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often dont get back, starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie said

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CALGARY -- Ben Bishops breakout season continued Friday night. Adidas Doug Gilmour Jersey . Bishop made 19 saves for his fourth shutout of the season as the Tampa Bay Lightning, on goals from rookies Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov, won 2-0 over the Calgary Flames. Bishop, who stands six-foot-seven, has picked up points in 10 straight games (8-0-2) and is 22-5-2 on the season. He is tied with Bostons Tuukka Rask for the lead in shutouts and is one back of Pittsburghs Marc-Andre Fleury for the most wins. "That might have been one of our best games of the year from start to finish," said Bishop. "Seemed like we had the puck most of the game. The big thing tonight is we never took our foot off the gas. We played a full 60 minutes." Bishop shrugged off any disappointment in not being named to the U.S. Olympic team on Wednesday. "I just want to go out there and play my game. I thought the guys did a great job in front of me, made it easy on me," said Bishop, who has seven shutouts in 76 career games. Lightning coach Jon Cooper complimented Bishop for how he handled the situation in which the three goalies selected by USA Hockey were Los Angeles Jonathan Quick, Buffalos Ryan Miller and Detroits Jimmy Howard. "I understand the decision USA hockey made, I completely do. They went with some experienced guys that had proven track records," Cooper said. "Im really happy with way hes responded. Im sure a lot of guys would hang their head and say poor me and all hes done is elevate his game. Its a testament to his character." On the season, Bishop had the NHLs top save percentage at .936 and he ranks third with a 1.83 goals-against average. "Bens been the answer for 41 games so far this year and hopefully he can continue to play the way hes been playing," Cooper said. In the midst of a on a 7-1-1 roll, the win moves Tampa Bay (25-12-4) within two points of the Atlantic Division-leading Boston Bruins. "Ive watched this team grow from an offensive-minded , which the organization has been for a while, into a team that says you better get more than two goals on us to beat us. Its a formula that you can win with," Cooper said. Calgary (14-21-6) wraps up a five-game homestand with four straight regulation losses. It started with much promise as the Flames posted a dramatic 4-3 come-from-behind victory over the St. Louis Blues in the last game before Christmas. Since the break, the offence has all but dried up with Calgary only scoring one goal, by rookie Sean Monahan, in the last 245 minutes five seconds. "Were not good enough. Weve got to find a way to generate more," said Flames captain Mark Giordano. "Every mistake right now is magnified because were not scoring goals. Were wasting pretty good efforts from our goaltenders." The Flames got defenceman Dennis Wideman back after he missed 16 games with a broken hand but even with his presence on the power play, Calgary couldnt connect going 0 for 5 with the man advantage. "Its extremely frustrating," said Flames winger Lee Stempniak. "We definitely feel like were letting the goaltenders down. Theyve played great. Every game, theyve kept us in it and given us a chance. Its definitely a disappointing feeling for the 18 skaters out there letting them down." Both Lightning goals in the second period came less than 10 seconds after minor penalties to veteran Calgary forward Mike Cammalleri had expired. Teddy Purcell found Palat open in the slot and he sent a quick wrist shot into the top corner on Karri Ramo at 5:23. Five minutes later, Kucherov scored with a wrist shot off a setup from Palat. Palat extends his points streak to five games (two goals, four assists). "I feel like every game, my confidence is getting better," said the 22-year-old from the Czech Republic. "We have a young team but we play fast, we play good. Even without Stammer (Steven Stamkos), hes a big player to be missing, were just playing good." Making his first start in five games, Ramo was excellent for the Flames. Playing against the team that drafted him in 2006, Ramo was perfect on 13 shots in the first period, keeping Calgary in the game. He made 27 saves on the game in falling to 6-7-3. He was especially sharp in the third period too. As Calgary pressed to get back into the game, the Lightning were able to counter with some dangerous chances including three breakaways, each of them stopped. Notes: Tampa Bay is 13-7-4 since Stamkos (broken leg) has been out of the lineup. Stamkos is back skating with full equipment now and is nearing a return ... Calgary LW Lance Bouma (ill) did not dress ... The Lightning improved to 16-1-1 when they score first ... The Flames have just two regulation time wins in their last 30 games. Theyve won seven games in overtime or a shootout during that stretch ... Cammalleri was a minus-2 to fall to minus-21 on the season, which is second last in the NHL ahead of only Edmontons Nail Yakupov (minus-25). Adidas Alex Chiasson Jersey . The Americans, skipped by John Shuster, seized the advantage in the eighth end by scoring five points for a 7-3 lead. The Czechs pulled two back in the ninth, but Shusters team of third Jeff Isaacson, second Jared Zezel and lead John Landsteiner ended with another point to secure the last Olympic berth on offer. Adidas Mark Giordano Jersey .com) - Mike Miller scored a season-high 21 points in a rare start and the Cleveland Cavaliers bounced back from their worst loss of the season with a 95-91 win over the Brooklyn Nets.KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The emotions were still raw, the sting of defeat still fresh from Game 7 of the World Series when Billy Butler stood in front of his locker and spoke in a voice full of conviction.They would be back, this scrappy bunch of kids. Their return to the playoffs after 29 years was just the beginning, their 3-2 loss on Wednesday night hardly the end. The same team that swept through the playoffs before falling to the San Francisco Giants has brighter days ahead.We have so many guys up here that are young, talented, Butler said. You saw some young guys take that next step in the post-season, and its an exciting thing to see, and for the future of this organization. The future couldnt be brighter. The whole nucleus is extremely young, and I think theyre going to build off it. I just hope Im part of that process.Thats the kicker: Butler may not be part of it.The Royals must decide by Monday whether to exercise his expensive club option for next season, and most expect them to decline. That would make Butler a free agent for the first time in his career and leave Kansas City in search of a new designated hitter.Even if they decline it, you can still talk, Butler said. If its not here, its somewhere else, but Id rather it be here. Thats the way it is. Were a small market. Business is business, but I feel like its a little bit more than that here.Designated hitter isnt the only question mark facing the Royals next season.Staff ace James Shields, who helped to turn around a losing clubhouse culture, will become a free agent. The Royals will likely make him a qualifying offer, but with big-budget teams such as the Red Sox in the market for pitching, the price could be driven up quickly.That means the Royals could be in search of a starting pitcher, too.The next couple days Im going to go home and enjoy some trick-or-treating with my kids, Shields said. Ill be thinking about that a little bit later, but Im not too worried about my free agency right now. Obviously I have to think about that and well see what happens.Right fielder Nori Aoki will also become a free agent, though its possible the Royals re-sign him. Relief pitchers Scott Downs, Jason Frassor and Luke Hochevar could be headed elsewhere and veteran outfielders Raul Ibanez and Josh Willingham are not expected back. Adidas Nicklas Grossmann Jersey. Were going to have to make some tough decisions with our roster, Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. Well continue to look to add players that fit in, but were going to have to certainly look to add starting pitching. Well try to put it together the way we have.That means putting a premium on starting pitchers who offer substance over style, speedy position players who can play defence and provide versatility up and down the lineup.There are already some solid cornerstones in place.Centre fielder Lorenzo Cain was a breakout star of the post-season, first baseman Eric Hosmer began to realize his vast potential, and Salvador Perez proved to be one of the premier catchers in the game. Throw in a brilliant bullpen anchored by Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland and a staff featuring 23-year-old Yordano Ventura, and the Royals should solid next season.What we need to do now, Dayton and his people have built a base, Royals owner David Glass said, and we have to sustain that and built on it and keep it going.That means ushering along several prospects awaiting their chance in the minors.Left-hander Brandon Finnegan provided valuable post-season innings as a reliever, but hes expected to return to starting. Fellow pitchers such as Sean Manea and Kyle Zimmer offer plenty of potential, but injuries and circumstances have held back some top prospects.Theyll get a chance to show what they can do in spring training.For now, though, the Royals head into a strange post-season. For the first time in nearly three decades, the question they face is not, When will you finally get back to the playoffs?No, the question now is, What are you going to do for an encore?Its a difficult task. Even the teams that win often dont get back, starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie said. Well work very hard to get back here. We have a lot of belief in ourselves. We have a lot of talent to make that possible. Each one of us will be working toward that goal of getting a chance to be back in the playoffs and go for a World Series. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '