Allgemein » 9:19 mark, Matt Read got things going and delivered a sharp

TORONTO -- When Bob Nicholson woke up Friday morning, he turned to the business section of the newspaper and noticed a good omen hours before announcing his resignation as Hockey Canada president and CEO. "I saw that gold had just gone up, so I thought it was the right time to make this announcement," Nicholson joked. Nicholsons tenure will be remembered for 44 gold medals in mens, womens and sledge hockey at various levels in the past 15-plus years. He knows his legacy will revolve around the strength of Hockey Canada, but he really wants to be remembered for his impact on people. "I want it to be about kids, kids playing the game," Nicholson said. "If we have a lot of kids playing the game, were going to win gold medals." Nicholson, 60, has a chance to add a couple more before leaving June 1, but after that the job will fall to someone else. Jim Hornell, chairman of Hockey Canadas board of directors, said hell put together a "blue-ribbon selection committee comprised of many stakeholders in the game to identify and appoint a new president and CEO." Whether Nicholson has any input on that decision is up to Hornell, Nicholson said. In the meantime, hell take some time to relax. "Im going to go out to Penticton, Ive got a spot in Mexico, Im going to go sit up there in a hammock and read a book and just enjoy life for a bit," said Nicholson, who also plans to travel to Minsk, Belarus, in May for the mens world championship. Nicholson said he started to consider resigning just after the Sochi Olympics, when Canada won mens and womens gold yet again. "I have known Bob since I was 15 and he has done so much for my career and for hockey in Canada," said Hayley Wickenheiser, who helped lead the womens team to gold. "No one is more passionate about winning and developing hockey than Bob. He has been a big supporter of womens hockey and is a big reason behind our success." Hornell took time in his remarks at Fridays news conference to point out that Nicholson made major personal sacrifices for Hockey Canada, that the Penticton, B.C., native "has put hockey ahead of so many people and groups competing for his attention." The only time Nicholson got emotional during Fridays remarks was when he talked about sister Lois, wife Lorna and their kids, Mandi, Marijean and Grant. "Lorna, youve done an unbelievable job," he said, choking up. In saying goodbye to an organization he has been a part of since 1990, when it was the Canadian Hockey Association, Nicholson shared stories about his past and hopes for the future. One came from a long conversation with Wayne Gretzky. "We were having a laugh and he says, Bob, I remember when you started and wed go out for dinner and I wanted to order dessert and you said, Hey Wayne, we cant afford that. And Id sign a jersey and wed get dinner paid for," Nicholson recalled. "Weve come a long ways." Chief operating officer Scott Smith, who has been mentioned as a replacement for Nicholson, said the organization had 23 employees when Nicholson started and just under 120 now. Nicholson said he had to get introduced to some of the staff recently because the group had grown so big. Managing and building that will be someone elses job. As for what Nicholson does next, he said he doesnt quite know yet. "Im going to see if I can get my old job back in Penticton on the golf range picking up golf balls for the summer," he joked. "But seriously Im going to stay here till June 1 and Im going to take some time. Ive been at this, I dont know how to go half-speed and Im going to enjoy some time in Penticton, see my mom, see my kids. Im sure Im going to do something, but theres certainly nothing in the immediate future." Nicholson will stay on as vice-president of the International Ice Hockey Federation, where he can represent Canadas interests on that world stage. At some point an NHL team could come calling, but he brushed that off for now as speculation. Asked what advice hed give to his successor, Nicholson again brought it back to the people, not the medals. "Care about the game, make sure its safe, make sure that youre in Flin Flon and all the small (towns with) minor hockey across the country," he said. "Talk about sledge hockey, talk about womens hockey. The other stuff will come." That includes more gold medals. Under Nicholson, Canadas men snapped a 50-year Olympic drought at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City, won on home soil in Vancouver in 2010 and again in Sochi in February. But the career highlight he pointed to was something different. "Maybe in Torino, going and watching our sledge team win for the very first time," Nicholson said. "Seeing the commitment that they had to do to win that gold medal was special. But you can never take away Salt Lake City, Vancouver -- theyre all 1As." Jerome Baker Dolphins Jersey . -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released veteran guard Davin Joseph, a mainstay on their offensive line over the past eight seasons. Michael Deiter Jersey . -- Dane Fox scored his 61st and 62nd goals of the season and Brendan Gaunce had a goal and three assists as the Erie Otters downed the Kitchener Rangers 7-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.authenticdolphinspro.com/Bob-griese-dolphins-jersey/ .com) - Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was named the National League Player of the Month for April. Reshad Jones Jersey . "He started putting me on the ice to strengthen them at the suggestion from a doctor," he said. Weight said it wasnt a pretty sight at the rink in St. Clair Shores, Mich. "I looked like Forrest Gump," he joked. Josh Rosen Youth Jersey . Dragic was a game-time decision because of a sore right ankle that had kept him out of Wednesdays loss at Utah, but played all but the last 10 seconds of the second half in the first 40-point game for a Phoenix player since Amare Stoudemires 44 on March 19, 2010.MINSK, Belarus - For the second time at the world hockey championship, Team Canada benefited from a five-minute major penalty. Only this time it could prove much more costly. Alex Burrows was knocked out of the game by a knee-on-knee hit and did not return for the rest of Canadas 6-1 win over Italy on Friday at Chizhovka Arena. Cody Hodgson scored on the ensuing power play from the five-minute major penalty on Italian forward Joachim Ramoser. But with goals from Joel Ward, Jason Chimera, Kyle Turris, another from Hodgson and a final one from Brayden Schenn, Canada probably didnt need that boost. Against the Czech Republic on Monday, Canada scored twice on a five-minute major after captain Kevin Bieksa took a stick to the face, chipping a tooth and requiring stitches in his mouth. Bieksa didnt miss a shift. His Vancouver Canucks teammate Burrows was not so lucky. After writhing in pain after the hit, he needed to be helped off the ice by teammates Brayden Schenn and Nathan MacKinnon and did not put any pressure on his right leg. Without Burrows and defenceman Jason Garrison, who did not dress because of an illness, Canada was down to 18 skaters to Italys 20. That wasnt a factor as the Canadians won for the fifth time in six games to set up a likely Group A title game against Sweden on Sunday. In stopping 21 of the 22 shots he faced, James Reimer might have won the right to start that game, though Ben Scrivens won each of his two starts. Through the first five games in Minsk, neither goalie has been tested by a strong opponent. That included Friday, when Canada rolled over Italy. Afteer Italy had Canada on its heels in the early going, Ward continued his strong tournament by scoring the games first goal at 13:07.dddddddddddd. Ward forced a neutral-zone turnover, had Mark Scheifele going to the net on the rush and snapped a shot short-side on Daniel Bellissimo, a Toronto native. Ramoser made what looked like unintentional knee-on-knee contact with Burrows with 56 seconds left in the first period. A minute and 39 seconds into the second, Hodgson scored on a rebound to make it 2-0. Canadas third goal came at even strength but with a delayed penalty on Italy as Ward drew a call before Scheifele set up Chimera on a two-on-one rush at 6:02. Not long after at the 9:19 mark, Matt Read got things going and delivered a sharp pass to Turris for his second short-handed goal in as many games. Hodgson added his second of the day and sixth of the tournament 16:15 into the second with a rebound goal from in tight on Bellissimo that made it 5-0. Bellissimo did not return at the start of the third after giving up five goals on 22 shots, replaced by backup Andreas Bernard. Italy then broke up Reimers shutout 1:12 into the third period on a deflection goal by David Borrelli, who is from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. At 16:30, Schenn scored to put the finishing touch on the rout. Notes: Bellissimo and Borrelli are two of 10 Canadian-born players on Italys roster. The others are Daniel Sullivan, Brian Ihnacak and Davide Nicoletti from Toronto, Giulio Scandella from Montreal, Nate DiCasmirro from Aitkokan, Ont., Dan Tudin from Orleans, Ont., Trevor Johnson from Trail, B.C., and Vince Rocco from Woodbridge, Ont. ' ' '