Für unsere Gäste » time.Not enough to quit on my team

At this time last season, the talk throughout the hockey world was whether pending unrestricted free agent?Steven Stamkos would sign an extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning or test the market and sign elsewhere.The process lasted through the season and into the playoffs, and only two days before the official start of free agency, on July 1, did the Lightning captain finally agree to an eight-year deal worth $8.5 million annually. The 26-year-old forward could have earned more on the open market, but he wanted to stay and help the Lightning finally win a Stanley Cup under his watch.Not much has changed for Tampa Bay entering this season -- and thats a good thing for the Lightning, who finished second in the division last season with 97 points. Probably the only question this season is the future status of goaltender Ben Bishop, who has one year remaining on his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1.Best new facesAfter the saga that played out last season, lets consider Jonathan Drouin a new face for the franchise. The 21-year-old forward, a former first-round pick (third overall) in the 2013 draft, suffered through some bad decisions and growing pains the past two years. Early last season, he asked for a trade, but Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman never relented and instead sent Drouin to the AHL.After a tumultuous start in the minors, he finally cleaned up his act and was summoned back to Tampa at the end of the regular season. During the playoffs, Drouin was outstanding. He registered five goals and nine assists for 14 points in 17 games as the Lightning reached the Eastern Conference finals. Despite a loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, it was a promising end to what seemed like a bad relationship that could be headed for a divorce. Drouin enters this season with more responsibility and should produce.Biggest unknownsEverything is pretty much status quo for the Lightning. There arent any surprises entering the season. The only matter on the docket is whether Bishop remains beyond this season. Yzerman inked backup goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, 22, to a three-year contract extension worth $3.5 million per season last July.After Bishop, 30, suffered a leg injury during the Eastern Conference finals, Vasilevskiy proved he could handle the challenge and played well for the Lightning. Depending how the goaltending duties are divided this season, its possible Bishop could be moved at the trade deadline. Yzerman and coach Jon Cooper realize, however, that to win the Stanley Cup, a team needs to rely on two quality goaltenders. It would take a massive trade offer to convince Yzerman to move Bishop at the deadline.Sure thingsNow that theres no contract pressure on Stamkos, whos healthy after dealing with a blood clot near his collarbone last March that forced him to miss every playoff game with the exception of Game 7 of the conference finals, he should be ready to have a productive season. He had 36 goals and 28 assists for 64 points in 77 games during the regular season and proved during the World Cup of Hockey that hes healthy after helping Team Canada to a championship.Defenseman Victor Hedman, 25, was a Norris Trophy candidate last season, and had the Lightning won the Stanley Cup in either of the past two postseasons, Hedman would have been considered for the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP. Along with defensive partner Anton Stralman, Hedman should have another strong season. Both played for Team Sweden during the World Cup of Hockey.If Cooper decides to keep The Triplets line of Tyler Johnson, Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat together again, expect plenty of offensive punch from that threesome.PredictionAfter losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Cup finals two seasons ago, and then missing out on a return trip to the finals by losing to the Penguins in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals last spring, the Lightning are poised for another championship run. This could be the season for Tampa. First in the Atlantic.Willie Brown Jersey . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. Antonio Brown Raiders Jersey . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. http://www.shoptheraidersonline.com/Elite-Isaiah-Johnson-Raiders-Jersey/ . JOHNS, N. Jim Otto Womens Jersey . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. Howie Long Raiders Jersey .com) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to halt their longest losing streak of the season when they host the struggling New York Islanders in tonights clash at the Bell Centre.COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- No. 8 Texas A&M outlasted ninth-ranked Tennessee 45-38 in double overtime Saturday to improve to 6-0 for the first time since 1994 after starting the previous two seasons with five wins before losing.Its great, defensive end Myles Garrett said. We finally got over the hump, the little 5-0 hill that weve been facing every year.Trevor Knight bulled in for a 1-yard touchdown in the second overtime, and Armani Watts intercepted Joshua Dobbs pass on the next play for Tennessees seventh turnover to end the game.The big takeaway from this was we were able to withstand some things, not play great but make enough plays to win the game without some of our better players being 100 percent, coach Kevin Sumlin said.The teams exchanged field goals in the first overtime.Knight threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 110 yards and three more scores.The Volunteers (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) had rallied from double-digit deficits to win four of their last five games, including last weeks last-play victory over Georgia. They trailed by 21 points in the third quarter Saturday thanks to six turnovers before tying it on Alvin Kamaras 18-yard touchdown reception with 41 seconds left.Proud of the resolve, but the turnovers didnt give us an opportunity, Tennessee coach Butch Jones said.The seven turnovers were the most A&M had forced since 2005 and their five fumble recoveries were the most since 1997.Texas A&M (6-0, 4-0) had a chance to win it in regulation, but Daniel LaCameras 38-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.The Aggies could have put this one away with less than 2 minutes remaining, but freshman Trayveon Williams had the ball knocked from his hands and out of the back of the end zone just before he crossed the goal line on a 71-yard run. Williams finished with 217 yards rushing, a school record for a true freshman.Texas A&M was facing third-and-2 when Knight dashed 62 yards for a touchdown that pushed the lead to 35-21 with about three minutes left. Kamaras 4-yard run about a minute later made it a one-score game.The Aggies built a 21-7 lead in the first quarter after three fumbles by Tennessee. Knight threw touchdown passes of 13 and 2 yards and had a 7-yard TD run in the opening frame.Saturday continued a trend of bad starts for the Volunteers, who have been outscored 62-17 in the first quarter this season.Dobbs finished with 398 yards passing and a touchdown and Kamara stepped up with leading-rusher Jalen Hurd out, finishing with 161 yards receiving and aa touchdown and 127 yards rushing and two more scores.ddddddddddddTHE TAKEAWAYTENNESSEE: The Volunteers finally learned that they cant give good teams such a big cushion and expect to come back again and again. Theyll have to find a way to get off to a better start and cure their turnover woes if they expect to compete with No. 1 Alabama next week.TEXAS A&M: Texas A&Ms defense again showed it is the strength of this team by forcing the flurry of turnovers and pressuring Dobbs all day long. The offense needs to be more consistent for the Aggies to have a chance to topple Alabama in two weeks.We need to finish, Sumlin said. Were a work in progress there.POLL IMPLICATIONSTENNESSEE: The Volunteers will certainly drop a few spots after the loss, but they might not fall too far after their late comeback and considering A&M is also a top-10 team.TEXAS A&M: The Aggies will likely move up a place or two as one of the few remaining undefeated teams. They will certainly jump at least one spot after No. 6 Houston lost to Navy on Saturday.INJURY UPDATETennessee center Dylan Wiesman appeared to suffer a head injury making a block in the first quarter and did not return. Defensive tackle Danny OBrien was put on a stretcher and carted off the field in the fourth quarter. Tennessee officials told CBS that he was moving all his extremities, but Jones refused to comment on injuries after the game.PLAYING HURTGarrett returned after missing last week with a leg injury despite saying he was only about 65-70 percent healthy. He was scheduled to play on third downs only on Saturday, but insisted on playing every play of both overtimes.That tells you a lot about him, Sumlin said. He was really hurting.Garrett was asked just how much pain he was in during overtime.Not enough to quit on my team, he said.He finished with three tackles, including a sack that forced a fumble in the first quarter.BALL SECURITYJones was left searching for answers on how to solve his teams turnover problem.We have to get it corrected and Im dumbfounded because we spend so much time on ball security, he said. We may take 25 minutes a day and work on ball security because we have to get it corrected.UP NEXTTENNESSEE : The Volunteers host Alabama next Saturday.TEXAS A&M : Texas A&M has a week off before traveling to face the top-ranked Crimson Tide on Oct. 22.---APs college football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '