by ldh2013 » Sat Jul 02, 2016 8:27 am
LONDON -- So often the beneficiary of late goals under Alex Ferguson, it seems everything is being turned on its head at Manchester United under David Moyes after his teams latest stumble in the Premier League. . Deep into stoppage time at Old Trafford, Darren Bent plundered a goal in "Fergie Time" for Fulham to claim a 2-2 draw for the leagues worst team on Sunday. And a miserable first season for Moyes just keeps on getting worse, with the champions adrift in seventh, after winning the title by 11 points under Ferguson in May. "Today was probably as bad as it gets," Moyes said. But next up on Wednesday is a trip to Arsenal, which might have lost 5-1 at Liverpool on Saturday but is second in the standings. Bents intervention leaves United nine points adrift of the fourth Champions League qualification place, let alone the summit where Chelsea is 15 points ahead. Even more agonizing for Moyes is that his team had turned the match around to be in a winning position. Trailing from Steve Sidwells 19th minute-goal, Robin van Persie and Michael Carrick scored rapid goals to put United 2-1 up going into the final 10 minutes. Uniteds setback was compounded by Tottenham moving three points from fourth place on Sunday by dislodging Everton from fifth with a 1-0 victory over the Merseyside team. While Tottenham is experiencing a revival after changing managers, there is little appetite at United to dismiss the man who succeeded Ferguson after 26 years. Moyes will fight on, with the prospect of Champions League glory still in play, even if the squad doesnt look capable of conquering the European football powers these days. What made Sundays draw so galling too is that it was masterminded by Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen, who was Fergusons assistant at United until May, and is enduring even more misery than Moyes with his bottom-place team. How relieved Meulensteen was to see Lewis Holtby, a midfielder on loan from Tottenham, rampage down the left flank before sending in a cross that the advancing Sidwell slid into the net. United was lacking a killer instinct in front of goal until it was almost too late. Juan Matas cross was turned in by the unmarked Van Persie in the 78th, and Carricks shot deflected off Scott Parker into the net. But Uniteds defence crumbled. A shot from former United winger Kieran Richardson was pushed by goalkeeper David de Gea straight to Bent who headed into an empty net. In a game where United sent in some 81 crosses to Fulhams four, and goal attempts were 31 to six in the hosts favour, the points were shared. And Fulham is four points from safety at the bottom. "We made it difficult for them," Meulensteen said. "United have got some problems of their own. They kept creating chances and crosses but we defended well and held them." It was a similar story at White Hart Lane in the days other game. Everton was in control but it was Tottenham who snatched all three points by scoring from its only shot on target. Emmanuel Adebayor controlled a free kick, taken swiftly and smartly by Kyle Walker, and went past Seamus Coleman before dispatching the ball into the net in the 65th minute. . The Jets (10-10-2) are sixth in the Central Division with 22 points, two points behind the fifth-place Dallas Stars. . Atlanta also received the rights to Giorgos Printezis and cash considerations from Oklahoma City for the rights to Sofoklis Schortsanitis and a trade exception. . Three days after getting routed 8-1 on home ice by the Calgary Flames, the Oilers welcome one of the top teams in the Western Conference tonight, the San Jose Sharks.CHICAGO -- After their No. 1 goalie was knocked out early in the game, the Chicago Blackhawks dialed up their NHL-leading offence. Patrick Sharp had a goal and two assists, and Chicago scored a season-high three times on the power play in a 6-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Sunday night. Marian Hossa, Brent Seabrook and Brandon Saad each had goal and an assist, and Michal Handzus and Andrew Shaw also scored. Patrick Kane had three assists for Chicago, which ended a three-game losing streak -- its longest regular-season skid since February 2012. Corey Crawford was forced out with 6:15 left in the first period after sustaining a lower-body injury. Rookie Antti Raanta, recalled after veteran backup Nikolai Khabublin was injured on Nov. 16, stopped 29 of 31 shots for the win in relief of Crawford, who made four saves. Chicago coach Joel Quenneville didnt offer a diagnosis of the injury to Crawford, who played every minute of the Blackhawks Stanley Cup playoff run last season. "I dont think its too serious, but when its a goalie, its a little more serious than with other players, because of how important he is to our team," Quenneville said. "Youre concerned, but I think well have a better assessment (Monday)." Crawford left with the Blackhawks ahead 2-0, moments after he went down to make a right pad save on Marcel Goc, who later scored one of Floridas goals. Former Blackhawks player Dylan Olsen had the Panthers other goal. Crawford was unable to get back up on his skates, and had to be helped from the ice by teammates and a trainer. Raanta was able to finish the game despite being elbowed in the head by Floridas Jimmy Hayes in a collision midway through the third period. "Usually if the goalie is down its something really bad," Raanta said. "But I just tried to get my mind in the game, get focused, and do the right things. "Thats the job I came here to do. If the coaches say Im going to the net, I am, and Ill be as good as possible." While Raanta held off the Panthers, the Blackhawks snipers and specialty teams made the difference. The Blackhawks went 3-for-4 on the power play and stopped all five Florida advantages. "It shows how importantt special teams can be," Sharp said. . "Not only the power-play scoring, but our penalty kill had some big kills there. "It was good to break the losing streak, nice to rebound with a win. Were a little concerned to see how Coreys going to react to whatever happened early in the game. Well take the two points and evaluate Crow." Floridas Scott Clemmensen made 26 saves in his third start and fifth appearance this season. Olsen, a defenceman who was traded from Chicago to Florida on Nov. 14, connected in his first game against his former team. Although Florida managed to trim a 3-0 Chicago lead to 3-2 in the second period, it wasnt nearly enough. "We came charging back in the second and third period," Florida coach Peter Horachek said. "We had 15-17 shots in the third period and 10 scoring chances, but theyre not going in. "On (Chicagos) power play, its bing-bing and a shot and it goes in the first time, first shot. But thats what good teams do, and obviously theyre a good team. World-class players sharpshooting the puck." Sharp and Seabrook scored power-play goals in the first period to give Chicago a 2-0 lead. Sharp opened the scoring 1:10 in. His shot from the top of the slot sailed past Clemmensen. Seabrook made it 2-0 when he pinched to the right circle, took a cross-ice pass from Saad, and fired in a low shot. Raanta made a couple of close-in saves late in the first to preserve the lead. Hossa increased Chicagos advantage to 3-0 just 37 seconds into the second, popping in a rebound of Sharps shot. Olsen cut it to 3-1 at 4:05 when he closed in from the left point and beat Raanta with a high screened shot. Goc trimmed it to 3-2 with an unassisted goal after Raanta failed to clear the puck off the boards. Handzus goal with 2:34 left in the second made it 4-2. Shaws power-play goal at 2:44 of the third, extended Chicagos lead to three goals. Hayes knocked off Raantas mask at 8:39 of the third when he drove hard to the net. Saad completed the scoring on a breakaway with 56 seconds left. NOTES: Shaw returned after missing two games with an upper-body injury. ... Chicago D Michael Kostka was activated from the injured list and recalled from Rockford (AHL) but didnt play. ' ' '
