has seen prop Gethin Jenkins retain the captaincy

WINNIPEG -- Hands up who predicted at the beginning of the season that Tuesday nights game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets would be a battle between the Central Divisions top two teams?The Jets come into Tuesdays game having picked up points in four consecutive games (3-0-1), including a 3-2 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday, which has propelled them into second place in the ultra-tough Central Division.The positioning could be temporary as the Jets have 18 points in 17 games while the Minnesota Wild sit just one point back with three games in hand.The Jets performance, however, is all the more remarkable considering the team has enough call ups from the farm to be called the Winnipeg Moose. (The Jets AHL affiliate is the Manitoba Moose.)Over the past two weeks, they have called up forwards Marko Dano, Nic Petan, Andrew Copp and Quinton Howden. On Monday, Chase De Leo was added to the list when rookie forward Kyle Connor was placed on injury reserve with an upper body injury after being slammed into the boards on Sunday.Its not as if the recruits have only been playing in garbage time, either. Against the Kings, Dano played alongside the leagues leading point-getter (Mark Scheifele) and the goal-scorer (Patrik Laine). Petan centred the Jets No. 2 line and spent some time on the second powerplay unit while Copp has proven to be an effective penalty-killer.When you get brought up you want to play and act like you fit in and you belong in this position, Petan told the Winnipeg Free Press. I think, for the most part, the three or four of us whove been up, weve played and held our own pretty good.The Blackhawks, meanwhile, beat the NHLs top team on Sunday, a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens, handing the bleu, blanc et rouge just their second regulation loss of the season.The win boosted the Blackhawks record to 11-3-2 for 24 points.The highlight of the night was Patrick Kanes game-winning goal in the second period, during which he dangled past Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry deep in the offensive zone, fought off a world-class hook from captain Max Pacioretty and -- while flying through the air -- flipped the puck over Al Montoya.You might have seen the goal on every hockey highlight package across North America a few million times ever since.It was so beautiful, forward Marian Hossa marveled to the Chicago Tribune. He showed his quick hands. It was just beautiful, he went through the two guys and he saw the goalie coming to him, too, and just a quick flip to the top shelf. Not many guys can do that.Coach Joel Quenneville was also getting out his pom-poms.That had the wow factor all over it. All of a sudden (he) makes a play with a guy draped all over him and makes a great shot falling on the ice. Spectacular goal by a great player, fun to watch.Hossa has been no slouch himself. He has scored in eight of his last nine games and his nine goals puts him third in the NHL. Laine leads all goal scorers with 11. Floyd Bannister Mariners Jersey . Q: Team Canada announces their Olympic roster three weeks from today. Who is general manager Steve Yzerman watching? LeBrun: Over the last 48 hours, hes taken in the home-and-home between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche with Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene being the obvious targets. Matt Festa Jersey . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. https://www.cheapmariners.com/ . Oaklands loss to Seattle clinched the ALs best record for the Red Sox with one day to spare in the regular season. "I think everybody was kind of watching," catcher David Ross said. "Demp (Ryan Dempster) came out before he went to the bullpen and was just yelling that they lost. Mallex Smith Mariners Jersey . "I dont know that were close," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "I just think, right now, the acquisition cost just doesnt work for us right now. I dont know if I can quantify how far off or things like that that they might be but I would say we continue to have dialogue. Yusei Kikuchi Jersey . Miller finished in two minutes, 6.09 seconds, one day before the first medal race on the Alpine schedule. The 36-year-old American also turned in the top time in Thursdays opening training session. Wales have been placed on alert that Argentina will aim to create as much chaos as possible in Saturdays Principality Stadium clash.Just a week after being crushed 32-8 at home by Australia, Wales face the Wallabies Rugby Championship rivals in an encounter given added significance by their miserable autumn series opener.Interim head coach Rob Howley reacted to that defeat - Wales heaviest home loss for 10 years - by making six changes, including dropping 84 times-capped midfield mainstay Jamie Roberts to the bench and recalling his fellow Test Lions Sam Warburton and Alun Wyn Jones.Wales have beaten Argentina seven times from nine attempts in Cardiff, and a similar result on Saturday under the stadiums closed roof would at least put the autumn campaign back on track ahead of meeting Japan and South Africa later this month.It was a very uncharacteristic performance last Saturday, Wales assistant coach and forwards specialist Robin McBryde said. There were two things - how good Australia were, and how uncharacteristic we were defensively. It was just one of those first halves. At half-time, we were left scratching our heads, really.Argentina are consistent performers in the Rugby Championship. They will be physical, they will be fast. They will have looked at our performance from last weekend, and we have got to put that right with regards to how we defend the threats they pose. Any loose kicks, they are going to look to run it back and try to create as much chaos as possible, which is the type of game they thrive on.?You are hoping for a reaction. The (Wales) players know what is ahead of them tomorrow, they know what is asked of them. There was nobody more disappointed than the players themselves in that they didnt front up last Saturday. It really is a measure of the team and all of us, really, in how we perform tomorrow and come back stronger.?Warburton, back in the team after injury, has seen prop Gethin Jenkins retain the captaincy on an occasion when Jenkins will make a world record-breaking 133rd Test match appearance for a front-row forward.ddddddddddddBut the Cardiff Blues flanker still has an integral leadership role to play when Wales target what would be their first win since they destroyed Italy on the final day of last seasons RBS 6 Nations Championship.For the first 24 hours after a result like that (against Australia), you go home, pretty much waiting for the next training day to try to put things right, Warburton said.You only need that carrot dangled in front of you of starting for Wales against Argentina on Saturday, and you are desperate to go out there and put in a performance which everyone will be proud of and we know we are capable of doing.Its annoying the last game we played was a defeat, which we admit was a poor performance. So we are desperate to put that right and prove to our fans what we are capable of. Thats enough motivation for the players.Warburton, meanwhile, paid a glowing tribute to his Blues and Wales colleague Jenkins, who will be 36 next week but shows no obvious sign of slowing up as he moves past ex-New Zealand hooker Keven Mealamu and into fourth place on rugby unions all-time cap list behind Richie McCaw, Brian ODriscoll and George Gregan.Gethin is in that top category as one of Wales greatest players, Warburton added. Two or three years ago, people would be saying hes slowing down, but I havent seen him slow down at all in training or in games.With Gethin, he is second to none performance-wise. He always puts his body on the line. He empties the tank, and I really respect that. He leads from the front, and tactically he is very astute and a very intelligent rugby player. He is very good on the field at problem-solving.It sounds an easy thing to do, but when you are in the heat of a Test match there might be something which is going on, whether its a driving line-out or an attacking play which hasnt worked. He is very good at changing that, which a lot of players cant do. ' ' '