Gäste-Forum » calling 1-855-GOLDEYE or visiting

MINSK, Belarus -- In winning its group at the world hockey championship, Team Canada beat goaltenders Jan Laco, Jakub Kovar, Patrick Galbraith, Daniel Bellissimo, Anders Nilsson and Steffen Soberg. Colorado Avalanche Shirts . None of them are Finlands Pekka Rinne, who stands as Canadas biggest challenge in Thursdays quarter-final round. Even while a young Finnish team has struggled with penalties, turnovers and a lack of offensive depth, Rinne has been a rock with a 1.65 goals-against average, .929 save percentage and two shutouts. "Pekka is our most important player -- absolutely," coach Erkka Westerlund said Wednesday. "We built our whole system so that goalkeeping is No. 1, and then we try to build the strength (of) defence in front of him. Thats how it is, (how) hockey works." Westerlund said he was not yet satisfied with his teams defensive play but expects improvement. Even if that doesnt happen, Finland has a good chance in Canada if for no other reason than Rinne. Fortunately for the Finns, Rinne is not experiencing any injury problems after missing four months of the Nashville Predators season with a hip infection. Naturally, it took a while for him to get back to feeling right. "Its a process, and I think even when I came here (to Minsk) I thought that hopefully I can improve all the time and I didnt maybe feel 100 per cent," Rinne said. "But now I do, and Im really happy and I feel like my game has been getting better and (Im) just feeling more comfortable." Rinne is playing with confidence and instilling it in his teammates, only six of whom are back from the Sochi Olympics, where Finland won a bronze medal. Tuukka Rask and Kari Lehtonen were the goalies then, but as former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov pointed out, the best thing about his country is knowing there will always be great goaltending. Still, this isnt the Olympics. "Its a different roster, its a different tournament," said Komarov, who repeated his desire to return to the NHL last season. "Its a new day, a new life." But the same, old, reliable Rinne. Canadian defenceman Ryan Ellis knows all about that from parts of three seasons as a Predators teammate of Rinnes. Unlike a lot of other goaltenders, Ellis said Rinne doesnt let game action detract from his practices. "Every day, every practice its like a game," Ellis said. "He tries so hard in net in practice. I remember by first couple years there, I dont think I scored him in the first 10 or 15 practices. And then every time I did, I was pretty impressed with myself, pretty happy." Ellis said Canada was less concerned with how they were going to score on Rinne and more worried about his puck-handling thwarting attack time. "Hes active back there with the puck, so I think the biggest thing that were focused on is keeping the pucks away from him on dumps and stuff," Ellis said. "He gets out to play them a lot. Getting them in the glass and try to get them out of his reach." Thats especially important to a Canadian team that tries to play a hard, North American style on the bigger, international ice surface. Canada has succeeded at holding on to the puck to create chances and through seven games has averaged 34 shots a game. The strategy against Rinne is the same as many other elite goaltenders. "Were going to have to get pucks and traffic to the net," Ellis said. "Its tough for goalies when they get that kind of presence in front of him. Weve got some big guys, so hopefully we can get those guys going." Whether that happens or Rinne keeps rolling will go a long way to determining whether Canada has a date with the United States or Czech Republic in Saturdays semifinals. Westerlund said the Finns "dont have pressure (because) we are underdogs." Thats true. But Rinne still displays big-game confidence. "Im feeling good and Ive been enjoying hockey," Rinne said. "I think thats the biggest thing, when youre just having fun and just letting it go. Just dont think about anything, just play, and I feel like Ive been doing that." Colorado Avalanche Pro Shop .Carla Fontes hadnt cut her hair since intermediate school, but her coach at Waiakea High School, Stan Haraguchi, thought the locks flowing below her waist were interfering with the sport. Stitched Avalanche Jerseys .com) - Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar and New York Islanders right wing Kyle Okposo were named the NHLs players of the week on Monday. https://www.cheapavalanche.com/ . Alexander was released last week by the Edmonton Eskimos, where he spent the past three seasons at safety. He had 121 defensive tackles, five special teams tackles and seven interceptions in 51 regular-season and three playoff games.There was quite a fireworks display at Shaw Park on Monday night. And that was before the official fireworks display. Tyler Kuhn hit a grand slam home run and had seven RBI; Reggie Abercrombie, Josh Mazzola, Casey Haerther and Donnie Webb also hit home runs; and in total, the Winnipeg Goldeyes had 22 hits and scored 23 runs. With an 8-3 win in the opener and an 15-1 shellacking in the night cap, the Goldeyes not only swept a Monday night doubleheader from the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, they swept a four-game series in the process. After taking two on Monday, the Goldeyes have won five straight, are 28-14 on the season and five-and-a-half games ahead of the St. Paul Saints and six games ahead of Fargo in the race for first in the American Associations North Division. In Game 1, Kuhn led the way with his first homer of the year and the Goldeyes first grand slam of the season as Winnipeg scored eight times in their final three at bats to win 8-3. “Im a singles and doubles hitter,” Kuhn said earlier this season. “I dont even step to the plate thinking about hitting home runs.” In almost seven full seasons of professional baseball, the 27-year-old Goldeyes shortstop went into Monday nights first game of the doubleheader with only 17 career round trippers. He had yet to hit a home run this season when he yanked a Kevin Fuqua fastball over the right field fence for a sixth-inning grand slam, as he and the Goldeyes put an exclamation point on the first rout of the evening. Not to be outdone, Goldeyes first baseman Casey Haerther hit a solo shot and went three-for-three with three RBI and a run scored. Starter Matt Jackson (6-2, 2.98 ERA) picked up the win for Winnipeg while Fargos ace, Jake Laber (6-2, 4.10 ERA) suffered the loss for Fargo. In Game 2, there was no doubt from the first inning onward. Winnipeg scored three runs in the first on a Mazzola solo homer and Webbs two-run blast. The Fish proceeded to put up two more in the second; four more in the third; two in the fourth on a triple by Webb and a two-run shot by Abercrombie; and four more in the fifth as Mazzola drove in four runs, Abercrombie and Brock Bond each drove in three and Kuhn and Webb each drove in a pair. Custom Colorado Avalanche Jerseys. Mazzola had three hits while Haerther, Webb and Abercrombie all had two-hit games. Mazzola was on base four times and scored twice while Webb got on base three times and scored all three times. Abercrombie, Bond and Ryan Pineda each scored twice. Every Goldeyes player reached base at least once. Starter Chandler Barnard (2-0, 2.92 ERA), who kind of got lost in the hitting clinic on Monday night, picked up the win for Winnipeg. Barnard allowed one run on just four hits and recorded his first complete game victory as a Goldeye. Meanwhile, Fargo starter Justin Erasmus, (2-2, 6.75 ERA) who lasted only an inning and a third, suffered the loss. “Ive had a number of complete games under my belt and thats the most fun,” said Barnard, who turned a visit from manager Rick Forney in the top of the second into his best start of the season. “You want to go out there and finish what you start. “When Rick came out he was awesome. He just told me my sinker was really sinking and I shouldnt worry about anything and just throw strikes and get outs. It was confidence-building visit to the mound and Rick was awesome. I made a couple of adjustments and things just came together.” The Goldeyes will open a three-game series with the Kansas City T-Bones on Tuesday afternoon, Canada Day, at 4 p.m. at Shaw Park. Ethan Hollingsworth (1-0, 1.59 ERA) will get the start for Winnipeg, while Andy Noga (0-2, 4.08 ERA) will take to the bump for Kansas City. Tickets for all 2014 Winnipeg Goldeyes games and the 2014 American Association All-Star Game are available through Ticketmaster by clicking on Goldeyes.com, calling 1-855-GOLDEYE or visiting any Ticketmaster location, including the Shaw Park box office. ' ' '