Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to the Eastern Conference Final in the Ca

MADRID -- Barcelona players are unusually downbeat ahead of one of their most important games of the season.The Catalan club will enter the first clasico of the season against Real Madrid filled with doubts after a couple of disappointing performances in the Spanish league.Barcelona was outplayed throughout the 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad on Sunday for its second consecutive setback in the league. It had also been held to a 0-0 home draw against Malaga in the previous round.The results left the two-time champions six points behind Madrid ahead of Saturdays much-anticipated game at Camp Nou.It was a day when very few things worked, Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said after the draw against Sociedad. The team didnt play in the first half. We improved in the second, but it will be very difficult to win La Liga playing like this.Sundays performance left Enrique welcoming the draw, while admitting that Barcelona was dominated by its opponent, something that doesnt happen very often to the European powerhouse.We played our worst match of the season. The opponents were far superior, he said. Football is so special that we almost won with a chance ... but it wouldnt have been fair.Barcelona escaped an even worse result because a second-half goal by Sociedad was incorrectly disallowed for offside. The hosts also were denied by the woodwork twice near the end of the game.When an opponent plays better we have to admit it, Barcelona defender Jordi Alba said.Enrique said things must change for the clasico, when a loss would leave Barcelona nine points behind Madrid and in a difficult position to try to win the title for a third straight time. Even a draw would not be a good result considering the rivals advantage.We are still in the 13th round, you cant discount the two-time defending champions. There is still a long way to go, Enrique said. We will play against the leader and the direct matchups could be decisive. We will be at home and things will be different.Barcelona lost to Madrid the last time the teams played at Camp Nou, a result that brought Madrid back into the title hunt with only a few rounds left last season. The loss also put an end to Barcelonas 39-game unbeaten streak.Now its Madrid coming in with the league lead and an unbeaten run. Zinedine Zidanes team hasnt lost in 31 matches, dating back to a 2-0 setback at Wolfsburg in the Champions league last season.The game against Madrid is one everybody wants to win, Alba said. If we win it, we are right back in the fight for La Liga.Before the clasico, Barcelona makes its Copa del Rey debut by playing at Hercules in the first leg of the competitions round of 32 on Wednesday. Luis Enrique is expected to rest nearly all of his top players.Madrid plays the second leg against Cultural Leonesa on the same day and is also expected to play with second-stringers. It won the first game 7-1.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni Discount Rams Jerseys . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. Joseph Noteboom Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. http://www.cheapramsjerseyschina.com/travin-howard-jersey/ . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. John Franklin-Myers Jersey . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. Jamil Demby Jersey .J. -- Josh Cribbs was in the Pro Bowl in February and out of a job six months later.The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired left wing Harry Zolnierczyk from the Anaheim Ducks on Monday in exchange for defenceman Alex Grant. Zolnierczyk was acquired by the Ducks from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for left wing Jay Rosehill in April. The 25-year-old appeared in nine games with Norfolk (AHL) following his acquisition, scoring two goals. Zolnierczyk began the season with Adirondack (AHL), earning 17 points and 54 penalty minutes in 52 games. He also played seven games for the Philadelphia Flyers this season, collecting one assist and 36 penalty minutes.dddddddddddd Grant appeared in 46 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) this se