ek, the Oilers took their first step away from Bryzgalov.c T | Forum

MONTREAL -- No matter how they got there, the Montreal Impact are relieved just to be part of the Major League Soccer playoffs. Replica Zlatan Ibrahimovic Manchester United Jersey . After losing their regular season finale in Toronto on Saturday, the Impact could only sit and watch as other teams decided their playoff fate. Finally, a 5-2 win by the New York Red Bulls over the Chicago Fire gave them fifth place and the final Eastern Conference post-season berth. Montreal (14-13-7) will face the fourth-place Dynamo (14-11-9) in Houston on Thursday night in a one-game playoff. "In the end, were still alive. Thats very positive," coach Marco Schallibaum said Monday. "We were on life support. "We were very frustrated on Saturday. But were still alive and we have another chance." If the Impact win, they will play host to the first-place Red Bulls in the first leg of their semifinal at Saputo Stadium on Sunday, with the second leg later in the week in New York. It was a shocking way to end the season for Montreal, which dominated the first four months while building a 9-3-2 record but went flat with a 5-10-5 record after that. They were 1-6-1 in their final eight games. Even Impact defender Matteo Ferrari wonders if they deserved to make it. "I was sure that New York was going to win the game but still, even if they won, we dont merit (it)," the Italian centreback said. "I want to be honest because everyone knows, we dont merit right now. "We merit before, for sure, because we played almost perfect at the beginning of the season. Now we have to get back to where we were." Captain Davy Arnaud was having none of that. He was hosting his daughters birthday party on Sunday, but couldnt resist putting MLS games on the television to see what his teams fate would be. Depending on the results, they could have ended the day anywhere from third to sixth place. He said that even if the team played badly down the stretch, they did enough to continue for at least another day. "We got into the playoffs off our performance over a 34-game season," he said. "Our form hasnt been the best of late and our results at the end of the season werent what we wanted, but everyone plays 34 games and you finish where you deserve, regardless of what other people do. "We needed some help after our result in Toronto, but I look at what weve done (all season)." The club made progress by reaching the playoffs in only its second season in MLS. They finished seventh with a 12-16-6 record as an expansion team in 2012. They also won the Amway Canadian Championship and set a record for a Canadian MLS club with 49 points. If they beat Houston, the Impact will be the first Canadian team to reach a conference semifinal. Vancouver was beaten in a playoff knockout game last year. "Its a big step," said Arnaud. "We should be proud of the fact that, in the second season of this group being together, we got into the playoffs because its not easy. "To be honest, with the way we started the season, we were a little disappointed that were finishing fifth because we know we can be a good team. But we still have a chance to be playing on the last day, and thats important." They should have some help against Houston. While centreback Alessandro Nesta wont be able to return from a calf injury, midfielder Patrice Bernier said he will be back from a hip injury and Schallibaum said central defender Nelson Rivas, who hasnt played this season due to chronic bad knees, should be able to play at least the final 20 minutes. Left back Jeb Brovsky, who has been out two weeks with a broken toe, is back training at full speed as well. Montreal beat the Dynamo twice at home this season by 2-0 and 5-0, but lost 1-0 in Houston on Oct. 4. They are 0-2-1 in Houston over two seasons. The Dynamo are tough at home. The orange-clad side led by Giles Barnes and Will Bruin reached the final last season. "Theyre very good and experienced," said Arnaud. "They had to win on the last day to get in, but if theres one team in the league that knows how to get the job done in the playoffs its Houston. "They find a way to step up and play at a different level and we have to be prepared for that." Houston may not want any part of the Red Bulls. New York went 3-0 against the Dynamo and outscored them 9-1 this season. Montreal beat the Red Bulls at home 1-0 early in the season, then lost by 2-1 and 4-0 in New York. They havent met since July 13. The Seattle Sounders play host to the Colorado Rapids in a Western Conference playoff game on Thursday, with the winner advancing to a semifinal against the Portland Timbers. Blank Manchester United Jersey .ca. Kerry,  Just watched the shootout in the Coyotes/Leafs game and I have to ask, why was the James van Riemsdyk goal allowed to count?  All of the video replays we were shown on TV were inconclusive about whether the puck had entirely crossed the line or not. Sergio Romero Manchester United Jersey . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. http:///...ester-united-jersey/ .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night.ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild traded for goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov on Tuesday in conjunction with their decision to shut down ailing veteran Niklas Backstrom. The Wild sent a fourth-round draft pick to Edmonton to complete the deal one day before the NHL trade deadline. General manager Chuck Fletcher said the team must assume that neither Backstrom nor Josh Harding will be healthy enough to mind the net again this season. Rookie Darcy Kuemper has been stellar in their absence, but with a finishing stretch of 20 games in 37 days starting Saturday, hes not enough. "We have a lot of work ahead of us to get where we want to get to, but clearly having two quality goaltenders was very important," Fletcher said. Kuemper has started 15 straight games, so Bryzgalov is more for insurance, though hes certain to have his time, too. The Wild are 14-4-2 in 2014 and in firm control of the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference playoff race. "I will do my job as best I can. Making the decisions on who is supposed to play is not my job," Bryzgalov said on a conference call. He added: "I look at this as a great opportunity for me to play, and yeah its like a new challenge." Backstrom has been bothered by injuries all season, most notably to his midsection that will probably prompt surgery, and the 36-year-old has a career-worst 3.02 goals-against average over 21 games. Fletcher told him Monday of their preference to hold him out until training camp. "His pain threshold is tremendous," Fletcher said. "Hes a competitive guy and I know hes really disappointed because the team has taken a really strong step the last couple months. Hes been through some of the lean times, and I know he wants to be a part of it but our goal for Nik is to get him healthy." Harding was superb early in the season, but the 2013 Masterton Trophy winner -- for sportsmanship, dedication and perseverance -- has not played at all in 2014 due to illness related to medication for multiple sclerosis. With not much more than a month left in the regular season and Harding not yet ready to resume skating, Fletcher said hes probably finished until the fall, ttoo. Manchester United Blank Jersey. The search for a replacement intensified in the last couple of days. Martin Brodeur and Jaroslav Halak also were potentially available via trade, but their price was far higher than what it took to nab Bryzgalov. The 33-year-old Russian has a 5-8-5 record in 20 games for the Oilers this season, with an ugly 3.01 goals-against average. Hes on an expiring contract, a requirement for the Wild. This is a rental, plain and simple. Thats largely because Kuemper has tied a Wild rookie record with 11 wins and since Jan. 7 has a 1.70 GAA with two shutouts and a .939 save percentage. "Weve always felt hed be a very good No. 1 goalie down the road, and we just didnt realize down the road would mean this January and February," Fletcher said. The pick sent to Edmonton was originally acquired last year from Buffalo in the trade that brought first-line right wing Jason Pominville to Minnesota. Bryzgalov has 38 games of playoff experience over five postseasons with Anaheim, Phoenix and Philadelphia, including three stellar starts against the Wild in the Western Conference quarterfinals in 2007. He stopped 73 of 77 shots in the first three games of that series, all Ducks victories. Bryzgalov struggled in defeat in the next game, Jean-Sebastien Giguere replaced him thereafter and the Ducks went on to win the Stanley Cup. Bryzgalovs career record is 213-157-50, including a 42-20-6 mark for the Coyotes during the 2009-10 season, his best in the NHL. He had a 2.29 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage. Then came his ill-fated time in Philadelphia. The Flyers signed him to a $51 million, nine-year contract in 2011 and used a salary-cap compliance buyout to release him last June, just two seasons into the megadeal. General manager Paul Holmgren said then the contract was "a costly mistake." Bryzgalov didnt sign with the Oilers until last November. After signing goalie Ben Scrivens to a two-year contract extension last week, the Oilers took their first step away from Bryzgalov.c Then they acquired goalie Viktor Fasth from Anaheim on Tuesday for a fifth-round draft pick this summer and a third-round selection in 2015. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap Soccer Jerseys ' ' '