Dein erstes Forum » The Islanders could not carry over the momentum fr

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- NASCAR will issue the requisite warning to drivers Sunday morning: Let the race play out naturally.In this scenario, naturally could mean crazily.Before this third version of the elimination-style Chase for the Sprint Cup, look at how the first two versions were decided at Homestead-Miami Speedway -- the site of the seasons final race -- with a race within the race, as the top finisher among the four finalists earns the title.* More crazy: In 2014, a Blake Koch-J.J. Yeley wreck with 12 laps remaining set up a dash for the finish, ruining the hopes of leader Denny Hamlin, who opted to stay out and became a sitting duck on the ensuing restart. Kevin Harvick went from 12th to the win, thanks to fresh tires and a strong car.* More natural: In 2015, a caution for debris with nine laps remaining bunched the field up, but Kyle Busch, the leader of the Chase drivers at the time, remained in front of his competitors on pit road. Busch was side-by-side with nemesis Brad Keselowski on the final restart, and Keselowski gave Busch -- and then Harvick behind him -- plenty of room to duke it out for the title. Busch was the eventual champion.The four 2016 finalists -- Kyle Busch (starting ninth), Carl Edwards (10th), Joey Logano (13th) and Jimmie Johnson (14th) -- have played nice with each other so far.Will the gloves come off? Or will it be one ecstatic driver with three disappointed but understanding drivers after the race? Will Michael McDowell (or someone else) have a tire issue in the waning laps -- as he has done in two of the past nine races -- and affect the outcome?Oh, and theres that matter of Johnson attempting to tie Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt with seven Cup titles.Im not running from it, Johnson said. Im not hiding from it. Its just truthfully right now for me to do my job and the preparation and all the stuff that goes into racing and being competitive. Its just not top of mind.?What to watch for:Team spirit: For the first time in the elimination format, two drivers from the same organization are among the four finalists.Busch and Edwards have joked around with each other this week, but they obviously cant forget what happened at Richmond earlier this year, when Edwards moved Busch for the win.Both drivers have made aggressive moves in the past, some that have worked and others that have ended up as futile. Team owner Joe Gibbs might not want them to wreck each other, but they both are so competitive that it would be hard to see them race without a little bit of aggression and nastiness with a championship on the line. Busch would love to prove people wrong and win back-to-back championships in a format that doesnt favor such a feat; Edwards wants to win a Cup title after three near misses in his career.Im not nervous or anything, Gibbs said Friday. I just walked into the womens restroom. Other than that, no harm, no foul.Rebounds from qualifying: None of the finalists seemed all that thrilled with their qualifying.We all sucked, Logano said.To be honest, qualifying in the top 15 isnt wonderful.But it wasnt horrible.We shoot for No.?1, Logano said. Thats what we shoot for. We all want to be faster than that, Im sure. Im sure not just [my] team, everyone wants to be quicker than that when you come here.But the good side is that were all around each other, so the penalty of starting back there isnt too severe, because everyone is in the same boat.None of the four drivers have problematic pit stalls from qualifying, and Edwards and Busch have openings on their way in, so they know they will have clear entry into their stalls all day. All but one of the drivers pitting next to the Chase drivers are starting among the last 10 on the grid.Pit road: Speaking of pit road, Johnson said he has moved on from the one-lap penalty he received last week for passing the pace car while running the apron to enter pit road.Johnson and his team were flabbergasted NASCAR made the call on them, feeling that they had entered the pit road the way they normally do. While he exchanged texts and voice mails with NASCAR officials during the week, Johnson said Friday he didnt plan on sitting down with NASCAR officials to discuss it.Its off my radar, Johnson said. Youre damned sure [and can] bet I wont pass that pace car, though. Im not playing that game again.Ive moved on. I just pray and hope that they officiate it the same way they did with me every stop, everybody whos up front.The drivers certainly are aware NASCAR likely will be watching. Busch said he saw video earlier this week of someone questioning whether he violated the rule last year at Homestead, where it appeared he might have been past the pace car.I guess maybe I was given the benefit of the doubt in that situation, but I never throttled up, like Jimmie did, even to keep those guys behind me, Busch said. If you look at the film, I got everybody bottled up and theyre all nose?to?tail beating the bumpers off of each other coming to pit road. It wasnt like I gassed it up.I guess its just all in how its perceived and how it looks, so dont make it look bad.The end of Smoke: Its the last Sprint Cup race for Tony Stewart, who will roll off 11th in his 618th career start.He hasnt been all that stout in practice, and few consider him to be a factor for the win. After 18 years of Cup racing, hes ready for his final event as a NASCAR driver.In the racing world, its a big change, but for me, its not going to be that big of a change, said Stewart, who plans to race sprint cars and still play a pivotal role as co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing. I just look at it like its halftime of the ball game, in all honesty.This is the end of the first half, and next season, we start the second half; and its going to be just as much fun if not more fun than this first half was. Im excited about finishing this chapter, but Im really excited about starting the next chapter next year. Kendall Sheffield Youth Jersey . -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room. Calvin Ridley Womens Jersey .S. -- Nikolaj Ehlers registered a hat trick for the third straight game and Jonathan Drouin had a goal and five assists as the Halifax Mooseheads hammered the host Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 10-1 on Tuesday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. http://www.thefaclonsshoponline.com/Youth-Julio-Jones-Falcons-Jersey/ . Kozun faked to the forehand and beat Monsters starter, Calvin Pickard, pad side in the second round for the winner. Spencer Abbott also scored in the shootout for the Marlies (25-13-4). Brett Favre Falcons Jersey . Datsyuk will miss Tuesdays game against New Jersey and could be sidelined longer, while Cleary will likely miss at least the next three games. Its been an injury-plagued season for Datsyuk, who has suited up for just 39 games. Chris Lindstrom Jersey . Jay Feely kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime, and the Cardinals edged the Tennessee Titans 37-34 in overtime after blowing a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter. LOS ANGELES -- Derek Forbort scored the go-ahead goal with 2:28 remaining, Peter Budaj stopped 22 shots and the Los Angeles Kings defeated the New York Islanders 4-2 on Wednesday night for their fourth consecutive win.Dwight King, Jake Muzzin and Alec Martinez also scored to help the Kings win their fifth straight at home.Anders Lee scored twice and Jaroslav Halak made 24 saves for the Islanders, who dropped to 1-5-1 on the road this season.Forbort scored on a long wrist shot seconds after a power play expired. King added a goal 20 seconds later and Muzzin put in an empty-netter.Lee tied it 4:27 into the third period. He was somehow able to collect and backhand in the rebound of Travis Hamonics missed shot while tangled up with Kings defenseman Matt Greene.Lee added his third goal of the season with 1:52 remaining, but the Islanders failed in their attempt to string together consecutive wins away from Barclays Center for the first time this season.Martinez put the Kings ahead 15:34 into the first period with his fourth goal of the season, taking advantage of Trevor Lewis screen in front to beat Halak with a shot from the blue line.Kings defensemen have seven goals during their winning streak, including Martinez scoring the opener against New Jersey last Saturday.Muzzin and Anze Kopitar, who returned to action after missing fiive games with a hand/wrist injury, had assists on the play.ddddddddddddThe Islanders could not carry over the momentum from their first road win of the season Tuesday at Anaheim, despite two power-play opportunities in the first 11 minutes. New York had just one shot with the man advantage and seven total in the opening period, half the number needed to decide their 14-round shootout against the Ducks the previous night.The Kings penalty kill has been especially sharp of late, allowing just one goal in 16 opportunities over its last five games.The second period was a sleepy affair, with no goals, no penalties and the teams combining for 13 shots. There was drama in the closing 30 seconds as the puck took a strange bounce off the wall, leaving Halak out of position, but Kyle Clifford lost his footing in front of the crease and could not take advantage.Game notes The Islanders scratched G Thomas Greiss, RW Cal Clutterbuck and D Scott Mayfield. Clutterbuck, who sustained an upper-body injury against the Ducks, went through pregame warmups before being held out. . The Kings scratched LW Teddy Purcell and D Tom Gilbert.UP NEXTIslanders: Friday at San Jose.Kings: Saturday night at home against Chicago. ' ' '