CALGARY
http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-courtland-sutton-jersey , Alberta — The Columbus Blue Jackets kicked off their final extended road trip of the regular season with a come-from-behind 7-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.
Now the Blue Jackets (43-29-5) want to keep that momentum going when they face the struggling Calgary Flames (35-32-10) on Thursday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
“We wanted to start it off with a win, obviously,” Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner said in regard to the team’s road swing through western Canada. “We’ve got two more games left on the trip. They’re all big points. We’re just looking forward to Calgary now, getting the job done there. It’s a big win for us (against Edmonton), but we’ve just got to gear up for the next one.”
Jenner and linemates Thomas Vanek and Alexander Wennberg combined for nine points against the Oilers, who jumped out to an early 3-0 lead before the Jackets rallied for their 11th win in their past 12 games.
“We can feel it as a line,” said Jenner, who scored once and set up two others, Vanek finished with a hat trick and an assist, and Wennberg had two assists. “We’re always talking. We’re getting more and more comfortable with each other and each other’s tendencies and where to be for each other. It’s a lot better when you’re like that. You can get that chemistry going.”
Cam Atkinson
http://www.jaguarsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-logan-cooke-jersey , Artemi Panarin and Markus Nutivaara also scored for the Jackets, who bounced back from a 2-1 loss at home to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.
“It’s amazing how many guys were not rolling the first half of the season and how we, as a team, stuck with it and found ways to get points to get to where we are now,” said Atkinson, who has put up seven goals and four assists in his past nine games. “In order for us to go on this deep run, you need your best players going (and) you need your veteran guys going, and all the older guys have been stepping up.”
While the Blue Jackets have firmly entrenched themselves into a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a six-point bulge in the wild-card race, the Flames have completely fallen out of the postseason picture in the Western Conference.
By virtue of a 3-0 road loss to the Los Angeles Kings, the Flames were mathematically eliminated on Monday.
“If you look at the way our team’s played
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Already missing forwards Sean Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk because of injuries, the Flames are also playing without leading scorer Johnny Gaudreau, who returned home to New Jersey earlier this week after his father, Guy Gaudreau, suffered a cardiac event on Sunday.
“It’s really family first there right now. He needs to be there,” said Gulutzan
Jalyn Holmes Color Rush Jersey , who hasn’t been displeased with the effort level of his players in the absence of Gaudreau, Monahan and Tkachuk. “When you take your top three scorers out of the lineup, it stings. As far as work ethic … that’s one thing that we can always bring to the table and that’s what our guys are doing right now is working their tails off and battling.”
With four of Calgary’s five remaining games on home ice, defenseman Mark Giordano said he and his teammates want to “come out and play with emotion and show the character we have in this room.”
The Calgary captain added, “We know we haven’t played as well as we’ve wanted too on home ice, so in these last few games at home try and bring a lot of energy and emotion and give our crowd a few great home games.”
J.T. Realmuto was focused purely on putting the ball in play with the bases loaded and two strikes on him.
He ended up putting it out of play.
Realmuto hit a grand slam during a five-run seventh inning and the Miami Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 6-2 Saturday.
With one out, Realmuto fouled off three pitches against struggling reliever Bryan Shaw before lining an elevated cutter just over the right-field wall. The drive helped Miami stop a three-game skid and ended the Rockies’ winning streak at four.
”Early, I felt like I was trying to do a little too much in that at-bat,” Realmuto said. ”Once I got to two strikes I was really just trying to fight and put the ball in play. That’s really it.”
Shaw said he threw the pitch he wanted against Realmuto. It just ended with a bad result.
”We executed where we wanted to and he hit it,” Shaw said.
Trevor Richards (2-4) gave up one run and three hits in six innings
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The 25-year-old rookie was 0-3 with a 7.40 ERA on the road coming into the day at Coors Field.
”He set the tone,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. ”He kept us in the game and gave us a chance.”
Rockies starter Tyler Anderson (4-3) was sharp before allowing three consecutive hits to open the seventh, including an RBI single from pinch-hitter Justin Bour that chased the lefty and put the Marlins ahead 2-1. Starlin Castro then loaded the bases after video review reversed an out call and ruled him safe with an infield single.
An out later, Realmuto hit his second career grand slam. His first came on Aug. 12, 2015 against the Boston Red Sox.
”J.T.’s great, you know he’s not afraid,” Mattingly said. ”He’s not bothered by anything out there. He’s one of the guys that you like being up there. I remember telling him last year, at one point he was struggling, and I just told him `there’s no one I like up there better than you’, because you always feel like he’s not afraid and nothing is going to bother him up there.”
Gerardo Parra hit a solo homer in the seventh to bring Colorado within 6-2. Parra drove both runs for the Rockies
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Derek Dietrich hit his 10th home run of the season off Anderson in the fourth to put the Marlins up 1-0. Colorado tied it on Parra’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: SS Miguel Rojas was a late scratch with soreness from a bruise on his left hand.
Rockies: RHP Scott Oberg (back strain) and LHP Mike Dunn (shoulder strain) were slated to begin rehab assignments in Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday.
NEW ROLE FOR SHAW?
Colorado manager Bud Black wasn’t opposed to the idea of moving Shaw into a different role in the bullpen as he continues to struggle.
”That’s possible,” Black said. ”We have some guys coming back that might potentially be able to go that way to give Bryan a little step back.”
TRANSACTION
The Rockies called up INF Pat Valaika and optioned RHP Yency Almonte to Triple-A Albuquerque.
WELCOME BACK
The Rockies welcomed back a few of their former players as the organization celebrated their 25th year anniversary. Todd Helton and Larry Walker were among those in attendance. Prior to the game, they returning players posed for selfies with fans and a couple of them took a few swings in a batting practice. Former Rockies third baseman Vinny Castilla – who is 50 – hit a couple well over the fence in left to the oohs and ahhs of the crowd.
UP NEXT
Marlins: LHP Caleb Smith (5-6, 4.03 ERA) takes the mound for the series finale Sunday. Smith has gone 3-4 with a 4.89 ERA on the road this season.
Rockies: RHP German Marquez (5-7, 5.20 ERA) is 1-2 with a 7.77 in his four starts in June. He got the win against the Mets on Tuesday after allowing four runs in six innings.
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