Begrüßung » I think that combination can work

MONTREAL -- It wont take long for Thomas Vanek to get his first taste of the heated Montreal Canadiens-Boston Bruins rivalry. Kyle Alexander Jersey . The 30-year-old acquired by Montreal at last weeks NHL trade deadline will play his first home game at the Bell Centre against the Bruins on Wednesday night. "Rivalries are for the fans," Vanek said Tuesday. "Theyre good for the league, but for us in here, and Im sure its the same as everywhere. Its just about winning the two points. "But Im sure the atmosphere will be great and I cant wait to experience it." Vanek has a reputation as a Bruins killer, with 61 points in 53 career games against Boston. So the acquisition of the high-scoring forward by Montreal gave an added jolt to the rivalry. But the Austrian winger said there are no secrets about how to score on the Bruins. "Numbers are numbers," he said. "Sometimes theyre overblown. "I dont prepare any different. Its just another game, really. Theyre a good team and youve got to be ready. The last four or five years, Boston has been one of the better teams in the league and you want to play your best against the best teams." The Canadiens are 2-0-0 against Boston this season and have won their last five meetings. But the Bruins (42-17-5) hold a comfortable 12-point lead over Montreal (35-24-7) in the Atlantic Division standings. Vanek was acquired while the Canadiens were on a four-game west coast road trip. So he didnt get in a full practice with his new team until it returned to Montreal. He was held without a point in his first two games with Montreal while playing on the second line with centre Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta. Some feel he would do better on a more attack-oriented unit, as Plekanec is considered the clubs top defensive centre even if he can also contribute offensively. "Weve got to be good in our own zone and Plekanec is very good in all zones," said Vanek. "He can make plays. Hes great in faceoffs, great defensively, but at the same time, were expected to produce. "At least thats what Im expecting of myself." Coach Michel Therrien plans to keep the line together, at least for now. "It takes time for players to adapt to new teammates," said Therrien. "I want to be patient. I think that combination can work." Tuesdays session, which lasted more than an hour at the Bell Centre, saw goalie Carey Price take part in a full practice for the first time since leading Canada to gold at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Price aggravated a suspected groin injury in his first practice after the Sochi Games. Therrien said Price wont dress for the Boston game but will be re-evaluated at the end of the week. That opens the possibility of playing Saturday at home against Ottawa. Therrien also said Francis Bouillon, who has sat out the last seven games, will play. Montreal is hurting on defence with veteran Josh Gorges out at least four weeks with a fractured left hand. Gorges was hurt while blocking a shot during a 4-3 win over Toronto on March 1. He played the first two games of Montreals road trip but then was sent home to have his hand re-examined. Gorges said the original fracture was considered stable, so he could continue playing. But something happened during a win in Anaheim that made it unstable. "At that point, they felt it was best to get it fixed," he said. "Potentially, it might not have been able to heal at all so they decided to have it fixed now and have me back ready by the end of the year." He said playing through the injury was difficult, but possible. "I was able to do what I needed to contribute," he said. "Certain aspects were tough. "Grabbing my stick. Grabbing the puck if I needed to clear it on the penalty kill. But I was still able to make passes, receive passes. As long as I wasnt hurting the team, I was able to go." Justise Winslow Jersey . De La Rosa pitched six strong innings to win his sixth consecutive decision, Todd Helton homered and the Colorado Rockies snapped the Los Angeles Dodgers six-game winning streak with a 7-5 victory on Wednesday night. Jimmy Butler Heat Jersey . George Hill had 13 points and seven rebounds for the Pacers, who stayed atop the overall NBA standings despite losing twice on their West Coast trip. Los Angeles kept it close into the second half before the Pacers finished an easy win over the injury-riddled Lakers, who have lost five straight. https://www.heatlockerroom.com/Kz-Okpala-City-Edition-Jersey/ . That was OK with him. He was just happy his team came away with two points. Letestu redirected Jack Johnsons shot from the point with 2:38 left, lifting the Blue Jackets past the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Monday night.FORTALEZA, Brazil -- Neymar returned to Brazils training camp in an ambulance after being ruled out of the World Cup because of a broken vertebra that will sideline him for four weeks. Neymar flew back to Rio de Janeiro with the rest of his Brazil teammates following their 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Colombia in Fortaleza on Friday and rode the rest of the way to the teams camp in the mountain city of Teresopolis by ambulance. The 22-year-old striker was kneed by Colombia defender Juan Camilo Zuniga late in the second half at the Arena Castelao, fracturing his third vertebra. He was carried off the field in tears on a stretcher and "screamed in pain in the dressing room" before being taken to the hospital, the Brazilian confederation said in a statement early Saturday. The injury is not expected to require surgery and the recovery time will be about four weeks, the confederation said. It was not immediately clear if Neymar would remain with the rest of the team as it prepares for Tuesdays World Cup semifinal against Germany in Belo Horizonte. Meyers Leonard Heat Jersey. The squad isnt expected to leave the training camp until Monday. Neymar is the biggest football star in Brazil and was one of the stand-out players of the World Cup so far, scoring four goals in the teams first three games. He was hurt in the 86th minute, falling to the ground in pain after Zuniga jumped into him from behind. "Everybody knew that Neymar would be hunted," Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said after the game. "Its been happening in the last three matches and we had been talking about it. But nobody listens to us." Fridays match ended with 54 fouls in total -- 31 by Brazil and 23 by Colombia. Scolari said Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo should have done more to take control of the match. According to Hulk, another of Brazils striker, Neymar needs more protection from the officials. "Every time is like this. Players always come after Neymar," Hulk said. "The referees need to do more to keep this from happening." ' ' '