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More of the same from the Tank, countering multi-point efforts of Martin St. Louis and Derick Brassard for the Rangers, lineup news, Fantasy tips and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. HEROES Vladimir Tarasenko – This is becoming a regular honour for Tarasenko, who now has five goals and eight points in the past four games, including a highlight-reel goal and an assist, then the shootout winner, against the Rangers Monday. With 13 points in 11 games, Tarasenko is tied for 12th in scoring and his 4.45 shots on goal per game ranks fifth. He has emerged as a game-breaking talent on an otherwise solid, but not necessarily spectacular, Blues team that is now riding a five-game winning streak. Martin St. Louis – The Rangers winger was off to something of a slow start, with one goal in 10 games, but buried a pair against the Blues. It is worth tracking St. Louis’ production, though, as the 39-year-old is averaging 1.82 shots on goal per game, his lowest rate since 2001-2002. Derick Brassard – With Derek Stepan sidelined, Brassard has filled a void down the middle for the rangers, playing a career-high 18:23 per game, and he contributed a couple of assists against the Blues. His current nine points in 11 games (0.82 points per game) is the best rate of his career. ZEROES Ryan Reaves – The Blues’ enforcer had a heavyweight scrap with Rangers D Dylan McIlrath, but wasn’t on for a single shot attempt for, and 12 against, during 5-on-5 play. Jaden Schwartz – It might come as expected that an enforcer gets stuck on the wrong end of the possession game, especially on the road, but skilled winger Schwartz also had a rough go against the Blueshirts, with eight shot attempts for and 24 against (25.0%), notably getting dominated in a few head-to-head shifts against the Rangers’ line of LW Chris Kreider, C Kevin Hayes and RW Lee Stempniak. SHORT SHIFTS Rangers LW Chris Kreider scored a goal and had 11 shot attempts (5 SOG)…RW Rick Nash had an assist and 10 shot attempts (5 SOG). LINEUP NEED TO KNOW In the wake of injuries to Ryan McDonagh and Kevin Klein, as well as a suspension to John Moore, the Rangers inserted rookies Conor Allen and Dylan McIlrath onto their blueline. McIlrath only played 8:02, while sitting for nine minutes in the penalty box but, when he played, McIlrath was on the ice for 11 shot attempts for and 6 against (64.7%). D Matt Hunwick played 24:51 for the Rangers, his second straight game over 24 minutes on the depleted Rangers blueline. Rangers LW Mats Zuccarello missed the game with an undisclosed injury, so recently-waived LW Ryan Malone still had a spot in the lineup on the Blueshirts’ fourth line. FANTASY FOCUS Some players in action tonight that should have increasing Fantasy value: Nick Bjugstad – Though the towering Panthers’ centre has just one point in nine games, keep tabs on the the second-year pivot, who is generating 3.11 shots on goal per game and has strong possession stats, carrying 61.9% of the play at 5-on-5. Vincent Lecavalier – Injuries have limited him to only four games, but Lecavalier has returned to the Flyers’ lineup and while we’re looking at a very small sample, he does have four points and 3.25 shots on goal per game. Playing with Wayne Simmonds and R.J. Umberger last game, Lecavalier has an opportunity to produce offensively. Evgeny Kuznetsov – With points in the past three games, Kuznetsov has been bumped up to Washington’s second line, with Marcus Johansson and Troy Brouwer. After starting the year on the fourth line, this is a chance for Kuznetsov to live up to some of the preseason hype. Jason Zucker – Another player that started the year on the fourth line, Zucker was productive right out of the gate and has been moved up the depth chart, to skate with Mikko Koivu and Charlie Coyle. Playing more than 18 minutes in each of the last two games is a chance for Zucker to build on his strong start (five goals, seven points in 10 games). Much of the data included comes from www.war-on-ice.com, www.puckalytics.com, www.hockeystats.ca and www.naturalstattrick.com Scott Cullen can be reached at scott.cullen@bellmedia.ca Aaron Rodgers Jersey . The Jets have now won three straight at home and four of the last five at the MTS Centre. After a scoreless first period, Brad Marchand scored his first goal in eight games eight seconds into the second. Green Bay Packers Jerseys . The right-hander said he threw about 30 pitches in a routine bullpen session Sunday at Yankee Stadium, his final hurdle before starting Tuesday night at Tampa Bay. http://www.officialgreenbaypackerspro.co...packers-jersey/. - The Baltimore Ravens have hired Steve Spagnuolo to be their secondary coach and assistant head coach. Paul Hornung Jersey . The 25-year-old Brazilian player has only made four Premier League appearances for United this season and underwent a medical test in Italy on Friday. Custom Green Bay Packers Jerseys .Under the agreement announced Monday, the Cuban defector is guaranteed $68.5 million over six seasons.Tomas gets a $14 million signing bonus that is payable within 30 days of the deals approval by Major League Baseball, and then salaries of $2 million next year, $4 million in 2016, $6 million in 2017 and $10 million in 2018. SAINT JOHN, N.B. -- Canadas Rachel Homan had ideal preparation for the playoffs at the Ford World Curling Championships with a pair of hard-fought wins over tenacious opponents Thursday. The Canadians defeated Sweden 9-6 and China 6-4 to finish atop the preliminary-round standings at 10-1. Their execution Thursday was the sharpest of the tournament so far. The games were tight with Homan and her Ottawa Curling Club teammates scoring three in the eighth ends of both. "We were really pushed today," Homan said. "It was great we were able to control the game and stay confident with this team and really nail the lines and make the big shots when we needed them. "We had to fight for our points." Homan will face Switzerlands Binia Feltscher, whose record was 9-2, in Fridays playoff game between the top two seeds. The two countries meet in the 1 vs. 2 Page playoff game between the top two seeds. (TSN, 6:30pm et/3:30pm pt) The winner books a ticket to Sundays gold-medal game. The loser drops to Saturdays semifinal. Canadas lone loss of the preliminary round was to the Swiss. It went so badly for the host country in ends five through eight that they shook hands early Sunday. "That was a little bit of a lopsided game," Homan acknowledged. "We had some misfortune, but I think were a little bit different now. Were going to know the rocks and its going to be on a different sheet and everything so I think it should be a great game." The top four teams advance to the Page playoff. Russias Anna Sidorova, Swedens Margaretha Sigfridsson and South Koreas Ji-sun Kim all finished tied at 8-3. Sidorova will play in Saturday mornings playoff between the third and fourth seeds with the winner advancing to the semifinal. Russias opponent will be the victor of Fridays tiebreaker between the Swedes and South Koreans. Sidorovas missed final shot of a game against the Czech Republic -- a draw -- prevented Russia from finishing 9-2 and playing Canada on Friday. China and Allison Pottinger of the U.S., were just outside playoff contention at 6-5 with Germanys Imogen Oona Lehmann and Anna Kubeskova of the Czech Republic ending their tournaments 3-8. Scotlands Kerry Barr and Denmarks Madeleine Dupont had 2-9 records ahead of Latvias Evita Regza at 1-10. Homan had to win a tiebreaker to get into the final four at last yyears world championship in Riga, Latvia.ddddddddddddCanada won their subsequent playoff game before losing the semifinal and then winning the bronze medal. The beauty of finishing in the top two is the loser of Fridays game can still get to the championship game, albeit via a longer route. "We love the one-two game," Homan said. "Theres not much pressure. "Either way weve got a chance at the gold-medal game. Thats what were gunning for now." The Canadians struck a balance between patience and aggression to achieve their No. 1 ranking. The average age of Homan, third Emma Miskew, second Alison Kreviazuk and lead Lisa Weagle is just shy of 26, but theyre a Canadian womens curling team ahead of the curve when it comes to the big-game experience and the lessons learned in those games. Homan, Miskew and Kreviazuk have been teammates for over a decade. Since graduating from the junior ranks four years ago, they and Weagle have played in three national womens championships -- finishing fourth and winning twice -- two world championships and an Olympic trials. "This team may be young, but weve had so much experience," said Weagle, the oldest at 28. "We realize were a young team and have really ambitious goals. We really want to accomplish them, but at the same token, if you look at a lot of the great curlers in our sport, theyre in their 30s or even their 40s when theyre at the peak of their game." Weagles talent for clearing a road to the rings and Miskews ability to execute big-weight, multi-stone takeouts allows Canada to gamble and takes some pressure off Homan. Kreviazuk banged her broom after a few misses during the preliminary round, but the four curlers have an otherwise business-like demeanour on the ice. "Were patient and were learning all the time and were allowing ourselves to learn," Weagle said. "Were not expecting to be perfect every single shot, but when were not, we want to learn from it. "Often Ill go down and talk to Rachel about my shots and how Im throwing them, if she want me to make an adjustment or if shes going to make the adjustment with the broom. I think thats worked really well for us. We want to make the most shots possible and whatever way we need to do it, its good to take the emotion out and just treat it like business." ' ' '