Sprechzimmer » 3-point play and McDermott

ST. LOUIS -- Ryan Miller was supposed to be the piece the St. Louis Blues needed to make a deep playoff run and perhaps at long last win a first Stanley Cup. The highly-decorated goalie was among those falling fall short for a franchise smarting from another early exit, and he might not be back. The team scheduled availabilities for general manager Doug Armstrong, coach Ken Hitchcock and players for Tuesday. Hitchcock deflected questions about the 34-year-old Miller, wholl be an unrestricted free agent, after the Blues were eliminated Sunday in Chicago. The Blues could opt to go with prospect Jake Allen, called the franchise goalie of the future by Armstrong when the Miller deal was made. "I dont get into long-term stuff. Thats Dougs department," Hitchcock said. "He played good for us. Im sure theres some goals that hed like to have back, just like any goalie would. We win as a team and lose as a team." Asked how he played, Miller said: "Im going to sit down and think about that. Not good enough, I guess." The Blues were among the NHLs best before a six-game losing streak to end the regular season landed them with a tougher first-round draw. For the second straight year they were knocked out in four straight by the defending Stanley Cup champion after taking a 2-0 series lead. Last season, it was the Kings. This time, it was Chicago. It was small consolation that before the Blackhawks four-goal third period in Game 6, the difference was razor-thin. The first five games were decided by one goal, discounting an empty-netter by the Blackhawks in the final minute of Game 3. "Youve got to bring your game every night, every shift, every period," captain David Backes said Sunday. "I sound like a broken record here. Finding ways to win those close games, they did and we didnt." Miller was acquired from Buffalo on Feb. 28 along with forward Steve Ott in a deal that cost the Blues goalie Jaroslav Halak, forward Chris Stewart and a first-round pick in 2015. He made $6.25 million last season. "Ive just got to take things as they come right now," he said, adding, "I guess Im free to go to my sister-in-laws wedding." Miller would like to stay, but acknowledged he wasnt sure how the Blues "feel about me." He had a 2.70 goals-against average and .897 save percentage in the series. Hitchcock wasnt pinning the teams failure on the goalie. He noted the Blackhawks split the defence on the go-ahead goal and the Blues surrendered a breakaway on the third goal, which he called "a back-breaker." Just as important, they couldnt capitalize on scoring chances. St. Louis was 2 for 29 on the power play in the series. "Ill take more than my share of the blame," Backes said. "Im counted on to produce and I didnt produce. Ill think about that a lot this summer and drive the engine going into next year." Injuries factored into the early exit. Backes missed two games with stiffness in his neck after an illegal hit by Brent Seabrook, who was suspended for three games. T.J Oshie also wasnt quite himself coming off a blow to the head late in the regular season and Patrik Berglund was no factor coming off a shoulder injury, scoreless and minus-7 in four games. Vladimir Tarasenko was a breakout star early in the series and had four goals, one of them forcing overtime with 6.4 seconds to go in Game 3. But he was scoreless the last two games. The Blues defence got burned on an ill-timed change in the pivotal Game 5, leading to Jonathan Toews overtime winner. Barret Jackman was minus-5, Jaden Schwartz minus-4. Backes, Oshie, Ott and Roman Polak were all minus-3. "We all need to look in the mirror and assess how we did and we didnt do, and take that gut check," Backes said. "No offence to you guys," he added to reporters, "but these interviews are getting a little sickening to have in April and not in June." 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Air Max Günstig Kaufen .L. - Defending womens champion Alberta improved to 3-0 at the Canadian junior curling championships with a 10-3 win over Ontario in Sundays afternoon draw.SAN ANTONIO -- Doug McDermott scored in bunches and Ethan Wragge delivered the critical 3-pointers. Together they kept Creighton marching on, right back where theyd promised theyd be. McDermott scored 30 points and Wragge made three huge momentum-changing shots in the second half, sending No. 3 seed Creighton to a tough 76-66 win over No. 14 Louisiana-Lafayette on Friday in the West Regional. And with the win, the Bluejays advance to the third round the NCAA tournament, the very spot theyve been forced out the last two years. "It feels great to be back," McDermott said. "This is what I came back for." It certainly didnt come easy. McDermott had a double-double by halftime but went scoreless for nearly 14 minutes of the second half, leaving it to Wragges long shots to bail out the Bluejays from a potential upset by Ragin Cajuns, who attacked Creighton (27-7) with fearless defence and rebounding. Sun Belt tournament champion Louisiana-Lafayette (23-12) led 50-48 before Wragge struck from long range to spark Creightons push that finally put it away. "We got away with one today," McDermott said. "We have a veteran team and showed that down the stretch." The win also means the Creighton family stays together on the court for a few more days at least. McDermott opted against going to the NBA after last season to play one more year with his father, Creighton coach Greg McDermott. Everything is paying off so far. Dougs senior season has been nothing short of individually spectacular as the nations leading scorer is a favourite for just about every national player of the year award. Hes also now scored at least 30 points in four of Creightons last five games. The question is, just how far can he carry the Bluejays through the next few weeks before his college career is finally over? Louisiana-Lafayette hadnt been to the NCAA tournament since 2000 and certainly werent intimidated by McDermott. Junior guard Elfrid Payton scored 24 points and took the lead in defending him, a tenacious effort that stifled Creightons star for much of the second hallf.dddddddddddd "Coming into the game we felt like it was in reach. From the opening tip we got on a good run, took the lead," Payton said. "I think I did a good job keeping of him uncomfortable." McDermott finally put the dagger in the game with a long 3-pointer with 2:03 to play that put Creighton ahead 71-64. As soon as the final buzzer sounded, he clapped his hands, exhaled and high-fived Wragge under the basket. "A lot of crazy things have happened in this tournament," Greg McDermott said. "You have to survive and advance." Ottawa guard Jahenns Manigat added six points and three assists for Creighton. Creighton looked tight, perhaps because of the pressure to push (or ride) McDermott as far as they can go. The Bluejays, one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country, missed their first six attempts from long range and struggled to get the ball to McDermott on some of his quick cuts to the basket. McDermott did whatever he could, slipping into seams for layups and gathering 10 first half rebounds, to keep the Bluejays going. He scored nine in a row in one burst but just as often was left wanting the ball when teammates couldnt find him with the quick pass when he was open. Louisiana-Lafayettes Shawn Long blocked a McDermott shot, but sent the ball so fall it fell right to Creighton guard Austin Chatman for a 3-pointer. The Ragin Cajuns answered with Paytons 3-pointer at the buzzer to cut Creightons lead to 39-33 at halftime. The block was the statement that Louisiana-Lafayette had no plans to step aside. The Ragin Cajuns stayed aggressive and took their first lead of the second half at 48-46 when 6-foot-6, 325-pound Center J.J. Davenport posted up before hitting a soft fall away jumper with just under 13 minutes to play. Wragge struggled to find his stroke until popping three in a row. His last one put Creighton up by six before Chatman converted a 3-point play and McDermott closed it out. "We lost Wragge," Louisiana-Lafayette coach Bob Marlin said. "Thats the guy we were concerned about." ' ' '