Kritik und Lob » has been happening ffor a long time.ddddddddddddEven so,

A season after every Canadian team was shut out of the NHL playoffs for the first time since 1970, two teams north of the border are off to strong starts.The Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers made major moves in the offseason that have panned out so far, helping them build the largest divisional leads in the league.Montreal began the season 9-0-1, creating a cushion in the Atlantic and re-establishing itself as a contender in the Eastern Conference. Edmonton won seven of its first eight, shooting to the top of the Pacific and making a rare appearance atop the Western Conference standings.Its great that weve created a buzz back in Canada, where hockey is the No. 1 sport, Oilers winger Milan Lucic told The Associated Press. Theres definitely a buzz in Edmonton, where its been a long time since fans have been able to root for a team that has won.Connor McDavid has made the Oilers relevant again, restoring pride to a five-time Stanley Cup-winning franchise that has endured a 10-season postseason drought. The 19-year-old center was named the NHLs first star in October after opening the season with three points in each of his first two games, scoring two game-winning goals and having 12 points in nine games.McDavid played in his 14th game of the season Tuesday night at Pittsburgh, a year after a breaking his left clavicle 13 games into his rookie season. He was out for nearly three months last season but didnt miss a beat when he returned, finishing with 48 points in 45 games.He draws attention from opponents like hes already a superstar and responds like a savvy veteran, giving up the puck to open teammates as he did to set up a winning goal Sunday night in Detroit. McDavid, the No. 1 pick last year, simply shrugs his shoulders and gives aw-shucks answers when asked to explain his knack for knowing when to shoot and when to pass.Ive done it my whole life, he said.Even though McDavid hasnt played an entire season yet, Oilers coach Todd McLellan doesnt hesitate to say hes one of the NHLs top players.The way teams are paying attention to him, checking him, and making him a focal point, I think that would indicate that a lot of the league agrees, McLellan said.McDavid cant win alone, though.Lucic has provided an instant return on the franchises $42 million, seven-year investment in him during free agency over the summer, giving the team an established veteran to lean on in his 10th season. Every good team needs at least a solid goaltender and the Oilers have one in Cam Talbot, who is in his second season with the team and fourth in the league.The Canadiens might have the best goalie in the world, and hes healthy again and so is the teams outlook. A blockbuster trade that went their way has helped, too.Price missed much of last year with a knee injury, tuned up for the season with a World Cup-winning performance for Canada and looks like he did when he won the Vezina Trophy two years ago.Shea Weber has never won the Norris Trophy, but this might be the year hes recognized as the leagues top defenseman in his 12th season after being acquired in a jaw-dropping deal with Nashville for P.K. Subban. Weber was named the leagues second star of October after leading all defensemen with 10 points, including a 10-day stretch in which he scored a league-high three game-winning goals last month.Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said Weber, changes everything, for the franchise.What he brings, you obviously see it on the ice, but off the ice, in the room, everywhere, its his attitude, his behavior, the little details that show hes a real leader, Bergevin said.SHARK ATTACKThe defending Western Conference-champion San Jose Sharks snapped a three-game losing streak by opening a six-game road trip with a 3-0 shutout of the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night. It was the kind of game coach Peter DeBoer wants to see from his team.Our foundation is being hard to play against and not giving up too much, DeBoer said. We havent scored, but we dont want to play a 6-5 game. I think even on the stretches where we didnt score last year, you could always rely on that foundation.GAME OF THE WEEKMontreal will get tested perhaps more than it has been this season Sunday night on the road against the Chicago Blackhawks, who have won six straight going into Wednesday nights game at St. Louis.---AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.---Follow Larry Lage on Twitter at www.twitter.com/larrylageDiscount Sports Jerseys . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. Sports Jerseys . But the quarterback hopes to stay involved in football after officially calling it quits Tuesday. 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Down by seven with 90 seconds left in regulation, thats where they looked comfortable.Teams deliberately conceding strings of penalties on their own goal line is just good tactics according to Craig Bellamy, the Melbourne mentor conceding the NRL is powerless to stop the strategy which shapes as crucial in the finals series.The Storm attack was thwarted by the tactic in their 22-8 loss to the Raiders in Canberra in round 23s concluding game on Monday.Bellamy said the practice was now commonplace.it is very common, he said.I have no doubt that happens but that is just good tactics. They were leading 22-8.We were not going to kick penalty goals we were going for tries. Having said that Canberra is not the only side doing it and I dont know what you do about it.To me it was pretty good tactics. When you are worried someone is going to get a quick play the ball, you just slow it down and give a penalty away.At the end of the day I dont have a problem with it because it has been happening ffor a long time.ddddddddddddEven so, its hard to ignore the fact that fans almost certainly do have a problem with it and it is robbing the NRL of good attacking football.Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson is credited with pioneering the tactic in the Tricolours charge to the 2013 premiership.Bellamy conceded he had coached it too.Sometimes but not overly, he said.I am just worried about our defence down there. The experienced players probably can pick when there is a good opportunity to do that.A couple of years ago the Roosters were getting criticised for it but unless they start putting guys in the sinbin after two of them what do you do about it?That is up to the guys that make the rules.But you cant do it all day because you will have your line broken at some stage. ' ' '