rows in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. MINNEAPOLIS -- The Green Bay Packers do

This Fourth of July for the Minnesota Wild was a little less eventful than the last. Portland Trail Blazers Store . Still, the Wild made another holiday splash by bringing in more help for their blue line. The Wild announced Thursday they agreed to terms on a two-year contract with defenceman Keith Ballard, who was available after being let go by Vancouver earlier this week with a compliance buyout to clear space under the salary cap. The Wild said paperwork for Ballards deal would be filed Friday, when the free agent market opens. The Star Tribune of Minneapolis reported Ballards contract is worth $3 million. He was scheduled to make $4.2 million in each of the final two seasons of his previous deal with the Canucks. The 30-year-old Ballard managed just two assists in 36 games for Vancouver in 2013. Over three seasons there since being acquired in a draft-day trade in 2010 with Florida, Ballard had only 16 points in 148 games. He was hindered by several injuries. Before that, though, the former University of Minnesota star was far more productive. Over five seasons with Phoenix and Florida, he averaged nearly 30 points while playing in 97 per cent of the games. As a rookie with the Coyotes in 2005-06, Ballard had eight goals and 31 assists and played in all 82 games. In his first year with the Panthers in 2008-09, the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Ballard had six goals and 28 goals with a plus-14 rating while again playing all 82 games. Ballard will essentially replace defenceman Tom Gilbert, another local guy, who was dumped by the Wild with a compliance buyout this week. Ballard is from Baudette, Minn., on the Canadian border. He won two NCAA championships in his career with the Gophers. Another Minnesotan, centre Matt Cullen, will be moving on as the Wilds most prominent unrestricted free agent. Cullen told the Star Tribune that Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher informed him he couldnt offer him a fair contract given the teams cap constraints. Custom Portland Trail Blazers Jerseys . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. Calvin Natt Jersey .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. https://www.cheapblazersonline.com/208i-...ey-blazers.html . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. MINNEAPOLIS -- The Green Bay Packers downgraded cornerback Sam Shields from doubtful to out for Sunday nights game against the Minnesota Vikings.Shields, who sustained a concussion in the fourth quarter of last Sundays game at Jacksonville, had been listed as doubtful on Friday, but coach Mike McCarthy said his top cornerback would undergo another evaluation Saturday.Its the fourth concussion of Shields seven-year NFL career and his second in less than nine months. He missed four games because of his last one, which occurred Dec. 13, when his head slammed into the tturf at Lambeau Field. Clyde Drexler Jersey. McCarthy had said Shields history of recent concussions would be taken into account when determining his game status.?Thats what the protocol is for, McCarthy said Friday. So everything is part of the analysis of each players injury, so history, all those things are factored in.The Vikings also will be without one of their top cornerbacks, Xavier Rhodes. He was ruled out Friday because of a knee injury. ' ' '