Off-topic » Islanders and has scored in back-to-back games

BEREA, Ohio - Year after year its the same thing: the Browns collapse in December or even earlier, miss the playoffs and left tackle Joe Thomas makes the Pro Bowl.Book it again. Well, not just yet.Clevelands chances of making the AFC playoffs are hanging by the thinnest thread as the Browns (7-7) head into Sundays game at Carolina. With three straight losses, the Browns have slipped from the thick of the race to having one foot in the bleachers watching it.I dont know what it is mathematically, Thomas said of the Browns slender playoff hopes. But the chances are pretty dang slim.For all his personal accomplishments, Thomas has yet to participate in the playoffs. Its the lone blemish on his stellar career, which includes seven straight Pro Bowl trips and could one day see him enshrined in Canton. On Wednesday, Thomas was named the teams player of the year by the local chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America and after being informed of his win, he had to address his personal playoff drought.I certainly want to go to the playoffs, said Thomas. I wish we could go every year. We were pretty close this year, but we werent able to finish. I certainly would like to make it at least once — before I retire.Thomas has seen it all during his time with the Browns, and most of it has been bad. Cleveland went 10-6 his rookie season, barely missing the playoffs under coach Romeo Crennel. But the Browns lost at least 11 games in each of the next six seasons before finally ending that futility this year. Thomas has endured late-season slides, coaching changes, front office purges, an ownership switch and an almost constant shuffling of quarterbacks, including Johnny Manziel recently taking over for Brian Hoyer.Incredibly, Thomas, who has never missed a snap (7,810 and counting in the NFL) has blocked for 13 different starting quarterbacks and played for five coaches under six general managers.Its been tough enough to watch. For Thomas, its been his football life.And despite the Browns struggles, Thomas believes good days are ahead. The mention of another off-season overhaul triggered a hearty laugh from Thomas.It would be shocking to me if they didnt want to keep this good nucleus that we have right now going, he said. And I think they will. Theres no reason we shouldnt. ... Its a matter of retaining our good players and drafting more good ones as they come.They dont come much better than Thomas, who has earned the admiration of his teammates with a consistent work ethic and attention to detail. He epitomizes the selfless, team player.Joe is Mr. Brown, Hoyer said. He wants to be the best left tackle he can be. Obviously in years past he hasnt been on the best teams. This year we changed that a little bit, but he comes with the same preparation and intensity to be the best he can every day.Last week, Thomas inched a little closer to the playoffs.When former longtime Browns teammates DQwell Jackson and Josh Cribbs, both now with Indianapolis, qualified, Thomas sent Jackson a congratulatory text message.It said, Thomas recalled. Im really happy for you. Im so glad for you and Josh that you guys finally got the chance to play in the playoffs. Im hoping Im next.NOTES: Browns WR Andrew Hawkins missed practice with an unspecified illness. ... Offensive co-ordinator Kyle Shanahan believes Manziel will be able to shake off last weeks debacle against Cincinnati. Johnny is a real impressive guy, Shanahan said. I dont think everybody knows really what Johnny is about. ... Browns C Alex Mack (broken leg) is in a walking boot and said his recovering timetable is on track.___AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Dale Hawerchuk Jersey .S.-Portugal game on June 22 in the Amazonian jungle city of Manaus. FIFPro, the international soccer players union, had pressed FIFA to avoid the earliest kickoffs in the hottest and most humid weather. Ryan Miller Jersey . The International Ice Hockey Federation says Pavlovs avoided a two-year sanction because he acted "without significant negligence in failing to verify the safety of the supplements he was taking. http://www.officialsabresfanstore.com/authentic-rasmus-ristolainen-sabres-jersey/ . His Brazilian opponents said he produced miracles. There is no doubt that Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa was the one responsible for spoiling Brazils hopes of another World Cup victory at its home tournament. Pat Lafontaine Jersey . Kripps, of Summerland, B.C., and Edmontons Barnett used a terrific second run to move up two spots, putting the Canadian duo in medal contention with the final two runs set for Monday (11:15 a.m. ET, streaming live at cbc. Jack Eichel Jersey . Mauer struck out to end the inning, with a runner on third base in the seventh on Wednesday and the Twins trailing 1-0. Everybody does this, of course, in a sport with a 30 per cent success rate at the plate long proven to be a benchmark of excellence.The New Jersey Devils snapped a losing skid the last time they played the Ottawa Senators. Now, the Devils look to do that again and avoid a fifth straight defeat as they begin a four-game homestand against the Ottawa Senators tonight. Catch all the action on TSN Radio 1200 starting at 5pm et. The Senators will welcome back defenceman Chris Phillips who was a healthy scratch for two-straight games. The Devils had lost five of the previous six meetings with Ottawa before Jaromir Jagr scored in overtime to give New Jersey a 3-2 road victory Oct. 25. Devils coach Peter DeBoer will have a different counterpart behind the bench for this matchup after the Senators (12-12-6) fired Paul MacLean on Dec. 8 and replaced him with assistant Dave Cameron. Ottawa has gone 1-1-1 since the change after falling 5-4 in a shootout at Buffalo on Monday. Alex Chiasson had a goal and an assist and New Jersey native Bobby Ryan also scored to give him two goals and four assists over his last five. It feels like were moving forward, defenseman Erik Karlsson said. Everybody seems to be feeling better about their game and thats what we strive for. Going forward, especially before Christmas, we have to try and win as many games as we can. Robin Lehner has started the last two, but Cameron said Craig Anderson will be back in net for this contest. Anderson has allowed at least three goals in nine of his last 10 starts, going 2-6-2 with a 3.28 goals-against average in that stretch. Cory Schneider, who is 2-0-1 with a 1.26 GAA in his career against the Senators after making 33 saves in the first meeting, could get the nod for New Jersey. Scott Gomez won the Calder Trophy and two Stanley Cups during seven standout seasons in New Jersey to begin his career, but he was largely a disappointment after signiing a seven-year, $51.dddddddddddd5 million contract with the New York Rangers and wound up spending time in Montreal, San Jose and Florida. The Devils (11-15-6) brought him in for a tryout as an unsigned player in training camp, and after injuries to Travis Zajac and Martin Havlat they signed Gomez for the rest of the season Dec. 1. New Jersey has gone just 2-4-2 since Gomez came aboard, but hes produced two goals and four assists. He had one of each in Mondays 3-2 shootout loss to the New York Islanders and has scored in back-to-back games. Hes given us some life offensively by creating plays, coach DeBoer said. We dont have a lot of that. Hes really been a nice addition. Gomez is more focused on getting the Devils back on track. We need points, Gomez said. Weve got to get wins and weve got to get on a streak here. We dont want to get too far behind and thats the way were thinking right now. The Devils lost to Chicago in a shootout at home Dec. 9 before going 0-2-1 on their road trip despite Zajac returning against the Islanders after an eight-game absence due to the mumps. Its been a tough stretch, DeBoer said. I think were all looking forward to getting home. New Jersey, though, is 0-2-2 in its last four at the Prudential Center, where it hasnt lost five straight since dropping its first seven home games of the 2010-11 season. Senators (30PTS) at Devils (28PTS) NJ is 1-0-0 vs OTT this season, OTW in OTT OTT has gone 2-1-0 past 3 games in NJ (lost last) NJ (11-15-6): 0-2-2 past 4 games, 8GF, 3/7 on PP rank 30th on PK at home (70.6%) Gomez (2G, 2A) 3 game PT streak OTT (12-12-6): 1-1-1 past 3 games, 11GA, 1/10 on PP 2-5-2 past 9 road games, 4/31 on PP (both wins in a shootout) Ryan (1G, 1A) vs NJ this season Stone (2G, 1A) 3 game PT streak ' ' '