WASHINGTON -- Alex Ovechkin said his broken left foot is healing well after
playing almost three full games on it last month.
Frank White Royals Jersey . The Washington
Capitals captain, who won his third Hart Trophy as the NHLs MVP, suffered a
hairline fracture in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarter-finals against the
New York Rangers. He did not miss any time, playing in Game 7 the next night and
then at the IIHF world championship days later. "Foot is OK," Ovechkin said on a
conference call Sunday morning. "Right now Im walking fine. Im gonna start
playing tennis soon so Im gonna be in good shape. ... Its kind of getting
better. I feel pretty good about my foot." Ovechkin kept playing because he
could not make the injury worse. He knew something was wrong but said Sunday
morning on a conference call that he did not have an MRI until after playing for
Russia in Stockholm. "I make a blocked shot. The puck broke my foot, and I
played with it," Ovechkin said. "I never asked (Capitals trainer Greg Smith) or
(Dr. Benjamin Shaffer) about lets make an MRI or something. I just played the
game because its the playoffs. It doesnt matter what happen. You have to be
there and you have to play the best that you can." Ovechkin played all 48
regular-season and seven playoff games for the Capitals, even though general
manager George McPhee said he was playing through some other injuries. "I dont
know how many games I miss for all my NHL career with injury, probably like
maybe 10, maybe 12," Ovechkin said. "I dont know. But I know if I can feel it
and maybe get some injection and I know I can play, Im never gonna say Im not
gonna play. Its not my style." The broken foot was never considered something
that would keep him off the ice for training camp. Thats even less of a concern
a month after the injury. Neither Ovechkin nor McPhee revealed what injuries the
27-year-old right wing was playing through.
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created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient
defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw.
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. -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the
visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League
action.INDIANAPOLIS - Coming off a pair of disappointing losses, the most recent
ending in controversy, the Raptors look to put an end to their first skid of the
season Friday while handing the Pacers their first loss. Catch all the action
live on TSN2 starting at 7:00pm et. Torontos most recent loss, a 92-90 defeat to
the Bobcats Wednesday, came down to a divisive final possession in which Dwane
Casey and the Raptors chose not to foul the home team, down two with less than
27 seconds remaining and a 1.9 clock differential. They had a second opportunity
to commit the foul on a reset with five seconds left, after the Bobcats retained
possession on an out of bounds play and called a timeout. Thats where Casey
acknowledges his team made a mistake. "Ill take responsibly for miscalculating
on that out of bounds play, not the 27 seconds because you still have a
differential going back," Casey said Friday after his teams shoot around prior
to a meeting with the undefeated Pacers. Casey felt and still believes it was
best to play out the possession once Charlotte rebounded a DeMar DeRozan miss
with 27 on the clock. Instead of extending the game Casey said he was confident
in his teams ability to get one final stop having shut the Bobcats down on the
previous possessions. The foul, as he revisited the scenario, should have been
given when Charlotte caught the ball off the inbound pass. "We talked about it
as a staff," Casey continued. "We gambled and we missed. I stand by not fouling
once they got possession in that situation." As Casey pointed out Wednesday, the
Raptors would not have been in that position if not for a slow start in that
game and hope to bounce back right out of the gate against much stiffer
competition Friday evening. Although they played the Pacers (5-0) competitively
last year, having had some recent success in Indiana, the Raptors (2-3) face
another tough test on the road against the NBAs last remaining undefeated team.
Indiana is off to its best start since beginning the 1971-72 season 5-0, en
route to an ABA championship, and can match a franchise record - set the year
prior - by opening the season with six straight wins. The teams split their
four-game series last season, each winning a couple on the road with three
meetings - including both in Indiana - decided by two points. The Raptors
overcame a five-point fourth quarter in Indiana Nov. 13 of last year to win
74-72 and came away with a 100-98 overtime victory on Feb. 8 after Rudy Gay hit
a game-winner in the final seconds. "We match up with them pretty well," Casey
said of the Pacers. "I love the way they play. Thats the way I want to play.
Thats what wins in the NBA and its a great challenge for us. Weve got to come in
with that mindset, the way they play, and take it right back at them because if
we dont its going to be a long night." Fresh off an appearance in the Eastern
Conference Finals where they took the Heat to seven games, the Pacers have
picked up right where they left off. Although they still havent scored 100
points in a game - ranking 21st in scoring, averaging 95.4 per - they also
havent allowed more than 91. Giving up just 84.4 points per game and holding all
five of their early-season oppponents below 40 per cent shooting, Indianas
defence, once again, is the best in the league.
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Tidbits The Pacers have also had to overcome slow starts, trailing at halftime
in four of their five games but that hasnt been a problem for them so far. After
falling behind 43-37 at the break on Wednesday, Indiana outscored the Bulls
60-37 in the second half, including a 34-18 advantage in the final quarter to
remain unbeaten. Toronto has out-rebounded each of its opponents to begin the
season, ranking fifth in the NBA averaging 45.6 boards per game. Through five
games they have a plus-45 rebounding differential. Jonas Valanciunas has scored
30 points on 28 shots in 47 first-quarter minutes. He has totaled just 19
points, launching only 16 shots in 72 minutes combined in quarters two through
four. Although Torontos bench has been a pleasant surprise, helping the team
narrow large deficits both in Charlotte and Atlanta early in the season, that
hasnt been reflected in the box score. The Raptors bench has been outscored by
the oppositions reserves in each of the first five games, 162-113 overall.
Toronto ranks 27th in the league in bench score with its second unit averaging
24.6 points per contest. Toronto is 9-24 all-time against the Pacers in Indiana.
Who to Watch For Tyler Hansbrough Hansbrough has had an immediate impact off the
Raptors bench after signing with the team as a free agent during the summer. The
Raptors super sub was drafted 13th overall by the Pacers in 2009 and spent his
first four seasons playing in Indiana, where he averaged 8.9 points and 3.6
rebounds. In five games as a Raptor, Hansbrough has brought his trademark energy
and physicality to Toronto, traits his new team are going to need Friday against
his old one. "Im trying to get a win tonight so thats the only way Im looking at
it," Hansbrough said, downplaying his return to Indiana. "Im not looking to
catch up with friends." Paul George Signed to an extension in the summer, coming
off a breakout year last season, George continues to take his game to the next
level and put himself in the conversation with the leagues best. George has
scored at least 21 points in each game this season and is averaging 25.8 per
contest, good for fifth in the NBA. A dangerous two-way player, George averaged
18.5 points, 12.0 rebound and 4.3 assists, going 11-for-23 from three-point
range in the four meetings with Toronto last season. "Its very difficult," Casey
said of Georges rare ability to dominate at both ends of the floor. "Thats why
hes one of the top players in the league. Hes playing at a very high level on
both ends of floor. Weve got to get ready for him, not only his offence but his
defence." Injury Report Raptors forward Steve Novak has been inactive for four
of the teams first five games nursing a sore back. His status is unknown ahead
of Fridays game. Starting point guard George Hill has missed the Pacers last
three games with a sore left hip but participated in shoot around Friday morning
and is a game-time decision. Back-ups C.J. Watson and Donald Sloan have combined
for 51 points, 25 assists and just five turnovers in Hills three-game absence.
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