The Vancouver Canucks have had quite a ride with goaltending in recent years and attempted to solve the problem by signing the number one free agent puck-stopper. [url=http://www.nikefreenz.com/]Nike Free Online Sale[/url] . Numbers Game looks into the Canucks signing Ryan Miller. The Canucks Get: G R

The Vancouver Canucks have had quite a ride with goaltending in recent years and attempted to solve the problem by signing the number one free agent puck-stopper. Nike Free Online Sale . Numbers Game looks into the Canucks signing Ryan Miller. The Canucks Get: G Ryan Miller. Miller, 33, was having a terrific season in Buffalo, posting a .923 save percentage in 40 games before he was traded to St. Louis. From there, Miller struggled down the stretch, with aa .903 save percentage in 19 regular season games before an .897 save percentage in the first-round playoff loss to Chicago. That finish might have dimmed his star somewhat, but Miller has a repuation earned with a save percentage of .919 over the past five seasons, during which no one has registered more saves than Millers 8278. That rep isnt everything, though. Miller is a 33-year-old who last made it out of the first round of the playoffs in 2007 and his .925 even-strength save percentage over the past four seasons ranks 22nd out of 43 goaltenders to play at least 4000 5-on-5 minutes. Following their abrupt playoff departure, the Blues changed their goaltending approach, retaining Brian Elliott with the expectation that they would add prospect Jake Allen to the tandem for next season. Whether Miller is at the peak of his game isnt necessarily the point though, because hes an upgrade in net for Vancouver; more proven than Eddie Lack or Jacob Markstrom, and thats what matters for the Canucks over the next three seasons. If they are going to remain competitive for at least a few more seasons, then the Canucs cant be stumbling around with question marks in goal, hoping that it will work out. New Canucks GM Jim Benning was instrumental to the Buffalo Sabres decision to draft Miller in 1999, so its not altogether surprising that Benning would turn to Miller to help the Canucks now. Miller doesnt guarantee success for the Canucks, but if he can provide at least average, or ideally above-average, goaltending, then the Canucks have had good enough possession numbers to compete for a playoff spot if they get decent goaltending. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Discount Nike Free Shoes NZ . The victory strengthened Liverpools position in the top four after Tottenham lost 1-0 at Norwich in the days late kickoff, cutting the north London club six points adrift of fourth place and the final Champions League slot for next season. Nike Free Shoes Wholesale NZ . Basketball fans around the globe will be watching as Kobe Bryant makes his season debut - 240 days after tearing his left Achilles - against Toronto, a team he has used as his own personal punching bag. http://www.nikefreenz.com/ . Barnard, 28, was 1-0 with a 0.53 ERA in three appearances, including two starts, with San Angel o this season. He struck out 19 batters and walked just one in 17 innings pitched. He has previous American Association experience with the Lincoln Saltdogs, El Paso Diablos and Amarillo Sox.ATLANTA -- Aaron Harang realizes his struggles in 2013 were a sign to some that he no longer could be a winning pitcher. Through eight starts in 2014, Harang is proving hes still on top of his game. Two days after his 36th birthday, Harang pitched six strong innings and, backed by home runs from Evan Gattis and Jason Heyward, led the Atlanta Braves to a 5-2 win and a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. Harang (4-3) gave up two runs on six hits and two walks. He had nine strikeouts. He is one win shy of matching his total in 26 starts combined with Seattle and the Mets last year, and hes savoring his career revival. "It means a lot, just to get back out here and prove that I can still do this," Harang said. "I know there were probably a lot of people questioning that after last year. Ive been pitching well and guys are playing well behind me and were battling through games. Its been a lot of fun. Ive just got to keep it going." Harang, who was 5-12 with a career-worst 5.40 ERA last year, has a 2.98 ERA this season. The right-hander has allowed more than two earned runs in only one of his eight starts -- nine runs in a 9-3 loss at Miami on April 30. Ryan Kalish, Chris Coghlan and Welington Castillo each struck out twice against Harang. Overall, the Cubs finished with 14 strikeouts. "They have a young, aggressive team over there and I think I was able to take a little advantage of that, knowing how aggressive they are," Harang said. Gattis gave Atlanta a 3-2 lead with his homer off Edwin Jackson in the fourth inning. Heyward added to the lead with his first home run since April 9, a two-run drive off James Russell in the seventh that landed in the Braves bullpen beyond the right-field wall. "It felt like it was longer than that," Heyward said of his power drought. "I keep on showing up every day and trying to put up good at-bats and find goood pitches to hit. Nike Free NZ Sale. . If you try and do too much, thats when you start to compound things." Jackson (2-3) allowed three runs on six hits and two walks in six innings. "The two balls I got hurt on were balls up and over the middle," he said. "Balls that should be hit. Ive just got to do a better job of getting ahead in the count and working down." David Carpenter pitched the ninth for his second save. B.J. Upton made a sliding catch of Kalishs short fly in centre field to end it. Atlanta closer Craig Kimbrel was rested after pitching two straight days. The NL East-leading Braves have recovered from seven straight losses by winning four of five. The Cubs, last in the NL Central, have dropped seven of eight. Ryan Doumit had a run-scoring single and Andrelton Simmons drove in a run with a double to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead in the second. The Cubs tied it in the fourth on Nate Schierholtzs two-run double. The Braves quickly reclaimed the lead when Gattis hit his eighth homer over the 380-foot sign in left field. Dan Uggla was hit by a pitch from Russell as a pinch-hitter to lead off the seventh. Uggla scored on Heywards third homer. NOTES: Jackson, who grew up in Georgia and lives in Atlanta, is 0-3 in eight career games, including six starts, against the Braves. ... Braves LF Justin Upton was held out after he sustained a bruised lower back muscle when he was hit by a pitch from Jeff Samardzija on Saturday night. Justin Upton said he hopes to play Monday in San Francisco. ... Atlanta 2B Tyler Pastornicky made his second consecutive start and was 0 for 4. ... The Braves begin a six-game road trip at the Giants with RHP Gavin Floyd facing RHP Tim Lincecum on Monday night. Lincecum beat the Braves on May 2. ... The Cubs open a four-game series in St. Louis on Monday night when LHP Travis Wood faces LHP Tyler Lyons. China NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Online Stitched Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Outlet College Jerseys For Sale Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys For Sale Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '