Black- and Whitelist » 12 points to the cause,

MONTREAL - The Montreal Impact hope their backup goalkeeper can help the team return to winning ways.Evan Bush will get the start in goal for the second consecutive game when the Impact, hoping to halt a three-game losing skid, take on Real Salt Lake on Thursday night in Utah.The 28-year-old Bush, who had yet to start for the Impact in Major League Soccer this season prior to last Saturdays 2-1 defeat in Columbus, is getting the nod in place of veteran goalkeeper Troy Perkins.Why wouldnt he?, said manager Frank Klopas when asked if Bush would start against Salt Lake. He deserves the opportunity to be in there and he had a very good game against Columbus, regardless of the score line.Bush made four saves on six shots in Columbus, giving up two goals to midfielder Bernardo Anor. The Venezuelan beat Bush low to his left in the 56th minute with a strike from the top of the 18-yard box. In the 75th, Anors right-footed shot from distance curled away from Bush and flew into the top corner of the net for the game-winner.Since joining the Impact in 2011, Montreals backup keeper has started just three MLS matches (0-3-0), played in four CONCACAF Champions League games (2-2-0), and led the team to back-to-back Canadian Championships (3-2-3) in 2013 and 2014.Thats part of being on a team, said Bush, who has yet to record a victory in North Americas highest league. Within a team, you have changes based on different situations. You have to step in when they call upon you.Bush was called upon to replace Perkins, Montreals starter since being acquired by the Impact in 2012. The Ohio native had made all 17 starts for the Impact in MLS before last Saturdays match. The week before, in the dying minutes of a game against Sporting Kansas City, a defensive mistake by Perkins cost Montreal a point and may have ultimately cost Perkins his starters role.Klopas, however, insists the decision to start Bush is simply to reduce Perkins workload.Troy is very good. But with the amount of games, maybe hes not as sharp, maybe hes a little bit tired, said Klopas. Its just about form. Its the same with players on the field. The guys have to understand that if they work hard, theyre going to get opportunities to play. Guys are going to come in and out of form. You have to use the depth of a squad.We have two very good goalkeepers, including a younger guy whos pushing, whos eager to play, but who needs time. (Bush) has been looking good and sharp in training sessions and in the game hes played.If the Impact (3-10-5) hope to record their first road victory of the year, Bush will likely have to put together the best performance of his young MLS career against third-place Real Salt Lake (7-4-8). The last-place Impact have offered their goalies little offensive support this season, scoring a league-low one goal per game.The numbers are even worse on the road. Montreal has just six goals away from Saputo Stadium for a minus-11 goal differential.The lone bright spot going into Thursday may be Marco Di Vaios rejuvenation. The Italian striker, who had scored just once in eight appearances to start the year, has three goals in his last four games.Di Vaio will be looking to add to Real Salt Lakes recent woes. After starting the 2014 campaign unbeaten in their first 12 games, Jeff Kassars men have lost four of their last seven, scoring just five goals over that stretch.Despite the poor run of form, Real Salt Lake can always rely on Joao Plata and Costa Rican international Alvaro Saborio, who have scored eight and six times respectively this season.Its going to be a good challenge, said defender Hassoun Camara. Theyre one of the best teams of the league. Why not win over there? If were going, its because we think we can get something out of the game. Were not going there just to look pretty.Theyre a good possession team, theyre good with the ball, added Klopas. They have quality players who are comfortable on the ball and in their decision-making. They give good tempo to the game - they know when to speed things up and when to slow things down. They push numbers forward; their outside backs get involved in the game.Since returning from the World Cup break last month, the Impact have put together a few solid performances, but have a 1-3-1 record to show for them.With 16 games remaining on the season, Montreal is currently nine points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Their current three-game losing streak is the teams longest since opening the season with three straight losses.Theres a lot of frustration, for sure, said captain Patrice Bernier. You play well, but you dont get the result, you arent rewarded.Were losing because of minor details. Were losing by one goal; were not getting crushed. At this point in the season, were paying the price for the smallest misstep. Theres a bit of bad luck, sure. We cant give up even the slightest of chances.Bernier assures the question marks surrounding the teams starting goaltender are not an added distraction.Nobodys thinking about that, he said. Were in a period of changes. There may be more changes coming on Thursday. Theres no single player that can be blamed. We all want to win — the coach, the entire team. Were just looking for that winning recipe right now. Its up to us, collectively, to make sure we support all players who have seen better days.Notes: Winger Justin Mapp is questionable for Thursdays game. Mapp, who has been dealing with a groin injury this season, walked out of training on Tuesday after less than an hour. … Defender Eric Miller and newcomer Gorka Larrea will not dress for the Impact on Thursday. … Perkins sports one of the lowest save percentages this season amongst goalies with at least 10 starts (64 per cent). … The Impact play a third game in nine nights when they face the Portland Timbers at home on Sunday. … Montreal opens its 2014-2015 Champions League campaign when the team welcomes El Salvadors FAS to Saputo Stadium on Aug. 8. Athletics Jerseys 2019 .com) - James Harden put the Houston Rockets on his back and willed them to an overtime victory on Thursday. Oakland Athletics Gear . The Blueshirts hope to stay alive once again when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins in Sundays Game 6 battle at Madison Square Garden. https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/. Seriously. Seven years of losing has brought many different faces, players and management, to the annual pre-season get-to-know-the-team round up. Athletics Jerseys 2020 . LOUIS -- The St. Chris Bassitt Athletics Jersey . The fourth-year guard from Carleton University kicked off his varsity career with rookie of the year honours in 2011, before racking up three straight Mike Moser Memorial Trophies for outstanding player.East Rutherford, NJ (SportsNetwork.com) - A schedule peppered with top-notch competition continues on Thursday for the second-ranked Duke Blue Devils, as they take on the defending national champion Connecticut Huskies in a neutral site affair at the IZOD Center. Mike Krzyzewskis Blue Devils already have marquee victories over the likes of Michigan State (81-71) and Wisconsin (80-70) on their resume and are sitting at a flawless 9-0 overall. Duke was last in action on Monday, as the team posted a 75-62 victory over Elon to extend the nations longest current non- conference homecourt winning streak to an astounding 114 games. Kevin Ollies Huskies have failed to live up to last years run to the national championship as the team has gotten off to a slow start at just 4-3 overall. UConn was able to get some distance however, from a rather shocking loss to Yale (45-44), with Sundays 106-85 blasting of Coppin State. These perennial powers are meeting for the 10th time in history, with this being the first head-to-head confrontation in five years. Duke holds a narrow 5-4 series advantage thanks to a 68-59 victory at Madison Square Garden in 2009. UConns 1999 national championship came at the expense of Duke, in a 77-74 thriller. The Huskies 106 points against Coppin State were by far the top total on the season for a team that hadnt scored more than 75 prior to that.UConns Amida Brimah was absolutely unstoppable in the victory, going a perfect 13-of-13 from the floor and 14-of-16 from the free-throw line to finish with an eye- popping 40 points. The sophomore 7-footer completed a double-double with a game-high 12 rebounds to boot. Senior guard Ryan Boatright had a strong outing as well, netting 22 points, while Kentan Facey and Daniel Hamilton finished with 15 and 11 points apiece. Hamilton also recorded a double-double by doling out 11 assists. That kind of offensive eruptionn has not been the norm for the defending champs, as UConn comes into this contest averaging a modest 68.dddddddddddd3 ppg. Boatright has been sensational as the teams primary playmaker. He currently leads the team and the American Athletic Conference in scoring at 18.9 ppg. Despite a team-high 100 field-goal attempts, Boatright has also found the time to lead the team in assists (4.1 apg). Brimah is tough to move out of the middle, as evidenced by his strong .698 shooting percentage. The big man ranks second on the team in scoring at 13.7 ppg. Hamilton rounds out the top scoring threats on the UConn roster with 12.1 ppg. Duke has its own dominant 7-footer on the roster, and although the team didnt perform at peak form collectively against Elon, freshman Jahlil Okafor destroyed the Phoenix to the tune of a career-high 25 points and a freshman- record 20 rebounds. Duke shot an impressive .518 from the floor in the game, but allowed Elon to hang around with a strong second half. Three other Blue Devils joined Okafor in double-digit scoring. Amile Jefferson was 6-of-17 from the floor and finished with 13 points. Justise Winslow added 12 points to the cause, while Rasheed Sulaimon finished with 11 off the bench. Duke has excelled on both ends of the floor this season and hasnt shown many weaknesses at all. The team ranks first in the nation in scoring margin at +28.6, netting 87.6 ppg, while allowing just 60.7. The scoring deluge comes courtesy of the nations second-ranked field-goal percentage (.539). Okafor has certainly lived up to his billing as the nations top recruit, shooting an efficient .655 from the floor and putting up team-highs of 18.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. Senior guard Quinn Cook provides perimeter support at 14.3 ppg, while Winslow (12.0 ppg) and Tyus Jones (9.8 ppg, 5.6 apg), two other touted freshmen, give the team even more depth. ' ' '