News » The Mets signed 1B Brandon Allen to a minor

LOS ANGELES -- Jonathan Quick and the Los Angeles Kings have returned from the Olympic break with a revitalized game and a sharpened playoff focus. The Carolina Hurricanes have neither, and they realize theyre running out of time to get it. Alec Martinez scored the tiebreaking goal on a power play with 11:45 to play, Quick made 24 saves, and the Kings beat the Hurricanes 3-1 Saturday for their third victory in four days since the break. Mike Richards scored his second goal since late November and Justin Williams added an empty-net goal for Los Angeles, which has roared out of the break with three wins in three cities in about 70 hours. The low-scoring Kings put up eight goals at Colorado and Calgary before holding off Carolina in their return to Staples Center. After five scoreless power plays in the first two periods, the Kings finally converted on their sixth. Captain Dustin Brown got the puck behind the Carolina net and fed it to Martinez, who blasted a shot from the slot for his first goal since Jan. 9. "Its no secret we werent happy with our game before the break started," Martinez said. "We worked on a lot of things, and we knew that when we came back, this would be crunch-time, playoff hockey." After two straight trips to the Western Conference finals and a Stanley Cup championship in 2012, the Kings know a few things about post-season grit -- and they know theyll need it just to reach the playoffs this time. Los Angeles had a 1-8-1 stretch shortly before the Olympic break, falling back to the pack in the conference playoff race. The Kings are thoroughly revived after their time off and an eventful Olympics, which included gold medals for Drew Doughty and Jeff Carter along with two surprising victories for Slovenia and Anze Kopitar. The rest of the Kings got several days off and several more days of practice, and both appear to be paying off. "Weve got to bring our best every night right now," Quick said. The Kings have won four straight overall, and Quick appears to be in top form after starting for the U.S. Olympic team in Sochi. He followed up his shutout of the Flames on Thursday with another strong performance against the Canes, including a handful of spectacular saves over the final two periods. Andrej Sekera scored and Anton Khudobin stopped 28 shots for the Hurricanes, who have lost three straight on their five-game road trip out of the break. Carolina has lost four straight overall, and the Hurricanes must visit NHL-leading Anaheim and powerful San Jose over the next three days. "We didnt have a lot of good scoring chances, but the ones we did, we didnt capitalize on them," Carolina coach Kirk Muller said. "Weve played nine periods now (since the break), and I think were happy with seven of the nine, but we havent gotten any points. Were playing hard and playing well defensively, but were not generating the offence we need to get ahead in these games." Carolina played without forward Alexander Semin, who was scratched with a lower-body injury. The Russian Olympian was hurt Thursday at Dallas, but might return Sunday in Anaheim. "Hes one of our best players, so it hurts having him out," Carolina centre Riley Nash said. "But guys have to fill (the void)." Los Angeles had a fruitless 4-on-3 advantage for 1:09 during the first period, but went ahead in the final minute on a sharp-angled shot by Richards, the veteran centre whose scoring touch has deserted him this season. The goal was his first in 13 games since Jan. 18 and just his second in 37 games since Nov. 25. The Hurricanes tied it up just 41 seconds later on a goal by Sekera. The Slovak Olympians floating shot banked off Kings defenceman Robyn Regehr and beat Quick with 15 seconds left in the first. "We played well and didnt give them a whole lot," Nash said. "It just seems like were finding ways not to win games and not to get points." NOTES: Carolina visited Staples Center for the first time since Oct. 21, 2010. ... Carolina D Jay Harrison was a healthy scratch. He had played in 13 straight games. ... Los Angeles scratched C Jordan Nolan and dressed young F Tanner Pearson for his 10th career NHL game. ... Wayne Gretzky watched from a seat on the glass. Adidas NMD Womens Black Pink . The win puts the final playoff berth in Group A in question. If the Czechs beat Slovakia on Tuesday, they will go through. If they lose, Germany will get the last quarter-final berth. Adidas NMD Wholesale China .DeMarco Murray got his 20th carry late in the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead, not long after Dez Bryant made his final catch of the day.Sure enough, a 44-17 win over Washington didnt change Dallas post-season position. http://www.cheapnmdonline.com/wholesale-...2019-china.html. Iwakuma pitched seven strong innings to stay unbeaten in road games since last July, leading the Seattle Mariners to a 5-2 win over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night. Adidas NMD R1 Clearance . Switzerland faces Belgium or Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals in April. Serbia dropped into the World Group playoffs in September. A confident Chiudinelli and Lammer defeated veteran doubles player Zimonjic and young Krajinovic 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2. Adidas NMD Clearance . Catch the game on TSN starting at 7pm et/4pm pt. Tampa Bay currently holds the last of the Atlantics three automatic bids to the playoffs, but the Maple Leafs are just one point behind.NEW YORK -- Jay Z, the new agent for Robinson Cano, had dinner Monday night with top officials of the New York Mets. Chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon and general manager Sandy Alderson were among those there. The get-together also included sports agent Brodie Van Wagenen, but not Cano. A five-time All-Star second baseman, Cano is a free agent. He is seeking a 10-year contract for more than $300 million from the Yankees. Alderson said last week he doubted the Mets would offer any nine-figure contracts. "They requested a meeting," Alderson said Tuesday. "We talked generally and that was it. As I said, we were approached. Having said last week that I didnt foresee contracts in the $100 million range for the Mets this season, I think that statement still pertains. On the other hand, we are committed to improving the team and we will explore whatever possibilities arise, however remote and eventual outcome." Alderson called it "a very preliminary meeting" and said it included a PowerPoint, books and pamphlets. "We certainly have a high regard for Robinson Cano as a player," he said. "It was my sense the presentation was a little bit overdone." Jay Zs Roc Nationn Sports formed a partnership this year with Van Wagenens CAA Baseball.dddddddddddd "We felt it would be useful enough for us to meet Jay Z and Brodie, whether its in connection with Robinson Cano or some future client that they may have," Alderson said. While the Mets have more money to spend after getting large contracts for Johan Santana and Jason Bay off their books, Alderson says free-agent prices have been high. He said he didnt teams payroll would be below its 2013 level of about $95 million. "We have to be realistic about the market and not sort of deny the inevitable. If the market is as robust as it seems to be, then we have to acknowledge that," he said, adding: "It may not be manifest yet to the average fan, the average person, but I think we are more active than we were last year." NOTES: The Mets signed 1B Brandon Allen to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. The 27-year-old Allen, who last played in the majors for Oakland and Tampa Bay in 2012, is a .203 career hitter with 12 homers and 41 RBIs in 116 big league games. He spent last season in San Diegos system, batting .267 with 17 home runs and 76 RBIs for Triple-A Tucson. ' ' '