Umzug » speed, Bourjos stole 41 bases in 54 a

SOCHI, Russia -- Finland eliminated Russia from the Olympic mens hockey tournament with a 3-1 victory Wednesday, putting a stunning end to the Russians enormous expectations at home. Teemu Selanne scored an early goal and Tuukka Rask made 37 saves as Finland crushed the Russians dreams of winning hockey gold in front of their own fans. Russian teams have won eight gold medals in hockey, but none in the last 22 years. Selanne and Mikael Granlund each had a goal and an assist for the steady Finns, who overcame an early deficit and silenced the Bolshoy Ice Dome with two goals in the first period. Despite its roster of high-priced offensive stars, Russia couldnt score in the final 52 minutes after Ilya Kovalchuks early power-play goal. Finland will face top-seeded Sweden in the semifinals on Friday. Russia has failed to win a medal in three straight Olympics since 2002, and even home-ice advantage couldnt end the embarrassing drought. A quarter-final exit is excruciating for the proud Russian team, which pressed relentlessly and fruitlessly in the third period after falling behind by two goals. After the final buzzer, several Russian players stood on the ice with their hands on their knees. Evgeni Malkin, who failed to score a goal in the last four games, dropped to one knee before captain Pavel Datsyuk led the traditional post-game handshake line. The Russians then gathered at centre ice amid more jeers and whistles than cheers, mournfully raising their sticks to salute the fans before skating off the ice at an arena built to herald Russias return to hockey dominance. Alex Ovechkin, the reigning NHL MVP and one of the Sochi Games most public faces, failed to score another goal for Russia after scoring on his first shot just 1:17 into Russias opener against Slovenia. Malkin, the Russians other former NHL MVP, also didnt score a goal after the first four minutes of the opener. Ovechkin, Malkin and Datsyuk all hailed Russias home Olympics as the most important tournament of their careers, but theyll likely have only bitter memories. Russia didnt play horribly in Sochi, winning three of its five games, but lost a painful eight-round shootout to the U.S. team before falling behind early and failing to catch up against steady Finland. Semyon Varlamov allowed all three goals on 15 shots against the Finns before getting pulled for Sergei Bobrovsky during the second period. Juhamatti Aaltonen scored the first goal for Finland, the most consistently successful Olympic team in the last two decades, winning medals in four of the past five games. Russian fans realized the importance and peril of this game, filling the Olympic park early in the afternoon with cheers, chants and Russian flags. The Bolshoy crowd began chanting "Ro-ssi-ya!" even before pre-game warm-ups, waving hundreds of flags and banners emblazoned with hometowns and slogans. The tone was uncommonly intense from the opening faceoff. After Granlund took an early holding penalty in the offensive zone, captain Pavel Datsyuk fed Kovalchuk for a hard shot over Rasks shoulder. Kovalchuk popped the water bottle off the top of Finlands net and celebrated with a two-footed leap into the air amid ecstatic cheers. But moments later, Aaltonen made a beautiful move along the goal line, putting a shot under Varlamovs glove arm for the KHL forwards first goal in Sochi. Bolshoy got quiet, and it became positively funeral-like late in the period when Granlund moved up the boards, broke past two defencemen and fed Selanne for the Finn captains 22nd goal in a record-tying six trips to the Olympics. The 43-year-old Selanne extended his own record for the oldest player to score in an Olympics. Finland scored again on the power play early in the second, with Granlund collecting Selannes rebound and sliding in a backhand from a sharp angle. Granlund, who turns 22 in a week, hadnt been born when Selanne played in his first Olympics in 1992. Russia put together an impressive offensive stretch after Bobrovsky came on, with Rask forced to make a big save on Alexander Semins breakaway. The Russians continued to press in the third period, outshooting Finland 14-5, but Rask made big saves when his teammates didnt block Russias shots. Dozens of fans lingered in their seats long after the team left the ice, disconsolately folding their flags and staring at the ice. A few Finnish fans near centre ice even went up to a group of Russian fans for a hug. Air Jordan 11 Wholesale .Y. - His opponent couldnt stop him, and LeBron James didnt quite know what to think when his coach tried. Air Jordan 11 Retro Cheap . 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In a conference call with media, Freese said he got a welcoming text from Pujols and responded with a reference to the 2011 World Series: "Remember what we did the last time we played together? Lets go try to do that again." Freese didnt think his drop-off in production last season had anything to do with the pressure of being the "hometown kid." "Obviously, Im a little sad closing this chapter, but Im extremely pumped about joining the Angels," Freese said. "If it was going to go down, I wanted it to happen on a team like the Angels." St. Louis obtained a new starting centre fielder in Peter Bourjos, plus outfield prospect Randal Grichuk. The Cardinals also sent reliever Fernando Salas to the Angels. "Overall, we just felt this was a very compelling deal to make," Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said. Freeses departure did not come as a surprise. "I definitely would look myself in the mirror and say, Where am I going to be in March?" Freese said. "I was ready to go anywhere. Im excited to get this going." The 30-year-old was the MVP of the 2011 NL championship series and the World Series, setting a major league record with 21 post-season RBIs and hitting a game-ending, 11th-inning home run in Game 6. Freese injured his back chasing a foul ball into the stands during spring training this year and never hit stride. He hit only .179 in this years post-season, going 3-for-19 (.158) with no RBIs in the six-game loss to Boston in the World Series. "David, growing up in St. Louis, this could not have been the easiest place to play," Mozeliak said. "I do think he may be looking forward to a fresh start. This was not an easy year for him." Freese batted .262 with nine homers and 60 RBIs, a letdown from career bests of 20 homers, 79 RBIs and a .293 average the previous year. Freese made $3.15 million and is eligible for salary arbitration. "He knows how to drive in the important runs," Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto said. "Thats something that really fits in our lineup." The Angels were a match because they need a third baseman and Freese didnt figure as the long-term solution at third for St. Louis. The Cardinals will move second baseman Matt Carpenter to third, opening a position for former top draft pick Kolten Wong. Wong batted just .153 in 32 games last fall and was picked off first base to end Game 4 of the World Series against the Red Sox. Mozeliak said that was just a "snapshot" of Wong, who batted .303 with 20 steals in 21 chances at Triple-A Memphis. "It gives Wong a clear shot," Mozeliak said. "I think hes going to hit." Pujols also played on the 20111 title team before signing a $240 million, 10-year deal with the Angels.ddddddddddddBourjos said Pujols called him just before the start of a teleconference with St. Louis media and Bourjos planned to call back later, adding, "Im going to pick his brain a little bit more, but I cant wait." The trade adds about $4 million to the payroll of the Angels, who have yet to add starting pitching. Jason Vargas left this week for a $32 million, four-year contract with Kansas City. The Angels havent had an accomplished third baseman since Chone Figgins left after the 2009 -- their last post-season appearance. Their outfield next season is likely to be Josh Hamiliton in left, Trout in centre and Kole Calhoun in right. Coming off their second World Series appearance in three years, the Cardinals have shed more than $45 million in payroll with Chris Carpenter, Carlos Beltran, Jake Westbrook, Rafael Furcal and Edward Mujica also off the books. The 28-year-old Salas had 24 saves in 2011, but did not have a major role in the bullpen the last two years and spent part of 2013 in the minors. He was 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 27 games last year. The 26-year-old Bourjos, who bumps Jon Jay to the bench, was supposed to be the Angels everyday centre fielder last year after Los Angeles allowed Torii Hunter to leave and traded Kendrys Morales. Trout was moved to left to accommodate Bourjos, who is a better fielder. "We did juggle some things around to make sure he got an opportunity, and it didnt play out the way we hoped or the way he hoped," Dipoto said. Bourjos missed May with a hamstring strain, then broke his right wrist when he was hit by a pitch in Houston on June 29. He played just 55 games, said he was "getting real close" to full strength. A career .251 hitter with speed, Bourjos stole 41 bases in 54 attempts and was among AL leaders with 11 triples, 17 bunt hits and 38 infield hits in 2011. Allen Craig will move to right field next year, making room for slugger Matt Adams at first base, with Matt Holliday in left field. Top prospect Oscar Taveras is expected to make the team but without the pressure of starting in centre field. The 22-year-old Grichuk was the 24th overall selection in the 2009 amateur draft, one ahead of Mike Trout, and starred at Double-A Arkansas last season. Dipoto said Grichuk likely would have begun next season at the Triple-A level. "Theres still some growing he needs to do at the plate, but Randal has the upside to play at the major league level," Dipoto said. "I hope he ends up a major league player." Grichuk had 57 extra-base hits, including a team-leading 22 homers that ranked sixth in the Texas League. He batted leadoff the majority of the time and made two errors in the outfield, playing centre and right field. Grichuk has a .284 average with 61 homers and 259 RBIs in 433 minor league games. ' ' '