skating with the team this week

CALGARY - Players on both sides of the football look to either establish or re-establish themselves as impact players in the CFL when the Calgary Stampeders host the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday. Calgarys Bo Levi Mitchell and Montreals Troy Smith will be the starting quarterbacks in a CFL season-opener for the first time in their careers. Both want to reinforce their No. 1 status. You can watch the game live in the first half of a doubleheader on TSN and TSN GO at 3:00pm et/Noon pt. or listen to the game live on TSN Radio 690 Montreal. Former NFL star Chad Johnson will begin the revival of his football career as an Alouettes receiver. Prominent Stampeder receiver Nik Lewis is back after missing over half of last season with a broken leg. The 32-year-old slotback feels he has something to prove. The sentiment can also apply to Tom Higgins, who returns as a CFL head coach with Montreal after six years working as the leagues director of officiating. His last coaching stint was with the Stampeders from 2005 to 2007 and Calgarys record in his final season was 7-10-1. Its serendipitous his first game back will be at McMahon. "When you think about, why not?" Higgins said Friday. "I knew how to get here. The bus driver went the wrong way and I said no, no, you make a right here." Theres also players still feeling out their new teams such as Josh Bell, a former Lion who will make his Stampeder debut at starting safety Saturday. "I want to see how we adjust really when we have success and when we dont have success," Bell said. "How do we adjust? Thats the biggest thing in football." The Stampeders topped the CFL with a 14-4 record last season, but were upset 35-13 at home in the West Division final by the eventual Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Montreal Alouettes went 8-10 and lost 19-16 in the East semifinal to Hamilton. Star quarterback Anthony Calvillo missed the final 10 games of the season with a concussion and subsequently retired in the off-season. Smith, a former Heisman Trophy winner with Ohio State, got a crash course in CFL football going 2-1 to conclude the season. "What you do know about Troy is he brings a level of leadership, he has a very strong arm and hopefully he has a cast around him that he doesnt have to carry the football team," Higgins said. "If we do our job properly, hopefully we can spread that football around enough that he doesnt always feel he has to be on top of his game for us to win." Mitchell won his three starts and came off the bench to win another in 2014. Stampeders coach and general manager John Hufnagel handed the 24-year-old the ball for the opener, but indicated he could have just as easily given it to Drew Tate. "It was a photo finish between he and Drew," Hufnagel said. "I said earlier in the week when I made the decision both quarterbacks will play football for us this year. It just so happens Bo is getting the first start." "He has earned the opportunity to play. Hes won every game hes played as a Calgary Stampeder, so thats not a bad track record." Both Mitchell and Smith recognize opportunities to be a CFL starter are limited and they must perform to earn more. "Every game, every play, every snap, every rep is concreting or cementing who you are," Smith said. Added Mitchell: "Now that Ive been given the job, Im going to make sure I keep it, run with it and have a lot of fun." Lewis broke his fibula Aug. 17 and did not play again in 2013. It was the first time in a decade as a Stampeder he was unable to produce over 1,000 receiving yards. Lewis was annoyed Friday that hed been made a designated international for Saturday, which could limit the slotbacks playing time because he cant replace a Canadian on the field. "I dont make these decisions. I just play football," Lewis said. "In this business, its what have you done lately. Last year, I wasnt able to play, so Ive got to continue to go out and get better and prove that I can play. "Ive never had an injury like I had last year, so I am so motivated to get back on the field and just show it is possible. Maybe Week 1, well unleash the beast." Stampeder offensive lineman Dan Federkeil will sit out Saturdays game. He took a hit to the neck in practice this week and has had a concussion before. Hufnagel wants to be cautious with the Medicine Hat, Alta., native. So with internationals Stanley Bryant and Edwin Harrison both suiting up on the offensive line, Hufnagel said "it disrupted our ratio a little bit." "I had to make one of our receivers the DI," Hufnagel explained. "Nik will be the DI, but were still going to have three on the field and they all are going to have their roles. Its not like Nik wont be playing the game." Lewis is considered one of the CFLs colourful, and at times controversial, players. Montreals Johnson could join him in that category. The six-time Pro Bowler and one-time "Dancing With the Stars" contestants Twitter posts often include "sensitive material" warnings. He changed surname to Ochocinco in 2008 only to return to Chad Johnson in 2012. He spent 10 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, but hasnt played a game since 2011. The 36-year-old wide receiver wasnt among the handful of Alouettes available to the media at McMahon on Friday. Smith indicated Johnson is still adjusting to the Canadian game. "Chads OK, man hes done great," the quarterback said. "Hes accepting the different nuances of the game and tried to perfect them the best he could, but his backbone and his foundation will be guys like S.J. Green, guys like Duron Carter and guys like Brandon Whitaker who can give him the ins and outs . . . on things he can do during the game if hes not feeling too up to par with whats going on. "We have an incredible group of veteran guys who do nothing but help tremendously and Ive relied on them also." China Jerseys Cheap . Ben Street scored twice for the Heat (17-5-1), who won their fourth game in a row and 13th in their last 14 outings. Brett Bulmer scored the lone goal for the Wild (6-11-0), who dropped their sixth straight contest. Fake China Jerseys .C. -- Benn Ferrieros familiar with scoring important goals, just not in back-to-back games. https://www.chinajerseyscheap.us/. -- Canada played to expectation up until halftime. China Jerseys Stitched . Parnell will be out much longer if it turns out he needs surgery. But first, he will try resting for two weeks before beginning a throwing program that could last up to a month, general manager Sandy Alderson said. China Jerseys Wholesale . Pikul Khueanpet scored early in the second half and Kanjana Sungngoen made it 2-0 in the 65th minute of the playoff. Tuyet Dong narrowed the margin with goal four minutes from time. The win gave Thailand fifth place at the Asian Cup and the last of the continents qualifying spots for the 2015 Womens World Cup in Canada.OTTAWA - Will he stay or will he go? Curtis Lazar will finally get an answer this week.The Ottawa rookie is expected to play his ninth game Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings, forcing the Senators to make a decision on the young centres future.The options are clear. The 19-year-old Lazar can either remain in the NHL or return to the Western Hockey Leagues Edmonton Oil Kings.After eight games, Lazar has made a strong case for himself to remain in the NHL. He has just two assists, but he hasnt looked out of place and on many nights has been one of Ottawas better players.Over the course of the eight games Lazar has played at wing and centre and killed penalties. Hes even been out on the ice in the dying minutes of a close game.Lazar is aware of the significance of Tuesdays game, but is trying not to overthink it.I approach it like another game and I know a decisions going to have to be made and its sort of my last chance of an audition, Lazar said. If I think about that then its not going to be beneficial to myself. I just have to go out and play and whatever happens, happens.Lazar knew coming in he would be facing this situation, but as the deadline approaches he would rather know his fate sooner rather than later.I kind of want to get it out of the way, he said. I kind of want the decision done where I can get a feel of where Im going to be this season for the most part and get comfortable because I still have that in the back of my mind. I could be going back to junior or I could be staying here. I dont know its up in the air. It sort of weighs on your mind a little bit, but nothing I can control so I just go out there and play my game and wait for the decision.The Senators are currently carrying two extra forwards. Most nights Erik Condra and Colin Greening have found themselves the odd man out.With four games this week head coach Paul MacLean said its likely everyone will get an opportunity to play, but that some decisions will have to be made to solidify the roster.Were getting to the point where we have to play our best team and decide what our best team is, MacLean said. Condra and Greening obviously have to be in that consideration with our group and those are the discussions that were continuing to have… but also it comes to the point that the tenth game you have to play your best team too so thats the decisions were in discussion in today.MacLean has been reserved in his evaluation of Lazars play to this point.Hes been very consistent and he hasnt done anything for us not to keep him, but we have to make the decision whats based best not only for our team, but also for him, MacLean said. Hes still a young maan and we have to make sure hes in the proper environment to grown into the player that we all see him potentially being.dddddddddddd.With games against Detroit, Minnesota, Winnipeg and Toronto this week the Senators (5-3-2) will face their first significant test.Overall the organization seems satisfied with the teams performance after ten games, but there is definitely room for improvement as evidenced in a 4-2 loss in Boston on Saturday.I think weve been good, said captain Erik Karlsson. I think the record we have, were happy with it, were happy where we are. We had a letdown game in Boston, but thats the way its going to be sometimes. Luckily we play (Tuesday) and I dont think thats going to affect us any way. Win or loss, we just look ahead and to the next game.Karlsson doesnt believe the team has played its best hockey yet, but also said were not supposed to do that yet either.Consistency remains elusive for this group, much as it did last season at times.Putting up a 60-minute effort would be nice, Karlsson said. I think as of right now we have our ups and downs and I think weve been managing them well, but going forward here we maybe need to put a little bit more focus in the whole game and not try and have a few letdowns where we let in a few goals and we have to chase all the time.Individually Karlsson knows he needs to be better. He was minus-4 against Boston, but he doesnt allow himself to dwell on a poor performance.Im just going to turn the page and move forward, Karlsson said. I dont really care what happened last game. We lost, thats the end of the story for me. Last season the Senators often struggled on home ice, but so far theyve gone 2-0-2 at Canadian Tire Centre and would like to see that improve with a strong performance this week.Weve built some momentum at home with the start to our season and we need to come out Tuesday and have a game, MacLean said. We have a good opponent so we should be fired up to play them.Notes: G Craig Anderson will get the start against Detroit Tuesday. D Mark Borowiecki remains day-to-day with an upper body injury. He isnt expected to play Tuesday, but could be back in the lineup by the end of the week. D Marc Methot continues to make progress, but isnt expected to start skating with the team this week. Methot continues to be sidelined by his back. RW Alex Chiasson was on the ice and then left practice, but he isnt expected to miss any time. Erik Karlsson says he remains in close contact with Daniel Alfredsson and said Alfredsson has not made a decision on his future despite the fact that he has been unable to join the Red Wings due to a recurring back issue. ' ' '