12-31-2019, 12:50 AM
EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Oilers returned to the ice Wednesday after 12 days off for the Olympic break, several of them with red faces either from sun tanning or the hard bike riding that was part of the mini training camp/conditioning session they were put through. B.J. Goodson Jersey . "It feels a lot shorter than it was," said veteran defenceman Andrew Ference, who spent part of the break with his family in Canmore, Alta., visiting former Olympians Thomas Grandi and Sara Renner. "But its a really good chance to get rid of all the little aches and pains." Ference said it has to be remembered that with back-to-back condensed seasons - last year because of the lockout - players need the break both mentally and physically. "The last calendar year I think I played 110 or 120 games, so its a much welcomed break." It was a break that came with the Oilers suddenly having found their game in the midst of another disastrous, non-playoff season. They went into the Olympic break having won five of their previous seven games - one of the losses was in overtime - and outscoring their opponents 18-12. Their previous 10 games before the break - the statistic the NHL keeps - showed them at 5-3-2, a record that put them in the middle of the pack, unlike the 29th place they are in with their overall record of 20-33-7. "It is tough from that aspect," forward Jordan Eberle said of the untimely break. "Some of the GMs around the league have been complaining, some of the teams were going well and then you get this break. Its almost like a new season starting. "But, for me personally, I feel you get re-energized, with a little more jump and a little more excitement to play, like you did in camp. I feel really energized and ready to play." Like many of the players, Eberle took a vacation away from the game, away from Edmonton and away from winter. But not away from working out. "Yeah I went away but I definitely worked out," he added. "I knew today was going to be a tough day. It was just a bit of a skate but most of the stuff was in the gym and it was tough." Ference said the players were put through a tough physical that included a hard bike ride but said everybody looked fine. "Nobody was puking." Veteran Ryan Smyth said it would have been nice to be playing in the Olympics again, but he appreciated the great family time he had in Mexico. And as a player turning 38 on Friday, he said "any time you get some rest for the body to recuperate, it will really help." While players made sure they stayed physically active and in shape, they were able to mentally turn off the game and enjoy some rare family time. "Your mind is a little off on vacation so you give yourself a break there," said Eberle, second on the Oilers scoring with 45 points. "But as far as your body you have to make sure youre still able to come back and play 22 games. So everyone took their mind away from the game, which is a good thing. "I went on vacation somewhere hot and your mind is so out of it that you think, wow, I have to come back and play hockey? But as soon as you get to Edmonton, see the snow on the ground, it changes pretty quickly. I got on the ice, felt pretty excited to get back. Its almost like a new season here." The Oilers resume play Feb. 27 at home against the Minnesota Wild. 20:11ET 19-02-14 Tony Brown Jersey . -- Canadian Erik Bedard pitched into the fifth inning in his bid to win a spot in Tampa Bays rotation, helping the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 on Saturday. Jug Girard Jersey . Others describe it as taking the parrot for a walk. http://www.custompackersjersey.com/custo...1712r.html . -- The Vancouver Whitecaps remained unbeaten with a scoreless draw at the New England Revolution on Saturday.IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The way Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan sees it, the 16th-ranked Badgers are playing better because theyre making shots. Theyre also making plays -- and Frank Kaminsky came up two huge ones to beat No. 15 Iowa on Saturday. Kaminsky had 21 points and a crucial late steal as Wisconsin won 79-74 for its fifth straight win after a 1-5 stretch marked by poor shooting. Sam Dekker added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Badgers (22-5, 9-5 Big Ten), who swept the season series and moved a half-game ahead of the Hawkeyes (19-7, 8-5) in the Big Ten standings. "We like to get into our classroom and in the gym and teach guys things. Show them film, work with them," Ryan said. "Frank is one of those guys thats doing a heck of a job on his learning curve. Hes really been pretty sharp." No one was sharper than Kaminsky in the final 36 seconds. Josh Oglesbys jumper with 1:01 left put Iowa up 72-71, but Kaminsky answered with a jumper that gave Wisconsin a one-point lead. Kaminsky then stripped Iowas Roy Devyn Marble under the basket and hit two free throws as the Badgers went up 75-72 with 24.5 seconds left. "He was trying to make a play, and he presented the ball and I just hit it out of his hands. Thats one of those plays where its kind of up to the (referee) to see what theyre going to call. I thought I got it clean," Kaminsky said of the steal. "Im just happy it came out in our favour." Marble had 21 points and 11 assists for the Hawkeyes, who lost their third home game in four tries. Marble could have milked the shot clock down to just over a second on the games biggest play. He instead attacked the rim and paid for it with a turnover that the Hawkeyes didnt recover from. "You call a play and then hes got to read it. Thats what he did," Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said. This was just the second game in two weeks for Iowa. The Hawkeyes were off ahead of last Saturdays 82-70 win at Penn State, and Tuesdays postponement at Indiana gave the Hawkeyes an extra week off. After a ratheer rusty start, Iowa asserted itself in the second half. Reggie White Jersey. Marble hit a 3 and Aaron White followed with a strong drive to the hoop that put the Hawkeyes ahead 62-58 with 6:27 left. The Badgers seemed flummoxed at times by Iowas zone defence, scoring just 20 points in the first 16 minutes of the second half. Still, Wisconsin tied it at 66-all with 3:18 left on a three-point play by Nigel Hayes, and freshman Bronson Koenigs jumper put the Badgers ahead 71-70 with 1:21 left. "Hes a good player. Youre going to see a lot more of him over the next few years," Ryan said of Koenig, who had a career-high 12 points. Iowa was forced to make a rare lineup change. Forward Zach McCabe started in place of Melsahn Basabe, who was limited to just a minute because of illness. Basabe is one of Iowas top interior defenders, and the Badgers took advantage of his absence early on. Wisconsin hit 12 of its first 16 shots, and Dekkers 3 put the Badgers ahead 34-24. Wisconsin shot 57 per cent from the field in the first half, and Koenig matched his previous career high of 10 points in just 10 minutes as the Badgers led 40-31. But Wisconsin missed its first six shots after the break and Iowa eventually retook the lead, 52-51, with 10:55 left. Oglesby matched a season high with 17 points for Iowa. But White was held to just four points, and McCabes 3-point attempt with less than 20 seconds left and the Hawkeyes down 3 never reached the rim. "It didnt come out of his hand cleanly, but he was wide open," McCaffery said of McCabe. "I dont think hell make any excuses." Kaminsky shares Ryans assertion that shot-making has keyed Wisconsins recent surge. But Kaminsky added that the belief that those shots are going to fall has been whats really reinvigorated the Badgers over the past three weeks. "Having the confidence to step up and take those shots is back. I think we had that at the start of the season. It kind of went away for a little bit, and now I think we have that back," Kaminsky said. ' ' '[url=https://www.forum.7feetshipping.com/newthread.php?fid=2][/url]