two interesting contenders in Kruzhlinin (Philip Hobbs), a comfortable winner at Kempton Park last month, and

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos?underwent surgery on the lateral meniscus tear in his right knee and is expected to miss approximately four months, the team announced on Thursday.The Lightning said Wednesday that Stamkos was out indefinitely, but coach Jon Cooper said the center would be back in time for the playoffs in April.?If we put ourselves in a position to make the playoffs, hes going to be back, Cooper said Thursday. And thatll be better than any trade deadline acquisition that anybody else is going to get.Youve got to take your head out of the sand, dig your heels in and march on. And unfortunately, this has happened to us before and the guys have found a way.TSN was first to report that Stamkos needed surgery.He left the ice in the first period against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, favoring his right leg after getting tangled up with Detroits Gustav Nyquist along the boards.According to the Tampa Bay Times, Stamkos clutched the back of his right knee after the collision and stumbled as he made his way toward the Lightning locker room. He did not return and there was little in the way of updates from Cooper after the Lightnings 4-3 victory.Stamkos was off to a tremendous start to the season. His first-period goal Tuesday gave him nine goals on the season, and his 20 points are tied for third among all NHL players.Stamkos missed all but one of Tampa Bays postseason games last spring with a blood clot issue. But after signing an eight-year contract extension that pays him $8.5 million annually to remain with the Lightning, Stamkos returned in full health and played for Canada at the World Cup of Hockey.Stamkos has collected points in seven of the past nine Lightning games, and Tampa Bay is tied for second in the Atlantic Division with Ottawa with a 10-6-1 record.You live in this reality now, and weve just got to have to face it,?defenseman Victor Hedman?said Thursday. Itll be a good test for us. But at the same?time, we know we can handle it, and we know we can win hockey games even though were going to miss him.Information from ESPNs Scott Burnside was used in this report. Cheap Raptors Jerseys Authentic . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season. Cheap Raptors Jerseys .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward James Neal on injured reserve Tuesday. http://www.cheapraptorsjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-malcolm-miller-jersey . 10 VCU 85-67 on Thursday night at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The Seminoles (4-0) have scored at least 80 points in each of their games. Cheap Toronto Raptors Jerseys . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay. Jakob Poeltl Jersey . Only three players drafted by NHL clubs were included on the Czech selection camp roster on Wednesday. Those players were Dallas Stars 2012 first-rounder Radek Faksa, Winnipeg Jets 2013 fourth-rounder Jan Kostalek and Phoenix Coyotes 2012 seventh-rounder Marek Langhamer.126 entries have been unveiled for the Crabbies Grand National at Aintree, the second highest number in the last 10 years. The last two winners, Many Clouds and Pineau De Re, feature in the list, as well as four others from the first six home in 2015, namely runner-up Saint Are, fourth Alvarado, fifth Shutthefrontdoor and sixth Royale Knight.There are seven entries from Irelands champion trainer Willie Mullins including the multiple Grade One winner and 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup second Sir Des Champs, as well as Don Poli, whose three Grade One victories include the 2015 RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and this seasons Lexus Chase at Leopardstown. Their owner, Michael OLearys Gigginstown House Stud, is responsible for 10 entries, more than any other owner.A total of 38 entries are trained in Ireland. Ted Walsh has entered Seabass, who achieved the best finishing position for a female rider when third in 2012 under his amateur jockey daughter and Crabbies Grand National Ambassador Katie Walsh.The Co Kildare handler has also put in Foxrock, a staying-on third behind Don Poli last time out.Gordon Elliott was responsible for the last Irish-trained winner of the Crabbies Grand National with Silver Birch in 2007 and his half-dozen entries include Ucello Conti, who has run well when placed in valuable handicap chases on his last two starts, and Causes Of Causes, successful in the four-mile National Hunt Chase at last seasons Cheltenham Festival before finishing eighth in the Crabbies Grand National.Other interesting Irish-trained contenders include the Grade One winner Gilgamboa (Enda Bolger), last seasons Scottish Grand National second Goonyella (Jim Dreaper) and Thunder And Roses (Sandra Hughes), winner of the 2015 Irish Grand National.Double Seven was sent off favourite for the National in 2014 and eventually finished third, but he subsequently missed the entire 2014-15 season.Martin Brassils charge returned to action at Punchestown on New Years Eve and has since run again over hurdles at that track last month.Double Seven is grand, said Brassil, who won the race in 2006 with Numbersixvalverde.Hes had the two runs over hurdles, but it is hard to know what to make of them because he is not a soft-ground horse.We are taking it one step at a time at the moment and we wont really know where we are until he runs in a race when the conditions are right for him. He wants nice ground.Im not sure what we are going to do between now and Aintree. He could have a ruun over fences, but we will see how he is.ddddddddddddPaul Nicholls, successful in 2012 with Neptune Collonges, is the trainer with most entries, with nine in total. These are headed by Silviniaco Conti , whose six Grade One wins include two King George VI Chases, two Betfair Chases and two renewals of the Betfred Bowl over the Mildmay fences at Aintree (2014 and 2015).Another leading contender from the champion Jumps trainer is Just A Par, successful in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown Park last season.A number of entries have already scored over the Grand National fences, including Highland Lodge (Jimmy Moffatt) who took the Betfred Becher Chase in December, and Triolo DAlene (Nicky Henderson), who was the impressive winner of the 2013 Crabbies Topham Chase.Other leading entries include Soll (David Pip), successful in a valuable veterans handicap chase at Sandown last month and The Druids Nephew (Neil Mulholland), who was leading the field when falling at Valentines on the second circuit in 2015.Two Cheltenham Gold Cup winners have been entered - 2011 victor Long Run (Robert Waley-Cohen) and 2014 scorer Lord Windermere (Jim Culloty).Owners Paul and Clare Rooney have two interesting contenders in Kruzhlinin (Philip Hobbs), a comfortable winner at Kempton Park last month, and The Last Samuri (Kim Bailey), who landed a valuable handicap chase in impressive fashion at the same course in December. Andrew Tulloch, Jockey Club Racecourses Regional Head of Racing for the North West and Clerk of the Course at Aintree, said: We could not have wished for a better set of entries for the 2016 Crabbies Grand National, with a big increase on last year in terms of numbers and a significant presence of high-class horses.Many Clouds defied 11st 9lb, 1lb off top-weight, when successful in 2015 and it will be interesting to see how the handicap is framed by Phil Smith with Silviniaco Conti, Don Poli and Sir Des Champs all entered.Everything is in place for what should be a spectacular 169th running of the Crabbies Grand National. Sky Tickets Fast, secure racing tickets: Exclusive racing offers near you Also See: Live results service Full racecards Bet ￡5 Get ￡20 Free Get Sky Sports ' ' '