HOCKEYCHICAGO (AP) Emergency goaltender Scott Foster

HOCKEYCHICAGO (AP) Emergency goaltender Scott Foster played the final 14 minutes after Chicago lost Anton Forsberg and Collin Delia to injuries Danton Heinen Jersey Kids , closing out the Blackhawks’ 6-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets.It was Foster’s first competitive action since 20 minutes in relief with Western Michigan University in the 2005-06 season.Forsberg was expected to start, but he was scratched after the team said he got hurt during warmups. Delia, who was just recalled from the minors Wednesday, then stopped 25 of 27 shots in his NHL debut before he was helped off the ice in the third period due to a lower-body injury.Enter Foster, a 36-year-old accountant. After a short warmup, the game resumed and Foster got a big cheer from the crowd of 21,839 when he denied Tyler Myers for his first save about a minute after he came in.Backed by chants of ”Foster! Foster!” and more loud ovations down the stretch, he finished with seven stops against the playoff-bound Jets, winners of six in a row.BASEBALLNEW YORK (AP) – The average major league salary on opening day dropped slightly following an offseason of slashed contracts for many free agents and the decisions to start three highly paid players in the minor leagues, according to study by The Associated Press.The $4.41 million average Thursday fell 0.9 percent from last year’s starting figure of $4.45 million, according to the AP’s calculations. It was only the second drop since the end of the 1994-95 strike http://www.officialbruinsproonline.com/authentic-adidas-david-krejci-jersey , after a 2.7 decrease in 2004.Two late-signing free agent pitchers were optioned to farm teams just ahead of Thursday’s openers to get more preparation time: Philadelphia’s Jake Arrieta and Baltimore’s Alex Cobb. If they had remained in the majors, the average would have been down just $1,380. And if Arizona outfielder Yasmany Tomas had also remained in the big leagues, the average would have been up 0.2 percent to $4.46 million.Boston had a $224 million payroll and topped the major leagues for the first time since at least the 1980s. San Francisco was next at $207 million, followed by the Chicago Cubs ($182 million), Washington ($181 million), the NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers ($179 million), the Los Angeles Angels ($170 million) and the New York Yankees in seventh at $167 million. The Yankees have their lowest payroll since 2003 and their lowest ranking since 1992.PRO BASKETBALLPHILADELPHIA (AP) – Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center Joel Embiid will need surgery on an orbital fracture of his left eye and he has a concussion.There was no timetable Thursday on how long Embiid would be sidelined. The 76ers are set to play Friday in Atlanta and Sunday in Charlotte.Embiid posted a photo on Instagram of him on the court and grabbing his face with the caption, ”I guess I gotta trust `The Process’ that I’ve been preaching… Unfortunate freak accident but I’ll be more than fine.”Markelle Fultz was driving toward the basket Wednesday against the Knicks when he appeared to accidentally head-butt Embiid. The 7-footer immediately went to the floor. He remained on the floor for several minutes before he was assisted by Philadelphia’s trainer. Embiid sat up once before lying back down on the court. Eventually, he was helped off the court.Fultz was not injured on the play. He posted a hands-clasped prayer emoji on Embiid’s photo.EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) – Los Angeles Lakers guard Isaiah Thomas will need four months to recover from arthroscopic surgery on his right hip.The Lakers announced Thomas’ prognosis after the surgery Thursday.Thomas will be a free agent by the time he recovers from the procedure Authentic David Pastrnak Jersey , but he has expressed interest in staying with the Lakers.The two-time All-Star guard averaged 15.6 points and 5.0 assists in 17 games with Los Angeles, which acquired him from Cleveland in February.OLYMPICSTOKYO (AP) – The man who organized the most popular Winter Olympics 24 years ago in the Norwegian ski resort of Lillehammer says it’s too soon to return in 2026.But watch for Lillehammer in 2030.Gerhard Heiberg tells The Associated Press he’s ”a little sad” that Norway can’t join the chase for 2026.He adds ”I think 2026 would have been best for us” but acknowledges organizers and politicians had too little time to work out details.Bidders have until Saturday to let the International Olympic Committee know of their interest. In October, the IOC will trim the field to serious contenders and pick the host next year.At least four serious bids are likely to be on the table: Calgary, Canada; Stockholm, Sweden; Sapporo, Japan; Sion, Switzerland. Interest might also come for Austria, Italy and Turkey. NEW YORK — The New York Islanders and Vancouver Canucks were two of the most surprising stories of the NHL through the first month of the season. But these next few weeks are likely to reveal more about the Islanders and Canucks than the first few weeks.The Islanders and Canucks will each be looking to snap losing streaks Tuesday night, when New York hosts Vancouver at Barclays Center.The Islanders suffered their third straight loss Saturday night, when they fell to the host Florida Panthers, 4-2. The visiting Canucks lost their second consecutive game Monday Jake DeBrusk Jersey , when they dropped a 2-1 decision to the New York Rangers.Article continues below ...For the Islanders (8-6-2), the losing streak followed a five-game winning streak that catapulted them to the top of the Metropolitan Division. But new head coach Barry Trotz is looking at the recent struggles as an opportunity for New York — which wasn’t expected to contend for a playoff spot following the offseason departure of John Tavares to the Toronto Maple Leafs — to display its maturity.“Two things happen to this team when teams go into funks,” Trotz told reporters following practice Monday afternoon. “Everybody wants to play the blame game. It’s the power play, it’s the penalty kill, it’s the coach, it’s the management, whatever. The teams that come out of the other end if you let them fight through the adversity, and there’s no blame someone for this or blame someone for that — what happens is those teams always come out better on the other side. They become more resilient. They become better teams.”Like the Islanders, the Pacific Division-leading Canucks (10-7-2) are in a far better position than anyone could have envisioned after the retirements of twin brothers Henrik and Daniel Sedin ushered in a rebuilding era. But in losing three of their last four games — and falling each time by a goal — Vancouver is learning the fine line between victory and defeat.The Canucks gave up two goals in the final three minutes of a 4-3 shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday and lost Monday when the Rangers scored twice off faceoffs deep in the Vancouver zone.“It’s a tough league — if you relax for a second, you get punished,” Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom said Monday night Womens Patrice Bergeron Jersey , when he took the loss after making 25 saves. “In Buffalo, that was the case. It was a tough one. And then today, too.”Neither team announced a starting goalie for Tuesday night, though with the Canucks playing the second game of a back-to-back set, it is likely ex-Islanders goalie Anders Nilsson will draw the start in place of Markstrom, who has started eight straight games. Nilsson last played Oct. 25, when he took the loss after making 26 saves as Vancouver fell to the Arizona Coyotes, 4-1.Robin Lehner has been in net for the Islanders’ last two losses — including Saturday, when he made 27 saves against the Panthers — so New York could turn back to Thomas Greiss on Tuesday. Greiss hasn’t played since Nov. 5, when he recorded 32 saves and took the defeat in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens.Nilsson is 0-3-0 in three career appearances against the Islanders. Greiss (2-2-0) and Lehner (1-2-0) have each made four appearances against the Canucks.