New Orleans a 59-42 lead at the break. Asik an

The Canadian Tire National Skating Championships showcased a healthy mix of fresh faces and established veterans and the team picked for the World Championships in March will include gold medal contenders and those looking to make their mark as they begin the next Olympic Quadrennial. A couple of teenagers will lead the charge to Shanghai in the singles events. Nam Nguyen stepped up admirably in the absence of Patrick Chan. At 16 years of age, he did not put a foot wrong in capturing his first Canadian title. His free program in particular was sensational with a quad salchow and two triple axels (the most difficult triple) and will stack up well amongst the worlds best. Having the quad and triple axels are key to his success but it is the balance that we are seeing from Nam this season that is his real strength and shows that he is not a one trick pony. He has the big tricks and consistency which is a rare combination, his skating between the jumps is delivered with care and finesse and as he matures and is gaining confidence in his jumps his artistry is rapidly progressing alongside. That balance will serve him well through his development and as he takes on the worlds best. In the Ladies event where the opportunity for a national title often produces nerves and inconsistent performances, in Kingston, the chance of the title fuelled focused and determined efforts. The three eventual medalists, new Canadian champion Gabby Daleman, Alaine Chartrande and Veronik Mallet all delivered superb performances. Veronik did not go in as one of the favourites for the title but her engaging personality and solid triples had her in the mix, in second after the short and produced season best scores for her. Teenagers Gabby and Alaine fought hard in going after what they each so desperately wanted. They both had clear shots at the title and had to bring and deliver their best. Gabby won the short program and Alaine the long with the edge going to Gabby overall. I like the way I see the rivalry between these two shaping up. Being pushed at home often drives skaters to new heights which pays off internationally. One only has to remember Kurt and Elvis, or Duhamel-Radford and Moore-Towers - Moscovitch for evidence of the benefits and while this is not yet close to the scope of the Russian ladies it has the makings of a great rivalry in Canadian skating. The talent, youth and feistiness of Gabby and Alaine create the perfect storm for an ongoing duel and dare I ask, what happens when Kaetlyn Osmond comes back? Game on! The pairs event was filled with intrigue, variety, personal bests and record breaking scores. Megan Duhamel and Eric Radford landed a throw quad salchow on their way to setting a Canadian record with their total score. Under the heading of how things change, at the 1988 Winter Olympics a teammate of mine threw a bag of bagels (my favourite snack) on the ice at the end of our performance. In Kingston, Megan was handed a bunch of kale! Kale?! Maybe thats their secret. Whatever it is, they are on a phenomenal record setting pace this season with no signs of letting up. Their next stop is Seoul, South Korea where they will meet up with the tough Chinese pairs at Four Continents and then later in March they will have their chance at the world title. The new pairing of Lubov Ilyushechkina and Dylan Moscovitch won the hearts of the audiences in Kingston. Just nine months ago they both found themselves partnerless and unsure of the future. Watching them skate together in their first major competition is to see that out of crisis can come opportunity. The irony is not lost on Lubov that the only time she had been to Canada previously was five years ago at Skate Canada, in Kingston. She said I said that I wanted to stay here and I am back. Like by magic...who could predict...the joke of life! That they relish this new opportunity is palpable. It will be fun to see how far they can take it. At the World Championships last year Canada had three teams in the top ten in ice dance. Those same three teams finished on the podium in Kingston but were tested by a strong field. Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje who are on the same kind of trajectory as Duhamel-Radford, won their first Canadian title in convincing fashion. They are world class and like Duhamel-Radford appear to be unstoppable. Weaver-Poje are undefeated and have the highest scores this season. The closest team to them in the points race on the Grand Prix circuit is an American team, Madison Chock and Evan Bates, whom they will meet head-to-head at Four Continents in two weeks. This will be a much anticipated and key match up for them a month before the Worlds. Remembering a Legend The loss of the great Toller Cranston was shocking news. My good friend Shelley Macleod had just spent Christmas with Toller at his home in Mexico and I was heartened to learn that he was at the top of his game during their visit and that his staff told her on his passing that in the end he was doing what he loved, and was surrounded by good friends. Going forward we as a skating community can be inspired by his vision. He clearly saw the legacy he wanted to leave and took his career into his own hands. For him it was about making a memorable and maximum impact and in so doing, moving an audience, bringing crowds to their feet and leaving an indelible mark on the sport. Toller once said, I brought a hammer and a chisel and I tried to wear away inhibition. May we keep that dream alive. Jack Lambert Youth Jersey .A. remained bitter for Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers on the long flight back home to New York. Jack Lambert Jersey . - A mixed martial arts fighter who changed his name to War Machine was ordered Friday to stand trial in Nevada state court on 34 felony charges including attempted murder, sexual assault and kidnapping that could get him life in prison for allegedly attacking his porn star ex-girlfriend and her friend. http://www.steelerspronfl.com/Youth-Just...e-Elite-Jersey/. The 10-horse field of 3-year-old pacers will leave the starting gate at approximately 10:14pm et. Co-owned and trained by David Menary, Hes Watching will be driven by Tim Tetrick and is the 5-1 fourth selection in the field. Zach Gentry Steelers Jersey . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell. Rocky Bleier Steelers Jersey . Hoffman, the former star closer, will evaluate and help co-ordinate all pitchers at Double-A, Triple-A and the big league team. Byrnes says Hoffman "will be a key part of finishing the development of our younger pitchers.New Orleans, LA (SportsNetwork.com) - The New Orleans Pelicans led wire-to- wire in a 111-83 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday. The Pelicans got points from 11 players, led by Ryan Andersons 22 off the bench. Tyreke Evans contributed 21 points, five assists and four rebounds, and Omer Asik scored nine and pulled in a game-high 11 rebounds in New Orleans second win in its last three games. Dwight Howard and Corey Brewer led the Rockets with 12 points each in their third loss in four games. NBA scoring leader James Harden had just 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Houston led the league in 3-pointers made coming into the game but shot just 6-of-29 from long distance. A brief 6-1 spurt for Houston pulled it within nine points four minutes into the second quarter, but Jimmer Fredettes triple on the ensuing possession extended the Pelicans lead back to double digits where it would remain the rest of the game. Dante Cunningham scored the last four points of the half to give New Orleans a 59-42 lead at the break. Asik and Evanss scored on the first two possessions of the second half, and the Pelicans lead would not dip below 20 points.dddddddddddd New Orleans emptied its bench in the fourth quarter and its lead still ballooned to as much as 32 on Austin Rivers reverse layup with 4:08 remaining. Much of the first quarter was a back-and-forth affair, but the Pelicans started pulling away late in the period. They outscored Houston 10-4 in the final two minutes of the period, capped by Andersons three-point play with three seconds left. New Orleans led 29-20 after one, and it scored six straight points to open the second. Game Notes New Orleans has beaten Houston in three straight meetings ... The Pelicans outrebounded the Pelicans 49-38 ... This was the first game of the season the Rockets never led ... Anthony Davis scored seven points and grabbed eight rebounds for New Orleans ... Josh Smith was held to eight points for Houston. The Rockets are 2-3 since signing him. ' ' '