WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets have a new coach on a short-term deal who knows he has a long-term project on his plate. "Weve got our challenges," Paul Maurice said after taking in his first practice with the team Monday morning. "Im not saying Im coming in here and taking this team to a completely different level over the next week." But the veteran coach of more than 1,000 NHL games, who took the Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup final in 2002, says he sees a lot of potential in the Jets. "Youth size and speed is the easiest way for me to sum that up. I like some of the pieces and some of the parts." The size was apparent when he stepped on the ice with the team at the MTS Centre. "This is the first time that Ive ever as a coach felt short and thats a really, really nice feeling," he said, following practice, as he met with reporters for the first time since arriving in Winnipeg after Claude Noels firing Sunday. The last straw for general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was last weeks 6-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Jets seemed to have taken a step backward rather than move away from the defensive lapses that have left them 19-23-5 and last in the Central Division. For 2 1/2 years, Noel tried to inject a more responsible, defensive gene into the Jets, after they moved to Winnipeg from Atlanta. Now its Maurices turn and he agreed that seems to be whats missing. "My concerns are -- and you should never introduce a negative but Ill get to this now -- getting them to play a game that has a defensive component in it (and) that, for those players that have been here a long time, they havent done it." He says its his job to find a way to get players to buy into a system they can play that will help get them out of a slump that is sapping their confidence and building frustration. They have the skills, he suggests. "Youve seen it in the games where this team can look so dominant at points in time and then you question where that goes," he said. Although hes been coaching in the NHL for almost 20 years, he said something he has learned relatively recently is that it takes time to work with players on an individual basis to help them grow and develop. "Motivation is different for each player but at the end of the day with this group, with what theyre going through, they just want to get out of it," he said. "They just want to win. They want this to go away. The anger, the frustration by the fans, its the same as the frustration in that locker-room. They want to find a way out. Its the coaching staffs job now to lead that way out." The Jets are on a five-game losing streak and well out of that playoff spot Maurice says is one of his objectives. But he says creating confidence in a game the players can understand is his primary goal. "Im used to having some challenges. You know, the underdog team that at the very least fights like a dog," he said. "Thereve been too many years where we got to within a point but there werent many when I walked away saying there was a whole lot more left on the table." At least for now, hes only here for the rest of the season, which will end April 10 for the Jets unless their game turns around. Maurice, 46, also coached the Toronto Maple Leafs for a couple of seasons and recently tried the KHL in Russia but opted to return home to be closer to his family. Other than juggling lines a little, he didnt make a lot of changes prior to Monday nights game against the visiting Phoenix Coyotes. That includes leaving Dustin Byfuglien as a forward, although he says he can see him making major contributions as a blue-liner as well. Byfuglien is one of the top-scoring defencemen in the NHL but his minus-16 rating prompted Noel to try switching him to forward. "Were not trying to go out there and change everything we do tonight," said centre Bryan Little, who will be playing on a line with familiar partner Andrew Ladd but also Michael Frolik. "Hes been here less than 24 hours and I think he realizes that and hes not going to change too much tonight but he expects us to work hard." Little says he expects the changes to come once the Jets get some practice days. The players accepted much of the blame for Noels firing and Little said a game will help. "Once youre out there you kind of forget about everything thats happened and you can just play the game. Im looking forward to it." Cheap Nike Huarache Shoes For Sale . Interestingly, the culprits were not rookies, but well paid, experienced pros. The first gaffe came in the 24th minute of arguably the biggest early season MLS game in history between Seattle and Toronto. Sounder newcomer Marco Pappa, (with over 100 MLS games, and 39 Guatemalan Caps to his name) attempted a back pass to one of his central defenders. Nike Huarache Shoes For Sale .com) - Delon Wright scored 17 points and No. http://www.cheapairhuarache.com/ . Now he has a complete game. Scherzer tossed a three-hitter in his 179th career start for his first complete game and Victor Martinez hit his 16th homer to lead the Detroit Tigers a 4-0 win over the Chicago White Sox. Cheap Nike Huarache Wholesale . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. Cheap Nike Huarache China . -- Victor Bernardez tied the game with his second goal in the 95th minute and the San Jose Earthquakes drew 3-3 with Real Salt Lake on Saturday night.England moved into a commanding position on day two of the first Investec Test at Headingley after bowling Sri Lanka out for 91, a first innings lead of 207, and enforcing the follow on. James Anderson was the pick of the England bowlers on Friday, taking 5-16, as he moved up to sixth on the list of all-time Test wicket-takers with 438, with Stuart Broad claiming 4-21. Watch the pick of the action from the second day of the first Test between England and Sri Lanka Jonny Bairstow had earlier reached his second Test century before he was eventually dismissed for 140 after helping England post 298 in their first innings.Having put on 141 with Alex Hales (86), Bairstow shared a stand of 56 for the ninth wicket with Steven Finn (17) before the bowlers took charge in the evening session. Jonny Bairstow scored 140 as England posted 298 in their first innings Resuming on 171-5, England moved past 200 in the first hour. Bairstow - 54 not out overnight - continued scoring at a decent rate and soon overtook Hales who was finding scoring difficult. Both players were given a life with Nuwan Pradeep putting down a return catch with Bairstow on 70 and Hales dropped at second slip having made 82.The opener was gone soon after as he came down the track to Rangana Herath and skewed the ball to Dushmantha Chameera running in from deep cover, 14 short of a maiden Test century. James Anderson and Jonny Bairstow joined Michael Atherton at the Sky Cart to analyse day two Chameera himself then quickly removed Moeen Ali (0) and Broad (2) but Bairstow remained and an overthrow saw him go to his first Test century on home soil as England reached lunch at 243-8.ddddddddddddBairstow upped the tempo again after the interval and had taken England up to 289 before hauling out to long on, to hand Chameera his third wicket. Finn was the final wicket to fall, stumped off Herath.Englands seamers then took centre stage, with Anderson and Broad taking out the Sri Lanka top three in quick succession to leave the tourists 12-3 inside six overs. All three wickets were caught behind, Broad nicking out Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis with Anderson removing Kaushal Silva in between. Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews saw Sri Lanka to 43-3 at tea but the former was gone with the first ball after the restart, James Vince diving to his right to take the catch at third slip and give Ben Stokes his first wicket.Bad light briefly stopped play and Mathews (34) and Lahiru Thirimanne held firm to frustrate England for a while but when Anderson trapped the former lbw, the floodgates were opened and wickets came at regular intervals.Anderson had Dasun Shanaka caught behind first ball and although Herath survived the hat-trick ball, the England swing bowler got rid of him before long - Stokes taking the catch at fourth slip. Stuart Broad chipped in with 4-21 Broad was then back into the action having Chameera and Thirimanne caught by Finn before Anderson took the final wicket, Shaminda Eranga caught down the legside by Bairstow.Alastair Cook enforced the follow on but after just two balls of Sri Lankas second innings, and the score at 1-0, bad light brought an end to the days proceedings with England in complete control.Watch live coverage from day three of the first Test between England and Sri Lanka at Headingley, live on Sky Sports 2 from 10.30am on Saturday. You can also catch highlights from day two at 8pm on Sky Sports 5, with The Verdict following immediately after at 9pm. ' ' '
