12-07-2019, 01:19 AM
The Swedish mens hockey team capitalized on a quick start and some shaky opposing goaltending to skate to a 4-2 win over the Czech Republic in their opening game of the Olympic tournament at the Bolshoy Ice Dome on Wednesday. Cedric Ball Jersey Signed . Ottawa Senators star defenceman Erik Karlsson scored two goals while his defensive partner Oliver Ekman-Larsson added two assists. Henrik Zetterberg and Patrik Berglund had the other two goals for the Swedes, who jumped to an early 3-0 lead thanks to some suspect goaltending by Czech starter Jakub Kovar. Head coach Alois Hadamczik made the surprising decision to not even dress the teams only NHL goaltender for the teams stiffest test of the preliminary round. Winnipegs Ondrej Pavelec was scratched in favour of KHL goalies Alexander Salak and Jakub Kovar. Kovar got the start, which backfired horribly when he let in three questionable goals before being pulled early in the second and replaced by Salak, who let in the Swedes fourth goal before the Czechs got on the board. Salak settled down after that and kept the Czech Republic in the game, and Marek Zidlicky and Jaromir Jagr scored two quick goals midway through the second period to spark the Czechs. But the Czech Republic couldnt put any more past Swedish goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who kept the lead intact while the Czechs outshot the Swedes 15-5 in the third. Lundqvist made 23 saves for the win, while Kovar and Salak combined for 25 stops in the loss. Swedens next game in Group C is against Switzerland, while the Czech Republic faces Latvia, both on Friday. Quick start from Swedes Sweden carried the play for most of the first period, capitalizing on a couple miscues by Kovar to go ahead 2-0 after 20 minutes. Karlsson scored the opening goal of the Olympic tournament from the point on a delayed penalty halfway through the period, as Kovar struggled to deal with the traffic in front of his net and saw the Swedes shot go through his glove. Berglund made Kovars opening 20 minutes worse by scoring Swedens second goal from a bad angle at 13:17, firing a shot right through the Czech goaltender from outside the left faceoff dot. It didnt get any better for Kovar in the second. Zetterberg scored on another shot that went through the Czech goalie only 51 seconds in. That goal ended Kovars night after Salak came in to replace him. But the switch didnt matter. Karlsson scored his second of the game with a laser from the point with little over three minutes after Salak made his debut. The Czechs clawed their way back into the contest with goals from Zidlicky and Jagr two minutes apart midway through the second, and pushed the Swedes hard for the remainder of the period. Jimmy Darden Jersey Signed .2 million deal for the upcoming season with right-hander Garrett Richards.The person spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because the announcement hadnt been made. Nike NBA Jerseys .Y. -- AJ Allmendingers journey is almost complete. https://www.cheapnbajerseysjustwholesale...ey-signed/ . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins (5) – He had a brilliant game; it was a huge response for his average games before.FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - Nobody expected Julio Jones and Roddy White to be a weak link in the Atlanta Falcons offence.The former Pro Bowl receivers are having unforeseen problems holding onto the football and running crisp routes.All my career Ive made those plays and right now Im not making them, White said Thursday. Its frustrating for me because I feel like Im letting my team down in certain circumstances.When the Falcons (2-4) visit Baltimore (4-2) this weekend, they will bring a running game thats inconsistent for the second straight year and a once-dependable passing attack that struggles to make basic plays.Jones and White, both seemingly healthy after an injury-filled 2013, blame themselves for multiple drops.They each had two in last weeks home loss to Chicago. Levine Toilolo, a second-year tight end who replaced legendary Tony Gonzalez, had three and leads the league with six drops in 21 targets this season.We are taking it upon ourselves, me and Roddy, Jones said. We hold ourselves accountable for those dropped passes. The defenders didnt have anything to do with it. It was just lack of focus and concentration by us.The offence is also without No. 3 receiver Harry Douglas, who was sidelined from practice again Thursday and is likely to miss his fourth straight game with an injured foot.With a broken foot ending Jones season last year after five games and White affected by ankle and hamstring injuries, Douglas caught a career-high 85 passes and surpassed 1,000 yards receiving for the first time.Hes in so many personnel groupings and hes really good on the inside and seam routes, White said. Were missing a whole lot with his ability to kind of control the middle of the field. Hopefully we can get him back, if not this week then next week, and well be a whole lot better team.Douglas absence hurts, but the miscues by Jones and White seem worse because both have been elite players at their position.Jones, the No. 6 overall draft pick of 2011, is a tough mmatchup for defenders when hes healthy. Wayman Britt Jersey Signed. . Linebackers arent fast enough to cover him and defensive backs lack his strength and size.He has undergone surgery on his right foot twice in three years for essentially the same injury, but Jones insists there are no concerns with his health this year. He was limited in practice Thursday with a sore ankle.Its the fundamental elements of receiving are lacking even though he ranks second in the NFL this year in catches and third in yards receiving.I always catch everything with my hands, Jones said. No matter where its at, I try to do my best to catch it with my hands and not let the ball get into my body.White, the Falcons career leader in catches and yards receiving, is taking the setbacks personally and promises a different outcome on Sunday.He acknowledges recently taking his eyes off the ball to gauge where the coverage is. White has been thinking about the move he will make on a defender after catching a pass instead of concentrating on making the play first.Ive got to turn my game around for our team to start playing better, White said. Im a leader on this team and I havent been going out there and playing Roddy White football. Ive got to get back to being myself. Just go out there and cut it loose and whatever happens happens.The Falcons also need to get better production on the ground. A year after finishing last in rushing, they rank 20th, but they averaged just 66 yards in losses the last two weeks.Every week it seems like we take turns at different positions, you know, messing up the games and everything, White said. All 11 guys have to go out there and just do their job. Thats got to be our focus this week.Notes: WR Devin Hester (hamstring) and linebacker Prince Shembo (knee) were limited in practice. ... LG Justin Blalock (back) and DT Jonathan Babineaux (knee) participated fully after being limited on Wednesday.___Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '