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« on: Apr 27th, 2015, 3:21am » |
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TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Lightning are disappointed, though not discouraged. Despite being swept in the first round of the NHL playoffs, the young team led by Steven Stamkos has plenty of reasons to feel encouraged about the future. One year after struggling to the 28th-best record in the league, the Lightning finished second in the Atlantic Division and posted the third-best mark in the Eastern Conference. The Montreal Canadiens eliminated them from the post-season in four games, but coach Jon Cooper said none of his players should hang their heads because the Lightning had a successful season. "Its been a transition year for us in an unbelievably positive way," said Cooper, whos completing his first full season behind the bench. "I dont want this series to be looked at as they were a failure," Cooper added. "Those guys got swept in the first round, but they had a heck of a year." Stamkos missed 45 games because of a broken right leg but still amassed 25 goals and 40 points in 37 games to help Tampa Bay return to the playoffs for the first time since 2011. The 24-year-old captain has scored more goals than any NHL player since the start of the 2009-10 season. His absence from early November to just before a late-season trade sent Martin St. Louis to the New York Rangers created unexpected opportunities for several young players who helped the team stay afloat while Stamkos was out. Goaltender Ben Bishop set a franchise record with 37 victories before a left elbow injury sidelined him for the final week of the regular season and the playoffs. Rookie Ondrej Palate led the team with 59 points and another first-year player, Tyler Johnson, set a club record for rookies with 24 goals. In all, Tampa Bays rookies combined for 201 points, more than twice as many for first-year players from any other team. "Its been well documented what this team has gone through this year," Cooper said, adding that few people gave the Lightning much of a shot at making the playoffs when the season began. Stamkos said its important young players learn from their post-season experience. The Lightning dropped the first two games to the Canadiens at home and didnt feel they played their best hockey until the third period of Game 4 in Montreal on Tuesday night. "Everyones probably feeling a little embarrassed. But in the long run, you probably had to go through something like this," Stamkos said. "I think we will learn," the captain added, "that sacrifice, determination and work ethic is what wins at this time of year." Ryan Callahan, the former Rangers captain obtained in the deal that sent an unhappy St. Louis to New York, agreed. "This means nothing if as a group (the Lightning) doesnt realize how hard the playoffs are and how consistent you have to be moving forward," Callahan said. "Its a waste if you dont learn from it." Eight rookies made their playoff debut in Game 1, while another key player -- goalie Anders Lindback, standing in for Bishop -- entered the series with just 13 minutes of post-season experience. Six first-year players notched their first playoff points in the opener, won by the Canadiens 5-4 in overtime. The next step is returning next season and proving this years success wasnt a fluke. "The amount of youth that we have here is very promising," Stamkos said. "We want to be a perennial playoff team. This is a start." Semyon Varlamov Red Jersey . The Texas Rangers right-hander will probably reconsider now. Wolf pitched five strong innings for his first big league win in his first start in the majors, David Murphy and Adrian Beltre homered in a three-run first inning, and the Rangers avoided a sweep with a 3-1 victory against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday. Semyon Varlamov Avalanche Jersey . Take a look at TSN. http://www.hockeyavalancheshop.com/Burgundy-Red-Matt-Duchene-Jersey/. United will finish the season without a major trophy if it fails to overturn a 2-0 deficit against Olympiakos in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday. Gabriel Landeskog Red Jersey . Make that 2-40 now. Tony Gwynn Jr. led off the ninth with a walk against Miami closer Steve Cishek and later scored, Ben Revere added the go-ahead run when Miami second baseman Donovan Solano bobbled a potential double-play grounder and the Phillies rallied past the Marlins 5-4 Thursday night to snap a six-game losing streak. Landeskog Jersey . Workman maintained his pitching rhythm in a batting cage during the second of two rain delays. Upon his return, the right-hander was virtually unhittable. ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Doug Whaley was promoted to take over as Buffalo Bills general manager, making the teams near top-to-bottom off-season overhaul complete. The much-anticipated decision to elevate Whaley from his position as assistant GM was announced Thursday, three days after Buddy Nix stepped down as GM. The 40-year-old Whaley has spent the past three years being groomed for the job. After working in various scouting capacities with the Bills, Whaleys influence grew this off-season. He had input in hiring coach Doug Marrone in January, and in the teams decision to select Florida State quarterback EJ Manuel in the first round of the draft last month. In becoming the Bills 12th GM and fifth in 12 years, Whaleys challenge now becomes turning around a franchise that has not finished with a winning record since 2004, and has not made the playoffs in 13 years -- the NFLs longest active drought. "Were not going to run from (the past), but what were going to do is look forward," Whaley said. "We are very proud of what weve got as a team, as a coaching staff and as an organization. And were just looking to go onward and upward." And he wasnt afraid of using the word "championship." "Our main goal is to give the fans of the Buffalo Bills a team that consistently competes for championships," Whaley said. Though it was unclear when Nix would step down, the Bills began laying the groundwork for the transition in February by signing Whaley to a long-term contract extension. "Doug has every quality you look for in a leader," team president Russ Brandon said. "Were committed to one common goal and that is one focus, a laser focus, and that is winning. Period. Nothing else matters to either one of us. Winning is what its all about." Among Whaleys first priorities will be negotiating to sign star safety Jairus Byrd. Though the Bills secured Byrds rights by placing a franchise tag on him this off-season, the player has yet to sign his contract. Byrd is instead holding out in a bid to secure a long-term deal. "Hes a good player. We want to keep him, and were going to negotiate with him," Whaley said. "Hopefully, everything will be where we need it to be, when we need it to be." Hes also preparing to open talks in a bid to re-sign centre Eric Wood, who is entering the final year of his contract. Whaley, who is black, snaps an NFL trend this off-season during which no minorities were hired to fill eight coaching and seven general manager vacanciees.ddddddddddddHe becomes the Bills first black GM and the leagues sixth. From Pittsburgh, he spent 12 seasons working in various capacities as a scout with the Steelers. Whaley played both linebacker and safety at Pitt and broke into the NFL in 1995 as a Steelers pro personnel assistant. He then spent three years as a scout with the Seattle Seahawks, before returning to Pittsburgh. Hes leaning heavily on his experiences with the Steelers, one of the NFLs most stable and competitive franchises. "My formative years in this business were being part of the Steelers, and the one thing that the Steeler organization is all about is championships," Whaley said. "They dont accept losing. They set the standard of winning and competing for championships. And I think if we instil that here, well be in the right direction." Whaleys promotion comes at a time when the Bills are essentially starting from scratch in rebuilding what Brandon described as having a "tarnished" reputation. Brandon began the transition immediately after the season ended, when he was elevated by team owner Ralph Wilson to his new position and awarded full control of the entire organization. Brandons first moves were firing Chan Gailey and then hiring Doug Marrone less than a week later. The next step in the transformation becomes Whaley. "Its all about what we do moving forward. And with Doug at the helm as our general manager and coach Marrone, we feel very good about our future," Brandon said. "I can stand up here and talk about it all day, but it comes down to results and proving it." Whaley will be responsible for the roster and also formulating the Bills draft strategy. Jim Overdorf, senior vice-president of football administration, will continue in his role as the teams chief negotiator and salary-cap manager, who answers directly to Brandon. The Bills are a very young team. They have only nine players on the roster who have been with the team since before the 2010 season. In drafting Manuel, the Bills hope to have addressed a quarterback position thats been unsettled since Hall of Fame standout Jim Kelly retired following the 1996 season. Whaleys first moves as GM was adding to his staff. He hired Jim Monos as director of player personnel and Kelvin Fisher as director of college scouting. Monos spent the past eight years working as an area scout with the New Orleans Saints. Fisher joins the Bills after spending the previous 13 seasons in various capacities as a scout with the Steelers. cheap jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
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