Die Macht » 27 because of shoulder inflammation and didnt pitch again

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Even for a veteran like Ron Hainsey, there is always an opportunity for a career first.Jaccob Slavin scored the only goal of the shootout to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.Jeff Skinner and Hainsey scored in regulation for Carolina, which ended a two-game losing streak. Cam Ward finished with 25 saves through overtime and denied all three Nashville attempts in the shootout.Hainsey, playing his 845th NHL game, tied the score at 8:22 of the third with his first career short-handed goal.Youve got to step up and make a big play in close games, and thats what happened on the penalty kill, Carolina coach Bill Peters said. Thats a huge play right there. Now you know youve got a point out of it, and you go to overtime looking for the other point.On the play, Hainsey took a pass in the slot from Elias Lindholm and drove to the net and slipped the puck between goalie Pekka Rinnes pads.We were going to have to get one, Hainsey said. If you keep scoring one goal, no matter how you do it, youre going to have to get them on the power play, youre going to have to score two or three to win consistently. We did that early and we found a way to get points.James Neal and Matt Irwin had the goals for the Predators, losers of two consecutive games -- both in shootouts. Rinne stopped 23 shots.Nashville is in last place in the tough Central Division.Its concerning where were at, Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. Its concerning with the inconsistency. Its not good enough. Thats the bottom line.Irwin put Nashville ahead 2-1 with 2:55 left in the second as his shot from the left point through traffic beat Ward on the stick side. It gave Irwin, who began this season with Milwaukee of the AHL and was recalled Oct. 24, a goal in three straight games -- matching a career high.Neal scored the games first goal at 9:44 of the opening period. From inside the Nashville zone, Colin Wilson made a stretch pass to Neal just outside the Carolina blue line. With Hurricanes defenseman Ryan Murphy trailing, Neal cut to the right side and beat Ward for his second of the season.Skinner tied it 1-1 with 6:35 left in the second with a wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that beat Rinne on the stick side.First period they came with a good push and Ward kept us in there, made some big saves, Skinner said. Second period, we were able to roll around there. It was going either way and Ward again made some big saves. He was big in the shootout and OT.It was the second consecutive game that Nashville carried a 2-1 lead into the third period only to lose the game in a shootout. The Predators had the same result Thursday night in Arizona, which was the final game of Nashvilles recent five-game road swing.Game notes Hurricanes RW Lee Stempniak played in his 800th career NHL game. ... Nashville C Mike Fisher missed his second consecutive game with an upper-body injury. ... Rinne is 6-1-1 in his career against Carolina.UP NEXTHurricanes: Host New Jersey on Sunday.Predators: Host Ottawa on Tuesday night. Lawrence Taylor Giants Jersey . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. Eli Manning Womens Jersey . Aside from the trilogy main event title fight, there are a number of intriguing matchups in the heavyweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions. http://www.authenticnygiantspro.com/ . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. Saquon Barkley Womens Jersey . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. Lawrence Taylor Youth Jersey .C. Lions has come to an end. Banks told TSN on Jan 2 that he had no interest in playing out the option year of his contract with the Lions in 2014, and he again made that clear in a conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week. HOUSTON -- Houston manager A.J. Hinch politely answered question after question Monday about what went wrong this season before he was finally asked how he was dealing with his team missing the postseason a year after reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2005.Im not handling it very well at all, the Astros second-year manager said. I hate losing ... I dont like being here and having this meeting when I know a game is being played tomorrow. But Im proud of the fact that 84 wins isnt good enough.The Astros took a step back this season after a surprising trip to the ALDS in 2015, forced to play catch up after going 7-17 in April. They remained in the wild-card hunt until the last weekend of the season, but injuries to key members of the rotation and several role players became too much to overcome.Houston has one of baseballs best middle infields with second baseman Jose Altuve and shortstop Carlos Correa, but its seeking upgrades at first base and in the outfield.I think were well positioned for next year, general manager Jeff Luhnow said. There are very few organizations of the 30 that have quite as exciting a young core to build around. Thats our job this offseason, is to put in some complementary pieces to add to the guys that we have that were excited about.The Astros went 84-78 a year after finishing 86-76, giving them consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2005-06. Of course, after years or rebuilding, over .500 isnt the target anymore.Our goal next year is to win the division and do some serious damage in the playoffs, Luhnow said. Theres nothing short of that thats going to satisfy us.Some things to know as the Astros wrap the 2016 season.AWESOME ALTUVE: Altuve had another MVP-caliber season in 2016. He won the AL batting title for the second time in three seasons by hitting .338 and got his third straight 200-hit season with an AL-leading 216. He hit 42 doubles and stole 30 bases, and his five triples, 24 homers and 96 RBI were all career highs.The 26-year-old Altuve is the first second baseman to win multiple battiing titles since Rod Carew won five from 1969-75.ddddddddddddI just wonder how he can get any better, Luhnow said. Hes really done an unbelievable job of setting goals for himself and improving his game in every way that he possibly could. Hes one of the best players in the American League, the best players in the game and were just happy to have him here.KEUCHEL STRUGGLES: Ace Dallas Keuchel had a tough season a year after winning the AL Cy Young Award. The left-hander went 9-12 with a 4.55 ERA after finishing 2015 a career-best 20-8 with a 2.48 ERA. He looked sharper in August but was shut down after a start on Aug. 27 because of shoulder inflammation and didnt pitch again. Luhnow said he isnt worried about Keuchel and expects him to bounce back next season.CORREAS GROWTH: The top overall pick in the 2012 draft had a solid sophomore campaign after winning AL Rookie of the Year in 2015. He hit .274 with 20 homers and 96 RBI despite playing the last weeks of the season with a shoulder injury.Correa turned 22 in September, and the Astros are pleased with his development this season.Correa, though, is disappointed he failed to do more in 2016.Carlos Correa will probably never live up to his own expectations, Hinch said. Im not sure youre ever going to live up to the hype, but when the dust settles and we look back at this season, well look back at it as a growth season for him, as a productive season and a step in the right direction.RASMUS DONE IN HOUSTON? OF Colby Rasmus was Houstons highest-paid player this season, making $15.8 million, but batted just .206 in 107 games while dealing with various injuries. Rasmus is eligible for free agency, and although Luhnow wouldnt say definitively, he suggested Houston was unlikely to retain the 30-year-old.He still has value to major league teams and Im sure hell have an opportunity to sign somewhere, Luhnow said. But Im not sure how, or if, he fits into our plans at this point. ' ' '