Grabner and Jimmy Vesey make New York much stro

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- If the NFL playoffs began this week, the Baltimore Ravens wouldnt be part of the fun.Fortunately for the Ravens, theyve still got three weeks to make up the difference. Even better, they dont have to depend on anyone else to reach the postseason.Though Monday nights 30-23 loss to the New England Patriots dropped Baltimore (7-6) out of a tie for the lead in the AFC North, the ramifications of the defeat were not catastrophic for their playoff hopes.If the Ravens win their final three games, they will open the playoffs at home as division champions. And maybe, soon after that, theyll have a chance to avenge that loss to the Patriots.Weve got to move on, safety Lardarius Webb said Wednesday. If we handle our business and win three games in a row -- one at a time -- we can still reach our goals. Hopefully we see those guys again in the playoffs.The pivotal stretch begins Sunday with the regular season home finale against the fading Philadelphia Eagles (5-8), who have lost four straight and six of seven.The opportunity to control you own fate with victory is really what you hope for at this time of the season, coach John Harbaugh said. Two teams in our division have that -- us and the Steelers -- and well both be fighting for that division championship. All that depends on the task at hand, which is the next game. We have to beat the Philadelphia Eagles to make it count.After facing the Eagles, Baltimore travels to Pittsburgh (8-5) for a Christmas Day matchup and finishes at Cincinnati (5-7-1).The Ravens 21-14 win over the Steelers on Nov. 6 was pivotal in setting up Baltimore for a push to the postseason. If Baltimore wins at Pittsburgh next week and the teams end up with identical records, the Ravens will capture the division title by virtue of the two-game sweep.Looking ahead to the Pittsburgh game would be a huge mistake.Its clean cut, man, linebacker Elvis Dumervil said. If we lose to the Eagles, what chance do we really have?So, the Ravens intend to bring all the enthusiasm they can muster into Sundays game.Weve got to play hard, we have to play dangerous, we have to play reckless, receiver Steve Smith said.The Ravens will have a new face on the field Sunday: Michael Campanaro was signed from the practice squad to return kicks. He replaces Devin Hester, who was cut on Tuesday.That was a little bit of a tough move, just because we have so much respect for Devin, Harbaugh said. I told him, I feel like we didnt do enough to make the return game productive enough. Nothing against Devin.Harbaugh was unwilling to give an update on cornerback Jimmy Smith, whose status for Sunday is uncertain. Smith left the New England with an ankle sprain and did not participate in Wednesdays practice.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFLAir Max 97 Schweiz . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. Nike Air Max 97 Billig . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. http://www.airmax97saleschweiz.ch/ . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. Air Max 97 Sale Schweiz . The Dutchmans tenure got off to a poor start when referee Guido Winkmann awarded a penalty within two minutes for Niklas Starks clumsy challenge on Alexandru Maxim. Air Max 97 Kaufen Schweiz . Meanwhile, there were huge victories for Sunderland and West Ham over fellow relegation rivals, leaving the battle to avoid the drop up for grabs with the bottom 11 teams separated by just six points. Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored second-half goals to seal a fourth straight victory for Chelsea, which climbed above Arsenal and Manchester City in the standings ahead of their games on Monday and Sunday respectively.While the NHL holds its annual monthlong Hockey Fights Cancer campaign, the Ottawa Senators are a reminder the fight doesnt stop.The Senators have been particularly hard hit by the disease. Assistant coach Mark Reeds died last year at 55, former general manager Bryan Murray is fighting terminal colon cancer and public address announcer Stuntman Stu Schwartz has battled leukemia. Recently, goaltender Craig Andersons wife, Nicholle, was diagnosed with cancer.Its been a rough few years for us, and a lot of things have happened to a lot of people that we are very close to, captain Erik Karlsson said. Its one of those things that weve been unfortunate to have to deal with. But I think that the organization -- the management, the coaches and all the players -- has handled it as good as possible.While theres no good way to deal with this, Murray made it a point with his announcement two years ago that even though cancer would end his life, he was determined to save others. Murray, now 73, crusaded for men to get colonoscopies and relayed phone calls he got from several former players who listened to that plea.Anderson has remained more private about his wifes battle. On the ice, he has been Ottawas best player since returning from a leave of absence to be with Nicholle, going 4-2-1 with a 1.54 goals-against average and .955 save percentage.There was an initial shock. It was emotional for everybody, coach Guy Boucher said. But to be honest with you, right now its every day a normal day. He wants to be all about hockey when he comes to the rink, and thats how we leave it.The Senators have, for the most part, done a good job of limiting shots on Anderson, a recipe to help him play like the elite starter they believe he is. Defense, not scoring, has to be the hallmark of Ottawas game.We want to make his game a normal game, not a game where he has to every game live with 35 shots and above, Boucher said. That really wears out a goaltender, and we certainly dont want to have that.Off the ice, teammates are rallying around the Andersons by going about their daily jobs.Hes here, his wife wants him to be here, forward Mark Stone said. Were taking it normal, and were just trying to play and win hockeey games.ddddddddddddOLYMPICS DECISION LOOMINGOfficials from the NHL, NHL Players Association, International Ice Hockey Federation and International Olympic Committee are meeting Wednesday in New York to discuss participation in the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The primary issue is paying for NHL players travel, accommodations and insurance, which has been the IOCs responsibility for the past five Olympics but something it has said it wont do this time.For us I think thats the big problem, American-born center Ryan Kesler of the Anaheim Ducks said in September. We got guys going over there and the NHLs stalling the season to go over and play in the Olympics. We dont see any revenue from that or anything, so I think the least that they can do is pay for our insurance.IIHF president Rene Fasel volunteered to pay those costs, but NHL commissioner Gary Bettman argued it would take away from grassroots programs around the world. Bettman would like a decision by January.STREAKINGA 2-1 overtime victory over the Capitals on Tuesday night was the Blue Jackets sixth in eight games. Columbus has scored 33 goals in eight games, so add some more powder to the cannon.SLUMPINGThe Capitals have lost three of four, and six-time Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin has no points in four games, a rarity given his consistent production. He played a season-low 14:12 in Washingtons OT loss at Columbus.LEADERSGoals, Patrik Laine (Winnipeg), 12; Points, Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg) and Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay) 21; Time on ice, Dustin Byfuglien (Winnipeg), 28.30; Save percentage, Carey Price (Montreal), 0.948; Goals-against average, Tuukka Rask (Boston), 1.54.GAME OF THE WEEKThe red-hot New York Rangers visit the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night. Additions Mika Zibanejad, Michael Grabner and Jimmy Vesey make New York much stronger than it was during a first-round loss to Pittsburgh last spring.---AP Hockey Writer John Wawrow contributed to this report.---Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SWhyno ' ' '