Tagebuch » had been rolling before dropping a pair of close regulati

SOCHI, Russia – Leo Komarovs KHL club had one flight this season of the marathon variety, precisely the kind of tiresome experience that has the former Leaf winger reconsidering his career status. “It took us 12 hours or something,” he said of the near 10,000 kilometre flight from Moscow to Vladivostok, quick to mention the one stop required to refuel along the way. It may not be in Toronto, but Komarov seems to have his sights set on a return to the NHL next season. The 27-year-old had his first (and long-desired) taste of the league in 2013 – calling it “probably the best time of my life” – before returning to Dynamo of the KHL last summer for reasons both financial and otherwise. “I want to get back,” Komarov said of the NHL. “Its a big goal for me for next season. [But] Im going to see how its going to work out. Dynamo is playing pretty good right now so its like everything is good there too, but I really enjoyed it in Toronto. It was really good.” Komarov played in 42 games with the Leafs and was the pesky, agitating force the organization hoped hed become when they drafted him in the sixth round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. But with the lure of a hefty one-year contract in Moscow and more opportunity ahead of the Olympics this winter, Komarov chose to leave Toronto after just one season. “No hard feelings against Toronto,” he said. “I really enjoyed it. Everything was good, but Dynamo gave me a really good offer.” More money than a cap-strapped Leafs brass was prepared or even able to pay this past summer. But just as important as the dollars gained by returning to Russia was the chance to play big minutes with a powerhouse squad in Dynamo. And with keen hopes of representing Finland for the first time on the Olympic stage here in Sochi, Komarov wanted to ensure his best was on display as often as possible. “I need to play a lot to make this team for Olympics and I knew Im going to get a lot of ice-time in Dynamo,” said Komarov following practice with a trimmed down Finnish Olympic squad, NHL players yet to arrive on this day. “You go in the NHL and play on the fourth line – five, six minutes – its hard. I wanted to make 100 per cent sure that Im going to make the team. “Maybe the contract situation was a little bit [a reason] too. It was a hard decision, like I want to play in NHL, but what happened happened.” Though he is quite at home in the KHL, where hes played for four seasons now, Komarov certainly enjoyed the upgrade in lifestyle associated with the NHL. From the lavish hotels to comfortable charter planes to do-it-all training staffs to visits in New York, Montreal and Boston, the NHL just has more to offer than the league in Russia, up-and-coming as it is. “Its like the best thing that can happen to a hockey player to be there,” said Komarov of playing in the NHL, remaining in touch with current Leafs Phil Kessel, Frazer McLaren, Tyler Bozak and Nikolai Kulemin. “Its so nice.” Toronto was also a more desirable resting place for his Finnish girlfriend. Unlike Komarov, who speaks four languages including Russian, Swedish and Finnish, his better half has nothing to fall back on as far as communication is concerned, this in a place where English is rarely spoken or understood. “She liked Toronto really much, did whatever she wanted by herself there, but in Moscow she always needs me around,” said Komarov, noting the challenge of simply traveling around the city without knowing the Russian language. An unrestricted free agent this summer, Komarov is open to returning to the Leafs and the city of Toronto, but he appears more focused on simply getting back into the NHL however possible. Yet to receive any offers he remains hopeful about his prospects with a fallback plan of good money and opportunity in the KHL. “Theyve got good money in KHL, but its not all about the money either,” he said. “NHL is the best league you can play in.” TreQuan Smith Saints Jersey .J. Fair didnt have many chances to be the main option for Syracuse last season. DeMario Davis Jersey . -- Mixed martial arts fighter Cristiane Justino Santos has been suspended and fined for testing positive for steroids. http://www.officialsaintslockroom.com/jermon-bushrod-saints-jersey/ . -- Masahiro Tanaka knows that first appearance in a spring training game for the New York Yankees will be scrutinized. Cameron Meredith Jersey . No surprise there. Kershaw, who also earned the title after throwing his first career no-hitter in June, had a 1. Saints Jerseys . 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.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Washington Capitals will try to avoid their longest losing streak in over two months when they welcome the Edmonton Oilers for Tuesdays clash at Verizon Center. The Capitals had been rolling before dropping a pair of close regulation decisions in their last two trips to the ice. Washington fell Friday in Nashville by a 4-3 score in head coach Barry Trotzs return to the Music City and then lost 5-4 the following night in Dallas. Washington lost consecutive tilts for the first time since falling to Toronto and Vancouver on Nov. 29 and Dec. 2, respectively. The Caps havent lost three straight since a season-high five-game slide (0-4-1) from Oct. 26-Nov 4. Even with the two setbacks over the weekend, the Capitals are still 14-3-4 over their last 21 games. They enter Tuesday tied with the New York Rangers at 56 points, but the Rangers currently are holding onto the Metropolitan Divisions third and final automatic playoff bud thanks to the tiebreaker. Washington is two points ahead of Boston for the first of the Eastern Conferences two wild card spots. One night after Washington failed to give its head coach a win against his former team, the Caps fell 5-4 to the Stars. Washington rallied to make a game of it after falling behind by three goals, but in the end the Caps were unable to grab even a point. Washington had trailed 3-0, but scored twice in the second period and tied the game just 21 seconds into the third when Alex Ovechkin switched to the forehand on a breakaway and snapped it in for his 25th of the year. The Stars, though, took the lead back three minutes later, as a John Klingberg wrister from the right wing was tipped to the left side by Ryan Garbutt. Antoine Roussel was there to snap it in for a 4-3 lead. Just 16 seconds later, Jamie Benn gave the Stars some breathing room after Tyler Seguins pass from the right wing missed its intended target and went to the left wing where Benn wrister it home. Nicklas Backstrom completed the scoring when he made it a 5-4 game for the Caps with 3:26 left, but Washington was unable to record the equalizer. Eric Fehr and Anddre Burakovsky lit the lamp in the second period for the Capitals, while backup goaltender Justin Peters allowed all five goals on 26 shots.dddddddddddd Obviously we dug ourselves a hole, said Washington coach Barry Trotz. I thought we were better as the game went on. ... I thought there was good resiliency. We had a lot of push, a lot of chances and they had a good response. Braden Holtby had started 21 straight games for the Caps before Peters gave him a breather on Saturday. Holtby will be back between the pipes tonight and owns a 3-1-0 record and 1.51 goals against average in his career against Edmonton. Tonights test marks the final game before the All-Star break for both Washington and the Oilers. While the Caps hope to avoid entering the hiatus on a three-game slide, Edmonton aims to secure its first set of consecutive wins since early November. The Oilers, who are tied with Buffalo for last in the NHL standings with 31 points, had lost three straight in regulation before posting a shootout win Saturday against the Florida Panthers. The 3-2 win also halted Edmontons epic franchise-record road skid at 14 games. Nail Yakupov scored the lone goal of the shootout to give Edmonton its first victory away from Rexall Place since downing the New York Rangers on Nov. 9. That win over the Rangers also marked the last time the Oilers had won two in a row, as Edmonton had picked up a win in Buffalo two days before beating New York. Viktor Fasth made 35 saves on 37 shots in regulation and overtime play to help Edmonton halt the 0-8-6 slide as the guest. Matt Hendricks tied the game in the third with a short-handed goal and Jordan Eberle also scored for the Oilers, who improved to 3-12-7 on the road this season. We all worked really hard today, so it felt good to get this win here on the road, Fasth said. Edmonton, however, may find it difficult to add another road win tonight in D.C., where it has lost eight of its past nine games. Washington is 19-4-1 with a tie in its last 25 games against the Oilers in the nations capital. The clubs have split the last four meetings overall. Cheap Celtics Jerseys Wholesale Nets Jerseys Cheap Knicks Jerseys Cheap Stitched 76ers Jerseys Raptors Jerseys China Cheap Bulls Jerseys Wholesale Cavaliers Jerseys Pistons Jerseys China Pacers Jerseys China Cheap Bucks Jerseys Online Wholesale Hawks Jerseys Cheap Hornets Jerseys Wholesale Heat Jerseys Cheap Magic Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Wizards Jerseys Nuggets Jerseys China Timberwolves Jerseys China Cheap Thunder Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Blazers Jerseys Wholesale Jazz Jerseys Cheap Warriors Jerseys For Sale Cheap Clippers Jerseys Lakers Jerseys China Wholesale Suns Jerseys Cheap Kings Jerseys Authentic Cheap Mavericks Jerseys Rockets Jerseys China Cheap Grizzlies Jerseys Wholesale Pelicans Jerseys Spurs Jerseys China ' ' '