Gästebuch » 1. Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Kusal Perera (wk), 3 K

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Dmitry Kulikov was initially excited upon learning the Florida Panthers had acquired and then signed free-agent defenseman Keith Yandle to a long-term contract last week.Little did Kulikov realize that Yandles addition would lead to him being the odd man out a few days later, when the Panthers traded the seventh-year defenseman to the Buffalo Sabres.I was comfortable with Florida, Kulikov said during a telephone conference call on Tuesday. I didnt think that something like that was going to go down. But it did. Its part of the business. And Im excited for the future.The 25-year-old took the move in stride because his role as a top-four defenseman isnt expected to diminish in Buffalo. By acquiring Kulikov in a trade made early in the second round of the NHL draft on Saturday, the Sabres addressed a critical need by adding a left-shooting defenseman.Though Buffalos defensive pairings wont be set until training camp, Kulikov is expected to open next season playing alongside either Rasmus Ristolainen or Zach Bogosian.Its a familiar role for Kulikov, who averaged more than 21 minutes of playing time per game over the past five seasons.Im happy to take on that responsibility, said Kulikov, who spent much of last year playing alongside Aaron Ekblad. I think change is sometimes for the best. Maybe, whatever happens, happens for a reason. So maybe Im meant to be in Buffalo.In exchange for Kulikov, the Panthers acquired defenseman Mark Pysyk, who struggled establishing a regular role during four seasons in Buffalo. The teams also swapped second-round draft picks in a move that helped the Panthers free up $3.25 million in salary cap space.The Russian-born player is in the final year of his contract, and eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.Kulikov played more of a defensive role in his recent seasons in Florida, which selected him in the first-round of the 2009 draft. He had one goal and 16 assists in 74 games last season. Kulikovs career high for goals is eight, in 2013-14, and points is 28, in 2011-12.The Sabres believe Kulikov has more offensive potential, and were impressed with his goal and three assists in Floridas first-round playoff series loss to the New York Islanders in April.Kulikov believes he can up his offense, too.I havent been as productive as I wanted to be in the NHL and obviously, I want to grow in that part of the game, he said. Im just happy for a fresh start and happy for the opportunity in Buffalo.Kulikov isnt expected to be the only new offseason addition for the rebuilding Sabres, who intend to be active once the NHLs free-agency period opens on Friday. Buffalo is among a number of teams that have already expressed interest in center Steven Stamkos, should the Lightning captain not re-sign with Tampa Bay.Kulikov is intrigued by who Buffalo might add.The more better players were going to bring into the organization, the more successful were going to be, and the faster were going to be successful, Kulikov said. Joey Wendle Rays Jersey .C. Lions has come to an end. Banks told TSN on Jan 2 that he had no interest in playing out the option year of his contract with the Lions in 2014, and he again made that clear in a conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week. 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Match factsSeptember 6, 2016 Start time 1900 local (1330 GMT)Big PictureSri Lanka may have the beginnings of a future-proof Test team, but in the shorter formats, the juggernaut that is their transition rolls relentlessly on. So long has it reigned now, it probably deserves to be capitalised: Transition. Perhaps in years to come, Sri Lankan historians will see fit to add a prefix, and it will become The Great Transition. Whatever the case, it continues to guzzle up players and spit out empty husks of international careers, chewing up those husks and spitting them up even emptier, fans wailing by the roadside in rags, a terrible limited-overs drought afflicting their once-lush land.Back together in this current squad are players like Chamara Kapugedara, Sachithra Senanayake and Thisara Perera, many of whom had been part of Sri Lankas T20 boom years, from 2009-2014, but their presence does not seem a guarantee the boom years will come again. The more experienced hands are as much on trial as the likes of Kasun Rajitha or Dasun Shanaka. A big, limited-overs breakthrough continues to evade them.Australia are without Aaron Finch and Chris Lynn, but through the ODI series, their bowlers cracked Sri Lankas dusty pitches, and the batsmen steadily developed a taste for spin. David Warners scored his first Asian limited-overs ton playing a more measured brand of cricket than he would have liked, but now that he is in the runs, the T20 format may bring the violence out of him. George Bailey seems the most assured batsman playing in this series. Even Mathew Wade and Travis Head look well-set to contribute.Like Sri Lanka, Australia had also exited this years World T20 at the end of the group stage, but during that campaign, had beaten Bangladesh and Pakistan, both of whom Sri Lanka had lost to in the preceding Asia Cup.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)? Australia: LWWLWSri Lanka: LLLLWIn the spotlightTillakaratne Dilshan has had an eventful week since playing his last ODI. He made veiled accusations about Angelo Mathews in the press conference after that match, and neither Mahela Jayawardene nor Kumar Sangakkara came off well in Dilshans verbal memoirs either. In addition to suggesting he did not have these players support during his captaincy, Dilshan has also taken umbrage at somme team-mates trying to rename the dilscoop by saying it is a shot a cricketer with no brain plays.dddddddddddd The comments have divided opinion, but Dilshan remains a draw card for one final series. He will want to give evidence to his claim that he could easily have played two more years.Adam Zampas T20 career began in South Africa, where he went wicketless in two games, but Asia has been kinder to him. He took five wickets across two games in the World T20, and has generally been economical, if a shade under-bowled. Having now imposed himself in Sri Lanka in the ODIs, claiming nine wickets at 20.77, the opposition will turn out on Tuesday with a plan to neutralise him. If Zampa can get through that trial, however, he will have made further headway in what is becoming a good limited-overs career.Teams newsThere are so many injuries and so many permutations with the Sri Lanka squad that pinning down an XI is difficult. Kusal Perera is likely to return to the top of the order. In the past, Sri Lanka have liked to stack their team with allrounders.Sri Lanka (possible): 1. Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Kusal Perera (wk), 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (capt.), 5 Chamara Kapugedara, 6 Milinda Siriwardana, 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Sachith Pathirana, 9 Seekkuge Prasanna, 10 Sachithra Senanayake, 11 Kasun RajithaThe visitors XI is no less difficult to predict, as they have not played T20s since March. On current form, Mitchell Starc, James Faulkner, John Hastings and Zampa should make up the bulk of the attack.Australia(possible): 1 David Warner (capt.), 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 George Bailey, 4 Travis Head, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Matthew Wade, 7 James Faulkner, 8 Peter Nevill (wk), 9 John Hastings, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Adam ZampaPitch and conditionsThe Pallekele surface aids both quicks and spinners under lights, so the match is unlikely to be a high scorer. There is a small chance light showers could interrupt play. The game is already sold out.Stats and triviaPallekele is the scene of Tillakaratne Dilshans lone T20 hundred, also against Australia, in 2011.In eight T20s between these sides, Sri Lanka have won six and lost two.George Bailey needs 30 runs to complete 500 in the format. ' ' '