DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings signed defenceman Jonathan Ericsson to a $25.
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.5 million, six-year contract Wednesday to keep him off the market in
July.
"He wouldve been tough to lose in free agency," Red Wings general
manager Ken Holland said. "This was a big priority because in a two-year
period, we lost Nick Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski and Brad Stuart. We
couldnt afford to lose Big E, too."
Detroit drafted Ericsson with the last pick in the 2002 NHL draft, 291st
overall, and he has played in 292 games since making his debut in the
league during the 2007-08 season. He averaged 20-plus minutes a game
last season for the first time in his career, which previously included
sitting and watching defencemen such as Lidstrom, Rafalski and Stuart
play a lot more.
"He had a tremendous opportunity last year as one of our top defencemen
for the first time and he took full advantage of it," Holland said.
"When we played Chicago and Anaheim in the playoffs, he played against
their best offensive players. Big E is a big guy who is really mobile
and has developed into a player we count on in a lot of situations."
The 29-year-old Ericsson has 14 goals, 62 points and a plus-14 rating
entering Wednesday nights game against the Boston Bruins over at least
parts of seven NHL seasons. The Swede has five goals and 16 points in 64
post-season games. He had 13 points -- two shy of his career high -- in
45 games last season during the lockout-shortened slate. Ericsson is in
the third and final season of a three-year contract he signed in the
summer of 2011
Trevor Ariza Jersey . -- The Toronto Maple Leafs are tightening the race for second place in the Atlantic Division.
Phil Chenier Jersey
.
Thornton emerged as one of the leagues best defensive ends against the
run in 2013. The former undrafted free agent from Division II Southern
Arkansas led Philadelphias linemen with 78 tackles and had one
sack.Conway, SC (SportsNetwork.com) - Coastal Carolina could have stewed
for the
last two weeks over a blocked field goal attempt on the final play of
the
regular season, which spoiled its perfect record.
Instead, the Chanticleers went out and did something about.
Seventh-seeded Coastal took its frustration out on Richmond with a
36-15 rout
in the second round.
Coastal (12-1) will travel to second-seeded North Dakota State for the
national
quarterfinals next weekend. A year ago, the Chanticleers fell to NDSU,
48-14,
in the final eight.
The only blemish on Coastals record was the 15-14 loss to Liberty to
end the
regular season on Nov. 22. The Chanticleers had a 24-yard chip shot
blocked to
end that game and were forced to share the Big South Conference title
with
Liberty.
But coach Joe Moglias squad, coming off a first-round bye, played with
focus
in ending Richmonds season one week after the visiting Spiders (9-5)
eliminated Morgan State from the playoffs. The Chanticleers rushed for
316
yards to overcome Richmond quarterback Michael Strauss 402 passing
yards.
Coastal Carolina clung to a 6-0 lead late in the second quarter until
they
capped an 11-play, 58-yard drive with Alex Ross 13-yard touchdown pass
to
tight end Craig Weick with 33 seconds left in the first half.
Mike Riordan Jersey. . Austin Cain ran
in the two-point conversion and the Chanticleers had a 14-0 halftime lead.
It got much worse for Richmond in the third quarter. Andre Johnson scored on a
9-yard run to give Coastal a 21-0 lead at the 12:13 mark.
The Spiders answered with Strauss 76-yard touchdown pass to Brian Brown to
pull within 21-7. But Henderson broke off a 50-yard touchdown run on the
Chanticleers ensuing drive and Ross scored from 1 yard out just before the end
of the quarter to push the lead to 36-8.
Henderson finished with 134 yards on 19 carries and Ross was 22-for-41 for 171
yards and a touchdown, adding 52 yards on the ground.
Senior linebacker Quinn Backus was dominant as he led the Coastal defense with
10 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, 1.5 tackles for losses,
two pass breakups and two quarterback hurries.
Richmond entered the game ranked No. 1 in the FCS on third down conversions,
but the Spiders went 2-for-13.
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