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etter it makes all of us better.CONVERTED CENTER, PART TWO: Since making his debut as a 20-year-old in 2012-13, Mikael
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabamas defense still seems to have a wall erected at the goal line, and Jalen Hurts remains unflappable enough to shrug off mistakes.The combination has been good enough every time so far.Hurts rebounded from two early interceptions to pass for 286 yards and the top-ranked Crimson Tides defense did the rest in a 30-12 victory Saturday over No. 16 Auburn (No. 13 AP) to finish an undefeated regular season.We have bigger goals in mind, tight end O.J. Howard said.The Tide (12-0, 8-0 SEC) led just 13-9 at halftime, dominating the stat sheet but only taking over the scoreboard in the second half. The defense pushed its string of quarters without allowing a touchdown to 14-plus and shut down the leagues top running game.Auburn (8-4, 5-3) failed to muster much offense for the second straight SEC game. This time the Tigers were playing without injured quarterback Sean White and unable to reach the end zone despite starting several drives in Alabama territory.We had some really, really challenging field position situations in this game, and our players responded really well to it, Alabama coach Nick Saban said.Hurts displayed the same poise in overcoming two first-half interceptions that has helped him lead the Tide into the SEC championship game. He completed 27-of-36 mostly short and mid-range passes and threw for two touchdowns. Alabama has won three straight Iron Bowls for the first time since 1990-92.At halftime, I guess everybody thought I was going to throw a fit, but I told them, `Look guys, all weve got to do is go out there and play with some poise and confidence, Saban said.Hurts also ran for 37 yards and a touchdown, leading two straight touchdown drives in the third quarter to all but put the game away after a mistake-filled first half.He ran for a 4-yard score on a drive sparked by four Bo Scarbrough runs. On a fourth-and-4 play, he hit ArDarius Stewart, who spun away from a defender and made another move downfield en route to a 38-yard touchdown and a 27-9 lead.Stewart gained 127 yards on 10 catches and completed a 12-yard pass. Scarbrough ran for 90 yards, including 83 after the half.Auburns Jeremy Johnson, who started the second straight game in Whites place, completed 4 of 13 passes for 34 yards. John Franklin III connected on two downfield passes in the second half that totaled 85 yards. The Tide dominated in total yards, 501-182.Daniel Carlson connected on four field goals for Auburn.Offensively, we just didnt get first downs, we just didnt get it done, Tigers coach Gus Malzahn said. Two of 12 on third downs, I really think that caused the problem. Third downs, didnt hit explosive plays, defense was on the field too long was really the story of the day.Obviously weve got players in there that are hurting, coaches that are hurting, this is a tough one.THE TAKEAWAYAuburn didnt get a first down until nearly 25 minutes into the game and continues to have no passing game without a healthy White. Leading rusher Kamryn Pettway ran 12 times for just 17 yards after missing the past two games with a leg injury. The Tigers managed 66 rushing yards after coming in averaging a league best 298.Alabama still has to get more offense in the downfield passing game but remains dominant on defense.POLL IMPLICATIONSAlabama seems unlikely to drop from No. 1 in AP poll or playoff rankings, but No. 2 Ohio State could at least close ground after a double-overtime win over No. 3 Michigan. Auburn could fall from the top 20 after a second straight punchless offensive performance in SEC games.TARGETINGDefensive back Tony Brown was ejected for targeting for a block thrown on a punt return. Hell be available against Florida.FAREWELLSAlabamas senior class finished its final home game with a 49-5 record so far.UP NEXTAuburn awaits its bowl destination.Alabama faces Florida in the SEC championship game for the second straight year.Cheap Yeezy Free Shipping . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. Wholesale Yeezy Shop . "Trying to breathe," he said with a grin. Bernier stopped 42 of 43 shots on Monday night, including all 22 in a hectic middle frame, his heroic performance propelling the Leafs toward an undue point in their final game before the Christmas break. https://www.yeezychina.us/ . But Bourque, who has missed three games with a lower-body injury, wont be in the lineup when the Habs travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Wednesday. Fake Yeezy Online . Team physician Dr. Steve Traina performed the surgery Friday. Robinson was injured in a spill underneath the Nuggets basket during the first quarter of Wednesday nights loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. Wholesale Yeezy China . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void.ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Not much has changed with the Minnesota Wild roster.The biggest difference is the man now in charge on the bench, Bruce Boudreau, whos been tasked with squeezing more success out of a team thats been stuck in the early rounds of the playoffs for the last four years.Bruce has that ability to convince the players, to get the players, to encourage the players, to prod the players to execute on a consistent basis, general manager Chuck Fletcher said the day Boudreau was introduced in May. If we do that, were a good hockey team and can even become very good.Boudreau has mostly experienced early exits from the postseason, too, with Washington and Anaheim. Without them, though, the 61-year-old likely wouldnt have been available to Fletcher and the Wild in the search for the franchises fifth head coach and fourth in six years. Theyre banking on Boudreau, with his remarkable regular season success of eight division titles in nine years, as the catalyst that this a group of players has been missing at critical times.You come to realize why hes had success. Everything he says makes a lot of sense, right wing Jason Pominville said. He kind of goes out of his way to make sure that we understand it and explains to us why were doing it and what can happen if we do it and do it right, so its nice to have that voice.With his roly-poly build and mischievous gap-toothed grin, Boudreau doesnt look the part of a taskmaster. Make no mistake, though, that his practices have been demanding during the get-to-know-each-other phase during training camp.They are intense, a lot of skating, and you can tell theres a purpose to all the drills were doing, left wing Zach Parise said, noting the emphasis on teaching concepts and creating game-like situations. It kind of forces us to play at a faster pace in practices, and hopefully that translates into games.The Wild start the season at division rival St. Louis on Oct. 13. Their home opener is two days later against Winnippeg.ddddddddddddHere are some of the top storylines for 2016-17 in Boudreaus first year with Minnesota:PARISE RETURNS: Parise missed the playoff series last spring, a six-game loss to division champion Dallas, with a back injury that bothered him down the stretch and robbed the Wild of their best forward. Healthy enough to play for the U.S. team in the World Cup of Hockey, Parise will be counted on to be the emotional engine of a first line featuring center Marc Staal, one of the few notable offseason additions, and Charlie Coyle on the right wing.Theyre part of our top six, and we expect them to score, Boudreau said. And I expect them to be able to defend. Its not a one-way street.CONVERTED CENTER: Coyle has gone back and forth between center and the wing, but the plan for now is to keep him and his 6-foot-3, 218-pound frame on the wing. Coyle had a career-high 21 goals and 42 points in 2015-16, but he was still prone to long stretches without scoring.So far we havent seen the peak of him, Boudreau said. I think hell be better and when hes better it makes all of us better.CONVERTED CENTER, PART TWO: Since making his debut as a 20-year-old in 2012-13, Mikael Granlund hasnt matched the hype surrounding his talent with the same production. Granlund began to thrive on the wing during the postseason, and hell likely stay there on a line centered by captain Mikko Koivu and rounded out by Chris Stewart, the other significant free-agent acquisition.If Im a winger, Im a winger, Granlund said. Im excited both ways. So it doesnt matter to me.DEFENSEMEN DEMANDS: Boudreau hired Hall of Fame defenseman Scott Stevens for his staff, bringing a hard-nosed guide for the blue-line group led by Parises pal, Ryan Suter. Stevens, who spent three years on New Jerseys staff, was itching to get back on the bench after working for NHL Network last season. ' ' '