Athen » down as the Belgian striker fought free. Lukaku sped in alone,

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A fast start, a few opportune bounces and rookie goalie Dustin Tokarskis shutout performance allowed the Montreal Canadiens to avoid needing any late-game dramatics on consecutive nights. A day after being called up from AHL Hamilton, Tokarski made 29 saves to earn his first career shutout in a 2-0 win over the injury-depleted Buffalo Sabres on Sunday night. "It felt pretty good. Im not going to lie," Tokarski said. "The main thing is the two points going down the stretch here for this hockey team, and just a little icing on the cake with the shutout, I guess." The shutout was certainly timely for a Canadiens team coming off an emotional high following a 5-4 overtime win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night. It was a game in which Montreal became the NHLs first team to win by overcoming a three-goal deficit with less than five minutes remaining. "Every time you play an emotional game, as a coach youre always afraid that the next game could be tougher," coach Michel Therrien said. "But we got a really good start, and this is something weve been doing lately." Brendan Gallagher and Dale Weise scored 1:26 apart in the first period, both coming off pucks that caromed into the net. Weise opened the scoring when a rebound banked in off his skate. Gallaghers goal came on a rebound that caromed in off the leg of Sabres defenceman Chad Ruhwedel. Montreal (37-25-7) vaulted into second place in the Atlantic Division by jumping ahead of Toronto and Tampa Bay. The league-worst Sabres (19-41-8) continue heading in reverse, having lost six straight in regulation -- their worst streak since losing seven in a row from Dec. 4-19, 2003. And theyve lost another goalie to injury after starter Jhonas Enroth did not return following a collision with Gallagher with 3:51 left in the second period. Referring to it as a lower-body injury, coach Ted Nolan said Enroth could be out indefinitely. "It doesnt look like its going to be short-term," Nolan said. "It seems like we have bad luck, or we have no luck at all." Gallagher was driving to the net from the left circle and got a shot off when he was struck from behind by Buffalo defenceman Jamie McBain and tumbled directly into Enroth. The goalie lay on the ice for a few minutes before he got up and attempted to stretch his right leg while being examined by a trainer. Enroth then skated to the bench and was escorted into the locker room. Rookie Nathan Lieuwen was forced into action, and stopped all 10 shots he faced in his NHL debut. Lieuwen was called up from AHL Rochester earlier in the day after backup Michal Neuvirth complained of a lower body injury before Buffalos 4-1 loss at the New York Islanders on Saturday. That leaves the Sabres in a position of calling up Matt Hackett from Rochester before embarking on a five-game road trip that opens at Calgary on Tuesday. Lieuwen was playing on his third consecutive day after stopping 31 shots in a 2-1 overtime loss to Binghamton on Friday, and another 38 in a 2-1 loss to Binghamton on Saturday. "It was all adrenaline," Lieuwen said. "How I played the two nights before really did help. As soon as the faceoff started, it was like I was in a game again, and I could focus in." His best save came with 10:25 left, when he lunged from his crease and got his blocker up to turn aside former Sabres player Thomas Vaneks one-timer from the slot. Tokarski started in place of Carey Price, who didnt travel with the team. Therrien was wary of playing Price on consecutive nights after the goalie aggravated a lower-body injury during Canadas gold-medal run at the Sochi Games. Tokarski was sharp in the opening frame, when he turned aside Drew Staffords backhander in front. He was also fortunate with 12:47 left in the third period, when Stafford had a shot go off the right post. The Sabres continue to struggle generating offence. Theyve managed a league-worst 132 this season, and have scored just five in their past six games. NOTES: Vanek played his first game at Buffalo since the Sabres traded him to the New York Islanders in October. The Canadiens acquired Vanek in a deal with the Isles two weeks ago. Vanek drew a standing ovation during a first-period break, after the Sabres broadcast a series of highlights on their videoboard. ... Buffalo will close the season playing 10 of its final 14 games on the road. ... Nolan expects C Torrey Mitchell to be ready to return Tuesday, after missing his sixth game with a lower body injury. Cheap Basketball Shoes China . Green-Ellis was Cincinnatis leading rusher each of the last two seasons. His role was reduced last year when Giovani Bernard was added to the backfield. Green-Ellis ran for 756 yards and a career-low 3. Basketball Shoes 2020 . After a 10-game skid, winning sure feels good. Atlantas third error in the last two innings allowed Jackie Bradley Jr. https://www.cheapbasketballshoesstore.com/ . Minutes before the final whistle of Sporting Kansas Citys 3-0 victory over a shorthanded Montreal Impact squad on Saturday afternoon, Saputo tweeted: "Our fans deserve better. Discount Basketball Shoes .com) - Matt Duchene picked up the deciding goal early in the third period and added an assist, as Colorado escaped with a 4-3 victory over Dallas at Pepsi Center. Cheap Basketball Shoes Free Shipping . But Paul Osbaldiston, Hamiltons assistant special teams and kicking coach, said the team still relished the championship game workout.SALVADOR, Brazil -- They captured the hearts of America -- from coast to coast, big towns and small, all the way to the White House. Capturing the World Cup will have to wait. Just like four years ago, the United States is going home after the round of 16, beaten when Belgium scored twice in extra time Tuesday and then held on for a 2-1 win. "Thirty-one teams get their heart broken," goalkeeper Tim Howard said. "It has to end sometime. It ended a little bit early for us." Playing the finest game of his career, Howard stopped a dozen shots to keep the Americans even through regulation and force an additional 30 minutes. He wound up with 16 saves -- the most in the World Cup since FIFA started keeping track in 2002. Before exiting, the U.S. showed the spunk that won Americas attention. The Belgians built a two-goal lead when Kevin De Bruyne scored in the 93rd minute and Romelu Lukaku in the 105th. But then Julian Green, at 19 the third-youngest player in the tournament, stuck out his right foot to volley in Michael Bradleys pass over the defence in the 107th, two minutes after entering. "I was sure that we would make the second goal and we would go to the penalty shootout," Green said. The Americans nearly did. In the 114th, Clint Dempsey peeled away on a 30-yard free kick by Bradley, who passed ahead to Chris Wondolowski. He fed Dempsey, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois bolted off his line to block the 6-yard shot. At the final whistle, the U.S. players fell to the field in their all-white uniforms like so many crumpled tissues. "They made their country proud with this performance and also with their entire performance in this World Cup," said Jurgen Klinsmann, the former German World Cup champion who took over as coach three years ago. The Americans advanced from a difficult first-round group to reach the knockout rounds of consecutive World Cups for the first time. Four years ago, they were eliminated by Ghana 2-1 on a goal in the third minute of extra time. "Getting to the round of 16, if we dont do that, were very, very disappointed," U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati said. "We get here and its kind of the swing game. We get beyond here, then its generally viewed as very successful -- this year was a little different because of the group we had in the first round, so that already was a success." The crowd of 551,227 at Arena Fonte Nova appeared to be about one third pro-U.ddddddddddddS., with 10 per cent backing the Belgians and the rest neutral. Back home, millions watched in offices, homes and public gatherings that included a huge crowd at Chicagos Soldier Field. President Barack Obama joined about 200 staffers in an Executive Office Building auditorium to watch the second half. "I believe!" he exclaimed as he walked in at the front of the hall. "I believe!" Belgium outshot the U.S. 38-14. The 35-year-old Howard kept the ball out with slides, with dives and with leaps. But he never felt it was his special night. "If this continues, then were in trouble," he recalled thinking. With forward Jozy Altidore still not recovered from the strained hamstring that had sidelined him since the June 16 opener, Klinsmann inserted Wondolowski as a second striker in the 72nd minute. He appeared to have a chance to win it in stoppage time when Jermaine Jones flicked the ball to him at the top of the 6-yard box, but with Courtois coming out, Wondolowski put the ball over the crossbar. While the linesman put out his flag, it was unclear whether he was signalling goal kick or offside. In the third minute of extra time, Matt Besler tried to intercept a pass to Lukaku but fell down as the Belgian striker fought free. Lukaku sped in alone, crossed, and the ball rebounded off defender Omar Gonzalez. Kevin De Bruyne controlled it, took three touches as he spun and beat Howard just over his right foot. "I thought I could make a play on the ball. I took a shot and missed and lost my balance," Besler said. Twelve minutes later, with the U.S. pushing for an equalizer, Bradleys shot was blocked and De Bruyne burst ahead on a counter. He fed Lukaku, who sent the ball over the left shoulder of Howard, his Everton teammate, and seemingly put the game out of reach. But Green, among five German-Americans on the U.S. roster and a surprise pick, woke up the team and its fans with his first touch, setting off raucous chants of "U-S-A! U-S-A!" There would be no final comeback this time, though. Bradley said the Americans had told themselves that regardless of when their run ended, they wanted to abandon their defensive style of the past. "We wanted to go home going for it," he said. "And," he added with satisfaction, "we did." ' ' '