Neo Workxx » Capitals were beaten 5-1 in Buffalo. [url=ht

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Chicago and Anaheim had the NHLs two best records and a combined 15 Olympians on the ice at Honda Center. Before all that world-class talent heads to Sochi this weekend, the Blackhawks demonstrated why theyre still the team to beat when the NHL gets back to work in three short weeks. Corey Crawford made 29 saves in his first shutout of the season and Chicago pulled within one point of Anaheim for the overall NHL lead with a 2-0 victory over the Ducks on Wednesday night. Marian Hossa scored in the second period and captain Jonathan Toews added a late goal for the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks, who improved to 3-0-2 on their six-game trip before the Olympic break. Chicago followed up its victory in Los Angeles two days ago with another solid effort against the Ducks, suggesting the defending champs are hitting their stride right before Sochi. "The last handful of games on this trip, weve got back to the way we need to play," Toews said. "Thats a tough team to do that to, and we have to feel good about what we were able to accomplish." After keeping the Ducks off the scoreboard in a fast, well-played game, the Blackhawks also won the Western Conference powers season series, taking two of three from Anaheim. Chicago (35-10-14, 84 points) is right behind Anaheim (40-14-5, 85 points) with one game left before the break. "(Crawford) made some key saves, and we had some breaks and some fortunate bounces," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "(Anaheim) had that run there, 19 of 20 (wins), but I think this trip really put us in a spot where were back in the mix. We played the right way, and were getting some good points." Quenneville also announced Patrick Kane wont be with the Blackhawks when they wrap up their trip in Phoenix. The American Olympians grandfather, Donald, died two days ago, and Kane is going back home to Buffalo before heading to Sochi. Jonas Hiller stopped 23 shots for the Ducks, who have lost four of five. Anaheim also has lost three straight home games after starting the season 20-0-2 at Honda Center. "We will overcome this," Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau said. "I thought we put in a great effort. We just didnt score goals. Were not going to cry about it. Were just going to get back to work and put another big run together." Chicago mostly beat the Ducks with defence, a minor surprise in a meeting between two of the NHLs highest-scoring teams. Crawford turned away every chance generated by the Ducks, who hadnt been shut out in their first 56 games this season before getting blanked twice in their last three games by Dallas and Chicago. Anaheim improved its effort from recent games, yet struggled mightily to get clean scoring chances. The Ducks had a 15-3 shots edge early on, but couldnt score during 40 seconds of 5-on-3 play in the scoreless first period. "We were doing a lot of things right, but unfortunately we cant buy a goal right now," Ducks defenceman Cam Fowler said. "All we can do is continue to push, continue to work on it." Both rosters are dotted with Olympic talent, including five key members of the Canadian team headed to Sochi. In addition, two members of the Swedish team — Chicagos Johnny Oduya and Anaheims Jakob Silfverberg — were scratched. Just 39 seconds into the second period, Hossa sneaked into Anaheims defence and beat Hiller for his 24th goal. The Slovak Olympian also had two goals in Chicagos win over the Ducks last month. The Blackhawks matched the Ducks effort after the midway point of the game. Anaheims Daniel Winnik had an outstanding short-handed chance in the slot in the third period, but couldnt settle a bouncing puck in time. Toews wrapped it up with 2:31 to play with a slippery move off the wall. After Hossa grabbed a turnover by Fowler, Toews went toward the middle and put a shot past Hillers left arm for his 19th goal. NOTES: Oduya missed his first game of the season with a lower-body injury. Quenneville said the injury shouldnt prevent Oduya from playing in Sochi. ... Hossa has scored in five consecutive games. ... Ducks C Nick Bonino missed his third straight game with an apparent wrist injury. Before the game, Anaheim recalled F Emerson Etem for his first game with the Ducks since Dec. 9. Paul Molitor Jersey . The victory strengthened Liverpools position in the top four after Tottenham lost 1-0 at Norwich in the days late kickoff, cutting the north London club six points adrift of fourth place and the final Champions League slot for next season. Eric Sogard Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.brewersteamshop.com/Brewers-M...za-Kids-Jersey/. - Florida State has suspended Jameis Winston for the entire game against Clemson on Saturday, extending its initial punishment of one half after the quarterback made offensive and vulgar comments about female anatomy earlier this week. Manny Pina Jersey . He liked what he saw on Tuesday night. Not only did his team post a comeback 3-2 victory in a shootout over the Montreal Canadiens, but the rival Washington Capitals were beaten 5-1 in Buffalo. Milwaukee Brewers Jerseys . With their coach gone, they finally played offence the way he would have wanted. Amare Stoudemire made all seven shots in the first half, Anthony passed and shot well, and the Knicks shook off the surprising departure of their coach to rout the Portland Trail Blazers 121-79 on Wednesday night, snapping a six-game losing streak.MINNEAPOLIS - Corey Brewer scored a career-high 51 points and Gorgui Dieng hit a short jumper with 4.6 seconds to play to lift the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves to a 112-110 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night. Brewer made 19 of 30 shots, easily surpassing his previous career high of 29 points. He became the fifth player this season to score 50 in a game, and the Wolves scored a staggering 39 points in transition against Houstons woeful defence. James Harden hit a 3-pointer with 17 seconds to go that tied it at 110, but the rookie Dieng calmly knocked down the game-winner for the Wolves, who were missing All-Star Kevin Love with a hyperextended right elbow. Harden had 33 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Rockets, who entered the night just 1 1/2 games ahead of Portland for the fourth seed in the Western Conference and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Brewer scored in every way imaginable, ripping a Houston defence missing its two defensive leaders — Dwight Howard and Patrick Beverley — for the eighth straight game. He hit jumpers, runners, dunks, free throws and even added a heave from beyond half-court to beat the halftime buzzer. He eclipsed 50 with a pair of free throws with 1:43 to play that gave Minnesota a 105-103 lead. He joined Kevin Durant (twice), LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Terrence Ross in the 50-point club for this season. Dante Cunningham had 20 points and 13 rebounds for a Wolves team that was also missing Nikola Pekovic (right foot), Kevin Martin (right heel), Chase Budinger (right ankle) and Shabazz Muhammad (right knee). Ricky Rubio had 16 points and 10 assists, and Dieng added 12 points and 20 rebounds. Chandler Parsons had 27 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Rockets. Howard and Beverley are tone-setters for Houston on defence, with Howard prowling the paint and Beverley hounding point guards on the perimeter, so it comes as no surprise that the Rockets have struggled in their absence.dddddddddddd But 51 points from Corey Brewer? Brewer was averaging 11.7 points per game this season, most of which came on outlet passes in transition from Love. His quarterback could only watch from the bench on Friday night, but Brewer still managed to tie Loves franchise record for points in a game. McHale has openly lamented his teams poor transition defence, saying the Rockets desperately need some practice time for a refresher course. With the playoffs looming, theres not much time to make wholesale changes. If the playoffs started on Saturday, the Rockets would play fifth-seeded Portland in the first round, and Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge and the Blazers would certainly test those defensive shortcomings. McHale went with a smaller lineup, taking Omer Asik out and essentially playing Terrence Jones at the centre spot in the second quarter, and it seemed to help slow the Wolves transition game a little bit. Parsons hit 7 of 9 shots, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range, to help the Rockets stay in the game. They led 63-59 at halftime, but Brewer kept coming. He scored Minnesotas final 10 points of the third to cut the deficit to 84-82 heading into the fourth. His runner in transition gave the Wolves a 91-87 lead three minutes into the final period, bringing the Target Center crowd to its feet. NOTES: The Rockets had 22 turnovers that led to 28 points for Minnesota. ... The Timberwolves held a moment of silence before the game for six-time All-Star Lou Hudson, who died on Friday. Hudson starred in college at the University of Minnesota. ... J.J. Barea returned from a one-game absence for the Wolves and was given a technical foul in the second quarter for slamming the ball on the court in frustration. The ball bounced about 15 feet into the air and went over the backboard. ' ' '