Dein erstes Forum » Canada. So four weeks after apologizing for losing his

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Dan Ellis learned a few things about the Anaheim Ducks top scorers during 1 1/2 seasons as the teams backup goalie, and he put all that knowledge to work in a breakthrough victory for the Dallas Stars. Ellis made 26 saves against his former team in his 14th career shutout, and Trevor Daley scored in the Stars 2-0 victory over the Ducks on Saturday night. Ellis played in 23 games as a backup in Anaheim from February 2011 to 2012, but did his best work while absorbing innumerable shots in practice from Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Teemu Selanne. Ellis used that familiarity throughout his second victory over the Ducks this season, even denying Perrys point-blank chance in the final minute by getting an outstretched pad in front of an open net. "Ive practiced with them, and I understand some things they like to do," Ellis said with a smile. Captain Jamie Benn added an empty-net goal with 28 seconds left for the Stars, who snapped a five-game road skid with one of their biggest wins of a mediocre season. Ellis had sat out the Stars previous nine games since Jan. 12, and he acknowledged a bit of game rust in his return. But Kari Lehtonens veteran backup posted Dallas third shutout victory in its last six games, and coach Lindy Ruff said Ellis probably will get more playing time in the final week before Lehtonen and Ruff head to the Olympics. "He gave us a rock-solid game," Ruff said of Ellis. "We only had a couple of big breakdowns, and he was there for us." After the game, Ellis met up in the hallway between the dressing rooms with Jonas Hiller, the Ducks starter during Ellis time with the club. "I loved my time here," Ellis said. "Its still the best place Ive ever played and lived in, but it was good to get these two points for us." Hiller stopped 25 shots for the NHL-leading Ducks, who were shut out for the first time all season. Anaheim has lost three of five at Honda Center after opening the season 20-0-2 at home. At the start of a four-game stretch over eight days before the Olympic break, the grind of the regular season is finally hitting the Ducks after two spectacular months. Anaheim is 4-4 since Jan. 15, but still five points ahead of defending champion Chicago atop the overall standings. "We didnt have any sustained pressure," Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau said. "Against a team like Dallas, you have to win the board battles. If you dont win them, their speed is so good, its going to be a real tough game for you." The Ducks played without third-leading scorer Nick Bonino after the versatile centre injured his wrist. Boudreau also scratched healthy offence-minded forwards Dustin Penner and Kyle Palmieri. While Anaheims roll has slowed, Dallas is looking to build momentum into the break during a three-game West Coast trip over the next five days. The Stars began the day in an 11th-place tie in the Western Conference. After a scoreless first period, Daley got his fourth goal of the season early in the second on the rebound of a shot by centre Cody Eakin, who blew by Patrick Maroon to create the chance. Only Hiller kept the score close with a handful of stellar plays in the final two periods, including a post-to-post toe save on Rich Peverley late in the second. Hiller has lost his last three home starts after his franchise-record 14-game winning streak ended last month. "It seems like one game we play pretty good, then the next game it seems like weve lost everything again," Hiller said. "We dont have that consistency. You cant just always think you can come back in the third period to win a game." Anaheim had several decent chances in the final minutes, but was shut out for the first time since last March 27. The Ducks also lost defenceman Mark Fistric to a lower-body injury early in the game. NOTES: Along with Bonino, the Ducks had three prominent healthy scratches who have combined for 90 points this season: Penner, Palmieri and D Bryan Allen. ... Just 41 seconds in, Eakin skated to the Stars dressing room with a bloody cut on his face after he got hit by the puck. He returned for the second period. ... Daley has three goals in his last 10 games after scoring just once in his first 31 this season. Blake Coleman Devils Jersey . The agreement comes a little more than one week after the video game manufacturer agreed to a $40 million settlement in a similar but separate case, bringing the total payout planned for athletes to $60 million, said Steve Berman, an attorney for the plaintiffs, and the NCAA. Cory Schneider Jersey . So what happens? Stevenson lands a huge left to Dawsons temple only 76 seconds into the opening round and walks away with the championship belt. "I said Id knock him out," said Stevenson (21-1). http://www.devilssale.com/authentic-taylor-hall-devils-jersey/ . -- Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo is going to the Pro Bowl as a replacement for San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks. Ken Daneyko Jersey . His team rose to the occasion Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Sweden in the bronze-medal game. "The sting from yesterday is not something we hid from or pretend didnt happen," Dineen said. Mirco Mueller Devils Jersey . James Erskine said Tuesday that Thorpe was "quite sick" in a Sydney hospital but dismissed media reports the swimmer might lose the use of his left arm. "Hes not in the intensive care," Erskine said.Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week they discuss Russias mens hockey team, the ineptitude of the IOC handling the Nicklas Backstrom situation, John Tortorellas many apologies, and Canadas strong showing in curling. Bruce Arthur, National Post My thumb is down to Russias national mens hockey program, which is still making reverberations a week after Sochi. After falling in the quarter-finals for the second straight Olympics, Russias NHL stars came back angry. As Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wrote, Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin were unhappy for many reasons, but most of all resented the programs bias towards KHL players, which greatly distorted playing time, pairings, strategy, and felt like a punishment to Russian stars who dont play at home. Russia was one of the worlds great hockey powers, and a worthy rival to Canada; now its a mess, riven by petty rivalries. Its a shame, really. The Russians havent won a best-on-best tournament since the 1981 Canada Cup, and somehow they feel further away than ever. Steve Simmons, SUN Media My thumb is down to the International Olympic Committee for the mess it made of the Nicklas Backstrom gold medal game allergy pill fiasco. As a member of Swedens hockey delegation said, the IOC destroyed one of the greatest days in Olympic hockey history for the country. Backstrom, who did test positive for pseudo-ephedrine, didnt disagree with that assessment. The IOC first tested Backstrom last Wednesday. In the three days that followed, they never did do a second test. The Swedish team was not informed of Backstroms status until two hours before game time. Now dont get me wrong, the Swedes could have had Nicklas Baackstrom, Ralph Backstrom, and all the Backstroms you can name available for the gold medal game and the result wouldnt have been different.dddddddddddd What they didnt need was an unnecessary disruption, born of IOC ineptitude. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated My thumb is down to John Tortorella, not for his most recent apology but for the continual need to apologize. This time, the Canucks coach launched into a mea culpa after saying he favored Sweden in the Sochi final because he wanted his Swedish Olympians - Daniel Sedin and Alex Edler - to return with smiles on their faces. Tortorella wears blinders. Professionally, he sees the small picture, nothing beyond his team. Belatedly, of course, he grasped context - Vancouver … Canada. So four weeks after apologizing for losing his mind between periods against Calgary, he again was at a microphone wearing a hair shirt and a tight expression. Thats Tortorella, the never-ending sorry. Dave Hodge, TSN My thumb is up to the excellence shown by Canadas Gold-medalists in curling - Jennifer Jones and her rink from Winnipeg and Brad Jacobs and his rink from Sault Ste. Marie. We used to take for granted Canadas worldwide dominance in curling, and then we didnt, because as good as the Canadians continued to be, several other countries showed they were capable of winning world titles. Not that Jones and Jacobs allow Canada to rest on its laurels, but the Sochi results were very impressive, and hows this for proof of Canadas wealth of curling talent - the Brier is underway in Kamloops and the field is strong with Jeff Stoughton, Kevin Koe, John Morris, and Brad Gushue. And imagine talking about a strong field that doesnt include Jacobs, Glenn Howard and Kevin Martin. ' ' '