~~**NEWS**~~ » made it out West, and it didnt take long for

VANCOUVER - For one game at least, Zack Kassian lived up to his billing as a power forward who can produce points. Kassian recorded four assists to earn the first four-point night of his star-crossed NHL career Sunday night as the Vancouver Canucks rallied to beat his former team, the Buffalo Sabres 4-2. "It was one of those games (where) it seemed the puck followed me," said Kassian. "Its nice personally, but its even better we keep this streak going." The Canucks (33-30-10) have now posted two consecutive wins for the first time since mid-January. Vancouver pulled within three points of eighth-place Phoenix, and one point of ninth-place Dallas in the race for the second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Sabres (20-43-8), last in the NHL by a wide margin, suffered their eighth loss in the past 10 games as they squandered an early 2-0 lead. Brad Richardson, Shawn Matthias, Yannick Weber and David Booth, with his first goal in 33 games, scored for the Canucks, who have won five of their last eight contests. The Sabres went ahead 2-0 only 3:29 into the game, but the score was tied 2-2 after the first period and the Canucks led 3-2 following the second. "In this league you cant play good sometimes," said Sabres coach Ted Nolan. "Youve got to play good all the time. Thats a lesson to learn and something we have to do to move forward." Tyler Ennis and Jamie McBain provided the offence for Buffalo. Kassian has often faced criticism since he was traded to Vancouver from the Sabres at the NHL trade deadline in February 2012 in the four-player deal that saw former Canuck fan favourite Cody Hodgson head to Buffalo. Kassian, Buffalos top 2009 draft pick (13th overall) excelled offensively two days after saying he is playing primarily a checking role now while Hodgson is primarily an offensive player. Hodgson, Vancouvers first choice (10th overall) in 2008, went without a point while the Sabres were badly outplayed for most of the game. "Im excited for every game, but obviously you want to play hard against your old team," said Kassian. "You definitely want to get the win, but its nice when you play well individually and as a line." Matthias, who was acquired in the Roberto Luongo trade from Florida, also had two assists while Richardson had one helper. The Canucks had not posted two straight wins since beating the Calgary Flames on Jan. 18, when coach John Tortorella drew a suspension for charging their dressing room between the first and second periods, and Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 21. Vancouver goaltender Eddie Lack overcame a slow start to earn the win. After allowing goals on Buffalos first and third shots of the game, Lack was sharp and finished with 16 saves. "The team did a great job bouncing back," said Lack. "I felt like I wasnt really tracking the puck well the first half of the game but then I just kind of settled down and felt better after that." Vancouvers quick rally from its early deficit spoiled a strong effort from rookie Buffalo goaltender Nathan Lieuwen, a 22-year-old Abbotsford, B.C., native who made just his second NHL career start and third appearance after being promoted from Rochester of the AHL on March 16. He recorded 32 saves as his club was outshot 36-18. "Thats frustrating and thats hockey," he said. "You get some good bounces and you do good things and you make mistakes, so Ill definitely learn from it." Weber scored the winning goal just 1:40 into the second period as he put a shot through Lieuwens legs to give the Canucks a 3-2 lead. Sabres defenceman Mike Weber was close to his Canuck namesake on the play, but Lieuwen said the puck went straight in. "I thought I had it and, obviously, there was a hole," said Lieuwen. "I dont know what to tell you. Thats obviously one that I feel I can obviously save. What a terrible night for that to go in." The goal sullied his "dream come true" of playing in Vancouver, where he has "tonnes of family." Ennis was also left frustrated as he watched the Sabres lead disintegrate after he had McBain had put them ahead. "We heard (Lack) has been shaky, so we wanted to get on him early, and we did," said Ennis. Kassian was not around for the final horn because he took a puck between the eyes, for the second time on the night, with 1:32 left in the game. He needed "about 10 stitches" to repair a cut. "So my face isnt getting any prettier, thats for sure," he said. Notes: Vancouver lost Henrik Sedin to an apparent knee injury late in the second period as he collided with a fallen Buffalo player behind the Sabres net. "I went to hit a guy and he came back off the boards and he fell on top of me, so well see how it is (Monday)," said Sedin. The mishap occurred after the Canucks and NHL honoured the Canucks captain for his 1,000th NHL game, played March 12 in Winnipeg. NHL senior vice-president of hockey operations Jim Gregory represented the league. ... Vancouver forwards Ryan Kesler and Daniel Sedin returned after suffering injuries earlier this month, but Alex Burrows missed the game with a hand injury suffered Thursday against Nashville. ... Hodgson played his 200th NHL regular-season game. … Lack made his 35th start of the season. At the outset of the season, Tortorella indicated he would get 15-20 starts. … Buffalo defenceman Alexander Sulzer, who was acquired with Hodgson from the Canucks, missed his fifth consecutive game with an upper-body injury. … Sabres starting goaltender Michal Neuvirth, acquired from Washington at the trade deadline, also missed his fourth consecutive contest, with a lower-body ailment. … Neuvirth and Matt Hackett, who dressed as Buffalos backup, were traded for each other in the 2007-08 OHL season. Neuvirth went to Windsor from Plymouth while Hackett went the other way. Balenciaga Sneakers Online Shop . Berdych and Stepanek played all five matches when the Czechs beat Spain 3-2 in the final last November in Prague to win the countrys first title as an independent nation. Balenciaga Sneakers Sale Australia . This has become the Raptors mantra as they embark on a new era with a new regime and, in the not-so-distant future, a new image. http://www.wholesalebalenciagaaustralia.com/. 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Now, both are season highs as Dallas slowly works its way back into playoff contention in the Western Conference.CHANDLER, Ariz. - Those bad guys from New England finally made it out West, and it didnt take long for them to begin circling the wagons.An angry Robert Kraft led the way on a rainy Monday in the desert, reading from a defiant speech crafted at 35,000 feet on the way from the snowy East Coast to the Super Bowl. It came straight from the heart, the owner of the New England Patriots said, because someone other than coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady had to stand up for truth, justice and the American way.Actually, someone just had to explain what happened to those deflated balls in the AFC Championship final, but that wasnt going to happen. Not now, with the Super Bowl just days away, and the Patriots desperate for a way to turn the controversy over deflated balls to their advantage.That, really, was what this was all about. If Belichick was struggling to rally his players around their collective wounded pride, their owner wasnt going to let any more time pass before taking his shot.Kraft was nothing but all in, declaring his coach and players had way too much integrity to engage in any kind of shenanigans. To even suggest so, he said, was so offensive that someone really ought to be apologizing, and he wasnt just talking about Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman.If the (NFL) investigation is not able to definitively determine that our organization tampered with the air pressure in the footballs, I would expect and hope the league would apologize to our entire team, and in particular to coach Belichick and Tom Brady, for what theyve had to endure this week, Kraft said.If his righteous anger was a bit overboard, Kraft had his reasons for taking the podium at the team hotel before Belichick and Brady faced the assembled media for the first time since arriving a few hours earlier.Clearly, he was looking to take some heat off of Belichick and Brady, who by now have already claimed ignorance about the deflated balls in so many ways that even the media seems tired of asking the questions. But ask they do, because its Super Bowl week, and even the slightest hint of controversy is like raw meat to the insatiable appetite of television and the Internet.ddddddddddddSo Kraft tried to turn it to an advantage by declaring his love for Belichick and Brady, rallying the troops with the classic us against them mentality that coaches love to use to motivate their teams.Tom, Bill and I have been together for 15 years. They are my guys, Kraft said. They are part of my family. Bill, Tom and I have had many difficult discussions over the years. Ive never known them to lie to me. Thats why Im confident in saying what I just said.It didnt take long for Belichick to get on the podium and pay his owner back. Dressed for success in coat and tie instead of the traditional hoodie, he said he was forever indebted to Kraft for working out a trade to get him from the New York Jets, had a great personal and professional relationship with the owner, and loved everything about the organization.Oh, and he wished Patriots fans well in the massive snowstorm hitting the New England area, saying they have the kind of toughness and teamwork to get through it just like the NFL team they cheer for would get through its own ordeals.As for those deflated balls? Well, the owner had already had his say, so there was nothing left to add.I appreciate the questions, but Ive covered everything that I can cover in the previous week and my attention is focused on the Seattle Seahawks, Belichick said.Brady followed in lockstep, proving if nothing else that the Patriots had a game plan for the media this week, and are sticking to it. By then, the assembled media seemed exhausted and barely brought up the controversy in a passing reference to one of the greatest passers ever.Brady did manage to mention, though, how much he loves his owner, too.Ive been fortunate to play 15 years and its a privilege to play for this team, he said. Mr. Kraft, Jonathan (son of Robert Kraft), theyre family to me, and Id love to go out and play my tail off and try to go win a Super Bowl for him.On Sunday, the Patriots just may do that, and with properly inflated balls.Then maybe the talk will not be about deflated balls or cheating coaches. Instead, it will be about how the guys who are supposed to be so bad can be so good. ' ' '