Kritik und Lob » White Sox player to have his uniform number retired.

(SportsNetwork.com) - The New York Islanders have lost ground in the NHL playoff race during a five-game slide and the club may have more bad news coming down the pike. But first, the struggling club hopes to avoid a sixth consecutive setback on Tuesday when it visits the Washington Capitals at Verizon Center. Watch the Islanders vs. Capitals live tonight on TSN2 at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. In addition to posting an 0-4-1 record during its current slide, the Isles are also having difficulty convincing winger Thomas Vanek to stay with the club and New York may wind up trading the Austrian winger. According to a report Monday in Newsday, Vanek, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent in July, has turned down a "substantial contract offer" from the Isles. The report also says New York general manager Garth Snow is fielding offers from teams looking to acquire the 30-year-old forward. Vanek was acquired from Buffalo in a trade on Oct. 27 and he has 15 goals and 38 points in 41 games with the Islanders after becoming part of a formidable top line with John Tavares and Kyle Okposo. If Vanek is dealt by the Isles, it will turn out to be a costly rental for the club. New York sent winger Matt Moulson to the Sabres along with a first-round pick in this summers draft as well as a second-rounder in 2015 to land Vanek. The NHL trade deadline for this season is March 5. The Islanders went 10-3-0 from Dec. 29-Jan. 21 before losing five in a row. The clubs last two losses came against the rival New York Rangers, who posted a 2-1 regulation win over the Isles in last Wednesdays outdoor game at Yankee Stadium before notching a 4-1 home win Friday night at Madison Square Garden. Derick Brassard and Brad Richards scored less than three minutes apart in the third period to support a strong effort from Henrik Lundqvist in the Rangers win over the Isles at MSG. Okposo had the lone score for the struggling Islanders, while Evgeni Nabokov stopped 33-of-36 chances in defeat. "We just looked like we ran out of gas," Tavares said. "We just didnt seem to have that extra gear when we needed it." With 50 points, the Isles are currently 13th out of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference and 12 points out of a playoff spot. Including tonights tilt, New York has three games left before the NHL breaks for the Winter Olympics. After visiting Washington on Tuesday, the Isles will host Calgary and Colorado on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. After losing seven in a row from Jan. 12-24, Washington has recorded three wins over its last five games and is 3-1-1 during that stretch. The Capitals split a home-and-home series with Detroit over the weekend, losing Fridays road portion against the Red Wings 4-3 in a shootout before taking Sundays wild 6-5 overtime decision at the Verizon Center. Alex Ovechkin scored a power-play goal 2:37 into overtime to lift the Capitals to Sundays entertaining matinee battle in D.C. Red Wings defenseman Brendan Smith was called for tripping at the 1:26 mark of the extra session. The Capitals moved the puck around and John Carlson fed Ovechkin for a one-timer from the left circle. Ovechkin has scored seven times over his last nine games and he is leading the NHL with 39 goals. His next goal will give Ovechkin 40 or more markers in a season for the sixth time in his career and for the first time since he posted 50 in 2009-10. Joel Ward registered two goals and one assist on Sunday and Jason Chimera added a goal and two helpers for the Capitals, who overcame blowing a trio of two-goal leads to win for the third time in their last 12 games. "We came out great and they never gave up; they are a really good hockey team," said Washington head coach Adam Oates. Michal Neuvirth picked up the win despite surrendering five goals on 30 shots. The Capitals expect to be without defenseman Mike Green for a third straight game after he suffered a concussion last week against Columbus. Green tried to practice on Monday, but he left for the dressing room after 10 minutes. Washington forwards Mikhail Grabovski (sprained left ankle), Brooks Laich (groin), Eric Fehr (lower body) and Aaron Volpatti (upper body) are also questionable for tonights contest. The Caps, who are three points out of a playoff spot in the East, are 2-0 against the Islanders this season and have won three straight and five of the past seven games in this series. Washington is 8-2-1 in the past 11 encounters in D.C. Stitched NFL Jerseys . The Brazilian international goalkeeper was beaten twice in the first 12 minutes of his Reds debut in a 3-1 preseason loss to Columbus Crew in Florida earlier this week. Cheap Jerseys 2020 . In the Brewers six games this season, no starter has allowed more than three runs. 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Hes also played in 13 games for the Canadian national team.CHICAGO - Paul Konerko wasnt quite sure what to expect when the Chicago White Sox honoured him.He got more than he bargained for on his way to retirement.The White Sox unveiled a bronze statue and announced his No. 14 will be retired next season on Saturday.They also presented him his grand slam ball from the 2005 World Series and paid tribute through a series of videos that included well wishes from current and former teammates, the Bulls Derrick Rose, the Blackhawks Jonathan Toews, retiring Yankees star Derek Jeter and Metallicas James Hetfield in a ceremony before Saturdays game against the Kansas City Royals.I guess its too late to ask for a day off. Ill try to get through it the best way I can, a composed and touched Konerko told the crowd.Konerko got through the 35-minute presentation just fine. Then, he had a game to play.He went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts against Kansas City on Saturday, then was replaced prior to the top of the seventh by Andy Wilkins. Konerko took his spot at first base before being called back to the dugout and walked off to a standing ovation. He was summoned out for a curtain call.He is expected to be in the lineup on Sunday, then call it a career after 16 seasons in Chicago and 18 in the majors.A six-time American League All-Star, Konerko ranks second on the White Soxs list in homers, RBIs and games played. So its hardly a surprise he got saluted on his way out.And what a ceremony it was.Near the end, chairman Jerry Reinsdorf pointed toward the left-field concourse. Dozens of black and white balloons were set loose, revealing a bronze statue of Konerko waving his right fist, just as he did when he hit a grand slam against Houston in the 2005 World Series.Moments later, team broadcaster and emcee Ken Harrelson announced Konerkos number will be retired in 2015.The sold out crowd started chanting Paulie! Paulie! the moment family, friends and former teammates took their seats in the infield, and the roars continued throughout the ceremony.Along with the cheers and chants and video tributes, there were some impressive gifts.Among them were a painting, a frame with baseballs and the No. 14, and a 1963 Fender Stratocaster, fitting for a player who keeps a guitar by his locker.But one of the most unique gifts came right before the White Sox unveiled the statue.A video showing Konerko pressenting Reinsdorf the ball from the final out of the 2005 World Series at the championship rally a€” a moment the chairman said at the time was the most emotional of his life a€” had just finished.ddddddddddddReinsdorf told Konerko he probably deserved it more but wasnt about to give it back. Instead, he had something else for his slugger.Out walked Chris Claeys, a film editor from Chicago. He caught Konerkos dramatic grand slam off Houstons Chad Qualls in Game 2 of the 2005 World Series, and on Saturday, he gave him the ball.It had been on display at Harry Carays Restaurant in Chicago for nine years, but when the White Sox contacted him a few weeks ago, he knew what he had to do. There was no money exchanged, Claeys said. He just got to sit in a suite with family and friends and received an autographed picture from Konerko, who thanked him from presenting the ball.I feel really good about it, Claeys said. Its really been a prized possession. Paul Konerko is such a cool guy. Hes so respectable and hes played here 16 years.Moments later, he became the ninth member of the organization honoured with a statue, including one shared by Nellie Fox and Luis Aparicio sharing one and another of Charles Comiskey. He will also be the 10th White Sox player to have his uniform number retired.After the ceremony ended, Konerkos three young children (Nicholas, Owen and Amelia) threw out first pitches. Then, it was time for their dad to play ball for one of the final times.Before that, it was time for current and past teammates to reminisce.Former White Sox player Greg Norton told this story.He had a personal trainer and we had a conditioning drill in spring training, and I think we had a 480-yard shuttle, Norton said. He came back talking all this trash that he was in great shape and that he was gonna beat me. ... Everybody went through the conditioning drill. They waited for the two of us. I absolutely destroyed him in the shuttle race, and to this day, he says he slipped and thats the only reason I beat him.Third baseman Conor Gillaspie mentioned the impact Konerko had on him.What he did on the field, everybody already knows, he said. But what a lot of people dont know is the awesome things hes shared with me the last couple years thats left a long-lasting imprint of things that are gonna help me down the road. ' ' '