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SOCHI, Russia -- Ukraine will compete in the Winter Paralympics in Sochi despite Russias military moves in Crimea. The Ukrainian Paralympic Committee decided against boycotting the games, announcing a few hours before Fridays opening ceremony that its athletes would stay. The decision came after discussions between Ukrainian officials and athletes over whether to pull out in light of the crisis back home and Russias military takeover of the Crimean peninsula. "We are staying at the Paralympics," Valeriy Sushkevich, president of the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine, said at a news conference. However, he added that the circumstances were far from ideal. "I dont remember a situation when the organizing country during a Paralympics started an intervention on the territory of a country taking part," Sushkevich said, according to the R-Sport agency. "I dont know what to extent the team can focus on the result now." The Ukrainian official said the team would leave Sochi if there is any escalation of military conflict. "I declare should this happen we will leave the games," Sushkevich said. "We cannot possibly stay here in this case." He said he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday night to discuss the situation and request peace during the games. Suskevich said he did not receive any guarantees but it was important that Putin agreed to listen. Putin and IOC President Thomas Bach are expected to attend Fridays opening ceremony. Several countries have decided not to send political leaders or dignitaries to the ceremony in protest of Russias actions in Ukraine. Ukraines decision to compete in Sochi was welcomed by the International Paralympic Committee. "We want sport to prevail and a full complement of teams to compete in what we are confident will be a fantastic Paralympic Winter Games," IPC President Phillip Craven said. "All week the IPC has been working closely with the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee in an effort to keep them here in Sochi. The talking point of Sochi 2014 needs to be great sport and great athletes, not global politics." The IPC has appealed for Russia to recognize the U.N.s Olympic Truce, which asks warring parties to cease hostilities during the Olympics and Paralympics. About 575 athletes from 45 countries are due to compete in the 10-day Paralympics. Five sports are on the program -- alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, sledge hockey and wheelchair curling. Ukraine has entered 23 athletes for the Sochi Paralympics. It finished fifth in the medals table at the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver in 2010, with a total of 19 medals and five gold. Ukrainian athletes chanted "peace to Ukraine" as they apparently walked out of a flag-raising ceremony in Sochi on Thursday night. That is now under investigation by the IPC as a possible breach of rules banning political protests. "What were trying to do is gather the evidence, gather the transcripts and then we will see if any steps are necessary," IPC spokesman Craig Spence said. "If there was a political protest, obviously wed be disappointed by that because we have said all week that this is about sport, not politics." Chris Tierney Sharks Jersey . Bjoerndalen, who had failed to win any major race for two years before Sochi, writes in a Facebook entry that he is "full of energy and inspiration" after winning the 10-kilometre sprint and mixed relay at last months Olympics. Martin Jones Jersey . Right-hander Ricky Nolasco and the Twins agreed to terms on a free-agent contract Wednesday, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. http://www.officialsharksnhlshop.com/pa ... -jersey/.C. -- Kevin Harvick won his first career pole at Darlington Raceway on Friday as he looks to chase his first Southern 500. Marc-Edouard Vlasic Jersey . LOUIS -- When Braves second baseman Tyler Pastornicky backpedaled into shallow right field to catch the popup and Jason Heyward didnt arrive fast enough to take charge, Kolten Wong got the green light. Justin Braun Sharks Jersey .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to complete a sweep of the Washington Capitals when the clubs cap a quick home-and-home series Tuesday night in the Steel City.PHILADELPHIA -- Flyers coach Craig Berube wasnt surprised by the way the Philadelphia bounced back on Saturday from a blowout loss because hes seen that type of resilience all season. Wayne Simmonds had a goal and an assist to lead Philadelphia to a 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Vincent Lecvalier, Sean Couturier and Luke Schenn also scored for Philadelphia, which rebounded from a 7-3 home defeat to San Jose on Thursday. Chris Kreider and Derick Brassard scored for the Rangers, who lost for just the second time in their past nine games. Philadelphia came out with an edge in the first period following Thursdays loss that Berube called "embarrassing." The Flyers improved to 4-0-1 this season following games in which theyve been beaten by four or more goals. "I think our guys have good character," Berube said. "I was pretty confident wed come out and play hard." Unlike Thursday against the Sharks, Berube liked what he saw on Saturday versus the Rangers. "Theyre a fast, hard-working team and if you want to compete with them you need to play a fast, hard game," he said. The opening 20 minutes featured physical play by both sides, including big hits from Philadelphias Zac Rinaldo on Daniel Carcillo and New Yorks Derek Stepan on Steve Downie, among others. The teams lingered on the ice for several minutes after the first-period horn, with the Rangers seemingly upset by a check from Brayden Schenn in front of New Yorks bench late in the period. The Flyers scored twice in the opening period, with the goals coming 1:06 apart. Lecavalier opened the scoring at 7:04 on a goal that went off Rangers defenceman Anton Stralman. "Thats huge," Lecavalier said. "You want to get that first goal and we got that." Brayden Schenn first was credited with the goal, but it was changed in between periods. Couturier followed with his 10th goal of the season at 8:10, beautifully deking past Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist and roofing the puck with a forehand shot into an empty net from a difficult angle. It looked as if the Rangers cut the deficit in half early in the second period, but Benoit Pouliots apparent tally was waved off because Pouliot deflected the puck past Flyers goalie Steve Mason with a high stick. Mason finished with 33 saves. Mason was pulled in Thursdays defeat to San Jose, and he was happy to bounce back with a victory. The fact that he outdueled one of the games premier goalies was secondary. "It feels good," Mason said. "But I wasnt going out there (thinking) Steve Mason versus Henrik Lundqvist. I was ttrying to help the Flyers beat the Rangers, and thats what we did.dddddddddddd" New York got on the board a few minutes later when Kreider tipped Rick Nashs pass past Mason and just inside the post from close range. After Kreider missed a great chance to tie the game when his backhanded attempt at an empty net went wide with 10 minutes left in the period, Brassards power-play goal at 11:42 of the second tied the game at 2. Brassards slap shot from the slot after a perfect pass from Brad Richards went off Masons pads and through his legs. Simmonds beat Lundqvist through the legs on a forehand shot from a tough angle on the power play at 13:23 to put Philadelphia back in front 3-2. "I read a high shot and he went five-hole," Lundqvist said. "I thought I was patient on the shot; he just beat me. I thought overall we played a really good game and created a lot of good chances. Disappointing, obviously, but I thought we did a lot of good things." Philadelphia had an apparent goal waved off 3 1/2 minutes into the third period when the officials ruled that Lundqvist had covered the puck even though it trickled into the goal. Mason kept the Flyers in front with a strong, sprawling pad save on Stepan from just in front of the crease with 10 minutes left. Luke Schenn provided an insurance goal with 3:45 left, beating Lundqvist with a wrister from the slot. Lundqvist, who didnt start the Rangers first game following the Olympic break after helping Sweden earn the silver medal in Sochi, finished with 27 saves. He entered the Olympic break having won his last five starts. In his last 14 games against Philadelphia entering Saturday, Lundqvist was 12-2-0 with a 1.77 GAA. Philadelphia defenceman Kimmo Timonen returned to the lineup after sitting out Thursdays 7-3 loss to San Jose to rest after returning from Sochi and had two assists. Timonen helped Finland to the bronze medal. Philadelphia won for the fourth time in the past 16 meetings with the Rangers. NOTES: Rangers RW Derek Dorsett returned to the lineup for the first time since breaking his fibula on Jan. 3. ... New York centre Mats Zuccarello missed his second straight game after fracturing his left hand in the Olympics. ... Flyers backup goalie Ray Emery (lower ....... injury) wasnt available. Cal Heeter, who never has played in an NHL game, was called up from the AHLs Adirondack Phantoms to back up Mason. Emery was injured in Thursdays loss to the Sharks after he replaced Mason in the second period. Berube said afterward that Emery wouldnt make the trip to Washington for Sundays game, and the coach declined to name his starting goalie for the matchup. China Jerseys ' ' '