rday) we kept pushing. It didnt matter what the score

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Blue Jackets look to extend their home winning streak to eight games when they host the Colorado Avalanche at Nationwide Arena on Monday at 7 p.m.The surging Blue Jackets (10-4-2) will be playing the second game of a back-to-back after they beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 at the Verizon Center on Sunday for their fourth straight win. The Avalanche (8-9-0) claimed a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center.The Blue Jackets hold a 5-0-0 record versus current division leaders (Montreal, Anaheim, New York Rangers and Chicago) and are 2-0-0 versus Washington, the reigning Presidents Trophy winners. They are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games and have won seven stright at home.One of the reasons Columbus is having consistent success is 22-year-old center Alexander Wennberg. He leads the team with 14 assists and is second to captain Nick Foligno in points with 17.Now in his third year with the team, Wennberg (3-14-17 in 16 games) is showing more confidence in shooting the puck while showcasing the latent skill the club hoped for when they drafted the Swede 14th overall in 2013.Hes an important guy for us, for as young as our team is, said Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella. Hes probably one of the most skilled players, most skilled center (on team). Its a big year for him to take more responsibility in his play, away from the puck and with the puck.Hes still young, but hes a third-year pro. This is a big year for him and I think hes started off very well.Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (10-4-1) has started 15 of 16 games for Columbus, holding a 2.19 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage.The Avalanche are 4-6-0 in their last 10 games. They are without the services of two of their centers and team leaders due to injury. Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog has a lower-body injury suffered in Los Angeles last Tuesday and assistant captain Matt Duchene suffered a concussion on Nov. 11 against Winnipeg.Duchene hopes to be able to play at Columbus.I would say its definitely a possibility, he told the Denver Post. Im not going to say for sure, because I thought I was going to be good for Dallas and then two hours later, Im sitting on the plane and Im not feeling good. Its an up-to-the-minute thing. Itll probably be a game-time decision even then.Despite missing his fourth consecutive game on Saturday, the 25-year old Duchene still leads the team with six goals in 13 games (five assists, 11 points). Landeskog is third on the team in points with eight (four goals, four assists in 15 games).Center Nathan MacKinnon, 21, leads the club in assists and points, recording 4-8-12 in 17 games.Weve pushed hard in some of the games, especially the Dallas game, lately, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar told the Denver Post. But we came up short. (Saturday) we kept pushing. It didnt matter what the score was, we tried to stay with our game.Its showing the character that our guys have and were starting to move in the right direction.The Avalanche are hoping goaltender Semyon Varlamov asserts himself soon. Hes 4-8-0 with a 3.01 goals-against average and .901 save percentage in 12 games. Backup netminder Calvin Pickard is 4-1-0 in six games with a 2.07 GAA and .931 save percentage. Nike Vapormax On Sale . Hazard cut in from the left and scored with a swerving right-footed shot for ninth goal of the season, which proved to be enough for the victory despite Chelseas forwards again lacking a cutting edge up front. Nike Vapormax Discount . The scientists believe the small earthquake during a Marshawn Lynch touchdown was likely greater than Lynchs famous "beast quake" touchdown run three years ago, which also came against New Orleans during a playoff game. http://www.cheapairmaxplusclearance.com/cheap-air-max-plus/air-max-plus-tn-ultra.html . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. Air Max Plus Mens Sale . Marincin has played in two NHL games so far this season with two penalty minutes. The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season. Cheap Air Max Plus Mens . PETERSBURG, Fla. BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens motivation for changing to a grass field this year was to protect players from sustaining the kind of injuries that occur on artificial turf.Adhering to a poll of the team, the Ravens pulled up the synthetic surface theyd been using for 13 years at M&T Bank Stadium and laid down the real thing during the summer.Principally, we did it for our players, Ravens president Dick Cass said. Theres data out there that suggests that if you have a natural grass field, youre less likely to have lower body injuries, mainly the knee.Though its too early to determine if the switch has produced the desired result -- Baltimore has played only seven home games -- the field has played to mixed reviews.Several of the Miami Dolphins complained about the grass in the wake of their 38-6 loss in Baltimore last Sunday.It was slick out there. You saw some guys sliding around, Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi said. We just had to make it work as the game went on. At the end of the game, there were definitely some people losing traction out there.Andre Branch, a member of a Miami defense that yielded 496 yards, said, The grass was terrible. We knew that coming into the game.Actually, the field was vastly different than one week earlier, when Baltimore beat Cincinnati 19-14. In that game, the turf was beginning to show the wear and tear of a long season.The grass stopped growing and it became a little bit of sand pit out there, especially between the hash marks, Ravens kicker Justin Tucker said.So the team did something about it.We decided to re-sod the middle of the field, from the numbers to the numbers, 100 yards, Cass said. We brought in heavy-cut sod from North Carolina. I thought it was beautiful.Unlike the Dolphins, many of whom changed cleats after slip-sliding through the firsst quarter.ddddddddddddRavens receiver Steve Smith tore an Achilles tendon on the artificial turf in Baltimore last year. He said playing on grass benefits you, and offered his theory about why the Dolphins were upset with the condition of the field.Since Miami got their (butt) whupped, of course theyre to complain about it, he said. It looked pretty good to us.The victory improved Baltimores record at home to 5-2.To accommodate the change to grass, the Ravens are paying for two additional fields in North Carolina from which to obtain sod. Theyve also installed an artificial lighting system at M&T Stadium and given up staging the state high school football playoffs -- four games in three days -- because of the damage it would cause the field.Then theres the matter of hiring crews to maintain and replace the grass.Its a major investment and a major commitment, Cass said. But its worth it if we can avoid one or two major knee injuries a year. Im not sure thats going to happen, but thats why we did it. And, our players really prefer grass.Especially Tucker, who has nailed four field goals of farther than 50 yards over the past two weeks.Theres this idea that all kickers want to kick on an artificial surface, Tucker said. Not true. Its like youre trying to put your cleats into little rubber granules with synthetic grass blades in between them. It just doesnt feel right.The grass in Baltimore suits him just fine.Our guys are doing a great job with the field, Tucker said. Coming from last week to this week, it was as if the field was plucked from September and dropped into the stadium.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/APNFL . ' ' '