Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
PBT: Jeremy Lin wasn't his hot self on Saturday, but he still led the Knicks to victory.
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Golf's dream pairing - Woods and Mickelson - is on the course in the final round at Pebble Beach. Jason Sobel has hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
AP
Stanley Cups: 0
2008-'09 record: 53-18-11, 117 points (1st in Pacific, 1st in West)
2008-'09 playoffs: Lost to Anaheim Ducks 4-2
General manager: Doug Wilson (240-115-55, 6th NHL year, 1st team)
Coach: Todd McLellan (53-18-11, 2nd NHL year, 1st team)
Captain: Rob Blake
Top returning scorer: C Joe Thornton (25 goals, 61 assists, 86 points)
Top returning goalie: Evgeni Nabokov (41-12-8, 2.44, .910)
Key additions: LW Dany Heatley; C Dwight Helminen; RW Jed Ortmeyer; D Joe Callahan; C Scott Nichol; C Manny Malhotra.
Key subtractions: G Brian Boucher; RW Riley Armstrong; RW Claude Lemieux; LW Travis Moen; D Brad Lukowich; D Christian Ehrhoff; C Jeremy Roenick; LW Lukas Kasper; RW Mike Grier; C Marcel Goc; LW Milan Michalek; D Alexei Semenov; RW Jonathan Cheechoo.
Top line: LW Dany Heatley, C Joe Thornton, RW Ryane Clowe
Top defensive pairing: Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Rob Blake
Goaltending: Nabokov enjoyed another powerfully strong regular season, following by another patented postseason meltdown. Too many weak goals leak through him and he developed a nasty habit of allowing early goals, putting his team in a hole. Plays aggressively, is quick and agile and owns a rapier-like glovehand.
Player to watch: LW Jamie McGinn. Moved quickly up depth chart with departure of Michalek to Ottawa in the Heatley trade. Produced 4-2-6 totals in 35 games with Sharks last season after quick 19-goal outburst with Worcester (AHL) in pro debut. Gets to the scoring spots at the appropriate times and is equipped with the quick release of a sniper.
Icing: Just when it seemed the Sharks might be poised to make their long-expected deep run in the playoffs, they fizzled out again. Not even the club's first Presidents' Trophy mattered. The biggest move in the offseason shakeup came when Cheechoo and Michalek were dealt to Ottawa for Heatley. Thornton played in every game last season and posted a team-high 86 points (25 goals, 61 assists), but he managed only one goal and four assists in the playoff loss to Anaheim. The Sharks are 189-82-33 in the regular season since Thornton was traded to San Jose by Boston on Nov. 30, 2005. He has 92 goals and 292 assists in 304 games, but San Jose hasn't gotten past the second round. With Dan Boyle and Blake joining the team last season, the Sharks had the highest-scoring defense in team history.
Outlook: They stripped the captaincy from the underachieving Marleau, then dealt two-thirds of their No. 1 line to add the underachieving Heatley. Closed 12-10-2 last season, evidence that things were going south long before playoff loss to Ducks.
Prediction: 105 points (1st in Pacific, 1st seed in West)
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Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
 | Video: NHL from NBC Sports |
 Carlson scores late in 3rd John Carlson gets the Caps within one with his goal late in the 3rd period. |
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Chicago Blackhawks def. Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 |
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The Week in Sports Pictures The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more. more photos |
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Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
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Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
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