Luongo leads Team Canada into the biggest game

The perfect finish by the Slovaks on Friday may have taken the Canadians by surprise, but Roberto Luongo came up with the save of his life when he got his catching glove on Pavol Demitra's shot in the waning moments.

The save preserved a 3-2 victory for Canada, setting up a huge continental matchup for the gold medal on Sunday against Team USA. Luongo, who gave up goals to Lubomir Visnovsky and Michal Handzus in the final period to make it interesting, will get to start in the biggest game of his life with the top prize .

Pitkanen is suspended in quarterfinals

Joni Pitkanen of Finland was suspended for one game after receiving a game misconduct penalty for hitting Sweden's Patric Hornqvist in the head in the second period on Sunday night. "He's a key part on the power play and obviously on the breakouts he's such a good skater and mobile defenseman and sees the ice well," defenseman Sami Salo said. "Obviously it's a big loss but it opens up a spot for Janne Niskala."

Niskala has been acting as a seventh defenseman, the former Tampa Bay Lightning blueliner has been playing for Frolunda Gothenburg in the Swedish Elite League since 2008.

Gaborik will miss Wednesday's game

It is reported that Rangers' Marian Gaborik won't be in the lineup when New York hosts the Nashville Predators at Madison Square Garden. Gaborik was hurt in practice when he fell over goaltender Henrik Lundqvist had his right thigh lacerated by Lundqvist's skate. He received stitches for the wound. Gaborik, who is fourth in the NHL in goals with 35, landed on Lundqvist's blade and limped off the ice. "I thought he was joking," Lundqvist said. "My skate caught his knee. Hopefully he'll be OK."

Rangers coach John Tortorella hopes Gaborik can return Friday night for a road game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The injury shouldn't stop Gaborik's chances of playing for Slovakia at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Hope he will show up in the Olympic game in the team canada jersey.

Canadian women won again in Olympics

The Canadian women won again on Monday as Meghan Agosta scored two more goals and Hayley Wickenheiser added her first of the Olympics on Monday. Gillian Apps, Jayna Hefford and Marie-Philip Poulin also scored for Canada, which set an 18-0 win against Slovakia on Saturday.

Florence Schelling made 45 saves for Switzerland. Shannon Szabados, who is expected to be Canada's starting goalie, made 11 saves in her first Olympic appearance. Darcia Leimgruber scored with 24 seconds in the second period of its first Olympics.

Coyotes’ Upshall has torn ACL

The Phoenix Coyotes learned leading goal scorer Scottie Upshall will be out indefinitely after tearing the ACL in his right knee during Thursday’s game against Calgary Flames. A follow-up evaluation and MRI by the club’s medical staff confirmed the injury and an ACL surgical procedure is expected to be scheduled, Phoenix Coyotes GM Don Maloney announced. Upshall recorded 18 goals, 32 points and 50 penalty minutes in 49 games in his coyotes jersey this season. His 18 goals represent his career-high for a season.

Upshall, who was acquired from Philadelphia with a second-round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft for Daniel Carcillo in 2009, has recorded 26 goals, 45 points and 76 penalty minutes in 68 games since joining the Coyotes. In 279 career NHL games with Nashville, Philadelphia and Phoenix, Upshall has registered 64 goals, 138 points and 273 penalty minutes. Upshall also earned a silver medal while representing Canada at the 2009 World Championship in Switzerland.

Phillies add veteran Guzman

Recently a club spokesman confirmed on Wednesday that the Phillies signed veteran outfielder Freddy Guzman to a Minor League contract, though his deal does not include an invitation to Spring Training. Guzman spent the 2009 season with the Triple-A affiliates of the Orioles, Mariners, Red Sox and Yankees, while also seeing action in 10 games for the Bronx Bombers. In 101 Minor League games last year, he batted .223 with a .272 on-base percentage, two homers.

Guzman has played parts of four big league seasons with the Padres, Rangers and Yankees, batting .211 with a .255 on-base percentage in 47 games. In six seasons in the Minor Leagues, he holds a .265 batting average and a .338 on-base percentage.
Hope Guzman is also a main center fielder when he puts on the phillies jerseys.

Ducks sign Hiller to a four-year extension

The Ducks announced that they have signed goaltender Jonas Hiller to a four-year contract extension through the 2013-14 NHL season. Hiller has posted a 54-37-5 record with a 2.46 goals-against average in 108 career NHL appearances in his anaheim ducks jersey. Since he entered the NHL in 2007, Hiller ranks third among all NHL goaltenders. He has also made 13 career playoff appearances for Anaheim.

"Jonas has proved himself as a starting NHL goaltender," said Executive Vice President and General Manager Bob Murray. "We expect him to only get better and are pleased he’s committed to us for four more seasons." Currently in his third NHL season, he has compiled a 21-15-1 record with a 2.75 GAA in 39 appearances this year. He currently is tied with Roberto Luongo for the league lead in January victories. Next month, Hiller will represent Switzerland at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Orioles re-sign Hendrickson

According to the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles re-signed left-hander Mark Hendrickson to a one-year, $1.2 million contract on Thursday. Hendrickson signed a one-year deal that includes a $1.2 million team option for 2011 with a $200,000 buyout, which added that a pending physical has not been scheduled.

Hendrickson worked as both a starter and reliever this past season and is expected to serve mainly as a reliever in 2010. During the 2009 season, the 35-year-old left-hander went 6-5 with a 4.37 ERA in 53 games in the orioles jersey. For his eight-year career, the 6-foot-9 Hendrickson, who was a former NBA player, is 56-68 with a 5.00 ERA.

Redding agrees to join Rockies

Major League sources told MLB.com on Wednesday that right-hander Tim Redding has agreed to a Minor League contract with the Rockies and will have the chance to make the team as a starter or long reliever. Redding nearly signed with the Rockies last winter but joined the Mets instead. He was slowed early while recovering from a foot injury, and finished the year 3-6 with a 5.10 ERA in 30 games, including 17 starts. Redding was at his best in August and September, going 2-2 with a 3.39 ERA in 16 games.

The club is expecting left-hander Jeff Francis to make a full recovery from the shoulder injury that cost him the 2009 season. But manager Jim Tracy acknowledged that sometimes a pitcher coming back from such an injury needs extra rest time.

Rays add Matt Bush

It is said that the Rays have signed right-hander Matt Bush to a Minor League contract. Bush was the No. 1 overall pick by the Padres in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft out of San Diego's Mission Bay High School. He began his career as a shortstop, as he has never played a game above Class A.

Bush was converted to a pitcher, but tore ligaments in his right elbow, resulting in Tommy John surgery. Bush has also had some troubles off the field on two occasions that stemmed from fist fights. Bush will report to Minor League camp with the rest of the Minor League pitchers and catchers on March 5. Hope he can play well in the rays jersey.