ASS News » Friday night as they play host to the Colorado

Having won back-to-back games for just the second time this season, the Calgary Flames will try to extend their winning run on Friday night as they play host to the Colorado Avalanche. Following a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles on Nov. 30, the Flames picked up consecutive wins for the first time since Oct. 9-11 as they bested the Phoenix Coyotes 4-1 on Wednesday night. Defenseman Mark Giordano had a goal and an assist in his return to the lineup, while T.J. Brodie also scored and helped set up another. Mikael Backlund and Lee Stempniak added goals for the Flames, who are trying to win three in a row for the first time this season. That should be easier to accomplish with Giordano back after he missed the last 18 games with a broken ankle. The 30-year-old captain logged 20 minutes and 28 seconds of ice time in his first game since Oct. 21, providing a much-needed spark to the Calgary lineup. "The way that this guy works in the gym, the way that he prepares ... hes the ultimate pro and thats why hes our captain," Calgary head coach Bob Hartley said of Giordano. Hartley got 29 saves from Karri Ramo, who had been in net for both games of this win streak and will make his third start in a row tonight. Ramo is now 4-4-1 with a 3.00 goals against average this season and has lost both of his previous career starts versus the Avalanche. That includes a 4-2 setback in Colorado on Nov. 8, when he gave up three goals on 26 shots faced. That defeat snapped the Flames two-game win streak over the Avs and Colorado has won five of the last seven meetings overall. Colorado has lost five of its past seven in Calgary and will give Jean- Sebastien Giguere the start tonight. He is 18-13-1 with a pair of ties and a 2.34 GAA lifetime versus the Flames, making 30 saves in the home victory in November. Giguere is 6-0-0 with a 1.62 GAA and two shutouts in seven starts overall this season. His scheduled start tonight was part of the reason Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy kept Semyon Varlamov in net for the duration of last nights 8-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Varlamov made just 20 saves and three of the goals he allowed came with less than five minutes to play. Roy said he felt the game was closer than the score indicated and didnt put any of the blame on his goaltender. "I could have pulled him after the fourth goal, but I thought that would have been unfair," said Roy. "They scored two breakaways, a 2-on-1 situation, a power play, perfect shot. To bring (Giguere) in with three minutes left when its 5-2 I think would have been unfair to him too. Hes scheduled to play (Saturday). Going in cold, hurt his groin, were not in a better position." Nick Holden and PA Parenteau did score second-period goals to make it a 3-2 game before the Oilers pulled away. "We knew before the game that its a team that would be dangerous if we exchanged chances with them. We just played into their game tonight and we need to learn from it," Roy admitted. Colorado, which had won two straight and five of six coming in, went 0-for-6 on the power play and are 0-for-15 in the past five games. The Avs lost the opener of their three-game swing through Western Canada and visit Vancouver on Sunday. Anthony Davis Pelicans Jersey .com) - American Madison Keys grabbed a first- round victory on Sunday in a rainy start to the Apia International Sydney tournament. Jahlil Okafor Jersey . But unfortunately for the Niagara Falls, Ont., native, a pulled muscle wouldnt allow him to go past the second set. Japan sealed its victory over Canada in the first-round Davis Cup tie after Nishikori downed an ailing Dancevic 6-2, 1-0. http://www.shoppelicansonline.com/Authentic-Jahlil-Okafor-Pelicans-Jersey/ . The teams were scoreless for most of the first two periods before Canada scored three times in a span of less than four minutes. Sarah Potomak opened the scoring on the power play. Jrue Holiday Jersey .5 million, four-year contract with the Texas Rangers that could be worth $32. ETwaun Moore Jersey .40 metres at the Drake Relays. Drouin, from Corunna, Ont., bested his own record of 2.38 metres set in Aug. ATLANTA -- Less than one month after the Clippers sale ended Donald Sterlings ugly downfall, another NBA team is on the market following a racially charged disclosure from its owner. Atlanta Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson said Sunday he is selling his controlling interest in the team, thanks in part to an inflammatory email he wrote two years ago. Levenson said he wrote the email in an attempt "to bridge Atlantas racial sports divide." Instead, he offered his divisive comments, including his theory that Hawks black fans kept white fans away. Levenson said he regrets the email sent to the teams co-owners and general manager Danny Ferry in 2012 as "inappropriate and offensive." In a statement released by the team, Levenson said he sent the email due to his concerns about low attendance and a need to attract suburban whites. He says he later realized the email made it seem white fans were more important. He voluntarily reported the email to the NBA. "I have said repeatedly that the NBA should have zero tolerance for racism, and I strongly believe that to be true," Levenson said in the statement. "That is why I voluntarily reported my inappropriate email to the NBA. "After much long and difficult contemplation, I have decided that it is in the best interests of the team, the Atlanta community, and the NBA to sell my controlling interest in the Hawks franchise." NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Sunday the league will work with the Hawks ownership group and CEO Steve Koonin, who now will oversee all team operations. Silver said the leagues independent investigation "regarding the circumstances of Mr. Levensons comments" in the email was ongoing when he was told Saturday night of Levensons plan to sell his share of the team. Silver said he supported Levensons decision. "As Mr. Levenson acknowledged, the views he expressed are entirely unacceptable and are in stark contrast to the core principles of the National Basketball Association," Silver said. "He shared with me how truly remorseful he is for using those hurtful words and how apologetic he is to the entire NBA family -- fans, players, team employees, business partners and fellow team owners -- for having diverted attention away from our game. "I commend Mr. Levenson for self-reporting to the league office, for being fully co-operative with the league and its independent investigator, and for putting the best interests of the Hawks, the Atlanta community, and the NBA first." Sterling was forced to sell the Los Angeles Clippers after a recording surfaced in April of the owner scolding his girlfriend for bringing black men to Clippers games. Steve Ballmer officially became the teams new owner on Aug. 12. In the email sent in August 2012, Levenson said "southern whites" were uncomfortable at games. "My theory is that the black crowd scared away the whites and there are simply not enough affluent black fans to build a significant season ticket base," Leveenson said in the email released Sunday by the Hawks.dddddddddddd. "Please dont get me wrong. There was nothing threatening going on in the arena back then. I never felt uncomfortable, but I think southern whites simply were not comfortable being in an arena or at a bar where they were in the minority." Levenson said Hawks crowds were 70 per cent black, the teams cheerleaders were black and hip-hop music was played. "Then I start looking around at other arenas," Levenson said. "It is completely different." According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Atlantas population was 54 per cent black and 38.4-per cent white in 2010. For metro Atlanta, the ratio is 55.4 per cent white and 32.4 per cent black. Levenson said he often heard fans say the area around Philips Arena in downtown Atlanta is dangerous. "This was just racist garbage," Levenson said. "When I hear some people saying the arena is in the wrong place I think it is code for there are too many blacks at the games." Though he said he disagreed with the conclusion, he said he told team executives to add white cheerleaders and music "familiar to a 40-year-old white guy." Added Levenson in the email: "I have even (complained) that the kiss cam is too black." Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed said the comments in Levensons email were "reprehensible and offensive." "The statements do not represent the city of Atlantas history of diversity and inclusion, and we will be clear and deliberate in denouncing and repudiating them," Reed said. "I applaud the NBAs efforts to enforce a no-tolerance policy of discrimination. As a city, we will continue to stand behind the Atlanta Hawks organization as they work to find new ownership that reflects the values and ideals of a city that is too busy to hate." The Rev. Al Sharpton released a statement encouraging Silver "to continue vetting all owners." "The announcement by Bruce Levenson is welcomed and appropriate by those of us in the civil rights community, that raised the issue of Donald Sterlings need to be removed, and that other owners must be held accountable," Sharpton said. Though the NBA investigation of the email was ongoing, Levenson apparently concluded he couldnt continue in his ownership role. "If youre angry about what I wrote, you should be," Levenson said in Sundays statement. "Im angry at myself, too. It was inflammatory nonsense. We all may have subtle biases and preconceptions when it comes to race, but my role as a leader is to challenge them, not to validate or accommodate those who might hold them." This is not Levensons first effort to sell the team. In 2011, the Hawks ownership group, headed by Levenson and Michael Gearon Jr., made an unsuccessful attempt to sell to California developer and pizza chain owner Alex Meruelo. The group acquired the Hawks and the NHL Thrashers from Time Warner in 2004. The Thrashers were sold and moved to Winnipeg in 2011. ' ' '