Lob & Kritik » the health of new professional players and yo

TORONTO -- A night after a most deflating defeat, the Colorado Avalanche didnt exactly take out their frustrations on the Toronto Maple Leafs.No, they just got a stellar effort from their Russian goaltender.Semyon Varlamov made 51 saves, helping Colorado rebound from a miserable loss with a 3-1 victory over the Maple Leafs on Sunday night.The Avs fell 10-1 to Montreal on Saturday, allowing 10 goals in a game for the first time since moving from Quebec for the 1995 season.It was embarrassing, top-line center Nathan MacKinnon said. Hockey Night in Canada, losing 10-1, it was horrible. I think we all wanted to crawl into a hole.The laughable loss didnt exactly spark the Avs, though. The Leafs had 16 of the first 19 shots, hogging the puck in the Colorado zone shift after shift. The Leafs couldnt break through, however, largely due to the efforts of Varlamov. The netminder, who gave up six goals in the loss to Montreal, was stellar in stopping all 21 first-period shots, a season high this year for the Leafs.We needed a bounce back today, Varlamov said. Its always hard to forget the bad games, but were all professional and we have to move on quick and then focus on the next day.Mikko Rantanen, MacKinnon and Blake Comeau scored, helping last-place Colorado get its second win in nine games.It could be a blessing, MacKinnon said of the 10-1 defeat. You never know. It could be a turning point in our season that we need to wake up.Antoine Bibeau made 26 saves in his first NHL start, and Jake Gardiner scored for Toronto.The Leafs, who won 4-1 in Boston on Saturday, are now 0-5-1 in the second half of back-to-backs this season.Notable in the early going for Toronto was Mitch Marners brief drop to the fourth line. Among the leading rookie scorers, the 19-year-old has cooled of late, totaling just three assists (no goals) in nine games before Sunday.He was reunited with usual linemates James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak in the second and added a late assist on Gardiners power-play goal.I think theres been a message going on for a bit, Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. It doesnt go your way all the time, but youve got to work hard every single day.The Avs got on the board first with Rantanens fourth goal this season. Bibeau had trouble with Jarome Iginlas initial one-time attempt on the Colorado power play, and Matt Duchene grabbed the rebound in front before finding Rantanen with a backhand pass. The 20-year-old fired into a largely empty cage, Bibeaus left skate locking with teammate Matt Hunwicks right skate as he scrambled to get over.The 22-year-old was making his first NHL start after a so-so beginning to the American Hockey League season. Superb in October, during which he was named the leagues goalie of the month, Bibeau dropped off and lost his final five starts before being recalled to replace Jhonas Enroth as Frederik Andersens backup.Bibeau had to come up big after the Leafs failed to score on their third power play of the game. The 6-foot-3 netminder shut down a 2-on-1 opportunity between Avalanche forwards John Mitchell and Gabriel Landeskog, then stopped tough guy Cody McLeod during another Colorado rush.The action turned chippy with less than eight minutes left in the second period when Matt Martin dumped Andreas Martinsen along the boards in the Colorado end. Nikita Zadarov, a 6-5, 230-pound defender, took exception to the hit and proceeded to fight with the 6-3, 220-pound Martin.MacKinnon upped the lead to 2-0 in the third. High sticked by Leafs forward Leo Komarov as he came through the neutral zone, MacKinnon blew right past the Toronto defense and beat Bibeau for his eighth goal of the season and third in the last four games.Komarov drew a double-minor for his foul, though the Leafs managed to hold the Avalanche off the board.Torontos power play, which scored only once in the previous five games, finally broke through in the waning minutes of regulation when Gardiner beat Varlamov with a one-time blast. That brought the Leafs to within one, but Comeau iced it with an empty netter just over a minute later.Game notes Overall shot attempts were 99-52 in favor of Toronto.UP NEXTAvalanche: Host the Flyers on Wednesday night.Maple Leafs: Host the Sharks on Tuesday night. Stan Smith Australia From China . Burke is expected to miss two to three months after breaking a finger in the teams third preseason game. Tinsley, a 10-year veteran, spent the last two seasons in Utah, where the point guard averaged 3. Stan Smith Australia Outlet . The return match will take place next Wednesday. Udinese leads Fiorentina 2-1 in the other semifinal. Napoli staged a second-half comeback from two goals down after Gervinhos opener and a stunning strike from Kevin Strootman. http://www.stansmithdiscountaustralia.com/ . It was the second consecutive win for the Pacers (2-5), who lost their first five preseason games. Jeff Teague led the Hawks (1-5) with 17 points and eight assists and Al Horford had 12 points and seven rebounds. Mike Scott scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. Adidas Shoes Australia Sale .Y. -- Jayna Hefford scored the winning goal Friday as Canada survived a scare with a 4-3 win over Sweden at the Four Nations womens hockey tournament. Discount Stan Smith Australia . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. SAN FRANCISCO -- That visible circle in the back pockets of big leaguers -- typically a sure sign of smokeless tobacco -- might be far less common next season.Players new to the majors wont be able to dip next year without risk of penalty, a provision under baseballs tentative five-year labor agreement reached late Wednesday.I think the smokeless tobacco ban is both logical and I am thankful, Los Angeles Angels reliever Huston Street said in an email to The Associated Press on Thursday night. I understand choice, but choosing to die sooner is not one I support.It is possible more than the 12 current major league cities with laws either in place or headed that way will have tobacco bans by the start of the 2017 season. Thats what many health experts and advocates in the prevention efforts are hoping for, at least, though they certainly would have preferred a tobacco ban across the board for baseball to set an example for youth and the sports future.The new collective bargaining agreement reached last night by Major League Baseball owners and players takes a major step forward in removing tobacco from the game by prohibiting all new MLB players from using smokeless tobacco, like chew, dip and snuff, said Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Combined with the fact that 12 major league cities already have prohibitions on tobacco use at their baseball parks by all players and team personnel, baseball is now on a clear path to become tobacco-free in the very near future.While we had hoped for a complete prohibition on smokeless tobacco in baseball in the new agreement, this is a major step forward and represents the first time the players and owners have a made a clear commitment to fully eliminating smokeless tobacco use in baseball, he said.Right-hander Cal Quantrill , a first-round draft pick by the Padres this year taken No. 8 overall out of Stanford, isnt sure what the ban will mean for prospects working their way toward the top. The son of former big league pitcher Paul Quantrill, Cal Quantrill doesnt chew.Its hard to say if there is less dipping, but I would say people definitely are more aware of the consequences, said Quantrill, who pitched between the rookie level and A-ball in 2016.With cancer concerns at the forefront since Hall of Famer Tony Gwynns June 2014 death at age 54 from salivary gland cancer complications following years of dipping, the dangers of long-term tobacco use have become a national issue for the national pastime.dddddddddddd Gwynns family filed a wrongful death lawsuit earlier this year against the tobacco industry.Sounds like a good start, Giants head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner said of the ban. Those players should be used to it as that is already in place in the minor leagues.Five years ago, San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy used a hypnotist to quit chewing tobacco. A close friend and old teammate of Gwynns, he has dipped off and on since, facing a constant battle of trying to end the decades-old habit dating to his playing days.White Sox ace Chris Sale quit chewing after Gwynn died .I would think that there would be a lot less in the near future, Giants Gold Glove shortstop Brandon Crawford said in an email.For the last five seasons, big league players were prohibited from carrying tobacco products, including tins and packages, onto the field when fans were in the ballpark. But in the clubhouses, indoor batting cages and other out-of-sight spots, the tell-tale signs were there.This reported agreement between Major League Baseball and its Players Association is a victory for the health of new professional players and young players all around the nation who look up to them as role models, said Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., ranking member of the House committee on Energy and Commerce. The devastating health effects of chewing tobacco are well known, and any opportunity to limit its use at the professional level is a welcome development.In the visiting clubhouse at San Franciscos AT&T Park, there will be no smokeless tobacco. Thats part of the reason clubhouse manager Abe Sylvestri and his staff now has candy jars on two shelves with a dozen or so options -- providing an alternative for players who typically chew, and just a quick sugar jolt for anyone else who might need it.We wont be supplying it at all, Sylvestri said, not worth it.Tim Flannery, former Giants third base coach and a ex-teammate and close friend of Gwynn, appreciates the step and offered an old-school idea.I think its time. In the minor leagues for years its been banned, Flannery said. If a guy really needs a fix he can sneak up the tunnel like the cigarette days. ' ' '