for a stretch this off-season along with departed A.J. Jenkins. Also Thursday, when the players had a scheduled day off, San Francisco placed safety Darcel McBath on season-ending injured reserve and claimed linebacker Joe Holland off waivers from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Holland originally signed with San Francisco last season as an undrafted free agent before being cut Aug. 31 ahead of the season. McBath was a regular on special teams last season for the NFC champion Niners, appearing in all 16 games. Blackhawks Jerseys Store Cheap Wild Jerseys Cheap Red Wings Jerseys Cheap Maple Leafs Jerseys Penguins Jerseys Store Capitals Jerseys For Sale Blues Jerseys Store Cheap Kings Jerseys Adidas Lightning Jerseys Stars Jerseys For Sale Cheap Predators Jerseys Ducks Store Sharks Jerseys For Sale Cheap Sabres Jerseys Rangers Jerseys For Sale ' ' '