LANs » ar — teams are pulling on the sheet metal during pit st

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Dave Tippett took a risk by forgoing plans to spend time with his wife at their off-season home in Minnesota to become coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, a franchise with a murky future after being cast into bankruptcy protection. Four years later, Tippett has taken another leap into uncertainty, agreeing on a long-term contract to continue coaching the Coyotes despite an ownership situation that still hasnt been resolved. "I just felt like this was the best fit because of the people you get to work with," Tippett said on Monday from Jobing.com Arena. "We all have a similar vision for how we would like to build this team. Theres some challenges ahead. We put a foundation in place, but its about taking it to the next level." Tippett took his initial gamble in the desert in 2009, joining the Coyotes during training camp after being fired by the Dallas Stars the previous season. The franchise was swirling in instability when Tippett took over, taken into bankruptcy protection three months earlier by former owner Jerry Moyes, who attempted to sell the team to a buyer who wanted to move the franchise to Hamilton, Ontario. Despite numerous suitors and near-misses, the franchise went into this past off-season still without an owner, still being run by the league. Finally, it appears an end to the saga could be near -- one way or another. Last month, the NHL agreed to sell the team to Renaissance Sports & Entertainment, a group headed by Canadian investors George Gosbee, Anthony LeBlanc and Daryl Jones. RSE still had to work out a lease agreement with the city of Glendale for Jobing.com Arena and the two sides have been negotiating the past few weeks. Glendales City Council is expected to vote on the lease deal on July 2, a decision that will either keep the team in Arizona or send it packing, possibly to Seattle. After waiting to see how the ownership situation would play out, Tippett decided last week to re-up with the Coyotes, giving the franchise another dose of stability after general manager Don Maloney, assistant GM Brad Treliving and two assistant coaches signed in recent weeks. "I always felt fairly certain that we could find a way to make a deal," Maloney said. "Obviously, it took a little longer than maybe you would have liked because of the uncertainty with the team, but the good thing is that this saga is ending fairly soon." Tippett has shaped the Coyotes into a winner despite the limitations that came with the ownership saga. He had an immediate impact on the franchise after moving behind the bench, leading the Coyotes to the playoffs for the first time since 2002 while earning the 2010 Jack Adams Award as the NHLs coach of the year. Phoenix made the playoffs again the next year despite the limitations of being run by the league and had the best season in franchise history under Tippett in 2011-12, winning its first NHL division title and reaching the Western Conference finals for the first time. The Coyotes missed the playoffs for the first time under Tippett last season, but it had more to do with injuries and the off-the-ice distractions finally catching up to the players than anything the coach did. "We all know the job Tipp has done the four years hes been here," Maloney said. "Between the patience hes shown and the respect he has in the locker room, hes a great fit for us and a key part of our future to continue to build a franchise here in Phoenix." Tippett likely would have gotten a bigger payday someplace else. One of the NHLs best tactical coaches, he would have been a hot commodity when his contract expired, with teams that had coaching vacancies and even some that didnt calling for his services. "His phone probably would have started ringing at 12:01 on July 1," Maloney said. But that wasnt what Tippett wanted. Loyal and someone who doesnt like to leave unfinished business, he said all along that he wanted to return to the Coyotes, even showing up at Maloneys news conference after the GM signed a contract extension. Tippett waited to see how the ownership situation played out, but once Treliving, associate head coach Jim Playfair and goalies coach Sean Burke joined Maloney in signing to stay in the desert, he decided to join them despite some uncertainty still in the air. "Once Don signed, once Brad signed, theres a distinct direction our management team was going and it made it a lot easier for me to justify staying with the group," Tippett said. Tippetts signing gives the Coyotes even more direction. Exactly where theyre headed is still up in the air. Air Max 720 España Baratas . Nathan Beaulieu, Tomas Jurco, Danick Gauthier and Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and an assist each as the Sea Dogs extended the longest streak in the Canadian Hockey League this season. Comprar Air Max 720 Baratas . With Van Osch out with a flu bug that has been rampaging through the tournament, Knezevic stepped in to lead B.C. (4-3) to a pair of victories on Tuesday before 1,131 at the Maurice Richard Arena. http://www.airmax720baratas.es/ . He was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 5th. The 34-year-old Laval, Que. native has played six seasons with the Penguins. Air Max 720 Baratas España .The Dallas Cowboys released Sam from the practice squad Tuesday, dropping the rush end as they prepare for several potential reinforcements to return to the defensive line. Air Max 720 España .com) - The Los Angeles Kings peppered Ryan Miller with shot after shot.AVONDALE, Ariz. - Kevin Harvick doesnt regret shoving Brad Keselowski from behind — a move that escalated a pit road brawl between Keselowski, Jeff Gordon and their teams — but acknowledged Friday that he could have behaved differently.I never look back on something as a regret, Harvick said Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. I think you look back on them as lessons.Still, Harvick readily admitted he loves the drama that the fight created — he just doesnt love having to one day explain his behaviour to toddler son Keelan.You guys know, I love the controversy, he said. In the end, the difficult part for me is to go home and realize one day youre going to have to answer those questions to your son.Keselowski said little about last week, and said he hasnt paid attention to the rhetoric in the days that followed the fight.I cant spend all my time worrying about the other people, he said. I have to worry about winning this weekend, this race, and this championship. Thats where my focus is and will continue to be.A lot of these conversations and a lot of these talking points are meant to serve as a distraction, so to sit here and really comment on a lot of them would really be to justify them. I know the things that Im doing are the right things.Harvick was most certainly trying to create a distraction — he and Keselowski are at the back of the eight-driver Chase field and both trying to claw their way into the finale. Harvick has always played the Machiavellian role in the NASCAR garage, and did again following last Sundays race at Texas Motor Speedway.Gordon was attempting to confront Keselowski on pit road when Harvick rushed in from behind and shoved Keselowski into the scrum. It ignited a brawl that left both Keselowski and Gordon bloodied, and four Hendrick Motorsports crewmen were suspended by NASCAR. In all, six Hendrick crew members were fined a total of $185,000 — a penalty Hendrick Motorsports will pay on their behalf.Harvick said he pushed Keselowski because he believed the driver should not ignore Gordon after an aggressive on-track move ruined Gordons race.Gordon also felt that Keselowski should have owned his aggressive driving during the confrontationIt escalated because Brad didnt want to face the situation, Gordon said Friday. His crew guys were in the middle of that. The thing I feel terrible about is getting my guys involved. In a face-to-face (between me and Brad) there would have been no incident. Kevin played a role, no doubt.I got wrecked a couple times by Dale Earnhardt. The first thing he did was try to put his arm around you and say, I didnt mean to do that. You didnt necessarily believe him, but it had an effect. Some guys you can race like that, and some you cant. Youre not out there to make friends, but youre definitely not oout there to make enemies.ddddddddddddGordon had been racing for the win until a late caution sent the race into overtime. He was the leader on a restart but Keselowski tried to wedge his car into a gap between Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. It caused Keselowski to make contact with Gordon, who then got a flat tire and spun.The result was a 29th-place finish for Gordon, who dropped from first to fourth in the standings as NASCAR prepares for Sundays final race of the third round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. Four drivers will qualify Sunday to race for the championship in next weeks season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.Harvick, Gordon and Keselowski are among the eight drivers vying Sunday for the four spots in the finale.With so much on the line, Harvick understood the move Keselowski made on the track. But he said he was bothered by Keselowskis refusal to have any sort of meaningful discussion after — an act he claims Keselowski has done throughout his career.I think he races hard and thats what were all supposed to do and in those positions youd probably do the same thing yourself, he said. The problem with it I have is Ive been in that situation with him before and had him turn his back on me and just walk off. ... He just kind of rubs me the wrong way when you turn your back on situations and walk off and mumble your way off into no mans land and not just handle the situation.I think in those situations, even if youre going to get yelled at, you need to handle it like it needs to be handled.Gordon, with several days to revisit the incident, also doesnt blame Keselowski for racing so hard with so much on the line. He also wondered if the flared side skirt on Keselowskis car — teams are pulling on the sheet metal during pit stops in an action NASCAR has so far said is not illegal — hit his tire and caused the flat.I have no issue with a guy being aggressive and making a bold move, said Gordon, who didnt think hed have tried to shoot the gap the way Keselowski did. Was there a big enough gap? Yeah, for a split second. I never realistically thought someone would take that as a realistic gap. I wouldnt have done it. I would have known what the results would be, which is what they were.Keselowski, as he always does, said he wont change to serve other drivers in the garage.I think the more I dig into becoming what someone else wants me to be, the less I stay who I am, Keselowski said. Who I am is someone who can win races and be a championship threat year over year with a great team that supports me. Im not looking to become what everyone else wants me to become.I feel pretty good about the actions Ive taken. Certainly Im not perfect. Ive made some bad ones, but I didnt make any bad ones last week and I still feel that way. ' ' '