Detroit OF Torii Hunter (strained

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The Chicago Blackhawks locked down the Wild, to go up 2-0 in their series, and the Pittsburgh Penguins controlled play against the New York Rangers, evening their series at one game apiece. Troy Aikman Cowboys Jersey . Notes on Bryan Bickell, Brandon Saad, Matt Moulson, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury and more. BLACKHAWKS LOCK DOWN WILD The Chicago Blackhawks stifled the Minnesota Wild on the way to a 4-1 win in Game Two, taking a 2-0 series lead. LW Bryan Bickell picked up a goal and two assists to lead the Blackhawks attack and RW Marian Hossa had three assists. LW Brandon Saad also had a pair of goals for the Blackhawks and the performance of supporting cast wingers like Bickell and Saad reminded me of the recent article in the Chicago Sun-Times by Mark Lazerus, about Chicagos use of analytics. The article, without getting into specifics, discusses how the Blackhawks use all kinds of data in their player evaluation and one of the easiest ways to dismiss Chicagos use of analytics is that, hey, they have Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews -- its not analytics that make them a good team. Of course elite players matter more than a teams analytical approach, and Toews and Kane are great, but they are just two players. The rest of the roster still needs to be filled out and, for Chicago, that includes big-bodied wingers like Saad and Bickell. Bickell, who was a playoff hero last season, scoring nine goals and 17 points in 23 games as the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, finished the 2013-2014 regular season with 11 goals and 15 points in 59 games, so expectations were relatively low coming into this postseason. However, digging a little deeper into the numbers, we see that Bickell had a 58.0% Corsi during the regular season (second among Blackhawks forwards, behind Jonathan Toews) and was among the unluckiest forwards in the league with a 95.6% PDO (on-ice shooting plus save percentage); these underlying statistics suggested that Bickell might be due for better results and, with five goals and eight points in this years playoffs, hes getting better results. Before scoring two goals, including an empty-netter, Sunday, Saad had one goal in 32 career playoff games. The 21-year-old is also a strong possession player, and has seven points (2 G, 5 A) in eight playoff games this year. For a team that has Toews, Kane, Hossa and Patrick Sharp, getting big production out of Bickell and Saad is just about unfair. A little more on the Blackhawks forward lines: with Andrew Shaw hurt and Brandon Bollig scratched, the Blackhawks returned Kris Versteeg and Jeremy Morin to the lineup. Ben Smith had a rough game, in terms of puck possession, on for 29.4% (10 for, 24 against) of the 5-on-5 shot attempts when he was on the ice. The Blackhawks, without Smith on the ice, were getting 62.0% (31 for, 19 against) of the 5-on-5 shot attempts. With Jonathan Toews on the ice, the Blackhawks had 73.7% (14 for, five against) of the 5-on-5 shot attempts. With Toews off the ice, the Blackhawks had only 41.5% of the shot attempts, though there were obviously some score effects at play, since Chicago dominated possession in score close situations. The Wild have been having trouble generating offence against Chicago. Blackhawks G Corey Crawford stopped 18 of Minnesotas 19 shots Sunday, and hes stopped 48 of 51 (.941 SV%) in the first two games of this series. One of the more notable problem areas in the lineup for the Wild is LW Matt Moulson, who has one goal (on 20 shots) and one assist in nine playoff games and has, effectively, been taken out of an offensive role. No Wild player had a lower percentage of offensive zone starts in Game Two, but this one example stands in contrast to the Blackhawks forward depth. This wasnt expected to be a particularly close series and, through two games, the Blackhawks are living up to their favoured status. The Wild will have to find a way, perhaps with better matchups at home, to get more chances or else this could be short work for Chicago. PENGUINS BLANK RANGERS The Pittsburgh Penguins dominated play against the New York Rangers in Game Two, winning 3-0 and evening the series at one game apiece. Penguins G Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 22 shots he faced, and that gives him a .914 save percentage (224 saves on 245 shots) in the playoffs -- his highest playoff save percentage since 2007-2008. D Kris Letang had an outstanding game for the Penguins, with a goal and two assists, while playing 25:35; a bit of a break through for an offensive defenceman who had one point in the previous seven playoff games. Penguins C Sidney Crosby didnt record a point, but was on top of his game, generating a game-high 10 shot attempts and on the ice for 74.1% (20 for, seven against) of 5-on-5 shot attempts. Marcel Goc was the possession ace for Pittsburgh in Game Two, on for 12 shot attempts for and just two against (85.7%). The only Rangers line to finish on the right side of the possession ledger -- and just barely (10 for, nine against) -- was the trio of Brad Richards, Carl Hagelin and Daniel Carcillo. On the other hand, the line of Mats Zuccarello, Derick Brassard and Benoit Pouliot was on for less than 15% of 5-on-5 shot attempts, while D Ryan McDonagh was on the ice for four attempts for and 19 against (17.4%). The Rangers have played four games in the past six days and looked fatigued in Game Two. With Game Three going Monday night, there isnt much time for rest, but they will need to use whatever they can on home ice to tilt the ice back in their favour. The way Game Two played out, the Penguins controlled play even more decisively than the final score indicated and the Rangers could fall behind in this series while they struggle with a more condensed schedule than their opponents. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Deion Sanders Jersey . -- Theres nothing like winning to bring hope for a struggling team. Anthony Hitchens Cowboys Jersey . Patrick Deslisle-Houde and David Rose each scored in the second to give the fourth-seeded Redmen a 3-1 lead after Jean-Philippe Mathieu scored in the first. http://www.thecowboysfansmall.com/c-53-cowboys-rolando-mcclain-jersey.aspx . -- Brady Heslip scored a season-high 20 points to help Baylor beat No. CLEVELAND -- Justin Verlander showed signs of his old form. However, the Detroit Tigers still needed someone to bail them out Saturday night. Two-time AL MVP Miguel Cabrera was the right man for the job. Cabrera doubled with one out in the 10th inning to drive in the go-ahead run and lift the Tigers to a 5-4 win over the Cleveland Indians. Verlander was one out away from winning for the only the second time in seven starts, but closer Joe Nathan (4-2) blew a save for the fifth time this season when Michael Bourns two-out single tied the score. "Nobody said this game was easy," Verlander said. Ian Kinsler opened the 10th with a single off Cody Allen (3-2). Following a sacrifice, Cabrera hit Allens second pitch off the wall in left-centre, scoring Kinsler. Indians manager Terry Francona was faced with a tough decision -- pitch to Cabrera or walk him intentionally and go after Victor Martinez, who homered in the second and had an RBI single in the sixth. "Sometimes you have to choose which one you are going to pitch to," Francona said. "Youd rather not face both of them, but sometimes youve got to. Sometimes youve just got to get them out." Tigers manager Brad Ausmus was happy he didnt have to make that choice. "I knew they couldnt walk both of them so I felt good taking my shot," he said. Phil Coke pitched the 10th for his first save. Verlander allowed two runs in seven innings, and Rajai Davis and Kinsler homered in the sixth, giving Detroit a 4-2 lead. The Indians scored in the eighth, but Nathan laboured in the ninth, throwing 32 pitches in the ninth. He struck out the first two hitters, but singles by David Murphy and Yan Gomes put runners at first and third. Bourn slapped a single through the left side to tie it. Verlander rebounded from a stretch where he had lost five of six decisions, including three straight starts. The former AL MVP and Cy Young winner, held the Indians to four hits and struck out eight. Verlander, who was 2-5 with a 7.83 ERA in his last seven starts going into the game, gave up a solo homer to Carlos Santana in the fourth and allowed an unearned run in the second. "This last month has been pretty frustrating, but I saw some swings that were different out there," Verlander said. Francona wassnt fooled by Verlanders recent numbers. Zack Martin Cowboys Jersey. "I know he looks human, which I guess we all are, but you see his name and you dont run to the ballpark thinking youre going to get healthy," Francona said. "His stuff is still really good." Davis broke a 2-all tie with a one-out blast into the home-run porch in left field. Kinsler, whose fielding error in the second cost Verlander a run, followed with a homer into the bleachers in left-centre. Both came off Trevor Bauer, who allowed four runs in 6 1-3 innings. The Tigers are 12-20 since May 18, but have won three straight for the first time in a month. Detroit leads Kansas City by 1 1/2 games in the AL Central. Verlander had allowed 38 earned runs in 43 2-3 innings in his previous seven starts. He lost all three starts in June, when he was rocked for 19 earned runs in 18 2-3 innings. "He was definitely good, but ironing out mechanics does not happen overnight," Ausmus said. "I wanted him to leave on a good note and feel good about his start." The Indians recorded their second sellout of the season, thanks mostly to Omar Vizquel being inducted into the teams Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony. Vizquel, who played for the Indians from 1994-04, is Detroits first base and infield coach. The Tigers winning streak is their longest since they won six straight May 12-18. Brantley, who returned after being sidelined with a concussion Monday, was 0 for 5 to end his nine-game hitting streak. J.D. Martinez singled in the second, extending his hitting streak to 11 games, in which hes batting .429. NOTES: Tigers LHP Ian Krol, who has a 15.75 ERA over his last five appearances, was on the 15-day disabled list with a sore shoulder. He allowed two home runs un the eighth inning Friday and admitted he is "kind of going through a dead-arm period." LHP Pat McCoy, pitching at Triple-A Toledo, was recalled. ... Indians C Yan Gomes threw out Davis at second base in the fifth, the sixth straight time he has caught a runner trying to steal. Gomes hasnt made an error in 35 games after committing nine in his first 29. ... Detroit OF Torii Hunter (strained right hamstring) missed his fifth straight game. ... Tigers RHP Max Scherzer (8-3) meets RHP Josh Tomlin (4-4) in the three-game series finale Sunday. NFL Jerseys China cheap jerseys ' ' '