Forum Regeln » a defender Denzel Dummfries set up a tense fi

PHILADELPHIA -- Steve Mason and the Flyers are playing their best hockey of the season heading into the Olympic break. Its a break team chairman Ed Snider would love to abolish. Mason stopped 38 shots, and Mark Streit and Michael Raffl scored goals, leading the Philadelphia Flyers past the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Thursday night. But with one game left before the break, the Flyers recent spurt could stall because of the Olympics. "I hate them," said Snider, the Flyers founder. He added: "Its ridiculous, the whole thing is ridiculous. I dont care if it was in Philadelphia, I wouldnt want to break up the league. I think its ridiculous to take three weeks off, or however long it is, in the middle of the season. It screws up everything. .. How can anybody be happy breaking up their season. No other league does it, why should we? Theres no benefit to us whatsoever. If anything, I can only see negatives." Reminded the Flyers reached the Stanley Cup finals during the last Olympics in 2010, Snider laughed. "Maybe I like them," he said. "I forget about that." Claude Giroux, who scored an empty-netter with 20 seconds left Thursday against the Avalanche, has plenty of time to rest during the break. He was snubbed Thursday by Hockey Canada when Martin St. Louis was picked as an injury replacement for his Tampa Bay teammate Steven Stamkos. Steve Yzerman, the Canadians executive director and Tampa Bays general manager, chose St. Louis over Giroux and Pittsburghs James Neal. "Its a farce," Snider said. "Hes one of the best players in the game. Its ridiculous. Hes better than half the guys on that team. "Anybody that thinks that Claude Giroux doesnt belong on the Canadian team, they dont know anything about hockey as far as Im concerned. Its politics, to a certain degree. He had to pick his own guy. His own guy is good, but Claude is better." The Avalanche, who lost 5-1 to the New York Rangers on Tuesday, couldnt solve Mason until it was too late. The Avalanche called timeout with 1:27 left and pulled goalie Semyon Varlamov in a last-gasp effort at the tying goal. It didnt work. The Flyers scored in the second period, when Streits shot from the blue line was deflected by a defenceman and wobbled past Varlamov for his eighth goal. Streit is heading to his fourth Olympics for Switzerland. The Flyers got a scare when centre Brayden Schenn was checked from behind into the boards by Patrick Bordeleau. Schenn quickly got on his skates, and his teammates went after Bordeleau behind the net. Bordeleau threw his right elbow into Schenns back and the Flyer thumped the board, and then hit the ice. Bordeleau was hit with 5 minutes for checking from behind and a game misconduct. Colorado coach Patrick Roy was red faced and furious as he argued with the officials that the hit didnt merit an ejection. Masons play picked up after a recent pep talk from Hall of Fame goalie Bernie Parent. Mason stopped 14 shots in the first period and made the save of the night in the second when he robbed Gabriel Landeskog with a glove save from his rear. "I think we didnt make it hard enough for him in the first 55 minutes," Landeskog said. "I think the last five, we were in his face, banging rebounds, and trying to bang one home there and made it hard on him. We started throwing pucks from different angles and tough angles and what not." Mason posted a 1.51 goals-against-average over his last four starts, stopped 95 per cent of his shots and had two shutouts. "The job as starting goalie every night is to make sure we provide stability back there, and thats what Im trying to do," he said. Raffls seventh goal of the season, off a nice pass by Sean Couturier from behind the net, early in the third was the insurance the Flyers needed to win their third straight. Notes: The Flyers had a video tribute and a moment of silence for former coach and general manager Keith Allen. Allen died Tuesday. He was 90. "I love Keith Allen," Snider said. ... Lauren Hart, the daughter of longtime former Flyers broadcaster Gene Hart, sang "God Bless America," alternating lyrics with Kate Smith, who was on a video image. Smiths rendition of the song has been a rallying anthem for the Flyers since the mid-1970s. Tom Waddle Jersey . -- Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale searched more than three quarters for five guys who would play well together. Anthony Miller Jersey .40 metres at the Drake Relays. Drouin, from Corunna, Ont., bested his own record of 2.38 metres set in Aug. http://www.bearsrookiestore.com/Bears-Richard-Dent-Jersey/ .Under the agreement announced Monday, the Cuban defector is guaranteed $68.5 million over six seasons.Tomas gets a $14 million signing bonus that is payable within 30 days of the deals approval by Major League Baseball, and then salaries of $2 million next year, $4 million in 2016, $6 million in 2017 and $10 million in 2018. Brian Urlacher Jersey .C. -- When Michael Jordan speaks, people still listen. Jim McMahon Womens Jersey . Argentina, who have yet to beat New Zealand in 17 meetings, rocked the All Blacks with an early converted try to backrower Juan Manuel Leguizamon and led 7-0 after five minutes. But Smiths double in the 23rd and 26th minutes - when Argentina was reduced to 14 men by the sin-binning of hooker Eusebio Guinazu - turned the tide of the match and set up New Zealands third straight Championship win.PSV Eindhoven missed the chance to close up on Eredivisie leaders Feyenoord when they were held to a goalless draw at lowly Willem II on Saturday. With Feyenoord and Ajax not in action until Sunday, Phillip Cocus side could have moved up into second and left themselves just one point off the summit.Captain Luuk de Jong missed the best chances for his side, who remain in third place. Heerenveen could not make up any ground on PSV as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Vitesse at the Abe Lenstra Stadion.On-loan Chelsea midfielder Lewis Baker put the visitors ahead on 72 minutes when he lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper from a tight angle on the right.Substitute Henk Veerman, though, make sure the points were shared when, with six minutes left, he spun into the left side of the penalty area.Excelsior finally ended their five-match losing streak with a 3-2 win over Sparta Rotterdam at the Stadion Woudestein.Loris Brogno put Sparta ahead on 22 minutes, but that lead lasted on four minutes before Stanley Elbers levelled.Fredy Ribeiro netted a breakaway goal on the half-hour to make it 2-1 to Excelsior before a penalty by Nigel Hasselbaink on 65 minutes looked to have settled matters.However, Sparta defender Denzel Dummfries set up a tense finale when he reduced the deficit from close range with 17 minutes left.ddddddddddddSamuel Armenteros struck two late goals as Heracles Almelo came from behind to beat Go Ahead Eagles 2-1 at the Polman Stadion.Jarchinio Antonia had given the visitors the lead on 17 minutes following a quick break down the right.Armenteros, though, levelled in the 68th minute with a looping half-volley and then won it with a fine individual run and finish six minutes from time.Groningen moved up the table away from the relegation scrap with a 2-1 win over Den Haag.A deflected effort from defender Hans Hateboer put the home side in front on 10 minutes, but Den Haag were level just before the break through Edouard Duplans 18-yard strike.Tom van Weert, though, secured all three points for Groningen in the 54th minute with an angled drive after being slipped into the right side of the penalty area.Watch Ajax v NEC Nijmegen (1.25pm) and Feyenoord v PEC Zwolle (3.45pm) live on Sky Sports Mix on Sunday. Also See: Live Eredivisie on Sky Eredivisie fixtures Eredivisie table Get Sky Sports ' ' '