that run in his last start, a 2-1 loss t

TORONTO – Korbinian Holzers first cup of coffee in the NHL lasted only 22 games. Vying to get back there again this season, the 26-year-old is jostling for one of the final spot(s) on the Maple Leafs defence. One job, perhaps two, figure to be up for grabs, likely to be decided in the coming days by a group that includes a vet in the twilight, a youngster on the rise and Holzer, who spent all of last season with the Marlies in the American Hockey League. Thats what youve worked for all your life, to play in the NHL, Holzer said. And if you get the opportunity to get up for a sniff, you get in there and you learn what it takes, you dont want to go back. Competing most prominently with him for that privilege are 35-year-old Henrik Tallinder, Marlies standout Petter Granberg, and a handful of long-shots, mostly from inside the organization. Tallinder, on a pro tryout, is trying to extend whats been a dependable NHL career of 678 games, mostly served in Buffalo. In question is whether he has anything left in the tank; his mobility appeared limited during the opening two days of camp. Im too old to change my game so Im just going to try to play like Ive always done, he said. The 6-foot-3 Tallinder struggled some in his return to the league-worst Sabres last season, but performed capably in a depth role with the Devils in 2013 – he signed there for four years and nearly $14 million in 2010. His value would lie in experience and what head coach, Randy Carlyle, termed as moxie and a calming presence. We feel in our research with Tallinder, there is a possibility that he could make our hockey club and play against some top lines, Carlyle said, positing an (unlikely) idea of the Swede alongside Roman Polak in shutdown capacities. Younger and spryer than Tallinder, who won silver with Sweden at the Sochi Olympics, is an upward moving countryman. Granberg made the jump to North America last season and impressed those within the organization with an authoritative and hard-hitting defensive game. During scrimmage on the first day of on-ice workouts over the weekend, the 22-year-old jostled repeatedly with Joffrey Lupul, trading shoves and hacks with the teams alternate captain. He plays that way, said Carlyle. He gets in peoples face and he doesnt really care who it is. He has an assignment and a job to do out there. Hes a physical defenceman. Thats one of the assets he brings to the table and thats one of the things we like about him. But is he ready, after one year of hockey on this side of the globe, to make the jump? Now an assistant to Carlyle in Toronto, Peter Horachek helped develop a flock of capable defencemen in Nashville, including Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, Roman Josi and current Leaf, Cody Franson. His gauge for measuring whether a young defender is ready for the NHL is as much mental as it is physical. Mentally, said Horachek, a lot of times is more important than physically. They can handle the big bodies, but are they mature enough to handle it? One job, in theory, is up for grabs. That may change if Stephane Robidas is not ready to start the season. The 37-year-old, who is recovering from a broken right leg, has been skating separate from the two groups at training camp, hopeful to debut late in the exhibition season, if at all before the Oct. 8th opener. Assuming his full health, the Leafs are really in the hunt for a seventh (and mostly extra) defender, but someone who could step in if the need arises. Granberg, who has played only one season in the AHL, may not be the best fit for that kind of role. His development, along with long-shots like Viktor Loov, Tom Nilsson, Stuart Percy, and Andrew MacWilliam, is probably better served with regular game action and not a recurring seat in the press-box (though that changes if Robidas is not ready). That leaves Holzer and Tallinder as the likelier and perhaps more logical options. Unlike Granberg with whom he played alongside last season, Holzer has experience NHL experience (however brief) and his development – hes played four seasons with the Marlies – wouldnt be stalled with irregular duty. A fourth round pick in 2006, his first NHL stint saw him thrust almost immediately onto the top pairing and he struggled, predictably. Obviously there was some positive, there was some negative, said Holzer. I learned my lesson playing up there, playing against the best players in the league. Holzer wouldnt be required (in all likelihood) to play minutes of that weight again and could prove capable in a depth capacity that would surely include opportunity on the penalty kill. And the Leafs may need the additional help. The club, which added Robidas and Roman Polak in the summer, was fortunate to endure last season without any significant injuries on defence. Their depth, which consists of mostly of untested minor league products beyond Holzer and Tallinder, could well be tested if injuries do crop up in the coming year. Auditions are underway. I hope I can show as best as I can, said Holzer, and maybe be able to grab a job. Davon House Jersey . The 40-year-old midfielder was put in charge on Tuesday when David Moyes reign ended after 10 months with the defending champions in seventh place in the English Premier League. Clay Matthews Jersey . Lynn was tied for 16th entering the fourth round, six shots behind leader Paul Waring. He started with two birdies and added three more on his last five holes at the Oceanico Victoria course for an 18-under total of 266. http://www.packersshopfootball.com/pack ... ue-jersey/. INJURIES - Reds RF Jay Bruce is facing knee surgery for a torn meniscus and it could cost him a month of playing time. Chris Heisey, who has shown some pop (43 home runs, . Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Jersey . But qualifying for her first Scotties Tournament of Hearts after years of falling short in tough Manitoba provincial championships is as good as consolation prizes get for the 29-year-old from Winnipegs Fort Rouge Curling Club. Reggie White Jersey . Whenever United loses, its crisis. When other top teams slip up, its the quirky nature of the Premier League. The predictable reaction speaks to the sky-high expectations for a team proven perennial contender and 13 times Premier League champion.SAN DIEGO -- Padres manager Bud Black had talked to Tyson Ross once or twice that it was getting to be time that the lanky right-hander threw his first career shutout. In his 55th career start, Ross got it, in dominating fashion. Ross threw a three-hitter for his first career shutout, struck out nine and walked none to help San Diego beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 Wednesday for its first series sweep since September. Ross got all the support he needed when Rene Rivera hit a three-run single off big league ERA leader Johnny Cueto in the first inning. "Its special," said the 27-year-old Ross, whos in his second season with San Diego. "Its the first time Ive been able to finish. A couple of games Ive gone eight innings and kind of ran out of gas but tonight I had enough in the tank and was able to finish." Ross (7-8) was dominating. He retired the first 11 batters before Todd Frazier singled to left. Frazier had two of the Reds three hits. Only Reds batter reached second, when Brayan Pena doubled with one out in the eighth. Ross then retired the side. "I think that he really smelled the finish line, which was good," Black said. "Hes been close a couple of times. He was there today. We talked just briefly after the eighth inning. There was no doubt in my mind he was going to go back out there and put up a zero. "Its a tremendous feather in his cap," said Black, a lefty who had 12 shutouts in 296 career big league starts. "You do it once, you can do it many more times. Good for him." Ross said getting the complete game was due to "being efficient early. I had a lot of ground balls, a lot of outs in the first three pitches to hitters. I kept the pitch count low early and that allowed me to finish it off later." Frazier said Ross "had a pretty good slider. I think thats his best pitch. He kept most of us off-balance. We hit the ball hard sometimes. A couple of guys squared some up. To me, he just made a couple of mistakes. A good pitcher, when he makes mistakes, you have to take care of the business." The Reds lost the last three games on 10-game trip after winning six of seven, including a four-game sweep of the NL West-leading San Francisco Giants before coming to San Diego. &"A frustrating team in general in that we came in playing really well and come out of it losing three straight," manager Bryan Price said.dddddddddddd. "We had a chance to make up some ground on Milwaukee and St. Louis and we werent able to take advantage of it." The Padres beat the Reds 1-0 Monday despite getting one hit, and then had a season-high 16 hits in an 8-2 victory Tuesday night. The Padres, who tied their season high with their fourth straight win, hadnt swept a series since Sept. 6-8 against Colorado. With the bases loaded and two outs in the first, Rivera hit a blooper to the gap that hit off the heel of the glove of diving centre fielder Billy Hamilton and rolled away to give San Diego a 3-0 lead. San Diego appeared to take a 4-0 lead on Seth Smiths two-out double in the fourth, but the Reds appealed that Irving Falu missed third base. The umpires agreed, calling Falu out to end the inning. San Diego manager Bud Black argued, but the call was upheld on appeal. Ross had received only one run of support in his previous five starts, and he knocked in that run in his last start, a 2-1 loss to Arizona. Ross was 0-4 in his last five starts. Cueto (8-6) came in with the best ERA in the majors, 1.88. It rose to 1.99. He allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings, struck out eight and walked three. NOTES: The Reds were swept for the first time since April 25-27. ... The Padres placed SS Everth Cabrera on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring, retroactive to Tuesday, and selected INF Brooks Conrad from Triple-A El Paso. Conrad is from San Diego. ... To make room on the 40-man roster, LHP Troy Patton was transferred from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL. ... Padres OF Seth Smith signed a $13 million, two-year contract extension that runs through 2016, with a team option for 2017. ... The Padres are off Thursday before opening a three-game series against San Francisco on Friday, when LHP Eric Stults (2-11, 5.36) is scheduled to oppose RHP Matt Cain (1-6, 4.38). ... The Reds are off Thursday before opening a three-game home series against Milwaukee on Friday, when RHP Alfredo Simon (10-3, 2.81) is scheduled to start against RHP Kyle Lohse (9-2, 3.08). Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Disocunt Football Jerseys White NFL Jerseys Cheap Discount Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Wholesale NFL T-shirts NFL Jerseys China ' ' '