vDETROIT - Pendant deux décennies, les Red Wings de Detroit entraient dans le dernier mois de la saison régulière confortablement assis dans le siège du conducteur de lAssociation ouest. Jason Pierre-Paul Womens Jersey. Les Red Wings ont participé aux séries éliminatoires 18 fois consécutives - la plus longue séquence de lhistoire du sport professionnel - et 17 fois parmi les quatre premières positions au classement, signifiant quils disposaient de lavantage de la patinoire. Aujourdhui, ils luttent simplement pour accéder aux séries daprès-saison. Les Red Wings occuperaient le huitième et dernier rang de lOuest donnant accès aux séries si la saison sétait terminée mercredi soir. Mais leur position au classement est précaire, puisque les Stars de Dallas, les Flames de Calgary, les Ducks dAnaheim, les Blues de St. Louis et le Wild du Minnesota sont tous à quatre points ou moins des Wings. Ces derniers ont amorcé leur retour de la pause olympique avec une victoire aux dépens de lAvalanche du Colorado, puis se sont inclinés 6-3 devant les Canucks de Vancouver mercredi. Notre équipe na pas offert un effort à la hauteur des attentes, a déclaré lentra?neur-chef des Red Wings Mike Babcock. Ce nétait pas beau à voir, et ?a ne laisse présager rien de bon. Le capitaine Nicklas Lidstrom était cependant plus optimiste quant aux chances de son équipe de figurer parmi les huit premières le 11 avril, dernière journée du calendrier régulier du circuit Bettman. Jai vraiment confiance en nos chances, a déclaré Lidstrom. Dès que vous accédez aux séries, vous obtenez une opportunité de causer une surprise. Nous avons déjà assisté à des éliminations surprises, parce que de haut en bas, les huit équipes sont quasiment équivalentes, a-t-il conclu. Lidstrom a rappelé que plusieurs joueurs clés avaient été blessés cette saison - Johan Franzen, Tomas Holmstrom, Andreas Lilja, Niklas Kronwall et Valtteri Filppula - et que leur retour dans lalignement insufflait de lespoir. Les Red Wings prévoyaient être en pleine année de transition après avoir perdu les services de Marian Hossa et dautres joueurs qui avaient inscrit un total de 88 buts la saison dernière. Toutefois, cette prestigieuse concession a été décimée par les blessures, et son objectif de demeurer compétitive na jamais semblé si difficile à atteindre. Babcock a dailleurs déclaré après le match de lundi face à lAvalanche que ce fut la meilleure équipe réunie cette saison - au 62e match de la campagne. Nous avons les éléments pour conna?tre du succès, a dit Babcock. Nous devrons jouer comme tel chaque soir si nous souhaitons participer au tournoi printanier. Tout repose sur les épaules de nos joueurs dimpact, a indiqué Babcock. Ils doivent se lever. Pavel Datsyuk et Henrik Zetterberg pourraient conna?tre leur pire saison offensive depuis 2003-2004, en partie parce que leurs coéquipiers sont moins talentueux que par le passé. Lidstrom, six fois récipiendaire du trophée Norris au cours de sa carrière, ne semble plus être aussi dominant à laube de son 40e anniversaire. Même le gardien Jimmy Howard, qui a été solide à plusieurs reprises cette saison - for?ant le vétéran Chris Osgood à demeurer sur le banc - a connu des ratés, comme ce fut le cas face aux Canucks mercredi soir. Nous avons beaucoup de leadership et cest la raison pour laquelle nous navons pas paniqué lorsque les choses allaient mal, et pourquoi nous sommes en bonne position à laube des séries éliminatoires, a commenté Howard. Le repos durant la pause olympique ne pouvait venir à un meilleur moment pour certains joueurs et pour dautres, leur temps de jeu aux Olympiques leur a permis de retrouver la forme. Rob Gronkowski Womens Jersey. The Chiefs defense continually stifled Jay Cutler and the Broncos offense, and forced four big turnovers on the day. What was most impressive was head coach Herm Edwards commitment to getting back to solid and simple fundamental football, particularly on offense. Authentic Tom Brady Jersey. Experts from the phone companys maintenance center told Zheng his phone had contracted a strange virus, which had destroyed the memory of his phone. Experts warned mobile phone users to not open any unidentified SMS till they conclude their investigations. Antrel Rolle Super Bowl Jersey. Sixth Man -- The Bell Centre was rocking for Game 3; it was so loud inside the building that players had trouble hearing whistles to stop plays. Authentic Jason Pierre-Paul Jersey. McCarty carried the ball 10 times for 84 yards and also caught five passes for 34 yards for the Eskimos (3-9), who snapped a three-game losing streak. Danny Woodhead Jersey. The Senators playoff hopes came to a crashing halt Saturday night in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, eliminating them from the Eastern Conference quarter-final series 4-2.LOS ANGELES - Lakers forward Lamar Odom is convinced there wont be any big surprises in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Odom isnt making any predictions, nor is he disrespecting the Denver Nuggets and the other so-called underdogs. He just believes the conferences eight playoff teams are so evenly matched that anything can happen. The final regular-season standings support that premise. "The eighth seed could have been the first seed. The second seed could have been the seventh seed," Odom said Saturday after the Lakers completed preparations for their first-round matchup with the Nuggets. "Everybody was kind of shocked that Golden State beat Dallas (in the first round last spring). I dont think well have that this year. "Every team is highly qualified. Ever since I started watching basketball, I cant remember a race this tight." The Lakers earned the top seed in the West by winning eight of their final nine games, giving them 57 victories. Five other teams in the West had at least 54 wins, and the Nuggets earned the eighth and final berth by winning 50 games for the first time in 20 years. "A team thats won 50 games and is the eighth seed, I think thats remarkable," Lakers star Kobe Bryant said. Game 1 will be played Sunday at Staples Center, where the Lakers have a 15-2 record against the Nuggets since the arena opened in 1999. The second game will be played Wednesday night before the best-of-seven series shifts to Denver. "We had a great year," Odom said. "The year is over. We have to win some games and advance." The Lakers havent won a playoff series since 2004, when Bryant and Shaquille ONeal led them to the NBA finals. ONeal was traded a month after that, and its been a struggle until this season. "We have a lot of confidence," said Bryant, who appears to be in line for his first MVP award. "We have some experience as well. Were ready to go. "We just have to move the ball. Were a great team when everybodys moving and cutting." The blossoming of 20-year-old center Andrew Bynum gave the Lakers a different look early in the season, but Bynum hasnt played since injuring his left knee Jan. 13, and theres no timetable for his return. The Lakers got a huge boost Feb. 1 when they acquired Pau Gasol from Memphis. Theyre 22-5 with the 7-foot Spaniard in their lineup, prompting Nuggets coach George Karl to call Gasol the second-most important addition to an NBA team this season, behind Bostons Kevin Garneett. Hakeem Nicks Youth Jersey But Karl and his team realize everything starts and ends with Bryant. "There are going to be times when hes going to command a lot of attention, and we definitely have to find a way to keep the ball out of his hands," said Nuggets centre Marcus Camby, the NBA defensive player of the year last season. "Its always a team effort guarding a superstar," Denvers Eduardo Najara said. "We have to put the best defenders on him. But at the same time, everybodys got to be ready to help and make sure we get beat by everybody else instead of Kobe." Defence isnt generally a priority for Denver, which ranked second in the NBA in scoring but next-to-last in points allowed. Usually, the freewheeling Nuggets win by outscoring their opponents, and they certainly have the weapons in Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony, who rank third and fourth, respectively, in scoring in the NBA - right behind Bryant. Theres firepower from several other directions as well. "Their productivitys been really high," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Theyre a real quick-hit type of team. Weve got to do a job. We wont curtail our guys from getting up and down the court. We have to know what are good shots and what arent in the transition game." The Lakers were 3-0 against the Nuggets during the regular season, but the teams havent played since Jan. 21. "We have to come out 10 times more focused than we were in the regular season," Anthony said. "Its 0-0 now. We know what they are about. At the same time, we have to go out there and stop them." The Nuggets have been eliminated 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs each of the last four years. "Hopefully it will be different this year," Karl said. "This year, were coming in relatively healthy. Nenes the only guy lingering right now, but hopefully he can come back soon. Were a more balanced team, a more together team. "I think that if we turn the light switch on and tape it on, well be fine." Karl will be facing his son, Coby, a seldom-used rookie with the Lakers. "I would never have thought at the beginning of the year that this would be the case," the younger Karl said. "Im one of his biggest fans, and hes one of my biggest fans. At this point, its business. "Im sure Ill talk to him plenty. Maybe we wont talk for a couple days. You love your family, you want to see them succeed, but not at your expense. "At this point, its Go Lakers!" ' ' '