Die Macht » closer, at least for now, and Taza

NEW YORK -- Two teams looking to play a consistent 60 minutes will square off Sunday night when the New York Islanders continue a five-game homestand by hosting the Minnesota Wild at Barclays Center.The Wild are coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils in which it had three shots in the first period, 17 in the second and six in the third period and beyond.Quiet first periods are nothing new for the Wild, who have taken just 25 of their 131 shots this season in the first period. Minnesota (3-1-1) has five or fewer shots in the first period in four of its five games.Im going to have to start telling them the games at 6:30, Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said Saturday night. We fall asleep and then we come back in the second and third and play really hard and really well. But weve got to be prepared to play the game. The first five games, the first periods, we havent been ready yet.The Islanders beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 on Friday despite taking 16 of their 31 shots during a scoreless second period. New York (2-3-0) has produced seven shots or fewer in six of the 15 full periods it has played this season.Ryan Strome, who scored for the Islanders on Friday, recognized the need to get into a flow during a season-opening stretch in which New York will play 10 of its first 13 games at Barclays Center.Home games are so important for us, Strome said. Our schedules so nice at the beginning of the season. Were home a lot so weve got to take advantage of it, try to get back in the drivers seat here, get back above .500 and get on our horses and go.Secondary storylines to follow Sunday include Wild left winger Zach Parises pursuit of his 300th career goal and the return of Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy.Parise began the season with 299 goals but has been held off the scoreboard thus far. Boudreau admitted the Wild might be trying too hard to get Parise his milestone goal.You could tell, Boudreau said. There (were) two-on-ones all over the place. Instead of shooting, we were trying to force passes to him.Leddy, meanwhile, is expected to return from a rare injury-related absence. He missed Fridays game with an upper body injury -- the first game he missed because of injury since March 2015 -- but skated with the Islanders on Saturday morning.The return of the Islanders top defenseman will be a welcome sight for head coach Jack Capuano, who had to mix and match Friday after Leddys replacement, Ryan Pulock, suffered a lower body injury that is expected to sideline him for four to six weeks.Just seems like we cant catch a break right now, to be honest with you, Capuano said.Two backups -- the Islanders Thomas Greiss and the Wilds Darcy Kuemper -- are likely to do battle in net.New Yorks No. 1 goalie, Jaroslav Halak, has started the last three games, which should open the door for Greiss to make his second appearance of the season. Gneiss is 2-2-0 in four games against the Wild and claimed the win the last time he opposed Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2014, when he stopped 33 of 34 shots for the host Pittsburgh Penguins in a 4-1 victory at Xcel Energy Center.Wild starter Devan Dubnyk played Saturday night, so Kuemper will probably draw his second start of the season. In his lone career appearance against the Islanders on Feb. 2, Kuemper stopped all eight shots he faced in relief of Dubnyk in the Wilds 5-3 loss at Barclays Center. Nashville Predators Jerseys . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. Colton Sissons Predators Jersey . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. http://www.authenticpredatorspro.com/Juuse-saros-predators-jersey/ . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. Dante Fabbro Predators Jersey . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Pekka Rinne Jersey .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. MIAMI -- Before signing reliever Junichi Tazawa, the Miami Marlins consulted with an expert on Japanese pitching: Ichiro Suzuki.Tazawa finalized his $12 million, two-year contract with the Marlins on Friday after passing a physical. The deal came with an endorsement from Suzuki, the Marlins outfielder and 3,000-hit club member.What was Suzukis scouting report on his fellow native of Japan?That hes a very good pitcher and can help us, president of baseball operations Michael Hill said. He signed off, and that was good to know.Tazawa had been with the Boston Red Sox since his rookie year in 2009, and has a career ERA of 3.58. Miami swung the deal for the right-hander after falling short in its pursuit of high-priced closers Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen.We know theres competition for players, Hill said. You have a Plan A, but you have a Plan B, C and D to accomplish your goal.A.J. Ramos remains the closer, at least for now, and Tazawa should help compensate for the loss oof left-hander Mike Dunn to Colorado in free agency.ddddddddddddHill said hes pleased with the way the bullpen shapes up.The goal is always to try to put together the deepest bullpen we can, and a bullpen with different looks and different ways to get people out, Hill said. With Junichi you see someone who has pitched in the very competitive American League East and has a varied repertoire of weapons to get hitters out.The Marlins have also acquired starting pitchers Edinson Volquez and Jeff Locke to help compensate for the loss of ace Jose Fernandez, who died in a boat crash in September. They added A.J. Ellis as their backup catcher.If we had to play right now, were able to play, Hill said. Im very comfortable with what weve been able to accomplish in the offseason.Miami designated right-hander Nefi Ogando for assignment to clear a roster spot. ' ' '