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The enormous expectations and pressure on the Chicago Cubs might have actually been lessened somewhat by playing the San Francisco Giants?in the Division Series. Not because the Giants arent a worthy opponent; quite the opposite, the Giants are rolling again. They have their own compelling story to tell and this series isnt solely about the Cubs and their bid to win a World Series for the first time in 108 years. The Cubs quest remains the primary theme of this postseason, but the surge by the Giants -- another masterful performance by the mythical Madison Bumgarner, Bruce Bochy, Jeff Samardzija, Hunter Pences hair and, from nowhere, Conor Gillaspies home run -- gives people something else to talk about. That is good for the Cubs.Here are five questions.How good is the Cubs rotation?So good, that one potential Cy Young winner, Kyle Hendricks, will have to wait until the second game to make his start after Jon Lester. So good, Jake Arrieta, who has gone 40-14 the last two years, wont start until Game 3. So good, John Lackey, who was signed by the Cubs in the offseason to make critical postseason starts, will have to wait until Game 4. Still, there is a minor concern with Arrieta, though not from him. In his last start, he allowed seven earned runs, the second-most runs hes allowed in a start as a Cub. In his last six starts, he went 2-3 with 21 earned runs allowed in 35 2/3 innings. Hes healthy and more rested than at this time last year. Maybe he has a great October ahead.What is the status of the Giants rotation?It is in good shape other than Bumgarner having to wait until Game 3 to start. The Giants spent last winter and the 2016 trade deadline making sure they had enough starting pitching after Bumgarner. Johnny Cueto went 18-5 with a 2.79 ERA, making him one of the best No. 2 starters in the game. After a couple of terrific starts he made in the postseason last year for the World Champion Royals, there should be no more talk of whether he is up for the challenge of the biggest games. Samardzija, who pitched for the Cubs for seven years before he was traded to Oakland for Addison Russell, went 12-11 with a 3.81 ERA this year. Left-hander Matt Moore, acquired in late July, pitched some really good games down the stretch. And then theres Bumgarner, who shut out the Mets in the wild-card game, lowering his road ERA in the postseason to 0.50, a record, by far. He has made 13 postseason starts and allowed no runs in six of them, tying Tom Glavine for the most scoreless postseason starts in history (it took Glavine 35 starts to get his six). A pitcher has thrown a shutout in a winner-take-all game 19 times. Only Bumgarner has done it twice. He has pitched 23 innings in winner-take-all games and not allowed a run. If the Giants can win one of two in Chicago, then hand it to Bumgarner in Game 3, this series could get very interesting.How much better offensively are the Cubs than last year?Remember, the Cubs got shut down by the great pitching staff of the Mets in the 2015 NLCS. That could happen again -- anything is possible in baseball -- but the Cubs are a significantly better offensive club in 2016. They scored 119 more runs than last year, placing them second in the NL in runs scored to the Rockies. Just as important, they struck out 221 fewer times than last year. First baseman Anthony Rizzos approach to hitting -- he chokes up with two strikes and sometimes just tries to put a ball in play -- hasnt gone unnoticed by other Cubs. The addition of Ben Zobrist, who is a tough out, even with two strikes, has made a difference. In spring training, Maddon said he was dazzled by how much better a two-strike hitter Kris Bryant was compared to last season. It showed. It has shown with all the Cubs.Who will close for the Giants?The Giants led the league in blown saves (30). They lost more games (nine) that they entered the ninth inning with a lead than any team in baseball; five of them came in September. They lost 10 games that they led by three or more runs, most in the major leagues. The bullpen blew eight games in which Bumgarner was in line for a victory, most in the major leagues. The bullpen is the primary reason that the Giants went 30-42 in the second half, the worst second-half record ever by a team that made it to the postseason. Sergio Romo, a former Giants closer who got the final out of the 2012 World Series, is seen as the closer now, but even thats not guaranteed. Bochy will mix and match down there. There is no one better at that than him, but its highly unlikely that he will go back to Santiago Casilla, especially at home, where Casilla occasionally gets booed. The Giants had a tremendously deep and effective bullpen in each of their three championship seasons over the last six seasons. They dont have that same depth this year.How good is the Cubs defense?It is the best in the National League. Russells shift to shortstop in June 2015 was the big move. Russell, and the overall Cubs defense, has gotten better with every game he plays at shortstop. Jason Heyward has brought tremendous defense to right field. Javier Baez has provided great defense at whatever infield position he plays. Bryant can play third base or the outfield. This gives Maddon all sorts of options. Defense was Maddons signature with his Tampa Bay Rays teams. He may be a new-school guy with the way he relates to players and because hes the most interesting man in the world, but he is as old school as it gets when it comes to the actually playing of the game. To him, you simply cant win without a good defense.Prediction:?Cubs in five. Dario Saric Jersey . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. George King Suns Jersey . Michell Burger, a woman who lives on an estate next to Pistorius gated community, said she and her husband were awoken by the screams in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14 last year, when Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp by shooting four times through a door in his bathroom. https://www.thesunslockerroom.com/Isaiah-Canaan-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked. Dario Saric Suns Jersey .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Marquese Chriss Suns Jersey . Kuznetsov, who was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has been playing for his hometown team Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL. PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins started defense of their Stanley Cup championship without their captain and Stanley Cup-clinching goaltender, but that hasnt been a problem thanks to Marc-Andre Fleury.Fleury made 33 saves, including several quality third-period stops while the Anaheim Ducks pressed for the tying goal, allowing Phil Kessels power-play goal in the second to stand as the game-winner in the Penguins 3-2 victory Saturday night.They threw a lot of pucks at the net from anywhere, Fleury said. They had guys around the net trying to screen and tip, but it worked out all right in the end.It has worked out for Fleury, too.Fleury, who led the Penguins to a Stanley Cup in 2009, lost his starting job to Matt Murray after sustaining the second of two concussions late in the regular season last spring. That opened the door for the 22-year-old Murray to backstop the Penguins to their fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history.Murray, however, broke his hand during the World Cup of Hockey and Fleury has stepped up in his absence, stopping 73 of 77 shots in two wins.Were not surprised by it, defenseman Trevor Daley said. Thats just Marc, thats the way he is. Hes a great goalie.Ian Cole and Conor Sheary also scored for the defending champion Penguins, who won their fourth straight home game against Anaheim and are 6-1 in their last seven games overall against the Ducks.Chris Kunitz got his 200th assist with the Penguins in his 500th game with the team. Kunitz, who was acquired from Anaheim in 2009, became the 18th player and fifth active to play 500 games with Pittsburgh.Anaheims Corey Perry scored his first of the season and 13th goal in 14 games against Pittsburgh. Cam Fowler scored on the power play for the Ducks, who havent won in Pittsburgh in more than four years.Jonathan Bernier stopped 42 shots in his debut with the Ducks after being acquired from Toronto in the offseason. Bernier got the start over Pittsburgh native John Gibson, who allowed six goals during each of the previous two starts in his hometown.We knew it would be a quick game with their speed and the way they like to play, Perry said. I thought we had a great start, but I thought we relaxed a little bit in the first period and they took it to us. We had to start playing catch-up.Crosby remains day-to-day wwith a concussion sustained during practice last week.dddddddddddd The Conn Smythe Trophy winner missed practice Friday, but skated on his own Saturday morning before sitting out the teams optional morning skate.Evgeni Malkin, the 2011-12 NHL MVP, had one assist to help the Penguins improve to 96-49-18 in 163 regular-season games without Crosby.The Ducks are still looking for their first win under returning coach Randy Carlyle, who is back on the bench for his second stint with the team. Carlyle, who was with the team from 2005-11, is the Ducks all-time winningest coach and led the franchise to a Stanley Cup in 2007.To me, its too early, Carlyle said. Our teams not playing to the level thats required right now from our group.Fleury turned aside 12 shots in the first 10 minutes, including a sharp pad save on Chris Wagner from the top of the crease. That allowed Cole to put the Penguins in front with a seeing-eye shot from the point.The Ducks tied it soon after, cashing in on a two-man advantage, as Fowler beat Fleury with a slap shot from the right faceoff dot.Shearys goal early in the second period gave the Penguins a 2-1 lead. Bernier misplayed the puck along the side of the net and Sheary scored after a scrum in front.The puck was kind of bouncing around the crease, Sheary said. The ref had a good angle and Im glad he didnt blow it down because Bernier didnt have possession. I kind of whacked away at it and it went in.Kessel extended the lead with a power-play goal, but Perry cut the deficit to 3-2 less than three minutes later. Fleury made the initial pad save off the faceoff, but Perry scored on the rebound.Fleury shut the door the rest of the way.I thought Marc was great and he made some timely saves when we broke down, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said.Game notes The Penguins paid tribute to players from the franchises first decade on Saturday as part of a 50th-season celebration. ... Anaheim scratched Clayton Stoner, Simon Despres and Emerson Etem. Derrick Pouliot and Matt Murray were scratched for Pittsburgh.UP NEXTDucks: Continue a season-opening five-game road swing at the New York Islanders on Sunday.Penguins: Host Colorado on Monday. ' ' '

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