s record for successive wins in front

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Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Hi Kerry,Love the column and of course the hair! We here in Orange County obviously have a great admiration for Teemu Selanne and have been fortunate to see him play for the last many years and win a championship. With his impending retirement, do you have any good or funny stories you can share with the fans? We know the kind of player he is and what a nice guy he is off the ice, but few of us know what kind of person he is on the ice. Thanks for doing this column, always a great read. Chris from Laguna Niguel Chris:I can tell you first hand that Teemu Selanne is as nice a guy on the ice as he is off of it. While we didnt always agree (as you might expect) I never heard a curse word or disrespectful comment come out of the mouth of the "Finnish Flash"; either directed at me or anyone else. From the very first game that I saw Teemu as a rookie with the Winnipeg Jets, I knew this guy was a very special talent. The rest of the hockey world would quickly recognize just how skilled Teemu was while on his way to scoring 76 goals and winning the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in the 1992-93 season. (Teemus record remains intact for most goals for a rookie in the NHL.) Teemu always seemed to exude a "boyish" smile when he was on the ice; a signal to me as how much he loved to play the game. I also witnessed acts of kindness that he demonstrated off the ice to arena and parking attendants in the Honda Centre and other NHL cities. An off-ice official of the Calgary Flames once shared with me that Selanne was such a friendly and classy superstar that he could make people around him feel better about themselves; even in their relative insignificance! As nice a guy as Teemu is, I also saw a fierce competitiveness and desire to win. Like all champions he hated losing; but unlike some, Teemu did so with class and grace. The worst I ever got from him at the end of a close loss (when he thought I was less than perfect in my performance) was a saddened look of disappointment and perhaps a slight shake of his head as he exited the ice. If the game was on the line Selanne wanted the puck on his stick. He had pull-away speed and a rifle of a shot that made him a game changer. Teemu always made players around him better because he could finish the play. We recently witnessed Selannes deep national pride as captain of the Finnish Olympic team in Sochi. The 43-year-old played with speed, youthful energy and determination in leading his team to a bronze medal for his home country. I first encountered that Finnish pride in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, an NHL-sponsored event as a prelude to the 98 Olympics in Nagano, Japan. I worked a game in Helsinki (Sweden vs. Finland) where the fan atmosphere was more like a U.S. college football game than a hockey game and was like nothing I had ever experienced before. An hour prior to game time fans jammed into the arena end zone, many with their shirt off and face and body painted in Finnish blue. They chanted and sang unceasingly. It also appeared that they consumed a considerable amount of alcohol. Drums were beaten and horns blew. The crowd never sat down in the end zone seats. Instead they stood throughout the whole game shoulder to shoulder and cheered for Teemu Selanne and their other heroes. They were a happy crowd; very loud but not boisterous or unruly. They were having fun watching the game they loved and went wild when Finland won the game. Back in the Officials dressing room I had showered and dressed as the party continued inside the arena. The dressing room door opened and a guy I thought to be Teemu Selanne said, "Hey Kerry do you have any beer in your room?" I thought it to be very unusual but invited Teemu in and told him to help himself. He sat down and we were having a great visit over a few beers when finally Teemu admitted that he really wasnt Teemu Selanne at all but his twin brother Paavo! Paavo Selanne was a real character and said that his brother Teemu told him there is always beer in the refs room. The next time I saw Teemu and told him of the case of mistaken identity his smile changed to a belly laugh over the joke his brother played on us. They are a fun-loving family. Congratulations to Teemu and his family on a tremendous NHL and international career. There is no doubt he will eventually enter the Hockey Hall of Fame. It couldnt happen to a more deserving candidate and nicer guy. When that day happens maybe I will be lucky enough to sit down and enjoy a beer with Teemu and his twin brother Paavo in celebration of this great players career. Tarell Basham Jersey . - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to meet with Richie Incognito to determine if one of the central figures in the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal can help their struggling offensive line. Jabaal Sheard Jersey . - Andre Drummond had his best night on the boards. http://www.nflcoltsgearsshop.com/Henry- ... ?cat=865.5 million. University officials released the term sheet signed by Harsin Wednesday, the day the former Broncos walk-on player and Boise native was named the successor to Chris Petersen, who left for Washington last week. Donte Moncrief Jersey . After a 10-game skid, winning sure feels good. Atlantas third error in the last two innings allowed Jackie Bradley Jr. Jeremy Vujnovich Jersey . - Pierre-Maxime Poudrier scored twice and added an assist, and Antoine Bibeau made 43 saves as the Val-dOr Foreur downed the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 6-3 on Sunday to force Game 7 in their Quebec Major Junior Hockey League final series.PARIS - Striker Andre-Pierre Gignac scored his 10th league goal in as many games as league leader Marseille beat Toulouse 2-0 on Sunday to secure an eighth straight win and stay seven points ahead of bitter rival Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux.After centre half Nicolas Nkoulou put Marseille ahead in the 21st minute with an effort that appeared to come off the top of his shoulder, Gignac made it 11 in 11 for club and country when he finished off a fine one-touch passing move in the 36th.Gignac, who struggled with weight problems when he joined Marseille four years ago, is thriving under new coach Marcelo Bielsas strict, disciplinarian approach.We worked ferociously hard for four days during the week and the efforts paid off, said Gignac, who says he is five kilograms lighter than he was last season, when Marseille was regularly jeered by its home fans and finished in sixth place — a massive 29 points behind champion PSG.Everyone knows that last year we suffered and so were savoring things this season, Gignac said. Everythings in place for us to have a good season, were sticking together, the teams playing well. But we musnt get carried away.Bordeaux missed the chance to leapfrog PSG and move into outright second place when it drew 1-1 at home to lowly Caen.Mali forward Cheick Diabate put Bordeaux ahead from the penalty spot midway through the first half, but striker Herve Bazile equalized in the 77th.Marseille has 25 points after 10 rounds, with PSG leading Bordeaux on goal difference.Meanwhile, midfielder Yoann Gourcuff scored twice as Lyon beat Montpellier 5-1 to make it six games unbeaten and climb up to fourth place, one point behind PSG and Bordeauux.ddddddddddddMidfielders Nabil Fekir and Steed Malbranque and striker Alexandre Lacazette also scored, while defender Siaka Tiene pulled a goal back for mid-table Montpellier.The Argentine coach Bielsa has transformed Marseille, which equaled its record for successive wins in front of a club record 62,000 home fans at Stade Velodrome.Equaling this record makes me very proud, Bielsa said. We were excellent in the first half and the second half was more even. Im very happy with the job we did and most of the team played at a very high level.The only tricky moment for Bielsa came when, as he went to sit down on a drinks cooler near the touchline, he inadvertently sat on a small cup of coffee that one of his assistants had placed there seconds earlier.I couldnt even drink it, which is a pity, Bielsa joked after the game.Marseille, however, was indebted to goalkeeper Steve Mandanda early on, after he made a superb reflex save to tip forward Denis Braithwaites shot onto the crossbar.Nkoulou settled the nerves when he turned in a free kick from Dimitri Payet who, like Gignac, returned to the France team last week for a match away at Armenia in which Gignac scored one and set up two in a 3-0 win.After a flowing Marseille move, Gignac timed his run well to turn a cross from Benjamin Mendy past goalkeeper Zacharie Boucher.Marseille deserved to win, Toulouse coach Alain Casanova said. Unfortunately we couldnt take our chances.Marseille will try and set a new club record for consecutive wins when it travels to play Lyon next Sunday.Lyon is very good at home, Gignac said. But Im sure the coach will put a plan into place.PSG beat Lens 3-1 on Friday. China Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Authentic Jerseys NFL Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys From China ' ' '