Koi Ecke » We just werent sharp enough

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Dominik Hasek is not a goaltender anymore. He hasnt taken his customary place between the posts since his last game on Feb. 27, 2011 for Spartak Moscow of the KHL. He has thought and talked about playing since, but never followed through. "My equipment is still in the same bag," he said. Even when the 49-year-old plays with friends once or twice a week, Hasek plays as a defenceman. Forty years as a goalie was enough. And its unlikely the man nicknamed "The Dominator" can capture the kind of performances that made him one of the best goaltenders in his era, alongside Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur. Hasek played his final NHL game five years ago, and then officially retired in 2012. Its taken time since he left the league for his true place in NHL history to come into focus. Six Vezina Trophies as the leagues best goaltender, two Hart Trophies as MVP, one Olympic gold medal, six first-team all-star selections and two Stanley Cups -- one as a starter -- dont even tell the whole story. Few goalies during the 1990s and 2000s could do what Hasek did to opponents. "He mentally and physically intimidated you," said St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock, who beat Hasek in the 1999 Cup final with the Stars. "I think there were games that you knew you were never going to score on him, and I think it was very discouraging at times. I think thats a great quality. Id never seen the guy quit on a puck, Id never seen the guy give up on anything. And thats hard to play against." Haseks .922 save percentage is the best of any goalie since the league started keeping track in 1982-83. His 2.02 goals-against average is the best in the modern era, slightly lower than Ken Dryden and Brodeur. Brodeur has many more shutouts, but when Hasek was on his game, he had the ability to almost will teams to win. "He makes a team believe," ex-Sabres and current Stars coach Lindy Ruff said in a phone interview. "You just start believing that with him in goal you can win any given night." Ruff recalled times when Hasek was so locked in that "we really only had to score one. And if we got two, it was almost guaranteed-win night." Hasek, who is being inducted into the Sabres hall of fame Saturday night and will be the first NHL player to have the number 39 retired next season, wanted victories more than trophies or honours. "I want to be remembered as a competitor who gave the teams always (the chance) to win the game," Hasek said Friday at First Niagara Center. "As a great goalie, as the person or goalie who gave the team (a chance) to always win the game. Thats what was hockey for me. I enjoyed my time, I enjoyed when I played here and any time I step on the ice my goal is to win the game and try to help my teammates win the game." Hasek will forever trail Brodeur (three Cups with the New Jersey Devils) and Roy (four, two each with the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche), and one of his two in Detroit came as Chris Osgoods backup. But Hasek could potentially have won another title in 1999, had it not been for Brett Hulls controversial skate-in-the-crease overtime series winner in Game 6. A Cup there would have burnished Haseks legacy even more, but its not something that he laments 15 years later. "Its part of the life," he said. "Sometimes you win, sometimes you come close and you dont win it the whole way. It was an unfortunate night for us, it was something disappointing, but for me it wasnt end of my life." Far from it. In fact, Hasek teamed up with Hull to win the Cup in 2002 with the Red Wings, posting six shutouts along the way. "Winning a Stanley Cup anywhere, its hard," said Sabres coach Ted Nolan, who spoke with Hasek Friday for the first time since Nolan was fired in Buffalo in 1997. "Its hard and all the stars have to line up. They didnt quite line up here but he went and lined it up in Detroit pretty well." In 1999, Hasek had two shutouts and a playoff-best .939 save percentage in almost getting the Sabres their first championship in franchise history. Stars centre Joe Nieuwendyk won the Conn Smythe Trophy, but it easily couldve gone to Hasek even in a losing effort. "We were a huge underdog, obviously, going through the playoffs," Ruff said. "I thought that our team really fed off of Doms performance for the most part. He wouldve been able to take a team that wasnt supposed to get there and win it." Haseks dominant prime lasted six seasons, from 1993-94 through 1998-99, when he led the league in save percentage every single time and came away with five of his six career Vezinas. Asked about those years, Hasek smiled and brushed off the notion that it mightve been the best stretch any goalie has ever played. "I dont think about this that way," Hasek said. "I got a chance to prove, to become starting goalie and after that I had, I dont know, six, seven years, which we had great teams, we made it every year to the playoffs except one of nine years." Hasek proved much more than that, something that will more than likely be validated with induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame in November. "For me its a no-brainer," Ruff said. "I think he definitely stands as one of the best. He was on the cutting edge of the way a lot of goaltenders play. Always looking for a way to be better. He could take a team a long ways with the way he played." Hasek isnt carrying teams anymore, instead living back home in the Czech Republic and working "a little bit" in hockey and also in business. As much as hed appreciate it, making the Hall of Fame was never his goal, and thats not his focus even now. "There are new goals in life and always something new to prove. The hockey career is something what is behind me," Hasek said. "What great years, what fantastic things to do something what you enjoy, what you love to do, and be very well paid and be around the people who you love and spend great time with them. However its part of the life that every professional player has to retire some day, and you wake up and you enjoy your life different ways." China Jerseys Stitched . The top-ranked Spaniard won his fourth Madrid Open on Sunday after Kei Nishikori was forced to withdraw with a hip injury when trailing 2-6, 6-4, 3-0 in the final. And Nadal, who is coming off to uncharacteristic quarterfinal losses on clay, said his mental strength is still lacking just two weeks ahead of the French Open. Cheap Jerseys From China . Jurrjens signed a minor league contract with Cincinnati in May, and was 2-3 with a 4.46 ERA at Triple-A Louisville. He has a 53-37 record with a 3.63 ERA in seven major league seasons, including five with Atlanta. https://www.chinajerseyscheap.us/. "Its not done, but its a huge step," Hannover general manager Dirk Dufner said. Poor defending allowed the visitors to score in the second minute, when Leon Andreasens header from Christian Panders cross sent the ball inside the far post. Fake China Jerseys . For the Bombers it has been a combination of things coming together at the most inappropriate moments in time. Quarterback, injuries, Canadian talent or depth and leadership are all issues. Trust me when I say being a Bomber is no fun right now in a city that embraces football the way Winnipeg does. While Buck Pierce will be getting another shot, I think Max Hall does deserve another opportunity. China Jerseys Cheap . The (35-35-10) Jets have 80 points and are also playing .500 hockey on home ice this season with a 17-17-6 record. Michael Hutchinson will start his second straight game in goal.SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sean Monahan already has shown quite the knack for scoring overtime goals.Monahan scored his fourth overtime goal in 120 NHL games to help the Calgary Flames win their fourth straight road game, 4-3 over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night.Everybody that plays hockey, they want to be the difference maker and I think in those times its do or die, said Monahan, who is only 20. I want to be that guy to make the difference and lucky enough sometimes that happens.Dennis Wideman, Joe Colborne, Jiri Hudler also scored for the Flames, who have their longest road winning streak since taking six straight from Feb. 12-March 5, 2009.Joni Ortio made 19 saves and has all three wins to start a crucial five-game road trip that will end at the All-Star break next week.Logan Couture, Joe Thornton, Melker Karlsson scored for the Sharks, who have lost four of their past five home games. Antti Niemi made 19 saves.There are nights where we dont execute or are sloppy sometimes its only half a team, tonight was a full team, coach Todd McLellan said. Were fortunate to have a point. We need to realize that. That start itself was unacceptable.The winning play came off a faceoff on the opening shift of overtime. Monahan won the draw from Joe Pavelski and went straight to the net. Mark Girodano got the puck at the point and sent a backhand shot that Niemi struggled to control.Monahan then beat Justin Braun to the rebound for the game-winner just 24 seconds into the extra period.Monny really improved on faceoffs this year, coach Bob Hartley said. It shows right there. We won the draw and won the game.Both teams had chances to break a 3-all tie in the third but Ortio stopped Patrick Marleau on a breakaway midway through the period. The Sharks then killed a Calgary power play shortly after that with Niemi making a strong save against Monahan to preserve the tie.After falling behind 2--0 in a listless opening period, the Sharks responded with three quick goals to take the lead starting with Coutures tally just 12 seconds into the second.ddddddddddddalgary went short-handed for too many men on the ice and paid the price when Thornton knocked the rebound of Pavelskis shot into an empty net for the tying goal less than 3 minutes later.Karlsson capped the barrage when Pavelskis centring pass hit off his skate and went into the net for his sixth goal in eight games to give the Sharks the lead. The goal was upheld on instant replay when officials ruled Karlsson didnt re-direct the puck with a kicking motion.Calgary tied it midway through the period on a wrist shot from Hudler in the slot, setting the stage for the third period.That was a great response, getting that tying goal in the second was really important for us, Ortio said. Thats when were good. Were good in the third period and we showed that again tonight.The Flames got off to a fast start with a goal in the opening minute. Widemans point shot got through a screen by Markus Granlund and beat Niemi just 40 seconds into the game.Calgary kept up the intensity and even capitalized when they went short-handed for the first time in three games. Hudlers trip put San Jose on the power play but the Sharks didnt get many chances and then committed a costly turnover that led to a Calgary goal.Brent Burns bad pass to Pavelski in his own zone led to a breakaway chance for Colborne, who stickhandled around Niemi to make it 2-0 less than 6 minutes into the game.We just werent sharp enough, Pavelski said. We pride ourselves on good starts and we didnt have it.NOTES: Thornton scored his first power-play goal in 97 games, since Dec. 3, 2013, at Toronto. ... Flames F Curtis Glencross missed the game after leaving Thursdays game against Arizona with a lower-body injury. Mason Raymond played in his place. ' ' '