News » he would be exonerated.

TORONTO - David Clarkson has had so many injuries in just over a year with the Toronto Maple Leafs that three-year-old daughter McKinnley is taking a keen interest in her fathers health on the ice.Before the game now instead of saying, Good luck, shell say, Dont get hurt, Clarkson said.Last year it was a foot injury followed by an elbow injury. Clarkson also suffered facial fractures last month in a fight with Buffalos Cody McCormick. The 30-year-old right winger couldnt help but think, Here we go again.Instead, Clarkson strapped on a cage mask and then a full shield — doctors orders so he could get back onto the ice. The result has been a strong start to his second season with the Leafs.Its a much different David Clarkson this year than what we had last year, coach Randy Carlyle said Thursday. We said its a reset situation and he felt that he needed that, and then the addition of the ice time and the fit with the line that he plays with and the minutes hes getting, hes getting a chance to make more of a contribution, but hes earning it.The biggest difference is Clarkson has had the opportunity to make a contribution at the start of this season. Last year he was suspended for the first 10 games after leaving the bench during a pre-season brawl with the Sabres.Clarkson made his debut in blue and white on Oct. 25, 2013 on the road against the Blue Jackets. On Friday night he and the Leafs return to Columbus, but this time the Toronto native is healthy and already in a groove.Its tough just to fire into a season 10 games in, Clarkson said. I think right now I feel pretty good. I feel back like myself again.Clarkson has two goals and an assist in a third-line role alongside Leo Komarov and Mike Santorelli and has seen some time on the second power-play unit. He had five goals and six assists in 60 games in 2013-14, a disappointing performance to say the least after signing a US$36.75-million, seven-year contract.But the weight of contract expectations paled in comparison to the way the suspension hampered Clarksons start.Youre coming from a different organization, youre trying to learn a new system, youre trying to learn new things and all of a sudden you get suspended and jump in, Clarkson said. I think I (injured) my foot right away and then my elbow. It was just one of those seasons that I chalk up as a nightmare and (I got) through it and got ready and trained hard this summer and spent time with my kids and got ready for this year.Carlyle praised Clarkson for putting time and effort into building up strength and getting a little thicker in the off-season. Even after a lower-body injury limited him at training camp and the facial fractures halted his progress, Clarkson managed to be in the lineup on opening night and got on track.Nine games in, Clarkson doesnt have a single fighting major after leading the team in the category last season. Thats because his facial injuries prevent him from dropping the gloves.For now I couldnt fight, he said. I think if I got hit there Id be in trouble.Carlyle said it would be foolish for Clarkson not to be over-cautious about his face because those are the types of injuries that one little bump again can set him back.Still, Clarkson is hoping to get back to fighting sooner than later.In Thursdays practice, Clarkson ditched the full shield in favour of a regular visor and hopes he can convince doctors to let him begin the transition in a game, be it Friday at Columbus, Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks or next week against Phoenix or Colorado.I dont think Im allowed yet, Clarkson said. I had something done the other day and I still have some things going on. Im trying to find a way that I could wear maybe a bigger visor — a SWAT team shield — something that is off of my face a little bit because Im having a hard time with this one.Clarkson said the full shield was an improvement from the cage. Problems arise when it fogs up and forces him to look through tiny holes in the mask.Its just tough when the pucks down low in your feet or when youre going for things, Clarkson said. But it was either that option or I didnt play.After his problems last year, not playing wasnt an option for Clarkson, who couldnt help but worry about the lingering effect of another injury.When I found out what was wrong, its tough to swallow, he said. It kind of puts you in a place where you start to think. For me personally that wasnt fun, but I made a decision to come back and play and I feel pretty good. The bones healing, so Im just waiting for the doctors to clear me to get back to normal.Back to normal for Clarkson, in his mind, also includes a return to some fisticuffs. Without Colton Orr or Frazer McLaren, the Leafs dont have an enforcer, and according to HockeyFights.com, their two fighting majors are tied for the second-fewest in the NHL.Clarkson still feels a desire to take exception to hits on himself and teammates but in the back of his mind understands with a full shield he cant do everything. Once he sheds it for good, its his plan to continue his fighting ways.I dont plan on changing, Clarkson said. At the end of the day Im going to go back to fighting and doing the things Ive always done.Notes: Forward David Booth skated Thursday for the first time since fracturing his right foot while blocking a shot in a pre-season game. Carlyle said Booth is working hard but is still a long ways away from making his regular-season debut. ... The Leafs have recalled Stuart Percy from the AHLs Marlies. It wasnt immediately clear if an injury necessitated the call-up or if Percy was just going to be the seventh defenceman in Columbus.---Follow @SWhyno on Twitter. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Jersey .4 seconds left and dribbled up court, weaving through Pitts defence. Kevin Hogan Jersey . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. http://www.officialwashingtonredskinsfootball.com/authentic-troy-apke-jersey-womens . - The Pittsburgh Pirates plan on keeping promising left fielder Starling Marte playing alongside National League MVP Andrew McCutchen for years to come. Dustin Hopkins Jersey . Sharper briefly appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court, where his arraignment was postponed until Feb. 20 at the request of his lawyers. They issued a statement saying he would be exonerated. Prosecutors then filed a motion to increase Sharpers bail to $10 million and outlined details of investigations involving him in Las Vegas, Tempe, Ariz. Samaje Perine Jersey . -- The Minnesota Vikings released reserve cornerback A.NEW YORK -- With a 360-foot relay in the ninth inning, the New York Mets prevented a hard-fought victory from vanishing in the wind. Lucas Duda hit a long home run and New York threw out the potential tying run at the plate to hold off the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 Wednesday on a blustery night at Citi Field. Jonathon Niese earned his first win of the season, and shortstop Ruben Tejada cut down Matt Carpenter for the second out of the ninth on a strong relay from centre fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis. "My hearts still racing," Mets catcher Travis dArnaud said. "A 180-spin throw like that -- a perfect throw. I still cant believe I witnessed that." St. Louis manager Mike Matheny challenged the call by plate umpire Marty Foster, which was confirmed following a replay review of 1 minute, 20 seconds that showed dArnaud nicked Carpenter with a sweep tag behind his armpit. "I didnt feel the tag and I initially thought that I was safe," Carpenter said. "But I got a chance to look at it and it was a good call." With a runner on second, Kyle Farnsworth sealed it by retiring Matt Holliday on a tricky fly to right. Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha (2-2) set career highs with 10 strikeouts and five walks in the shortest of his 14 regular-season starts in the majors. A bizarre outing if ever there was one -- but it was that sort of night. Curtis Granderson snapped his career-worst hitless skid at 22 at-bats with a first-inning single, and the Mets got 6 2-3 effective innings from Niese (1-2) with wind gusting up to 41 mph on a 51-degree night. "Kind of throwing cue balls out there," Niese said. "It kind of felt like I was throwing with an ice pack on. Its tough to keep warm." Carlos Torres and Scott Rice escaped an eighth-inning jam before Farnsworth worked the ninth for his second save. He gave up consecutive singles and an RBI double to pinch-hitter Daniel Descalso that one-hopped the wall in left-centre, but New Yorks defence saved Farnsworth. "Two great throws," Carpenter said. "Thats a tough play thats not made a whole lot, especially with the game on the line." Carpenter had four hits and Yadier Molina added three for the Cardinals, but Jhonny Peraltas hitless streak reached 21 at-bats. Peralta popped out with runners at second and third in the eighth before pinchh-hitter Matt Adams flied out to end the inning.dddddddddddd Niese improved to 4-1 with a 1.87 ERA in six career starts against St. Louis. "I dont know what it is with Jon and cold weather, but he gets the call," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He pitched absolutely great tonight in the conditions." The game began in a 31 mph wind at a mostly empty stadium. Workers hustled between innings to clean up all the flying napkins and hot dog wrappers that littered the outfield -- even bundled-up second base umpire Rob Drake helped out during a stoppage in play. "It was terrible. The worst. Not fun," Carpenter said. High popups and flyballs were an adventure. Tejada dropped one after retreating into the outfield, then scampering back to the infield. New York still got an easy forceout on the play. Wachas red cap blew right off his head as he was waiting for a new ball and rolled, like tumbleweed, to second baseman Mark Ellis. Duda homered against Seth Maness leading off the sixth, a laser beam of a line drive that cut under the wind and nearly reached the Shea Bridge walkway above the bullpens in right-centre. It was the first home run for the Mets in their past seven home games, ending their longest such drought since May 2012. Early on, it appeared the 22-year-old Wacha was headed to a record-setting performance. Last years NL championship series MVP overpowered the Mets with nine strikeouts in the first three innings but soon lost his control. He walked three in the fourth, including No. 8 batter Tejada and Nieuwenhuis with the bases loaded, forcing in two runs. Wacha was pulled for a pinch hitter in the fifth after throwing 93 pitches. Coming in, he had issued only three free passes in 26 innings this season. The Mets said Wacha joined Smoky Joe Wood (1909), Felix Hernandez (2013) and Danny Salazar (2014) as the only pitchers since 1900 to have at least 10 strikeouts in an outing that lasted no more than four innings, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Molina doubled home a run with two outs in the first, extending his hitting streak to 14 games, after Tejada and the Mets botched a rundown that should have resulted in an inning-ending double play. NOTES: Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright (knee) expects to make his next scheduled start Sunday against Pittsburgh, Matheny said. ... Mets leadoff hitter Eric Young Jr. was rested. China NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Online Stitched Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Outlet College Jerseys For Sale Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys For Sale Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '