Wilkommen bei den Schatten » the ball and wearing them down.Maryl

Martins Karsums played only six games for the Boston Bruins during the 2008-09 season, but his brief presence set in motion one of the organizations most important acquisitions of the past decade. ??After the Bruins selected him as the 64th pick in the 2004 draft, Karsums went on to log 24 games in the NHL (the other 18 came with the?Tampa Bay Lightning). Before turning pro, Karsums was with the Moncton Wildcats, and the Bruins kept a close eye on his development. Every time the scouts returned with reports, however, they raved about Karsums teammate, Brad Marchand. ??Guys kept coming back saying, Check this kid out. Hes really skilled and ultracompetitive for a smaller player, said one former Bruins hockey operations staffer. ? ??Jeff Gorton, the current?New York Rangers?general manager, was then working for the Bruins as assistant GM. He served as interim GM during the 2006 draft in Vancouver. Boston selected Phil Kessel in the first round (fifth overall), and its second-round selections were Yuri Alexandrov (37th overall) and Milan Lucic (50th). The Bruins did not have a pick in the third round, but Gorton, who has a keen eye for young talent, had targeted Marchand. ??A couple of things were working against Bostons chances of landing Marchand in the third round. 1: The New York Islanders had two picks in the beginning of the third round, and the team had just hired Marchands junior coach, Ted Nolan, as its new bench boss. 2: The Bruins had to surrender their third-round pick to the Ottawa Senators for hiring Peter Chiarelli to serve as Bostons new GM, beginning in July 2006. ??It didnt look great for us to be able to get [Marchand], Gorton told ESPN.com via text. ? ??Gorton knew Marchand was the type of player the Bruins hadnt had in a while -- someone who could one day become a driving force behind the teams success. ?On draft day, Gorton traded the Bruins two fourth-round picks for the Islanders third-round selection. Boston then selected Marchand as the 71st overall pick -- and that choice has proved crucial for the organization. Many hockey personnel wondered that day why the Islanders didnt select Marchand 70th overall and instead chose Robin Figren. Either way, the hockey operations staff at Bostons draft table was thrilled the Bruins had landed Marchand. ??Id be lying to say we knew he was going to be this good. Otherwise we should have taken him a lot sooner, Gorton said recently. ? ? ?In Marchand the Bruins acquired a player with skill, skating ability, hockey IQ, character and competitiveness. Now in his eighth NHL season, the 28-year-old forward has reached new levels in all of those categories, especially in terms of his competitive intensity. ? ??Its pretty impressive the way hes improved, said Bruins alternate captain and longtime linemate Patrice Bergeron. Ive always thought he was an amazing player to play with. The way hes handled himself on the ice night in and night out -- hes always been first on pucks, working hard, competing and all that -- I just think hes improved his game from one year to another. He got 37 goals last year and it wasnt a fluke. Obviously were seeing that right now. Its great to see. ? ?This season, Marchand has three goals and seven assists for 10 points in eight games. He has carried over his success from the World Cup of Hockey, where he helped lead Team Canada to a championship with five goals and three assists for eight points in six games. The decision by Team Canada and coach Mike Babcock to give Marchand a roster spot and put him on the top line, along with Sidney Crosby and Bergeron, was based on that competitiveness. ? ?Crosby, widely considered the best player in the world, said he was confident Marchand would have a positive impact both on and off the ice for Team Canada.Crosby also knew even before he hoisted the Stanley Cup with the?Pittsburgh Penguins?in June that Bergeron and Marchand would be his World Cup linemates. So Crosby invited both of them to work out for a week during the summer in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Because Marchand is a fellow Nova Scotian, he skated a bit longer with Crosby during the offseason. That ice time was invaluable, helping build chemistry among the trio -- and it showed once the puck dropped at the World Cup. ?It also helped that Bergeron and Marchand have been linemates in Boston since the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011. Before the World Cup, some wondered how Marchands presence would be received with Team Canada. Hes had a reputation as an agitator who crosses the line at times. ??Marchand has been suspended three times for a total of 10 games. But he also has the reputation of being a good teammate. Hes one of the first players on the ice for practice and one of the last ones to leave. He works his tail off during practice, and that translates during games. He is strong. He is fast. Hes not easily knocked off his skates. Hes basically one of those players you love to have on your team but hate to play against. ??His Team Canada teammates learned that firsthand during the World Cup. ??Hes really starting to shed that reputation, and hes earning a lot of respect from [the] people watching, but also people in that dressing room, [who] are discovering how good a person he really is -- things weve known for a long time in Boston, Bruins coach Claude Julien said during the tournament. ?Marchand understands that hell never completely shed the pest label. Thats the reputation Ive had for a while and people may see me as a little better player now, but that reputation will probably never leave, which is fine, he said recently. I dont care either way, but its nice to be recognized as maybe a little bit better hockey player than people might have thought.After the World Cup culminated with Team Canadas victory, Babcock said Marchand will continue to be Marchand. ??Lets not kid ourselves; hes still a pest, Babcock said. Hes going to be a pest. But hes a pest with elite speed and elite skill and a good penalty killer. ???Marchand has won a Stanley Cup. He won a World Championship with Canada in May. And he was a major contributor for Canadas World Cup victory. Marchand has become a complete player. If the NHL decides to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics, No. 63 should be on that roster. ???During the World Cup, the Bruins announced that they had signed Marchand to an eight-year contract extension worth $49 million. It should keep him in Boston for the remainder of his career. ? ??Im extremely excited, he said. That was always a dream of mine to remain [in Boston] and be part of this team for a long time, and I have that opportunity now. Im very fortunate. Im very proud and excited about that, but I still have to do my job the next number of years and make sure they keep me around. ??? ?No doubt he will continue to hear boos and insults from opposing fans, but Marchand has finally earned a spot at the big-boy table in hockey. Jake Rogers Jersey . Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek defeated Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (4) on the indoor hard-court at Belgrade Arena. The victory improved the Czech pairs impressive cup doubles record to 14-1. Jeimer Candelario Jersey . The 19-year-old Olsen played 34 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL this season. In that time, hes recorded 17 goals and 17 assists with 36 penalty minutes. https://www.cheaptigers.com/1219z-bucky-harris-jersey-tigers.html . -- Catcher Brett Hayes has agreed to a $630,000, one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals, avoiding salary arbitration. Rudy York Jersey . Their experience showed Tuesday as the No. 10 Badgers blunted a Saint Louis surge to win 63-57 and advance to face West Virginia in Wednesdays finals of the Cancun Challenge. Hughie Jennings Jersey . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Maryland coach Brenda Frese wondered if her players were fully awake for their late morning tip-off against in-state foe Mount St. Marys.They had turnovers, breakdowns on defense and uncharacteristically missed open shots. However, it didnt take long for the No. 6 Terrapins to fix the problem. Brionna Jones finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds to help No. 6 Maryland rout the Mountaineers 106-42 on Friday.Ieshia Small had 14 points off the bench for Maryland (3-0). Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Kaila Charles and Jenna Staiti added 10 points apiece for the Terrapins, who shot 58 percent from the field.I thought we had a really slow, sluggish start, Frese said. Our shots werent falling and we werent as crisp as we usually are. The second half was a much better indicator of how we want to play for 40 minutes.The Mountaineers (1-2) trailed only 18-13 at the end of the first quarter. But the Terrapins used their size to take control. The 6-foot-3 Jones scored 12 points to boost the lead to 34-18 with 3:37 left in the second quarter.We have a lot of weapons on our team, Jones said. Anybody can come off the bench and score. Were just going to keep playing our brand of basketball.The Mountaineers tried to stay in the game by hoisting three-pointers, but they went 3 of 21 and trailed 37-20 at the break. They finished 7 of 32 from behind the arc.A pair of free throws and layup by freshman Destiny Slocum boosted the margin to 57-25 midway through the third quarter, and the only uncertainty was whether Maryland would score 100 or more points for the third straight game.A 3-pointer by Sarah Myers gave Maryland a 100-39 llead late in the fourth quarter.ddddddddddddKatrice Dickson led Mount St. Marys with 12 points.I thought we played really well in the first quarter, Mountaineers coach Bryan Whitten. We became very undisciplined on the offensive side in the second quarter. You give up 37 points in the first half, you think youre in a good spot.BIG PICTUREMount St. Marys: The Mountaineers started four guards to play uptempo and put their best shooters in the floor. The strategy worked early before the Terrapins did a better job protecting the ball and wearing them down.Maryland: Frese is pleased with the quick start of her team, which has averaged 104 points in three games against much weaker programs. Her deep roster will help create matchup problems for most opponents this season.FAB FRESHMANMaryland freshmen Destiny Slocum and Kaila Charles were in the starting lineup for the third consecutive game. Both played well enough to maintain those spots. Charles scored in double figures for the third time, and Slocum has seamlessly run the plays at point guard.FINDING A HOMEThe Mountaineers Mikal Johnson, a graduate transfer, is playing for her third college program. Johnson played two seasons at Rider, where she was a MAAC All-Rookie Team selection, and then one year at Liberty. After scoring in double figures in each of the first two games, Johnson had three points against Maryland.UP NEXTMt. St. Marys: The Mountaineers host Fairfield on Sunday.Maryland: The Terrapins play at Niagara on Sunday in their first road trip. ' ' '