Saturday, October 3, 2009

“Dubinsky Paces Rangers Over Senators - WSB-TV Atlanta” plus 4 more

“Dubinsky Paces Rangers Over Senators - WSB-TV Atlanta” plus 4 more

Dubinsky Paces Rangers Over Senators - WSB-TV Atlanta

Posted: 03 Oct 2009 06:50 PM PDT

Posted: 11:53 pm EDT October 3, 2009

New York, NY -- (Sports Network) - Brandon Dubinsky had two goals and an assist, and the Rangers dominated the Senators, 5-2, in New York's home opener at Madison Square Garden and Ottawa's first game of the season.

Marian Gaborik added a goal and an assist and now has three points in two games since signing a free agent contract with the Rangers, who were defeated by the Stanley Cup champion Penguins on Friday in their season opener. Vinny Prospal scored his first goal with New York since also coming over in the offseason, while Michael Del Zotto notched his first NHL goal in the win.

"Certainly we have our opportunities, and we continue to capitalize on those chances," Dubinsky said. "I thought we did good tonight. We just have to continue to do it. With our offense, the attack we have, we are going to create those chances. We have to score some goals."

Henrik Lundqvist was stellar in net, making 32 saves in the victory.

Daniel Alfredsson and Peter Regin scored for Ottawa, which had a streak of 11 consecutive playoff appearances snapped last season after the team finished with only 83 points. The Senators had been 6-0-1 in their last seven trips to MSG but couldn't continue their winning ways.

Pascal Leclaire, making his Sens debut after spending most of last season with Columbus, allowed four goals on 33 shots in defeat.

After a scoreless first period, the Rangers struck first in the second.

Ottawa had an odd-man rush, but Lundqvist made an excellent save, sending the puck out to Prospal, who went the other way on a 2-on-1 and wristed a shot above Leclaire's left shoulder that barely snuck below the crossbar for his 600th NHL point at 3:20.

Ryan Shannon went in alone on Lundqvist minutes later for the Sens, but his forehand shot was stopped by the goaltender's pads.

Later in the middle period, Gaborik avoided trouble when he dished a cross-ice pass to Dubinsky, who skated into the zone and fired a wrist shot above Leclaire's glove from the left circle at the 10-minute mark for a 2-0 NY lead.

Ottawa's captain helped cut its deficit in half. Jason Spezza beat Rangers defenseman Matt Gilroy to the corner and quickly flipped the puck out in front, where Alfredsson flicked it past Lundqvist at 15:36.

New York restored its two-goal margin, though, before the third, as Del Zotto put a slapshot through traffic and past Leclaire for his first NHL goal with 51 seconds left.

"I can't even put it in words; it was an unbelievable feeling," Del Zotto said. "I have to give credit to my teammates, my line mates. (Ryan Callahan) provided a great screen, (Christopher) Higgins made a great pass, and it happened to go in. I was pretty excited."

Dubinsky nearly had his second tally on a breakaway in the third, but the puck hit off the crossbar, and Gaborik followed the shot and stuffed it underneath Leclaire for a 4-1 lead with eight minutes to play.

Dubinsky finally did get his second goal with a shorthanded empty-net tally in the final moments to seal the win for New York. Regin scored for Ottawa with six seconds left to account for the final margin.

"I know we hurt ourselves early taking all those penalties and giving them momentum at their home opener," said Spezza. "They played a better structure and we were scrambling."

Game Notes

The Rangers have won four consecutive home openers...The Senators traded forward Dany Heatley to San Jose just prior to the season for forwards Jonathan Cheechoo and Milan Michalek; neither Cheechoo nor Michalek registered a point, and both combined to finish minus-three in the game...The teams split four meetings last season...The teams combined to go 0-for-9 on the power play.

Copyright 2009 Courtesy of The Sports Network.



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El Dorado home and garden tour set - Sacramento Bee

Posted: 03 Oct 2009 12:59 PM PDT

El Dorado County homes and gardens featuring the latest in "green" designs and energy-efficient technology will be open to visitors Oct. 10 during the Green Home, Garden and Art Tour, sponsored by the Placerville branch of the American Association of University Women.

The tour will spotlight solar, geothermal and energy-efficient systems, straw bale construction, use of reclaimed building materials, and native plant and drought-tolerant gardens.

The event also will feature fun and fanciful art -- jewelry, furniture, collages, pine needle baskets, wood turning, metal garden art and a fire-breathing dragon -- all made from recycled materials.

One home, designed in Zen-like craftsman style, is a "green" remodel. Three homes are newly constructed with unusual and interesting architecture, as well as green features.

One of the gardens has extensive owner-built stonework retaining walls, planter beds and a pondless waterfall and stream. Another features whimsical planting fixtures and garden art, a greenhouse built entirely from reclaimed materials, and a vegetable garden that helps feed a community.

The tour will include a stop at the Anova Architects studio in Placerville, a learning center for green-building techniques.

Tickets are available in at Anova Architects, 778 Pacific St. and the El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce, 542 Main St., in Placerville; Gold Country Ace Hardware, 4121 Cameron Park Drive in Cameron Park; Gringo's Mexican Cafe, 7310 Highway 49, in Lotus; and Dusty Creek Lumber, 1091 White Rock Road, El Dorado Hills.

Tickets purchased in advance are $15. They will be available for $20 the day of the event at Anova Architects.

Proceeds from the tour will go toward Tech Trek Science and Math Camp scholarships for girls and college scholarships for women.



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Pink puts on colorful Garden party - Boston Herald

Posted: 03 Oct 2009 09:06 PM PDT

Never one to stifle self-expression, pop-rock siren Pink certainly isn't holding back on her Welcome to the Funhouse tour.

The big-top spectacle put a sold-out TD Garden crowd on sensory overdrive for 100 minutes Friday night.

Like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and T-Pain, Pink is riding the wave of a circus-themed tour. Her show boasts trapeze artists, acrobats and an elaborate, garish stage setup to rival the multiple, in-your-face wardrobe selections, not to mention a live band and a stable of backup dancers. The giant, evil blow-up clowns appeared during "Funhouse" to seal the deal.

From opening number "Bad Influence" to confetti-drenched show-closer "Get This Party Started," the Funhouse was, indeed, fun. But oftentimes the attractions felt more like distractions, easily becoming the least interesting part of the show.

Pink is a gifted and dynamic performer, and some of her best work involved little in the way of glitz and choreography: Witness "Just Like a Pill," "Who Knew," "Please Dont Leave Me" and "Don't Let Me Get Me."

Pink's raspy, inspired vocals make her an easy fit for pop, rock and soul, and she tried on a number of personas Friday as well: sassy rocker, sad girl and lusty vixen for a couch-assisted seduction segment to a cover of the Divinyls' "I Touch Myself," which felt more akin to a Madonna concert.

Allowing for some down-time, the 30-year-old singer advised the audience to channel their inner dark cloud before "I Don't Believe You," then followed up with acoustic versions of "Trouble" and the night's political statement, "Dear Mr. President."

Amid her lengthy string of hits, she worked in covers of Led Zeppelin's "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You," Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy."

Whether dancing like an idiot during "Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)" or making provocative hand gestures during the standout rocker "U and Ur Hand," Pink appeared to be having as much fun as the audience.

But sometimes less is more. And the highly personal, piano- and violin-assisted "Family Portrait," for which Pink ditched the high heels, midriff-baring outfits and stage jaunts, proved her mettle as much as any of the night's more involved numbers.

Ultimately, Pink's music is the real star of the show.

lauren-carter@hotmail.com



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In the Garden: Best place for kids to be is outdoors - Lincoln Journal Star

Posted: 03 Oct 2009 09:13 PM PDT

"One of the most important gifts a parent can give a child is his or her own infectious enthusiasm for the outdoors."

- Richard Louv

The research on children and the outdoors is in and it's clear. Contact with nature improves concentration, productivity and cognitive development; relieves symptoms of attention deficit disorder; feeds imagination and encourages a "sense of wonder;" buffers stress; encourages activity; offsets obesity; promotes social interaction; appeals to a wide range of personality types, ages and learning styles; and improves brain structure, chemistry and function.

Still, for most parents the strongest argument is their own memories of time spent outdoors as a child.

"Some of us can remember our parents telling us to go outside and play until it's dark!" said McKenzie Barry, environmental education specialist at the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District.

"Today, some children spend more than 40 hours a week with electronic devices - cell phone, computer, TV or video game."

In the past few years, the NRD has stepped up its environmental education programs and partnerships to help reconnect children and their families with nature. Barry said they have "started after-school nature clubs and Family Nature Nights, promoted field trips to NRD wetlands and other natural places, and partnered on the Lincoln Safari.

"It is essential to teach this next generation about their environment and the importance of conserving natural resources."

Barry encourages and challenges families to spend an hour a day outside in fun, unstructured nature play.

One way to help make that transition is by giving some thought to your backyard. The Nebraska Statewide Arboretum recommends leaving some "rough edges" where kids can be creative and leave things in place to continue another day. Even a 2-by-3-foot area is suitable for younger kids, possibly near a swing or sandpile. Trees, shrubs and tall grasses can help create forts or "hiding places."

Providing a variety of plants with interesting textures, shapes, seedheads, flowers and colors encourages outdoor exploration, and it'll draw birds, butterflies and insects to your yard for even more interest.

Barry said, "Our lives are busy, but it's important to remember that nature has a restorative effect. Taking time to play outside - for children and for adults - provides a much-needed break and helps us appreciate the natural resources around us."

"In the Garden" is provided by the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum. A podcast of "In the Garden" is available at the Arboretum Web site, www.arboretum.unl.edu. Click on the podcast icon on the homepage.



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Newest Rangers Shine In Their Home Opener - New York Times

Posted: 03 Oct 2009 08:23 PM PDT

Opening night on Saturday at Madison Square Garden was a big night for new Rangers. Vaclav Prospal, Marian Gaborik and the 19-year-old rookie defenseman Michael Del Zotto, all among the team's nine newcomers, scored as the Rangers emphatically beat the Ottawa Senators, 5-2, and evened their record at 1-1.

For Del Zotto, the Rangers' No. 1 draft choice in 2008, it was his first N.H.L. goal.

"I can't even put words to it, it's such an unbelievable feeling," he said of scoring on his shot from the blue line, which flew through a welter of players past Ottawa goaltender Pascal Leclaire to make the score 3-1 late in the second period.

The Rangers dominated the first period, with 8 of their 13 shots coming on the power play.

Prospal, signed from Tampa Bay over the summer, finally opened the scoring at 3 minutes 20 seconds of the second period with a perfect shot to the top corner past Leclaire.

At the halfway mark, Brandon Dubinsky made the score 2-0 with another shot to the top corner. He added an empty-netter in the game's final minute.

Gaborik, the speedy stick-handler signed from Minnesota over the summer, buried a rebound in the third period. He also scored in the Rangers' loss in Pittsburgh on Friday.

Henrik Lundqvist was excellent, stopping 32 of 34 Ottawa shots.

FLYERS 5, DEVILS 2 Ray Emery made 24 saves, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards scored for the second straight game and Philadelphia beat the host Devils, spoiling Jacques Lemaire's return as their coach. Brian Rolston scored the Devils' first goal on a power play with 10:16 remaining in the third period.

Emery, who signed with Philadelphia as a free agent after playing a season in Russia, outdueled the Devils' Martin Brodeur, who was playing in his 1,000th career game. Brodeur faced 27 shots and seemed to battle the puck.

"It was a tough game," Brodeur said. "Positioning I thought I was pretty good on a few of them, and other ones I really wasn't there." (AP)

BLUES 5, RED WINGS 3 Keith Tkachuk had two power-play goals and an assist as St. Louis overcame a two-goal deficit for the second straight game, beating Detroit to sweep their two-game series in Stockholm. (AP)

BLACKHAWKS 4, PANTHERS 0 Chicago had three power-play goals and the Finnish goaltender Antti Niemi stopped 23 shots in a victory against Florida in Helsinki, Finland. A day after losing to the Panthers in a shootout, the Blackhawks started Niemi in goal in place of Cristobal Huet. (AP)

CAPITALS 6, MAPLE LEAFS 4 Alex Ovechkin converted on a breakaway 77 seconds into Washington's home opener, a victory against Toronto. Alexander Semin added two goals. (AP)

BRUINS 7, HURRICANES 2 Michael Ryder and Blake Wheeler scored 26 seconds apart in the first period, and Boston scored four power-play goals in a rout against visiting Carolina. (AP) CANADIENS 2, SABRES 1 Brian Gionta took advantage of a timely carom 2:42 into overtime, tapping in an errant shot to lift Montreal past host Buffalo. Carey Price stopped 34 shots to help the Canadiens get off to a 2-0 start for the second time in 10 years. (AP)

AVALANCHE 3, CANUCKS 0 Craig Anderson, who signed with Colorado as a free agent in the off-season, stopped 35 shots as the host Avalanche beat Vancouver. Anderson has saved 73 of 75 shots in his first two games. (AP) IN OTHER GAMES Rostislav Klesla scored midway through the third period as host Columbus edged Minnesota, 2-1. Steve Mason, last season's rookie of the year, had 32 saves. ... Rich Peverley and Ilya Kovalchuk each scored two goals, Ondrej Pavelec stopped 36 shots and Atlanta beat visiting Tampa Bay, 6-3. ... Jason Arnott had an early power-play goal, Michael Santorelli scored the winner in a shootout and Nashville won at Dallas, 3-2. (AP)



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