Washington also recalled

It will go down as a landmark moment for Major League Soccer. Toronto FC has signed Italian International attacking midfielder/striker Sebastian Giovinco. The marquee signing was officially announced on Monday. Sources say Giovinco, 27, will join Toronto FC on a four-year contract worth $7 million USD annually. It is expected Giovinco will stay with Juventus in Italy until July, although the exact timing of his move has not been confirmed. It is believed that a multi-million dollar transfer fee will be paid for the player. Giovinco has represented Italy 21 times, featuring most recently in a 1-0 win over Albania on November 18. The 55 attacking player, known as the Atomic Ant, has impressive footwork, superior work-rate and genuine talent to star in MLS. Giovinco is a play-maker and natural set-piece taker, scoring one of his two goals last week off a free kick in a 6-1 Juventus win over Verona to advance to quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia. Opportunities have been rare this season under manager Massimiliano Allegri, starting only two games. Giovincos desire to feature made it clear his future lay elsewhere with his contract up in the summer. A number of European teams were rumoured to be after Giovinco; a target for many in the January transfer window. He is a player who has excelled when given the chance. Giovinco scored a team best 15 goals and added 11 assists in 2011-12 while on loan at Parma. His signature is an absolute coup for Toronto, reportedly beating the likes of Monaco and a number of Serie A and Premier League teams in the chase. Giovincos agent spent some time in Toronto and was impressed by the city and set-up. It is believed the North American adventure is something Giovinco craved and the opportunity to become a star in MLS beckons. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment were confident in recent days an agreement was reached between club and player, with the signing not official until the last 48 hours. The franchise believes they have done due diligence with the player, educating the newcomer on the significant travel and nuances of MLS that make it difficult for some to adapt. Giovinco is said to undaunted by the challenge and excited by the move. The spotlight he covets and the ability to shine are there for the taking. The signing of Giovinco is culmination of weeks of work for Toronto FC. The plan was always to replace the out-going Jermain Defoe with two players of significance. Toronto FC has done just that this week with the arrival of US National team striker Jozy Altidore Friday, and now Giovinco. Toronto FC has gone above and beyond in establishing a new core for the present and the future. MLS has always been a league reliant on attracting marquee names in the twilight of their careers. A player like Giovinco is exactly what MLS had in mind in allowing Designated Players; attacking players in their prime, appealing to both the casual and devoted soccer fan. The move screams credibility. MLS is said to be very happy with Toronto FCs capture. The move for Toronto FC is another statement of intent. The pomp and circumstance of previous big name transfers will not come with this; rather the focus should be on substance. Toronto FC now has a core of three Designated Players in Giovinco, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore all in their 20s (27, 27, 25). This core is capable of staying together for the foreseeable future, establishing the kind of consistency Toronto FC has desperately lacked. MLSE firmly believes in soccer as a growth property, with a $105 million dollar stadium expansion further evidence to the upside. Toronto FCs squad will continue to take shape in the coming days. The biggest question mark is what happens with Gilberto. The acquisition of Giovinco means Toronto FC will have four Designated Players on the books; only three are allowed in MLS. A new Collective Bargaining Agreement is being negotiated at present time. There has been little indication that adding a fourth Designated Player is priority. If the idea is tabled in negotiations, it makes sense for Toronto FC would support such an initiative. It is believed Toronto FC still thinks highly of the Brazilian striker. The chance to add Altidore and Giovinco were opportunities too good to pass up on. Its consensus across MLS there would be a trade market for Gilberto. The 25-year-old improved as the season wore on, scoring seven goals in 28 MLS appearances. MLS requires Gilberto to be off Torontos roster before the first game of the season. Gareth Wheeler can be reached at: @WheelerTSN gareth.wheeler@bellmedia.ca Cheap Sports Jerseys . Both had to wait out a rain interruption lasting nearly five hours before taking comprehensive third-round victories to join Carling Bassett-Seguso (1983, 1986), Patricia Hy-Boulais (1996-97) and Daniel Nestor (1999) as Canadians who made it into the second week of a major. Sports Jerseys For Sale .com) - The Winnipeg Jets got over one hurdle by snapping their longest losing streak of the season. https://www.sportsstarsjerseys.com/tom-brady-jersey/. It has been eleven years, eight months, and 261 days since I played my last CFL game. Michael Jordan Jersey Chicago White Sox . The 23-year-old McNabb was an All-Star with the American Hockey Leagues Rochester Americans this season, posting seven goals and 22 assists in 38 games. In 12 games with the Sabres this season, McNabb has accumulated six penalty minutes and a plus-1 rating. He has scored one goal and seven assists in 37 career games with the Sabres, who originally selected him in the third round (66th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Michael Jordan Jersey North Carolina . Sure, Josh Browns 45-yard field goal on the third drive of overtime lifted the New York Giants to a 23-20 win over Detroit on Sunday. But the Lions (7-8) dropped themselves out of the NFC North race by losing five of their last six games, blowing fourth-quarter leads in each setback. UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The New York Islanders were close to ending their five-game losing streak. But Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals found a win to get their second win in two days. Ovechkins overtime winner came after Nicklas Backstrom tied the game with a short-handed score with 49 seconds left in the third period to lift the Capitals to a 3-2 victory over the Islanders on Saturday. Ovechkins 21st goal at 2:07 of overtime gave Washington the victory and improved its record to 14-11-2. The Capitals also had a strong game from goaltender Braden Holtby, who made 37 saves. "We were lucky at the end and then we got it done in overtime," Washington coach Adam Oates said. "At the end of the day, you want to do the right things out there and we did." The Islanders seemed poised for their first win since Nov. 16 after Thomas Vanek gave them a 2-1 lead with just under two minutes left. Vanek scored his eighth of the season when he flipped the puck past Holtby from in close at 18:09 as linemates John Tavares and Kyle Okposo assisted. The one-goal lead appeared safe but it wasnt to be as Capitals defenceman Mike Green took an interference penalty at 18:50. The ensuing play went into the Islanders end where Backstrom took a pass from Jason Chimera, then managed to slide the puck past Islanders goaltender Anders Nilsson for his sixth of the season to knot the score at 2. "It was a great pass by Chimmer that landed on my tape," Backstrom said. "It really felt great for me because it was a tight game between two good teams. It was felt good that we came back, a great win for us." Nilsson was making his first start for the Islanders this season after Kevin Poulin had lost the previous five games. Starter Evgeni Nabokov was injured early in the Nov. 16th game against Detroit. The Islanders won that game in a shootout with Poulin in relief but they havent won since. Aaron Volpattis score at 8:58 of the middle period put Washington ahead 1-0. Tom Wilson and Martin Erat assisted on his second goal of the season. The Islanders dictated much of the pace against the Capitals. They outshot Washington 15-9 in the first period and 12-10 in the second, a day after a 5-0 home loss to Deetroit.dddddddddddd Cal Clutterbucks short-handed breakaway goal at 3:59 of the third woke up the crowd at Nassau Coliseum. Clutterbuck broke in alone on Holtby and beat the goaltender to the glove side for his third of the season. Both goaltenders continued their sharp play until Vaneks goal broke the tie. The Islanders have been on a spiral since beating Boston at home on Nov. 2 to improve to 6-5-3. They are 2-10-1 since and 4-11-1 since they traded Tavares left wing Matt Moulson and two draft picks to Buffalo for Vanek on Oct. 27. Islanders coach Jack Capuano remained upbeat following the loss. "Guys worked hard tonight. I thought they were focused and this was a step in the right direction," he said. "It came down to special teams. Its just very frustrating that it had to end this way." The Islanders and Capitals play close games, as 17 of the past 25 games between them have been decided by one goal. Washington is 13-1-3 in those games. The Caps are 17-5-3 against the Islanders since the start of the 2007-08 season, including their 6-2 over New York on Nov. 5 at Verizon Center. The Islanders next host Pittsburgh on Tuesday before a five-game trip against top Western Conference teams St. Louis, Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose and Phoenix. For a club that reached the playoffs last season for the first time since 2007, the season is at an early crossroads. "We have to believe in one another and stick with it," Capuano said. Calvin de Haan made his season debut for the Islanders. The 22-year-old defenceman was recalled from AHL Bridgeport on Thanksgiving. A first round pick -- 12th overall -- in 2009, he previously had played only one game for the Islanders in December 2011. Notes: The Capitals recalled goaltender Philipp Grubauer from AHL Hershey to replace backup Michal Neuvirth, who stepped on puck during warmup on Friday and missed his scheduled start. ... Washington also recalled defenceman Dmitry Orlov from Hershey, sending down centre Michael Latta. ... The Capitals were without defencemen John Erskine (knee) and Jack Hillen (fractured tibia). ... The Islanders continued to be without defencemen Lubomir Visnovsky (concussion) and Brian Strait (upper body). ' ' '