handle as Thunder players slapped at the ball and officials ended u

Hockey teams are always looking to improve their defensive game. They constantly work on it at practice, talk about improvements publically and strive for flawless execution in games. Obviously in the National Hockey League sound defensive play is a perpetual work in progress with the chance of actually attaining perfection a fallacy. Those teams that do push the closest to that line though are usually rewarded with a better record and thus a coveted spot in the standings. But periodically defensive excellence is achieved in a game. And that result is illustrated in the form of a shutout. For the Winnipeg Jets, a team striving to improve its defensive play under head coach Paul Maurice, this measure of defensive precision happened twice on a recent road trip and then carried into the start of a short two-game home stand. After posting back-to-back shutout wins in New York (1-0 SO) and Chicago (1-0), the Jets returned home poised to rewrite a chapter in the franchises record book. And it didnt take long for the club to put pen to paper. Entering Tuesdays tilt with Nashville, the Jets needed just a little more than a full period to establish a new franchise record for consecutive scoreless minutes. The previous mark of 155:55 was set in 2005 when the club was based in Atlanta. On Tuesday, when the Jets held the Predators off the scoresheet for the first period and a portion of the second, the club bested the old mark by nearly six minutes to 161:17. The scoreless streak did come to an end when Predators rookie sensation Filip Forsberg ended the stretch with a second period goal. Its been a big focus, said Maurice of his teams defensive philosophy this season. But its not defence first; its defence at the right time. Were not playing perfect hockey by any means. We have lots of room to improve. But our reaction to bad things that happen is much better right now than it was. (The new scoreless streak) is really a goaltender record. They were that good. In all, the Jets used both goaltenders during the shutout streak, including Michael Hutchinson, who recorded his first career NHL shutout against the Blackhawks with a 33-save performance. (The shutout) is definitely something really special (in my career), said Hutchinson, 24, whose numbers dramatically improved after the performance from a 4.50 GAA and .864 save percentage to 1.80 and .945, respectively. It will be something Ill remember for the rest of my playing career. Just being in Chicago makes it special (too) and something Im going to look back on. Meanwhile, Ondrej Pavelec was equally impressive a night earlier in New York when he turned aside all 38 Rangers shots. It was the third time in franchise history that back-to-back shutouts were recorded, but a first for the Winnipeg Jets. Previously, Michael Garnett posted consecutive shutouts in 2005 and then Kari Lehtonen did it again the following season. Both were members of the Atlanta Thrashers at the time. Last year, the Jets recorded just three shutouts all season. Former netminder Al Montoya (now with Florida) had two of them and Pavelec the other. But now already with two as a team, it might suggest the Jets are a more committed group to team defence and scoring against them and their goalies is getting tougher. That may be true. Time will tell. And so will more shutouts. -- On a personal note, Im thrilled to have been able to visit Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island last month for the final time. As you may know the New York Islanders are playing their final season in their original home this year before moving to Brooklyn for 2015-16 and the new Barclays Center. Last month during the Jets final visit to the building, I couldnt help but walk around the arena before the teams 4-3 win over the Islanders and wonder with amazement about the historical importance the building possesses for hockey in the area. For obvious reasons like age (it opened in 1972), lack of luxury suites, in-house revenue streams and overall building amenities, the Coliseum can no long be considered an NHL arena. I understand that. But seeing all the championship banners and retired numbers from that dynastic Islanders era of the early 1980s hanging in the rafters was special for me and likely for any hockey fan that was alive to experience that run. In all, the building oozes history and tradition and the electricity inside it generates a great atmosphere, even though the Islanders only drew 11,508 when the Jets started a four-game trip there at the end of October. Next year its on to Brooklyn and a new age for Islanders hockey, although I wonder how many true Islanders fans will make the 40-minute train ride and incur the additional travel cost of public transportation to support the team in the now-trendy New York City borough? NOTES: Entering Saturdays game in Ottawa, the Jets have killed off 18 straight penalties, including five on Thursday night against the vaunted power play of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The teams PK is third-best in the league at 89.3 percent, including a league-best mark of 92.6 percent on the road...Veteran centre Bryan Little played his 500th game on Thursday against Pittsburgh. So far, he is the only Jets player to record a power-play, shorthanded and game-winning goal this season...Until their win on Long Island, the Jets had played before eight straight sellout crowds to start the season. Winnipeg has sold out each of its seven games at home...Did you know the Islanders are still paying salaries to goaltender Rick DiPietro and forward Alexei Yashin? Both players have been bought out of their contracts, but are still owed money from the team in deferred monies. However, those payments no longer apply to the Islanders salary cap. DiPietro officially retired after the 2012-13 season, while Yashin hasnt been seen with an NHL team since 2006-07. Vans Shoes Clearance Outlet . Louis Cardinals are one of Major League Baseballs model franchises. Vans Shoes Discount Online . McCutchen hit his first home run in over a month, doubled twice and scored two runs to help the Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 on Sunday and take three of four from the defending NL West champions. http://www.vanscheap.net/ . -- The Toronto Maple Leafs are tightening the race for second place in the Atlantic Division. China Vans Shoes Wholesale . They have homered once every 27.3 at bats, which just happens to be the third best mark in the American League, albeit just 10 games into the season. Cheap Vans Shoes Online . The Suns termed Fridays surgery by team doctor Thomas Carter a success. No timetable was given for Bledsoes return but the team said in a news release that he "will pursue a possible return to action during the second half" of the season.OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Detroit Pistons had Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The Oklahoma City Thunder had Kevin Durant. Even on a career night for Caldwell-Pope, advantage Oklahoma City. Durant scored 42 points, including 21 in the fourth quarter, and the Thunder secured the No. 2 playoff seed in the Western Conference, rallying from 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Pistons 112-111 Wednesday night. Oklahoma City (59-23) had lost two straight to put itself in the must-win situation in the regular-season finale to earn the No. 2 seed. Durant rallied the Thunder while recording his 14th 40-point game of the season. He drove for the go-ahead dunk with 16.5 seconds left and won a tip over Greg Monroe with 1.8 seconds to go after a scramble for a loose ball resulted in a jump ball in Detroits end. Detroits Brandon Jennings could only manage a 30-foot heave at the buzzer that banged off the rim. "We just figured it out," Durant said. "We got it done. It wasnt the best game. We didnt play well defensively. We didnt shoot the ball well offensively. But theres something about just getting it done, having that willpower, having that fight in you, no matter what. It was a tough game, we persevered and we got a good win." The Thunder extended their winning streak over Detroit (29-53) to nine games, dating to December 2008. Caldwell-Pope scored 30 points for the Pistons (29-53), while Monroe had 22, Kyle Singler added 20 and Andre Drummond recorded his ninth straight double-double to end the season for Detroit, finishing with 22 points and 13 rebounds. "Our guys played their hearts out, competed from the opening tip," Detroit coach John Loyer said. "I feel terrible for them because they deserved to win the game. They did anything we asked them to do tonight. Some guys stepped up and made some incredible shots and they put together 48 minutes of as good of basketball as we can play." Russell Westbrook added 22 points for Oklahoma City, which will play Memphis in the first round of the playoffs. It was the ability of Westbrook, and especially Durant, to attack the rim in the fourth quarter that made the difference. Durants fourth quarter left Loyer almost speechless. "Hes one of thee top one or two players in the world," Loyer said.dddddddddddd "Thats what he did." For much of Wednesday, the Thunder looked and played like a tired team. Oklahoma Citys late-season defensive issues were on full display, as the Pistons shot 50.6 per cent from the field and Caldwell-Pope joined other non-marquee players such as Jodie Meeks (Los Angeles Lakers), Gerald Green (Phoenix Suns) and Tyreke Evans (New Orleans Pelicans) in enjoying a career night against the Thunder. Oklahoma City trailed for most of the first half before taking a one-point lead twice in the third quarter. Detroit went on a 15-7 run and took an 87-79 lead on a basket by Jonas Jerebko with 5 seconds left in the quarter. Detroit led 94-84 with 10:13 left in the game after a basket by Monroe. But Durants offensive flurry cut into that gap and the Pistons didnt score a basket in the final 3:17 or at all after Jennings hit two of three free throws with 2:07 left. On the Pistons final possession, the ball found its way to Jerebko, but he lost the handle as Thunder players slapped at the ball and officials ended up calling a tie ball. Caldwell-Pope hit four 3-pointers in the first half -- making one over the outstretched arm of the 6-foot-10 Durant -- and eclipsed his previous career high of 15 points by the 5:27 mark of the second quarter. His next basket put the Pistons ahead 48-37 with 4:52 left in the first half and hushed the crowd at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Durant, who was 2 of 8 from the field to that point, hit two free throws, then drained a 3-pointer to start a 17-7 run by Oklahoma City. Westbrook scored seven points in the final 2:41 and Durant drained an 18-foot jumper in the final second to pull the Thunder within 55-54. NOTES: Drummond set the Pistons record for highest field-goal percentage in a season, finishing at 62.3 per cent. Dennis Rodman had held the previous team record of 59.5 per cent, set during the 1988-89 season. ... Kendrick Perkins was called for a technical foul by official Tony Brothers with 8:01 left in the third quarter when he protested after picking up his fifth foul. ... The Thunder recorded their 130th straight regular-season sellout at Chesapeake Energy Arena, which seats 18,203 fans. ' ' '