Hilfestellungen » and first base. Converted shortstop Desmond

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Anaheim Ducks seek to maintain their share of first place in the Pacific Division when they meet another surging team, the New Jersey Devils, on Thursday night at the Honda Center.The Ducks joined the Edmonton Oilers at the top of the division by beating them 4-1 on Tuesday night, with goaltender John Gibson making a season-high 33 saves. While the Devils and Ducks face each other, the Oilers play the slumping Los Angeles Kings, whove lost four in a row.Anaheim earned its fourth victory in six games Tuesday night after starting the season by securing only one point while losing its first four games. In their past 13 games, the Ducks have compiled a 8-3-2 record. During that spurt, right winger Corey Perry amassed 10 points in eight games while center Ryan Kesler scored five goals in his past five contests and six goals this month.Were just finding different ways to win, Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler said. Some nights, its our defense not giving up too many opportunities to the other team. Other nights, its been our special teams and power play. Tonight, it was goaltending and scoring at the right times.Wed like to play a little more consistent but were slowly finding our way as a team.Defenseman Josh Manson said he believes the Ducks need to make progress during this five-game homestand, the first of two this season.You want to be a force in your own building, Manson told the Orange County Register. You want teams to come in and realize what theyre coming into and know that its going to be a tough night and know that its going to be no fun. I think thats something were going to work towards here on this homestand.The Devils come to Anaheim with a five-game winning streak, their longest since February 2013. Traditionally strong defensively, the Devils rank second in fewest goals allowed with 31, and fewest goals conceded per game with 2.07.When you win games, the players have to have a certain work ethic, New Jersey coach John Hynes told NHL.com. They have to make smart plays. They have to make the right decisions and they have to play consistently, and I think weve been fortunate enough to be able to do that.That approach enabled the Devils to earn a 2-1 overtime victory Tuesday night in Dallas against the Stars.Were a blue collar team, right winger Kyle Palmieri told the Bergen Record afterward. Were a team that plays a pretty good structured defensive game, but I think tonight we were on our toes all night and attacking and getting chances.However, the Devils will have to play without left winger Taylor Hall, who shares the team lead with five goals and 12 points. Hall, who turned 25 on Monday, underwent knee surgery Wednesday for a torn left meniscus and is expected to be out 3-to-4 weeks. Hall was Edmontons selection as the first overall choice in the 2010 draft but the Oilers traded him to New Jersey in June for defenseman Adam Larsson.Halls absence hurts a power play that has failed to convert its last 21 opportunities over the past six games.Stitched Blue Jays Jerseys . Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. Organizers poked a little fun at the now-infamous opening ceremony gaffe that saw only four out of five snowflakes open up into rings, leaving the Olympics logo one ring short. Blue Jays Jerseys China .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/ . Datsyuk will miss Tuesdays game against New Jersey and could be sidelined longer, while Cleary will likely miss at least the next three games. Its been an injury-plagued season for Datsyuk, who has suited up for just 39 games. Wholesale Blue Jays Jerseys . PAUL, Minn. Toronto Blue Jays Gear . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action.ARLINGTON, Texas -- General manager Jon Daniels expects more postseason chances for the Texas Rangers to pursue that elusive World Series title.While the Rangers lost in the AL Division Series to Toronto for the second consecutive year, this time getting swept, Daniels said Tuesday that he doesnt buy into any contention that there could be a shrinking window of opportunity for the AL West champions.If were doing our jobs right ... I dont believe that theres like an open-and-close period, Daniels said. I think good organizations, regardless of sport, find a way to win year in, year out. ... I dont think of it like weve got X-number of years and then weve got to about-face or change plans. I think we can be nimble and adjust as we go.Daniels just marked his 11th anniversary as GM of the Rangers, who have made the postseason five of the last seven seasons. That includes the franchises only World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011, and Texas missed the playoffs in 2013 after losing an AL wild-card tiebreaker game.While proud of what the organization has accomplished year after year, Daniels said the Rangers expect to keep winning.At the same time, you start over for next year, he said.The Rangers will go into 2017 with All-Star aces Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish at the top of their rotation, though both struggled in their ALDS starts. Third baseman Adrian Beltre will be back for his 20th major league season, and shortstop Elvis Andrus is the teams longest-tenured position player after eight seasons and still only 28.When asked Tuesday what this seasons team was missing, Beltre responded, A ring.At 37 years old, Beltre knows he is running out of chances to win a World Series, even if the team keeps making the playoffs year after year. The four-time All-Star, 58 hits shy of 3,000 in his career, is signed through 2018 after gettting two years added to his deal last spring.ddddddddddddIt hurts more because you do believe that you can do it, you do know you have the pieces to do it, said Beltre, who thought this might be his World Series title season. Its what drives me.Daniels said Texas will pick up the $5.25 million club option on Jonathan Lucroy, the catcher acquired in an Aug. 1 trade from Milwaukee.The Rangers have decisions to make on several pending free agents who played prominent roles: All-Star center fielder Ian Desmond, first baseman Mitch Moreland, right-hander Colby Lewis, outfielder Carlos Gomez and outfielder-DH Carlos Beltran.All of the free agents are guys that under the right circumstances we would welcome back, Daniels said.A primary offseason focus will be to bolster the rotation, while also determining what to do about center field and first base. Converted shortstop Desmond signed an $8 million, one-year deal last spring after turning down a qualifying offer with Washington, and Moreland is a free agent for the first time.The Rangers had AL-high 95 wins this season, and would have had home-field advantage through the postseason. But at their home ballpark Tuesday, packing boxes were spread throughout the clubhouse. They were cleaning out lockers only a week after working out there while still waiting to see who they would play in the ALDS.We can look back in retrospect and think about the 95 wins, and how we got there, and the AL West championship, second-year manager Jeff Banister said. But really, truly the culture and chemistry of this group -- one mission -- and that was to win a World Series.And that will be the goal again when the Rangers get to spring training in Arizona next February. ' ' '