orchidsperuflora.com

The New York Islanders have acquired goaltender Jaroslav Halak from the Washington Capitals in exchange for the Chicago Blackhawks fourth-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. . Halak is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Islanders now have a two-month window in which to negotiate a new contract with the keeper before he is free to negotiate with the other 29 NHL clubs. The Slovak netminder has now been property of four different teams in the last two months. He began the season with the St. Louis Blues, but was dealt to the Buffalo Sabres as part of the package that landed the Blues Ryan Miller and Steve Ott. The Sabres flipped him to the Capitals four days later before he was able to play a game for Buffalo. In 52 games with the Blues and Capitals, Halak posted a 29-13-13 record with a 2.38 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. The Islanders previously acquired the pick from Chicago in the trade that sent Peter Regin and Pierre-Marc Bouchard to the Blackhawks. Originally selected in the ninth round (271st overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, Halak has a 144-85-29 record with a 2.38 goals-against average, a .918 save percentage and 30 shutouts between the Canadiens, Blues and Capitals. . LOUIS -- Billy Hamilton had three hits and his first two steals, and scored easily after tagging up on a shallow outfield pop fly to support a strong outing from Mike Leake in the Cincinnati Reds 4-0 victory over the St. . Nylander scored in his NHL pre-season debut as the Leafs beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0 Tuesday night at Air Canada Centre and showed flashes of offensive brilliance. . No such luck. Wiggins owned the end of Parkers impressive homecoming. The Kansas star scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half, outplaying Parker down the stretch and helping the fifth-ranked Jayhawks knock off No.SEATTLE - Another well-pitched game for the Oakland Athletics came with a price. Scott Kazmir threw six sharp innings before leaving with tightness in his left triceps, and Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-run homer that broke a scoreless tie in the eighth that lifted the As over the Seattle Mariners 3-0 Sunday. Kazmir called it was "a very, very minor" injury. He said it wont cause him to miss a start, but the As have reason to be cautionary. This spring the club lost staff ace Jarrod Parker to season-ending elbow surgery and A.J. Griffin is sidelined for perhaps the first two months with a strained forearm. Oaklands staff has an AL-leading 2.17 ERA. "Its exciting to have guys follow up a quality start, one after another, one through five. It really is exciting," Kazmir said. "We just want to keep going out there and keep making quality pitches and quality outings, all of us." Kazmir pitched two-hit ball, striking out nine without a walk. As manager Melvin said that the first time he noticed Kazmir was affected by the tightness was at the end of the sixth. Kazmir had a similar issue during training camp, missing one start with triceps tightness. "Everything checked out as far as his strengthening and what he does after a game," Melvin said. "He wanted to go back out but you have to be careful with a guy like that." Mariners star Robinson Cano said Kazmir was exceptionally tough. "He was making guys chase his slider and throwing the heater at 95," Cano said. Cespedes pulled a 2-2 slider from Charlie Furbush (0-1) into the left-field bullpen. Cespedes second homer of the season came after Jed Lowrie drew a leadoff walk. Josh Donaldson added a solo home run in the ninth, his third, off Lucas Luetge. Dan Otero (2-0) retired two batters in the seventh. Luke Gregerson worked the eighth and Sean Doolittle allowed one hit in the ninth for his first save. Chris Young made his first start since Sept. 9, 2012, while with the New York Mets. Troubled by shoulder problems all last season, he went to spring camp this year with the Nationals, was released and signed during the last week of training camp by Seattle. Young pitched six shutout innnings, giving up four hits. . He walked three and struck out two. Youngs other outing for Seattle was a two-inning scoreless stint in relief. "I was really, really pleased with his outing," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He got a lot of flyball outs, teased them up in the zone a bit. I think he is close. I saw his breaking ball coming today. When that pitch comes for him, hes going to be pretty tough." Kazmir didnt allow a runner and struck out six the first time through the lineup. The Mariners got back-to-back, one-out singles by Brad Miller and Cano in the fourth, but Kazmir retired Corey Hart on a grounder and struck out Justin Smoak with a 78 mph changeup. The Mariners only other scoring threat came with two outs in the sixth when Brad Miller sent right fielder Eric Sogard to the wall to bring down his flyball. Cano, who singled in the fourth, has a 14-game hitting streak against Oakland dating to Sept. 22, 2012. NOTES: Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon isnt sure about Major League Baseballs expanded replay format. "Im really worried about where were heading with replays, the effect its having on the game, the effect its having on the fans," McClendon said. "Its confusing." McClendon is concerned about the outfield transfer rule, when umpires look to be sure fielders successfully switch the ball from the glove to their hands. The Mariners already have had three such plays this season, with mixed results. "It was made for the play at second, on the double-play ball," Melvin said. "I dont think anyone thought it would come into play in the outfield as youre seeing right now." Both managers have had to talk to their players to be certain that runners go against their instincts and watch the umpires, not the play, in order to advance or hold. "I think the players are struggling more than the managers," McClendon said. "Initially, I thought Id be a fan of it. But Im not so sure now." ... Mariners top pitching prospect Taijuan Walker (shoulder) is scheduled to make another rehab start Tuesday in the minors. Seattle has an open spot in the rotation for that day, but McClendon said he doesnt know when Walker will be called up. ' ' '