NaD Meckerecke » ong misplayed a double-play ball at second b

HAMILTON, Ont. -- Another second-period collapse by the Hamilton Bulldogs ensured they would leave the weekend without a point in three games and their already faint playoff hopes made nearly impossible. David van der Gulik scored twice in just over three minutes of the second period as the Lake Erie Monsters handed the Bulldogs their third loss in as many days, 4-1 in the American Hockey League on Sunday. Hamilton head coach Sylvain Lefebvre was honest when asked to assess his teams situation. "At this point of the season, if you dont compete and you dont do it with desperate energy, you dont deserve to make the playoffs," he said. "Right now, weve dug ourselves a pretty big hole, and if weve stopped believing and weve quit, no ones going to benefit from that." Van der Gulik had three points, and Chad Hunwick and Michael Schumacher also scored for the Monsters (25-27-6). Calvin Pickard made 24 saves. Christian Thomas had the lone goal for the Bulldogs (25-28-5), who fell to last place in the AHLs Western Conference standings. They sit 11 points out of a playoff spot with just 18 games to play. Hamiltons Devan Dubnyk stopped 21 shots. Lefebvre sent a bold message to his players after losses on both Friday and Saturday, making captain and leading point scorer Martin St. Pierre a healthy scratch. "Im not happy with (St. Pierres) game," he said. "Ive been talking with him and sending him messages here and there. "Sometimes, as a coach, you have ways to get guys going, and hopefully he can rebound and get playing the way that he can." Two fighters who had met earlier this season renewed hostilities to open the game, as Hamiltons Nick Tarnasky and Lake Eries Guillaume Desbiens took part in a staged fight at the faceoff. Dubnyk looked confident in the early stages, twice denying the Monsters in close after giveaways by defender Morgan Ellis. His efforts kept Lake Erie off the scoreboard in the first period, and Hamilton nearly opened the scoring just over 10 minutes in when Sven Andrighetto eluded coverage to slip into the low slot, but neither he nor Maxime Macenauer could get wrist shots past Pickard. Hamilton finally opened the scoring at 15:55 of the first when Andrighetto slipped a pass into the high slot that set up Thomas for a crushing slapshot over Pickards shoulder. The goal was a welcome sight for the rookie, who admitted that his production of just 19 points in 39 games has not met his expectations. "It was big, because I havent scored in a while," he said. "Ive been having a slow season so far, but hopefully that gives me some confidence for the rest of it." The Bulldogs looked to build on their lead in the second when they were awarded a penalty shot when a broken stick was used to interrupt play. Andrighetto was selected to take it, but he couldnt solve Pickard. The missed opportunity proved costly when Lake Erie went to a power play, and van der Gulik scored his first of the period to level the game at a goal apiece at 16:06. He scored again just 3:06 later, when Andrew Agozzino sent a centring pass into the high slot, and van der Gulik connected with a low, one-time shot that clipped inside Dubnyks far post. Lefebvre singled out Andrighettos missed penalty shot as a turning point in yet another discouraging second period for the Bulldogs. "Our second periods have been nowhere to be found this year," he said. "We gain momentum in the first period and then we come out in the second and were flat." The Monsters added insurance with second power-play goal as van der Gulik threaded a pass from the point to Hunwick at the left circle. He had plenty of time to work with, and beat Dubnyk with a wrist shot over the shoulder at 9:11 of the third period. Schumacher added a fourth Lake Erie goal when he stole the puck from a Hamilton defender and shot through Dubnyks pads at 13:45 of the third. Jaromir Jagr Jersey . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. Henrik Lundqvist Jersey . - Their offence is underperforming. http://www.rangershockeyonlineshop.com/j...key-jersey/.500 ball against teams with winning records, so they needed a huge lift from somebody Tuesday night in a matchup of division leaders. New York Rangers Jerseys . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Mike Richter Jersey . The $145.7-million Tim Hortons Field was slated to open this month, a year before it was to host all 32 mens and womens soccer competitions. The delay has forced the Hamilton Tiger-Cats football team to use a smaller facility for the first two home games of the season.ST. LOUIS - Madison Bumgarner once again put the San Francisco Giants well on the road to a playoff victory.Bumgarner pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning and the Giants combined just enough hitting with a couple of defensive flubs by St. Louis to beat the Cardinals 3-0 Saturday night in the NL Championship Series opener.Bumgarner set a major league post-season record with 26 2-3 consecutive scoreless innings on the road.Thats pretty cool, he said. Theres stats for everything nowadays. Ive happened to have a little extra good luck on the road.Maybe, although his numbers show that perhaps its more than luck. In four post-season road starts, hes 4-0 with an 0.59 ERA.The left-hander, already a key part of two World Series championship teams in San Francisco, was in complete command.But 20-game winner Adam Wainwright made another early exit for the Cardinals. In his two playoff outings this month, hes failed to last even five innings.I think theres a scenario out there where I give up one run, Wainwright said. As ugly as it was, I would say my arm felt better than last time.Pablo Sandoval got three hits as San Francisco won for the 12th time in its last 13 post-season games, including three straight victories to erase a 3-1 deficit in the 2012 NLCS against St. Louis.Man, exciting to be in October, you know, Sandoval said. Last year I was home watching the game on TV.Jake Peavy gets the Game 2 start for the Giants on Sunday night against Lance Lynn.Bumgarner, who began the playoffs by throwing a shutout at Pittsburgh in the wild-card game, gave up four hits in 7 2-3 innings.Bumgarner bested the mark of 23 straight post-season scoreless innings on the road set by Art Nehf of the New York Giants from 1921-24.The Cardinals threatened against him only in the seventh on consecutive one-out singles by Yadier Molina and Jon Jay, but Kolten Wong tapped out and pinch-hitter Tony Cruz fanned.The Giants bullpen finished with hitless relief as Sergio Romo got the last out in the eighth and Santiago Casilla closed for a save.Wainwright was 20-9 during the regular season, including 5-0 with a 1.38 ERA in September with two complete games and a shutout. Hes piled up a major league-high 512 2-3 innings the last two years.The right-hander admitted before this series that his pitching elbow had bothered him during a start in the division series at Dodger Stadium.ddddddddddddIts not 100 per cent, Wainwright said. I think it was 100 per cent better than it was the last time I pitched, Ill say that.In two October starts this year, Wainwright has permitted eight earned runs in nine innings. Hes 0-4 with a 5.14 ERA in his last five post-season appearances — he lasted 4 2-3 innings against the Giants after going just 4 1-3 innings in the NLDS opener vs. Los Angeles.The Cardinals twice failed to seal the deal defensively in the Giants two-run second.Third baseman Matt Carpenters fielding error with the bases loaded on Gregor Blancos soft one-hop liner at his feet was their first error of the post-season.Sandoval doubled to start the inning when rookie right fielder Randal Grichuk gloved the ball but couldnt hang on as he ran into the wall. Travis Ishikawa, 0 for 5 with five strikeouts and a walk against Wainwright, had an RBI single on a jam-shot bloop just over Carpenters head in shallow left.Wong misplayed a double-play ball at second base in the third, and Brandon Belts sacrifice fly made it 3-0.We make a few plays and we can still be out there playing right now, manager Mike Matheny said.NEXT UPGiants: Getting reunited with Bruce Bochy helped the 40-year-old Peavy turn back the clock. He worked 5 2-3 scoreless innings and won the division opener against Washington, a continuation on a strong finish — 6-4 with a 2.17 ERA — after Boston dealt him to the Giants at the July trading deadline.Cardinals: Lynn has been a solid No. 2 behind Wainwright, an innings-eater who has better learned to take setbacks in stride. Hes won at least 15 games all three years in the rotation, and this year worked three or fewer runs in all but four of his 33 starts, and hes 27-12 career at home. Ill still say hes probably one of the most underrated pitchers in the game, manager Mike Matheny said.TRAINERS ROOMMichael Morse was added to the Giants roster in place of rookie outfielder Gary Brown, but did not play. Morse had been limited to two at-bats since Aug. 31 with a strained oblique muscle. Brown was on the division roster, but was not used. ' ' '