Undermanned flag favourites Hawthorn are bracing for another physical battle with AFL rivals North Melbourne.Recent meetings have generally been hostile, especially last year when Hawks Luke Hodge and Jordan Lewis both copped suspensions for striking.In addition to the obvious spite, both side will be under immense pressure at the MCG on Saturday.The Hawks, who revealed on Tuesday they will be without injured defender Ben Stratton for the rest of the regular season, risk slipping outside the top four if they lose.It would be an immense blow to the ladder leaders push for a fourth straight premiership.The Kangaroos, who dished up plenty of aggro in recent clashes with Collingwood and Western Bulldogs, need a victory to ensure their place in finals.They like to try and get under our skin, Lewis said.You expect that from North Melbourne, especially against us.They know weve got dangerous players up forward and they try and rattle them.It didnt work for them last time.We were ready for it last time and well be ready for it again.The Hawks recorded a nine-point win when the sides met in round 13 this year.You want to be in front on the scoreboard and thats what happened, Lewis said.James Sicily will miss the game because of suspension, while Cyril Rioli and Sam Mitchell were scrutinised by the match review panel following Hawthorns shock loss to Melbourne.Lewis backed the Hawks to keep their cool against North.Youre always wary of the fact if you do something silly that you do miss games, he said.Theyre in a situation where they need to win every game. So are we .. our percentage isnt great.It means its a high-pressure game. Its a finals-like game and theyre the games we really enjoy.Rioli escaped with a $1000 fine for his bump on Demons young gun Clayton Oliver.The reigning Norm Smith medallist also laid 12 tackles in the contest, with Lewis thoroughly impressed.Everyone sees the high-flying marks and miraculous goals but I think hes the best pressure player in the competition, he said.Lewis admitted losing Stratton, who has a torn pectoral muscle, was a major blow.Hes been a super player for a long time. Hes one of those defenders that can play tall and small, he said.Angus Litherland is likely to be called up in Strattons absence, while Paul Puopolo (hip), James Frawley (shoulder) and Liam Shiels (hammy) could return from injuries against North. Malik Beasley Nuggets Jersey . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. 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Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. Jamal Murray Nuggets Jersey .C. Lions has come to an end. Banks told TSN on Jan 2 that he had no interest in playing out the option year of his contract with the Lions in 2014, and he again made that clear in a conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week. PHILADELPHIA -- Just as they hoped they would, Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers bounced back from a dismal performance.Matt Puempel scored in his first game with the Rangers, and Henrik Lundqvist made 40 saves to help New York defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Friday.Derek Stepan and Kevin Hayes also netted goals for the Rangers, who rebounded from Wednesdays 6-1 home drubbing against Pittsburgh. Lundqvist was lifted after allowing four goals on seven shots in the second period of that one, but he responded with a strong performance against the Flyers to improve to 32-13-4 in his career against Philadelphia.You just regroup and everybody tried to hold everybody accountable to play their absolute best, Lundqvist said. When we dont play that well, we want to come back with a better performance. Thats what we were looking for.It was a good game for us and a good game for me.Shayne Gostibehere and Chris VandeVelde scored in the third period for Philadelphia, which threatened throughout the final period. The Flyers opened a three-game homestand with a third loss in the last four games.Stepan gave New York a 1-0 lead in the first period when he beat Steve Mason with a wrist shot from the slot. J.T. Miller set up the goal with an assist from behind the net after a turnover by Philadelphias Scott Laughton, playing in his second game since being recalled from Lehigh Valley of the AHL.Youre not going to have your `A stuff every night, and the next game is so important, Stepan said.Stepan has 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) in 30 career games vs. Philadelphia.Puempel, claimed off waivers from Ottawa on Monday, gave the Rangers a 2-0 advantage 1:34 later with his first goal of the season.Good for the kid, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. Its got to help his confidence and it was without a doubt helpful for our team.A 2011 first-round pick of the Senators, Puempel went without a point in 13 games with Ottawa this season and had just four goals and two assists in 52 career games. But he showed a deft scoring touch when he skated past Philadelphias Andrew MacDonald, settled a bouuncing backhand pass from Jimmy Vesey and buried the puck past Mason from close range.ddddddddddddUnbelievable, he said. I couldnt be happier right now.The first period featured a pair of fights and physical play that is typical of the rivalry.Philadelphias Travis Konecny took on Brandon Pirri after Pirri boarded Brandon Manning. Konecny drew an instigation minor in addition to a fighting major to erase a Flyers power-play opportunity.Chris Kreider got the better of Manning in a fight with 1.8 seconds left in the period.Hayes extended New Yorks lead to 3-0 in the second period after another bad Philadelphia turnover in its zone. Mark Streit sent the puck from behind the net to the blue line right on the stick of New Yorks Nick Holden. Holden passed to a wide-open Hayes in the slot, and Hayes re-directed the puck over Masons left shoulder for his 10th goal of the season.We have to get them out of our game, Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said of the turnovers.VandeVelde got the Flyers on the board early in the third period. MacDonald sent the puck in front and it caromed off VandeVeldes skate past Lundqvist. The play was reviewed but officials allowed the goal.Gostisbeheres slap shot from the slot with 2:04 left made it 3-2. But Philadelphia couldnt get anything else past Lundqvist.One of his best saves came midway through the second period when he used his mask to deny Claude Giroux from close range on a 2-on-1 break.He played an incredible game, Stepan said of Lundqvist.Game notes Laughton is replacing Sean Couturier, who is out four to six weeks with a lower body injury after being hurt in Tuesdays game at Florida. . The Rangers went ahead in the all-time series that has been played 340 times. New York has 152 wins to Philadelphias 151. There have been 37 ties. Friday was the first of four meetings between the teams. . Giroux hasnt scored a goal in seven straight games.UP NEXTRangers: Host Ottawa on Sunday night.Flyers: Host Calgary on Sunday night. ' ' '
