B.A.R.F. » set. But each time he stormed back at just the right time

PITTSBURGH -- The first-ever matchup between generational stars Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid did not disappoint -- unless you were an Edmonton Oilers fan, of course -- as the 19-year-old McDavid had three assists in a losing effort as the Pittsburgh Penguins erased a 3-1 deficit and edged the Oilers 4-3 Tuesday night.Lots to appreciate about this well-played, fast-paced game, but lets first focus on McDavid, who showed little stage fright in playing his first game against Crosby, a player he idolized growing up.It wasnt just that the two first-overall draft picks, separated by a decade but forever linked by enormous expectations, were sharing the same ice for the first time -- they spent most of the night sharing the same space, too.For most of the first two periods and into the third, Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan matched Crosbys line with McDavids trio. And for much of the night, it was a strategy that looked as though it might backfire, as McDavid earned assists on two goals by Jordan Eberle and one by Patrick Maroon as the Oilers jumped out to a 3-1 lead early in the second period.On all three goals, McDavid illustrated just why he has many believing he could win a scoring title in his sophomore season, using blazing speed to open up space in the neutral zone and to create odd-man situations.The play that was most impressive came late in the first period as McDavid hustled back into the Oilers zone and knocked the puck loose from a streaking Carl Hagelin, turning the play up ice before feeding Maroon with a nice backhand pass to make it 2-1 Oilers.McDavids 17 points in 14 games have him in a tie for the scoring lead.As for Crosby, Tuesday marks the first game of the season he was held off the score sheet. But to suggest this was an off night for the star center would be to misinterpret what happened at PPG Paints Arena.It was Crosby who started the play that led to the Penguins second goal in the second period, directing a shot on net that eventually ended up as a Hagelin marker.Crosby was also working down low on the winner by Conor Sheary with less than two minutes to go in regulation, although he did not earn a point.And so Crosby will gladly take the two points in the standings -- the Penguins improve to 9-2-2 and 6-0-1 in the seven games in which Crosby has appeared this season -- even if he personally was denied points.As for McDavid, who actually made a great play to Eberle for what might have been a tying goal with netminder Cam Talbot on the bench in the waning seconds, hes got his first game against his hero under his belt and wont have to answer the same questions (or at least not as many) when the two teams meet in Edmonton on March 10.The big question for the Oilers -- who are now 9-4-1 -- and McDavid is what implications that next game may have for a team that hasnt been to the playoffs since 2006. If McDavid keeps this up, my guess is that game will have meaning far beyond Round 2 of McDavid versus Crosby. Jordan 6 Clearance . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that. Cheap Air Jordan 6 Canada .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. http://www.cheapairjordan6canada.com/ .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday. Jordan 6 Canada Store . -- Hunter Smith scored the winner with just 12 seconds remaining in the third period as the Oshawa Generals edged the host Sarnia Sting 5-4 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Jordan 6 Canada Sale . It is a cliché dragged out by fans and pundits regularly when discussions take place around which teams are better than others. RIO DE JANEIRO -- When Andy Murray was chosen to be Great Britains flag-bearer last week, he was understandably delighted. But the responsibility appeared to be overwhelming at times. During a team photograph session, a nervous Murray fumbled and wrestled with the flag, coming close to poking Princess Anne in the eye.It was a rough start for Murray, but perhaps, given the sure-footed way he ended up handling his duties on opening night, a telling one.Rio was full of pulsating moments for the 29-year-old Scot, including several occasions in the tennis tournament, when he was near defeat. But as has been his tendency all summer, he flashed workmanlike consistency. He came through each time when it really counted, never more than in the Olympic final, a hard-fought 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 win against Argentinas Juan Martin del Potro.[With] the buildup of emotion the last 10 days, Im just happy I got over the line tonight, Murray said. Tonight was one of the hardest matches I have had to play for a big, big title. Emotionally, it was tough. Physically it was hard. So many ups and downs throughout the match.Much of the tennis played this week was clean and crisp. Del Potros upsets wins against Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal were prime examples.Murray versus del Potro was different. This was a battle of attrition. Of mental toughness and smarts. True, there were dozens of incredible moments. Murray consistently retrieved balls that seemed returnable and slapped them for winners. Del Potro hit his forehand with power that often left the crowd gasping.But the tall Argentinian struck 57 unforced errors, and despite his booming serve, he was also broken nine times. And Murray wasnt much better. He had 45 unforced errors of his own, was broken six times and put only 51 percent of his first serves in play -- uncommon for the winner of such an important match.I was tired, Murray said. We played four hours. It was humid and a slower court. I didnt serve well, so that made it tougher. ... I had to find a way to get through it.Make it through, he did indeed. Its becoming a trend.Murrays win set him apart from the competitors to whom he is most closely associated. Nadal has a single gold medal -- from Beijing in 2008, but Roger Federer and Djokovic have never won a singles gold. More than that, Murray achieved history. He is now the first tennis player, male or female, to win back-to-back singles gold medals.It hasnt been easy, because a lot can happen in four years, especially for tennis players, Murray said. We have so many events. Since London, I had back surgery. My ranking dropped a lot during that period, and Ive gone through some tough times on the court as well.The Olympics are unusual for pro tennis players -- and not just because the event is played every four years. There is no prize money, and thiss year, the tournament did not count toward the official rankings.dddddddddddd And yet the prestige that comes with the chance to win Olympic hardware, the chance to shine on the same stage as the best athletes from all over the world, give the tournament deep meaning. You could see it here in the amount of tears shed -- from both winners and losers -- the entire completion. Rio mattered.And for Murray, the tournament firms up his 2016 bona fides. Nobody of late has mounted a sustained challenge to Djokovic for supremacy in the game. We cannot know for sure just yet, but it feels like Murray in current form -- the one that, in the span of two months, has been victorious at both the All England and Rio -- might now have a chance.Djokovic has played amazing tennis the last two years, Murray said. His consistency. ... You know, what I have done for like the last four months, he has been doing for like a whole year. So I need to find a way to keep that going, and the US Open is the next big goal.Since teaming again with Ivan Lendl -- who coached Murray to the Olympic gold medal in the 2012 London Games and then to the Scots first Wimbledon title in 2013 -- he has played with a new resolve. All during Rio, Murray stayed away from the drama, the shouting at his supporters and the questionable display of acting injured in tight moments that has sometimes sapped his mental strength in the past.Just like Lendl did when he dominated the game in the 1980s, Murray dominated in a workmanlike way. In two early matches here, he was down a break in the third set. But each time he stormed back at just the right time.Murray made history on Sunday. But he told the press that during Sundays match, history was far from his mind. He could think of nothing in this last match but survival.By the end of it, both players were struggling to stay afloat. Del Potro walked slowly between points. He often bent over for a few seconds and rested his hands on his knees -- gassed. Then the Argentines fans would begin roaring, chanting his name -- Delpo! Delpo! Delpo! -- and he would play a point full of more slashing forehands.He took advantage of a spate of Murray errors to break serve in the first game of the fourth set. But Murray wouldnt budge. With del Potro looking like he was going to take this match to a deciding set, Murray broke back, held serve and, finally, broke again. Game, set, match. Gold was soon draping around Murrays neck.After the medal ceremony, someone from the stands threw him a British flag. He carefully unfurled it, held it above his head and clutched it closely to his chest. Then he walked off, the flag curling around his wide shoulders, his workmanlike job in Rio done. ' ' '

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