Begrüßung » changed since he was a rookie in the 1996-97

NASHVILLE -- The Pittsburgh Penguins needed a boost to snap a three-game skid. They got it from Tanner Glass, who blocked shot after shot after shot by Nashville Predators captain Shea Weber. Glass got in front of five shots, Matt Niskanen scored his second goal of the game 7:29 into the third period, and the Penguins beat the Predators 3-1 on Tuesday night. "We saw Tanner Glass come up with some huge blocks in the first period on Shea Weber," Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma said. "Three in a row on probably the hardest shot in the league taking those, and they did a great job and again we stuck with it. ... I thought we got a great win for our team." Glass said his job is to be in the lane when Weber is trying to shoot on the power play. Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said the blocked shots off the stick of the Predators defenceman provided a lift similar to a big goal or a fight. "You know its coming hard and heavy," Fleury said of Webers shot. "But (Glass) still goes and makes the save. My hat goes off to him." The Penguins helped ruin the return of Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne in his first game since Oct. 22 following an E. coli infection in his surgically repaired left hip. Niskanens winning goal came during a power play. The NHLs best unit went 1 for 5 with the man advantage. Sidney Crosby found Niskanen for a slap shot that went under Rinnes glove. "Hes a really good goalie, and he is very tough to beat," Niskanen said. "It was a really great effort by us. A lot of guys did well, and it was a good team effort." Chris Kunitz scored a goal, and Crosby had three assists to add to his NHL-leading point total. The Penguins have not lost more than three straight this season, and this win sets them up for the final three games on their longest road trip this season. Patric Hornqvist scored for Nashville, which has lost two consecutive games. Rinne made 16 saves in his return. He had surgery on his hip on May 9 and needed a second operation because of the infection on Oct. 24. He rejoined the Predators on Monday after stopping 33 of 35 shots in a two-game conditioning stint in Milwaukee. "Its great to be back," Rinne said. "Its been a pretty long time so it means a lot to me to be able to be back, play at home, and the fans have been great to me. It made me feel really good but still we lost the game and thats tough to take." Fans welcomed him back with a huge roar during introductions and chanted his name after his first big save. Crosby sent a cross-ice pass to Kunitz that Rinne blocked by sticking out his right pad. The two-time Vezina Trophy finalist stopped Kunitz again on a breakaway later in the first period. Nashville thought it had a 1-0 lead when Paul Gaustad had the puck go off his right shin past Fleury off a rebound of a shot by Nick Spaling. But after a long review, officials disallowed the goal because of a distinct kicking motion by Gaustad. "They called it a goal on the ice," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "I looked at it, and there was a motion but it was more of a stopping motion to me. (He) is trying to run to the net and not run over the goalie." The Penguins scored first when Crosby skated around the net and found Niskanen in the right circle for a one-timer that squeezed between Rinne and the post 27 seconds into the second. Nashville answered 12 seconds later as Hornqvists wrister off a rebound beat Fleury. Pittsburgh sealed the win when Crosby fed Kunitz in the slot for a slap shot with 17:05 left. It was the 28th goal this season for Kunitz and the 200th of his career, giving the large contingent of Penguins fans plenty to celebrate. NOTES: Penguins forward Chuck Kobasew played his 600th NHL game after being placed on waivers Monday. ... Pittsburgh has killed 12 straight penalties over four consecutive road games. ... Predators coach Barry Trotz is 6-3-1 in Nashville against the Penguins. ... Hornqvist has two goals and four assists in his last eight games. Fake Kd Shoes . - The Florida Panthers are getting some Army training to finish off their preparations for the season. Outlet Air Max 1 .ca! There is plenty of blame to be shared as a result of the most recent NHL player (Pittsburghs Brooks Orpik) to be evacuated from the ice on a stretcher following an ugly incident Saturday night in Boston. http://www.wholesalenikeshoesclearance.c...90-shoes.html.Y. - Brooklyn Nets centre Brook Lopez has a strained lower back and will miss at least a week. Kd Shoes Wholesale . The 10-year deal the league and players agreed to that ended the 2011 lockout gave either side the right to opt out after six years. With the league projecting financial growth, there has been speculation that players will take that option in three years, especially since a new national TV contract will be in place by then. Cheap Nike Vapormax China . - Loosening up for their first training camp practice, the Miami Dolphins high-stepped sideways up and down the field while House of Pains song "Jump Around" blared on the loudspeakers.CHICAGO -- Kobe Bryant is riding a bike. Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant broke a bone in his left knee Dec. 17 at Memphis while playing his fourth game in five nights, likely sidelining the superstar guard for six weeks. The injury against the Grizzlies occurred in his sixth game back after he missed the start of the season while recovering from a torn left Achilles tendon. The pair of injuries for the 35-year-old Bryant raised questions about whether he would ever return to his previous form. But he said Monday night he had no doubt he would play at a similarly high level again. "There was before I came back the first time because I didnt know how my Achilles was going to respond to playing and changing directions," Bryant said before the Lakers played the Bulls in Chicago. "The game in Memphis I had a pretty good feel for it, getting back to being able to do what I normally could do. I feel confident about it. I did play that second half on a fractured leg and played pretty well. I feel pretty good about my chances." But the rehab from the knee injury has been slow going so far. The 15-time All-Star said he is limited to mostly bike work right now and any talk of a return is up in the air until he returns to the court. "Try not to think about it too much," he said. "Just go day to day." Playing without Bryant and Steve Nash, the Lakers had lost 12 of 15 heading into the game at Chicago. But Los Angeles had won two in a row since a six-game losing streak, with Nick Young and Kendall Marshall helping fuel the mini-recovery. The Lakers still face a long road back to contention in the loaded Western Conference, especially with their injury issues. Nash is out with a back problem, and the team also is missing guards Jordan Farmar (torn left hamstring), Steve Blake (torn elbow ligament) and Xavier Henry (right knee bone bruise).dddddddddddd "It just makes it harder," coach Mike DAntoni said of playing without two of the teams biggest stars. "Youre not quite as good as you were when you had the guy. The biggest thing is how to finish games off because you know where youre going if theyre on the floor. Youve got to figure that out." Henry could return soon. He is expected to step up his rehab work when the Lakers practice Wednesday in Miami. Even with his limited action, Bryant remains one of the most popular players in the league. He had the most All-Star votes among the Western Conference guards when balloting was announced Jan. 9. The fan voting was set to close Monday night, and the starters for the Feb. 16 game in New Orleans will be announced on Thursday. "Ive always looked forward to playing in All-Star games. Its always something thats been a huge honour," Bryant said. "With that being said, I havent played. I think some of the other guys who have been out there performing and playing well and are All-Star worthy should be the ones out there playing." Bryant isnt taking anything for granted in his 18th NBA season, especially with his injury problems over the last two years. All the time on the sideline also has provided more perspective on how the game has changed since he was a rookie in the 1996-97 season. "Its much, much less physical," he said. "Some of the flagrant fouls I see called nowadays makes me nauseous. You cant touch a guy without it being a flagrant foul. I think some of that are some of the negatives Ive seen change. But theres positives, too." ' ' '