net.They did that 32 times in two periods against Lundqvist, sc

TORONTO - Its been 13 years since the Raptors played in their last and only Game 7, by all accounts the biggest game in franchise history to this point. Philadelphia-native Kyle Lowry remembers it well. "Hell of a game," recalled Lowry, who was a 15-year-old high schooler when he watched the epic battle between Vince Carter and Allen Iverson, culminating in Carters missed jumper and Torontos Game 7 loss in 2001. "I was a fan back then, of the other team. But it was a great game, a great game." A year earlier, DeMar DeRozan - 10 at the time, growing up in Southern Los Angeles - watched his favourite team, the Lakers, overcome a 15-point deficit to knock off the Trailblazers in the deciding game of the 2000 Conference Finals. To this day, it is still his most memorable Game 7 moment. "I remember watching it," said the Raptors all-star guard. "Even then I remember saying, I wish I was playing in a moment like that, because it just seemed fun, especially when youre doing something you love to do. Thats the highest level of basketball you could play in, man." On Sunday afternoon theyll have the opportunity to write their own story when Toronto hosts the Brooklyn Nets in the finale of their opening-round series. You can catch all of the action live on TSN, TSN GO and TSN Radio 1050 with pre-game coverage kicking off at 12:30pm et/9:30am pt with Rod Black and Leo Rautins on TSN and with Jim Tatti, Duane Watson, Gareth Wheeler and Josh Lewenberg on a special two-hour edition of Countdown to Tip-off at 11:00 AM on TSN 1050. Tatti, Watson, Wheeler and Lewenberg will return with an extended post-game show following the game. TSN.cas coverage includes in-game highlights and live streaming of the fan festivities at Maple Leaf Square during the game as well as the post-game news conferences. "Honestly, this is what you live for, man," said DeRozan, the Raptors leading scorer, averaging 24.8 points in his first career playoff series. "To play and be in moments like this, because they last forever. Memories like that are going to last way after Im finished playing so youve definitely got to take advantage of it and understand youve got to go out there and play youre A-game." The Raptors, up 3-2 going into Game 6, failed to close out the series in Brooklyn Friday after the Nets got off to a commanding start, earning a wire-to-wire 97-83 win in the face of elimination. The two teams have gone blow for blow all season long, splitting their 10 meetings. In 40 quarters, 480 minutes, the Raptors have scored just one point more than the opposing Nets. Now, itll come down to one final game, four quarters, 48 minutes between two evenly matched foes with very different backstories. Toronto players have made just seven appearances in Game 7s, losing all seven, all of them on the road. Meanwhile, the Nets have 27 games of experience in this situation. Paul Pierce alone has played in more Game 7s than the Raptors roster. Lowry, the only Raptors starter to play in a Game 7, and his Houston Rockets were dismantled in the Western Conference Semifinals, losing to the Lakers by 19 points in 2009. "We got the s--- beat out of us," he said of his lone Game 7 experience. Greivis Vasquez, a rookie with the Grizzlies in 2011, lost by 15 in Oklahoma City during the final game of the semis. Chuck Hayes and John Salmons both have a couple Game 7 defeats on their resume, Tyler Hansbrough has one. To say they have something to prove is probably an understatement. "This game will go down in memory or in history," said the veteran Hayes. "It could be one of your great performances, a so-so performance but people will always remember a Game 7. So how do you want to be remembered?" The Nets, on the other hand, were built for this moment. They are the most expensive NBA team ever assembled, a roster loaded with perennial all-stars and future hall of famers. As such, the pressure is on them to deliver. "We aint got no 100 million, whatever payroll they got," said DeRozan. "Hey, thats all on them. We understand what we have to do and were going to go out there wanting it. At the end of the day they have more to lose than us." The spotlight is fixated on them and they know it. After guaranteeing a victory ahead of Game 6, Nets forward Andray Blatche had no problem doubling down. "We guarantee it," Blatche said after Fridays win. "Were gonna go there, take care of business and go to Miami." Although the Raptors have carried themselves with a quiet confidence throughout the series, refusing to get caught up in an extra curricular war of words, they did not take kindly to Blatches pre-game acceptance speech. "I dont know who does he think he is," said Vasquez, asked about Blatches comments after Saturday afternoon practice at the Air Canada Centre. "Hes not [Kevin Garnett] or Paul Pierce or Jason Kidd. Were not going to listen to his nonsense. He gotta earn that, and he hasnt yet." "I dont care what he said," DeRozan added. "He can say what he wants, honestly. He can go out there and say hes going to hit the lottery tomorrow, I could give a hell." That animosity - natural in any long playoff series - has been building for over two weeks and will come to a head Sunday. All season long, the Raptors and their mix of youth and discarded veterans have been an unlikely success story. On Sunday theyll all have a couple things in common. From one end of the bench to the other, theyll all be playing the most important game of the careers, looking to accomplish something none of them have before, striving to move on and continue to defy the odds. "These are lifetime moments," Lowry said. "Game 7 is Game 7, no matter what round its in, its Game 7. Its 3-3, win or go home. Either youre going to the Bahamas or youre going to the second round." Cheap Fake Jerseys . This weeks Raptors Report puts a bow on Gays brief, 10-month tenure in Toronto and ponders how his absence will affect the teams offence. Are they a better team without him? In addition to acquiring some valuable cap flexibility, what impact will the four incoming players have this season and beyond? Click here for the Dec. Fake Jerseys From China . The rest of the team was already on the field stretching before batting practice while Puig was getting dressed in the clubhouse. He had been slated to start in right field for the afternoon game against the San Francisco Giants, who beat the Dodgers 8-4. http://www.fakejersey.com/fake-college-jerseys/ . - Olympic champion Marielle Thompson accomplished her mission of defending her skicross World Cup title at Nakiska Ski Area on Saturday. Fake Jerseys Outlet . While he was away, it was the division-rival Baltimore Orioles conducting a little business of their own, scooping up Ubaldo Jimenez on Monday evening to a reported four-year, $50-million contract. Fake Jerseys Online .ca. Kerry, In the closing minutes of the second period of Game 4 between Pittsburgh and Columbus there were the remnants of two broken sticks behind the Pittsburgh net.NEW YORK, N.Y. - After missing the playoffs seven times in nine seasons, the New York Islanders might finally be finding out what its like to be on the right side of the breaks.Just past the midpoint in this surprising season, the Islanders have landed atop the Eastern Conference — ahead of Pittsburgh, Montreal and Detroit. In front of Tampa Bay and the rival New York Rangers.It was only fitting that the Islanders reached the summit with a thorough 3-0 victory over the Rangers on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden — arguably the biggest stage in the NHL and certainly the largest in New York.We havent accomplished a whole lot yet, captain John Tavares said. We expect to win against everyone we play against.I think anytime you beat the Rangers as an Islander, its a lot of fun.This was already setting up as a special year for the Islanders, who will be leaving Long Island and the Nassau Coliseum once the season is over and relocating to Brooklyn. Success on the ice has planted the seeds that perhaps nostalgia wont be the only reason why this season is remembered and celebrated.They won the Stanley Cup four times back in the 1980s. The Islanders know another championship would provide the perfect farewell to the Nassau Coliseum — the only home they have ever known.Our goal is always to win the Stanley Cup, Tavares said.The defending Eastern Conference champion Rangers were feted upon their return home from a three-game California sweep. Welcoming the Islanders only raised the hype, and the bright lights and attention didnt rattle them.The Islanders took the play to the Rangers, overwhelmed them in the second period, and finished the shutout in the third after driving goalie Henrik Lundqvist to the bench.It was a four-point game because they are catching up to us, said Jaroslav Halak, who stopped 27 shots and earned his fourth shutout. The guys did a great job. Playing in Madison Square Garden isnt easy, but we played our game.The Islanders (29-13-1) opened a seven-point lead over the Rangers, the fourth place team in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders lead Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh by one point for the overall lead in the East.We havent wanted to get too high on our highs or too low on our lows, defenceman Traavis Hamonic said.dddddddddddd Weve done a good job this year rebounding from losses.Not only are they playing at the top of their game, having won three straight and five times during a seven-game road trip that ended Tuesday, the Islanders are getting good bounces.With the game scoreless in the first period, the Rangers struck the goal post three times within seconds — first with a drive by All-Star Rick Nash and another by Derick Brassard that hit the right post before sailing across the crease and hitting the left one.Luck was on my side, Halak said. It could have been a different game if they got the first one.Not only didnt they get the first one, they didnt get any past the goalie who is in his first season with the Islanders. It marked only the second time this season the Rangers were shut out, and it was the first time the Islanders did it at the Garden since Billy Smith posted another 3-0 win on Dec. 17, 1975.They had some chances, Tavares said. We were playing on the road against a pretty good team. We did a pretty good job getting pucks to the net.They did that 32 times in two periods against Lundqvist, scoring all three goals against him in the second. Lundqvist watched the third from the bench as Cam Talbot took over and stopped all 12 shots he faced.Rangers coach Alain Vigneault made the switch to try to change things for his team. Instead, the Islanders stuck to their game and finished off the big win.Theyre a tough team to play against. They play the right way, Nash said. They lock you in your own zone and they kind of drain all the momentum from your game.With 29 wins and 43 games under their belts, it is less surprising anytime the Islanders come out on top — regardless of the opponent. The schedule doesnt get any easier. When the Islanders return home Friday, the high-powered Pittsburgh Penguins will be there waiting.The Islanders are five wins shy of last seasons total with 39 games left.You go back to training camp and go over the things that are confidentially held in that room and what we wanted to accomplish, coach Jack Capuano said. Its about the character and comfort the guys have in one another, and up until this point how we have performed.We have a lot of hockey left. ' ' '