Dein erstes Forum » back after a 22-game absence due to injury

NEW YORK -- This nicely sums up Tommy Rees Notre Dame career. The senior threw for 319 yards and no interceptions in his final college game, leading No. 25 Notre Dame to a 29-16 victory against Rutgers that was far from pretty but ultimately successful -- and an offensive lineman won the MVP award. "I was giving Tommy a hard time," said senior tackle Zack Martin, who took home the award. "I think he got snubbed a little bit." Rees finished four years of football for the Fighting Irish packed with both memorable and forgettable moments with a solid performance, going 27 for 47. He has been "The Closer," rallying Notre Dame to victories with late drives, and "Turnover Tommy," making crushing mistakes at the most inopportune times during his time in South Bend, Ind. For his finale, against one of the worst pass defences in the nation, Rees was mistake free and productive. He missed some throws that could have broken open the game, but, typically, he persevered. "Im a Tommy Rees fan for life," coach Brian Kelly said. Kyle Brindza kicked five field goals for the Fighting Irish (9-4), who completed their follow-up season to last years run to the national championship game a long way from the BCS -- facing a two-touchdown underdog that was trying to avoid a losing record. Notre Dames play was less than inspired -- Kelly said about a dozen players were fighting a flu bug -- but the win prevented the Irish from finishing with eight victories for the third time in his four seasons. "A good season that could have been a great season," Kelly said. Notre Dames TJ Jones scored on an 8-yard run in the first quarter and Rutgers star Brandon Coleman answered with a 14-yard touchdown catch soon after. Tarean Folstons 3-yard touchdown run with 3:38 in the fourth made it 26-16 and finally gave the Irish a comfortable lead. On the slick turf at Yankee Stadium, the Pinstripe Bowl turned into a field-goal kicking contest. Brindza was 5 for 6. Kyle Federico made 3 of 3 for the Scarlet Knights (6-7). The Irish dominated in yards (494-237) and time of possession (38:49) but bogged down in the red zone repeatedly. "I loved the way we were able to stay calm and stay within our offence and continue to kind of monotonously move the ball down the field," Rees said. Twice Notre Dame put together double-digit play drives that ended in short field goals for Brindza. A 15-play, 90-yard march that started in the third quarter and ended in the fourth with Brindzas 25-yarder made it 19-13 Notre Dame with 12:46 left. "I love the fourth quarter," Brindza said. "Thats pretty much what a kickers job is supposed to be." Brindzas third field goal, a 26-yarder with 6:03 left in the third quarter, gave Notre Dame a 16-13 lead -- after the Irish caught a break. Brindza had missed from 36 yards but Rutgers was flagged for running into the kicker to give him a second, easier, try. "We thought we played good red zone defence and we could make them kick a few field goals and attempt some field goals, maybe we could block one and then win the game in the fourth quarter," Rutgers coach Kyle Flood said. "We were kind of poised to do that." Senior quarterback Chas Dodd, whose career has been similar to Rees in terms of ups and downs, finished with 156 yards passing for Rutgers. "What we saw with their defence was just what we knew we would see," Dodd said. "We had a game plan ready to attack it. We just werent able to because of our execution." Notre Dame improved to 17-6-3 at Yankee Stadium, though this ballpark in the Bronx is only a few years old and across the street from where the original House that Ruth built sat for decades. "Its great to be in New York," Kelly told what was left of bowl record crowd of 47,122 during the postgame trophy ceremony on the field after the Irish had sung the alma mater with the band in right-centre field, near the Yankees bullpen. The Fighting Irish played the first football game in the new stadium back in 2010. Rees, a freshman then, helped the Irish beat Army and got to use Derek Jeters locker. Called upon to lead the Irish this year after Everett Golson was suspended from school for academic cheating, Rees became the third Notre Dame player to surpass 3,000 yards through the air in a season. Rees will next play in the East-West Shrine Game, trying to impress pro scouts. "Hes going to keep chasing that football dream," Kelly said. "But I told him hes got a bright future as a graduate assistant for Brian Kelly anytime." Miguel Sano Jersey . According to TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie, the deal will pay Schenn $2.25 million in the first year and $2.75 million in the second year. In 82 games with the Flyers in 2013-14, Schenn scored 20 goals and added 21 assists. Paul Molitor Jersey . 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Rod Carew Jersey .com) - Ryan Miller made 28 saves to record his fifth shutout of the season and second in as many nights as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0 on Friday.GLENDALE, Ariz. - It was clear to Mike Ribeiro in his return to Arizona what separates the slumping Coyotes from his new team, the Nashville Predators.Goaltending has to be your best player, night in and night out, Ribeiro said. And we have a chance to have one that can help us every night.Pekka Rinne stopped 31 shots for his NHL-best 19th win, and Ribeiro had an assist as the Predators used five goal scorers to beat slumping Arizona 5-1 Thursday night in the Coyotes eighth straight home loss.James Neal had a goal and an assist, and Mike Fisher, Ryan Ellis, Calle Jarnkrok and Olli Jokinen also scored in the Predators second consecutive win.Mike Smith allowed five goals on 38 shots as Arizona extended its longest home skid since the team moved from Winnipeg in 1996.Antoine Vermettes goal early in the first period was the only blemish for Rinne, who improved to 19-5-1.Smith, meanwhile, dropped to 5-14-2 as the Coyotes nightmare season showed no sign of turning around. Arizona has been outscored 19-5 in its four-game skid. The Coyotes have dropped nine of 11 overall.Frustrated, disappointed, Arizona coach Dave Tippett said when asked about his teams mindset. I think theres a lot of guys in there that care. They want to do better and were not finding the results we want.So the frustration continues to build. But until we turn that frustration into mental resolve and get the job done, more frustration will pile up.Fans directed their frustration at Ribeiro — even if he claimed there werent enough of them to hear it.Ribeiros team-best 17th assist came when Ellis redirected Neals shot into an open net with 1:30 left in the first period to make it 3-1.Once again, not a lot of fans in the building, Ribeiro said. They didnt have a chance to boo me. Or they might have, but I didnt hear them.Ribeiro was booed every time he touched the puck early. The Coyotes bouught out the final three years of his contract last summer, with general manager Don Maloney citing behavioural issues along with Ribeiros dismal 47-point season as the reason.ddddddddddddRibeiro is more than halfway to that total with 25 points for Nashville.They said it was a mistake to get me, Ribeiro said. I think the mistake was to let me go.The Coyotes had several scoring chances thwarted by Rinne in the second period. After a sloppy start to the third, Nashville coach Peter Laviolette called his timeout.His team quickly responded.Jarnkrok knocked in a rebound at 2:43, then Jokinen scored his second goal of the season when the puck went off his skate and through Smith less than 3 minutes later to make it 5-1.The Coyotes got wing David Moss back after a 22-game absence due to injury, and he started on a line with Martin Erat and Martin Hanzal. And with Shea Weber serving a holding penalty, Arizona got an early goal. Vermettes one-timer from the slot on a feed from Mikkel Boedker made it 1-0 at 4:11.It was the first power-play goal allowed by Nashville in five games. But the Arizona lead didnt last long.With Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the box for holding and Michael Stone without his broken stick, Fisher got his first of the season on a redirect at 6:57.The Predators controlled the game from there.Its not easy for them right now, Ribeiro said of the Coyotes. I wish (Tippett) the best. I hope he stays behind the bench.Its hard to have an organization if its not steady on top — completely on top from ownership to GM.NOTES: Nashvilles David Poile earned his 1,170th win as a GM, tying former Boston boss Harry Sinden for second in NHL history. ... Predators C Derek Roy (upper body) returned after a five-game absence. ... Predators C Paul Gaustad (upper body) didnt dress. ... The crowd of 10,194 was the smallest of the season for Arizona. ' ' '