Bewerbung » retirement nearly two weeks ago

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Flyers opened a crucial homestand needing wins any way they could get them.A variety pack of goals was the perfect way to start.Matt Read and Sean Couturier each had a goal and an assist to lead the Flyers to a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.The Flyers scored short-handed, on the power play, even strength, and into an empty net.Wayne Simmonds scored the power-play goal, and Jakub Voracek added the empty-netter to seal the win.The Flyers earned the win after dropping four of five on the road. Three of the four losses were by one goal. They have dropped to the bottom portion of the Eastern Conference and need to make the most of the four-game homestand to jump back into post-season contention.Its huge, especially if we want to stay in the playoff race, Couturier said.They got an unexpected lift from Read, who has only three goals and seven assists in 28 games. He had one of each in the first period, giving the Flyers a lead they wouldnt relinquish.I just keep shooting pucks, getting in front of the net, getting in the hard areas, Read said. Things kind of bounced my way tonight.With Steve Mason 0-5 against the Devils, Ray Emery got the start for the Flyers. Emery was 0-4 with a 4.12 GAA in his last four starts. But he was hardly tested with 17 saves against the Devils for his fifth win of the season — matching Masons total in eight fewer games.Emery improved his career record against New Jersey to 8-4-0-2 with a 1.78 GAA.Not even the return of leading goal scorer Mike Cammalleri (11) could spark the Devils. Cammalleri returned after missing two games with a strained gluteus muscle.Maybe weve got to get a little greasier, get to the net and find ways to get a little of the sandpaper to our game around the net, he said.The Flyers scored first on perhaps one of the unlikeliest of scenarios for a team that has struggled as much as any playing short-handed. The Devils had been spectacular of late, killing 44 of 49 power plays against during the last 14 games.But with the Devils down a player early in the first, Couturier scored his sixth goal for Philadelphias first short-handed goal of the season.They scored at even strength, too. Couturier blindly passed the puck in front of the net, Read pounced and stuck it past Cory Schneider for the 2-0 lead.I just fired backdoor, Couturier said. Luckily, he was there.Read scored 24 goals in the 2011-12 season and 22 last season, leaving him mystified about the cause of his season-long slump. He had his first multipoint game since April 6, 2014, against Buffalo and scored for the first time since Nov. 15.Coots pass was pretty lucky, it went through about three guys skates and landed right on my tape, Read said.The Flyers entered 13th in the Eastern Conference and seven points out of a playoff spot. With home games ahead against Carolina, Tampa Bay and Florida, now is the time for the Flyers to gain ground.The Devils scored their lone goal in the second when Martin Havlat scored a power-play goal for the Devils. Havlat tipped Scott Gomezs slap shot from along the boards to cut it to 2-1.The Devils have lost two straight.We didnt panic with the 2-0 deficit, said Schneider, who had 32 saves. We stuck with it and got one on the power play, but they played pretty solid.Simmonds 12th goal stretched the lead to 3-1.NOTES: Devils C Dainius Zubrus sat out his second straight game with a leg injury. ... Flyers C Vinny Lecavalier was a healthy scratch for the fifth straight game. ... Gomezs assist tied him with Scott Stevens for fourth on New Jerseys career list. John MacLean is third with 354. ... New Jerseys Travis Zajac and Adam Larsson have come down the mumps. Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said the team has been offered the vaccination and called the outbreak around the NHL a concern. Weve got it covered as much as we can. Clean buildings and wash your hands, and vaccines and everything else you can do, he said. Weve done everything we can do to protect our players and our staff. ... Voracek has 10 goals. Cheap Jerseys From China . It certainly isnt a coincidence that Dwight Howard has scored at least 20 points in each game of the winning streak. Cheap China Jerseys . Off-Season Game Plan examines a team facing some challenging times as GM Bryan Murray tries to put together a roster for next season. Perhaps the first challenge facing Murray is that its expected he will be moving out Jason Spezza, a premier point producer who is about to enter the final year of his contract. http://www.wholesalecheapchinajerseysnfl.com/. The Raptors (15-15) posted six road victories last month and have won seven of their last nine games overall. Toronto visits the Washington Wizards on Friday night. Wholesale MLB Jerseys China .C. -- Martin Kaymer set a U. Wholesale NFL Jerseys China . PETERSBURG, Fla.DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies gave Todd Helton a horse -- a real horse -- to ride off into retirement. In a pregame tribute commemorating his final contest at Coors Field on Wednesday night, Helton caught the ceremonial first pitch from his daughter with his wife, younger daughter and good friend Peyton Manning watching from the field. Afterward, a cowboy emerged from the left field gate and trotted out Heltons newest teammate -- a shimmering black and white gelding Paint horse named "A Tru Bustamove." The horse came complete with a custom-made saddle that featured the Rockies logo, Heltons number (17) and a silver embroidered handle. All the while, the fans showered Helton with applause as he wore purple pinstripes in front of the home crowd for the final time in his 17-year career. He acknowledged them with a tip of his cap before heading into the dugout to get ready for a game against the Boston Red Sox. He hit a solo homer in his first at-bat after the tribute, bringing the raucous crowd to its feet yet again. Helton appreciates all the outpouring of emotion even if hes a no-fuss kind of person. Each time Helton has stepped into the batters box or made a play in the field -- no matter how routine -- since announcing his retirement nearly two weeks ago, the crowd at Coors Field has given him a roaring ovation. "Seventeen years goes by in a heartbeat," said Helton, who presented the lineup to the home plate umpire before the game. "Once you get caught up in a season, caught up going out there and playing, it just happens. The next thing you know youre retiring." Soon, Helton will trade driving in runs for riding around his Colorado ranch with his new horse. Leading up to his final home game, Helton admitted it was going to be tough and "emotional." "Its also going to be a good day," said Helton, whose final game is Sunday in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. His teammates leaned on the dugout railing as they watched highlights of Heltons career. Manning had a front-row view, too, taking a quick break from preparing for Sundays game against the Philadelphia Eagles. "Itll be a special night, emotional night for a lot of people that will be there," the Broncos quarterback said after Wednesdays practice. "And Im looking forward to being there." Saying farewell to Helton seems almost surreal for smooth-field shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. Helton has scooped countless throws out of the dirt to bail out Tulowitzki and the rest of the infielders. "Its just crazy to think he wont be there," Tulowitzki said. "It will be a sad day for myself, seeing him go. But Im happy for him, if its time to go. Hes had a great career, a Hall of Fame career." Helton will certainly receive strong consideration for Cooperstown, even if he did play his entire career at hitter-friendlyy Coors Field.dddddddddddd After all, hes one of two players to have at least 2,500 hits, 550 doubles, 350 home runs and hit .315 or higher for his career. The other? Former St. Louis Cardinals great and Hall of Famer Stan Musial. "Helton has put up monster numbers," outfielder Carlos Gonzalez said. "Im sure that he feels really happy the way hes going to end." Indeed, he does. Always able to keep his emotions in check, Helton cracked -- briefly, anyway -- at his recent farewell news conference, choking up several times as he chatted about his playing days. On the way to the park, he shed a tear, too. Just one, though, he said. "Theres no crying in baseball," he said. Helton insisted hes at peace with his decision. Hes ready for retirement, despite hitting .314 since his announcement. "Mentally, 17 years is enough. Physically, its definitely enough," said Helton, a first-round pick out of the University of Tennessee in 1995. "Its September. Im 40 years old. Im looking forward to the season ending. It may be tough again once spring training rolls around, when next seasons starts. It may be hard for me then. But right now, its been a long grind, long season. Its time." With Helton goes the face of the franchise, the player whos been in the field so long that he once was teammates with current manager Walt Weiss. "Just steady. Just so steady," Rockies owner Dick Monfort said about his longtime first baseman whos been bothered by back and hip trouble in recent seasons. "When Todd came up to bat, you had as much confidence in him as anybody. Well miss him around here." Helton made his Rockies debut on Aug. 2, 1997, in Pittsburgh, batting fifth and starting in left field. He flied out in his first plate appearance and then singled. Following a walk, he hit his first homer, a solo shot off Marc Wilkins. Since then, there have been plenty more highlights for Helton: -- Winning three gold gloves. -- Finishing fifth in the 2000 NL MVP race after a season in which he hit .372 with 42 homers and 147 RBIs. -- Hitting for his only cycle on June 19, 1999, against Florida. -- Making five All-Star teams. -- Leading the Rockies to the 2007 World Series (where they were swept by the Boston Red Sox). Red Sox slugger David Ortiz had a feeling this sort of career was about to unfold for Helton after a conversation with former Rockies shortstop Neifi Perez during winter ball in 1997. Perez said there was an up-and-comer named Helton about to step in for Andres "Big Cat" Galarraga. "The following year were playing winter ball again and Im like, Neifi, you were right," Ortiz recounted. "Hes been a leader for that ball club for a long time and hes been teaching a lot of young kids the right thing. Thats one of the good guys you want to have around." ' ' '