Wichtig » manager, a power surge to this level. Its just been such a r

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks renew their territorial and recent playoff rivalry Wednesday to open the 2016-17 NHL season.For the Sharks, its the first step in defense of their first Western Conference title while the Kings hope to spoil the home opener against the team that ended their season during a five-game first-round playoff series last spring.Were going to have a little bit of a target on our back, especially in the Western Conference having won it last year, San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said. And were going to get everyones best game.San Jose hopes to start off on the right foot at the Shark Tank where the team was only 18-20-3 last season. And the only game Los Angeles won in the playoffs last season came in San Jose.We were really exposed in the playoffs, Kings general manager Dean Lombardi told NHL.com. I also think we had some mental issues in terms of having dealt with success, and a good punch in the nose like we got in the playoffs hopefully woke us all up.The game will mark the San Jose debut of two newcomers -- left winger Mikkel Boedker and defenseman David Schlemko, who each signed four-year contracts on the first day of free agency. Boedker joins center Logan Couture and right winger Joonas Donskoi on the teams second forward line while Schlemko will partner with Brenden Dillon to give the Sharks a mobile defense.Its impressive what we were able to do this summer -- keep everyone, add a couple key pieces -- I think thats good for chemistry, Sharks defenseman Justin Braun said.For the record, San Jose did have three departures, all of whom were not part of their long-term plans. Forward Nick Spaling, defenseman Roman Polak and goalie James Reimer, all acquired at the trade deadline, moved on while 38-year-old Dainius Zubrus contemplates retirement.Conversely, the Sharks have a number of young players knocking on the door to give the franchise the best depth its enjoyed in its 26th season. Twenty-year-old Timo Meier, the ninth pick in 2015, looked to crack the deep group of forwards until he was diagnosed with mononucleosis late last month. He must avoid contact for approximately three more weeks, and will start his pro career with the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League.In addition, Swedish winger Marcus Sorensen, 24, was a free-agent signing in the offseason, and hell start in the minors, too, despite showing flashes of skill and speed in the preseason.For now, Tomas Hertl will return to left wing alongside top-liners Joe Thornton and captain Joe Pavelski. Chris Tierney will center Patrick Marleau and Joel Ward on a third line and it some combination of Tommy Wingels, Matt Nieto, Melker Karlsson and Micheal Haley will comprise a fourth group.Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Braun form San Joses top shutdown pair on defense while veteran Paul Martin returns to support the creativity of partner Brent Burns, a Norris Trophy finalists with a franchise blue line record 27 goals and 75 points last season.You need quality players who are willing to accept roles in the depth of your lineup, and take pride in those roles, DeBoer said. The one team that was deeper than us was the team that beat us -- Pittsburgh.The Kings will feature a new look on their top line, the result of departure, suspension and injury. Newly anointed captain Anze Kopitar will center stripped captain Dustin Brown and Devin Setoguchi, who survived a tryout invite to camp to make the team and resurrect a career that got sidetracked due to substance abuse.Im excited for him, Kings coach Darryl Sutter told the teams website of the one-time Shark. I like to see guys like that bounce back. ... For me, it was no different evaluating him than it was players that we needed to be better than they were last year.Los Angeles is without scoring winger Marian Gaborik, who sustained a broken foot during the World Cup of Hockey tournament. Forward Tanner Pearson is suspended for the first two regular-season games for a preseason infraction, and winger Milan Lucic left the team via free agency.The Kings figure to line up Teddy Purcell-Jeff Carter-Tyler Toffoli, Dwight King-Nic Dowd-Trevor Lewis and Kyle Clifford-Andy Andreoff-Jordan Nolan up front with Jake Muzzin-Drew Doughty, Brayden McNabb-Alec Martinez, Derek Forbort-Matt Greene as the defense pairs.Jonathan Quick will tend the Los Angeles net with former King Martin Jones in goal for San Jose.Adam Thielen Jersey Sales . Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night. Custom Minnesota Vikings Jersey . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. http://www.fansvikingsteamstore.com/adrian-peterson-vikings-jersey.html . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Fran Tarkenton Vikings Jersey . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. Minnesota Vikings Jerseys Sale . Blackwood, 28, has played the last three seasons in the San Diego Padres system, including the past two summers with Class AA San Antonio of the Texas League.MINNEAPOLIS -- Not long after Brian Dozier belted his 39th home run of the season, a no-doubter that rocketed into the second deck to give him a homer in his fifth straight game and continue his historic power surge, the Minnesota Twins second baseman was nowhere to be found.The solo shot to lead off the bottom of the first inning against the Kansas City Royals wasnt enough, just as so many of his others havent been in another miserable year of losing for the Twins. So when reporters streamed into the clubhouse to get Doziers thoughts on joining Harmon Killebrew in the Twins record book for most consecutive games with a long ball and tying Alfonso Soriano for the most homers by a second baseman in American League history, Dozier was already long gone.He wasnt interested in talking about his accomplishments after a 10-3 loss dropped the Twins 29 games behind the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central. He didnt want indulge the thought that his homer spree is helping to ease the pain of a sixth straight season missing the postseason.Dozier has been one of the very few bright spots for a massively disappointing team that is steamrolling toward 100 losses. And the polite, Tupelo, Mississippi native has been using that aw-shucks drawl of his not to deliver some kind of false modesty about the roll hes on. It almost seems like he feels compelled to apologize for it.You do recognize the home runs and all that kind of stuff, its great for the game and the fans and all that stuff, Dozier said on Tuesday before the Twins gave up seven in the ninth to lose to the Royals. You never want to get too high or too low about it, especially at the end of the day when you look up and youre still 25 games out of first place.Thats the frustrating part. You want to enjoy the success, but it doesnt taste as good unless youre on the winning side of things.The Twins are a major league-worst 52-88 this season and have lost 17 of their last 20 games. There has not been a day this season where they have not been in last place in the division. Dozier was one of the reasons the teaam was buried from the beginning.dddddddddddd The former All-Star struggled mightily in the first two months of the season and was still hitting .202 with just five homers in the first week in June, with a pull-heavy approach at the plate making him easy for opposing pitchers to attack.After getting away and clearing his head during the All-Star break, Dozier has been a man on fire. He has 22 home runs in his last 37 games, two fewer than the entire Marlins team over that span. He trails Baltimores Mark Trumbo by two homers for most in the big leagues and only Atlantas Davey Johnson (42) in 1973, Rogers Hornsby (42) in 1922 and Cubs great Ryne Sandberg (40) in 1990 have hit more in a season as second basemen.Weve tried to figure out exactly how all this has taken place, Twins manager and Hall of Famer Paul Molitor said. I havent really witnessed as a player, a coach, a manager, a power surge to this level. Its just been such a regular occurrence.The binge has been so staggering that the teams beleaguered fans have tossed aside convention to honor him. When Dozier hit his third homer of the game on Monday against the Royals, fans stood and cheered and begged for a curtain call despite a six-run deficit.A bashful Dozier finally relented.I know as a Saints fan that weve had some rough, rough years. But when a Drew Brees throws for 400 yards, thats what you come to watch, he said. You have a lot of loyal fans that pay a lot of money. They want you to do a curtain call. And even though you feel awkward and you dont really know about doing it because were getting the crap beaten out of us, its pretty cool.With 22 games left, it seems like only a matter of time before Dozier climbs into history. Perhaps more importantly, he is providing a happy diversion during the long slog to the finish line.Im always right there at the top of the stairs, watching to see the ball fly off his bat, teammate Trevor Plouffe said. Its really cool. ' ' '