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WINNIPEG -- Buck Pierce says hes being given another chance to play the game he loves with the B.C. Lions, but it still hurts to leave the Blue Bombers and his adopted home of Winnipeg. Pierce, who spent 3 1/2 seasons with the Bombers, was traded to the Lions on Sunday for Canadian receiver Akeem Foster. "I was sad at first, because I know what this place and this community means to me, and all the friendships on and off the field, outside these walls as well," Pierce said Monday in a gracious farewell. "Thats the first emotion." Despite the trade, Pierce said he wont really be leaving Winnipeg, where his fiancee lives and where he has business interests. "Its a place that I want to be. I will be here in the off-season," he said. "I will call it home and hopefully, some day in the future, I can be back in some aspect of the (Bombers) organization." His time in Winnipeg, like his previous tenure with the Lions in Vancouver, was marred by injury. Pierces best season was 2011, when he led the Bombers to the Grey Cup game, where Winnipeg dropped a 34-23 decision to the Lions. The next season was a major disappointment as he spent most of it on the injury list. After wrestling with the issue in the off-season, the Bombers opened 2013 with Pierce as their starter. But after managing only one win, he was hurt and replaced in the second half of the fourth game by Justin Goltz. Goltz and Max Hall have started since, with Pierce seeing action only as a backup. Hall really only played one game, injuring his hand on his first series in the second he started. Goltz too has struggled. He does get credit for Winnipegs second win of the season and first in their new stadium Sunday, although it owed more perhaps to a blitzing Bombers defence that sacked Saskatchewan quarterback Darian Durant eight times. The Bombers still have four quarterbacks: Goltz, Hall, Jason Boltus and newcomer Levi Brown, who is on the practice roster. Despite his feelings about Winnipeg, Pierce said he is glad to get another chance to be useful on a football field. "Im given an opportunity to go and still use my talents to help a team achieve their goal and I think as an athlete thats what you want and thats what being a pro is all about," he said. Pierce, who turns 32 in November, played with the Lions from 2005 to 2009 and says he knows their offence well, since many of the same coaches are still in place. "My role, as I see it right now, is to come and help, help Travis (Lulay), help the offence and add some depth," he said. Acting general manager Kyle Walters thanked Pierce for what he did for the team but said theyve decided to move on and go with their younger quarterbacks. He also said the deal gives them a talented young Canadian receiver in Akeem Foster. "Its sound philosophy in the CFL when you get a chance to add to your Canadian talent base, particularly at your starting positions, you do it to promote depth and competition," Walters said. Theoretically, the Bombers should be OK at that spot but have had trouble keeping the four they had in training camp healthy. As for quarterback, Walters said for the remainder of the season they may stick with the four they have, but that may change in the off-season with the Ottawa expansion draft looming. "It would be foolish in an organization not to explore all options in December into how to upgrade all the positions, especially the most important position on the field, which is the quarterback position," he said. "So if we think we can upgrade that spot, then we will." Camiseta Real Madrid 19/20 .com) - It appears both the Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls will reach the playoffs, but the two squads are coming off losing efforts. Camiseta Lucas Vazquez España .500 ball against teams with winning records, so they needed a huge lift from somebody Tuesday night in a matchup of division leaders. http://www.nuevacamisetadelrealmadrid.co...-bale-nino.html. - Tom Brady and the Patriots routed the Bengals and quieted the doubters. Camiseta Luka Modric .C. Lions. The clubs former starting quarterback, assistant and head coach returned Thursday as its receivers coach. Camiseta Real Madrid Outlet . - The Minnesota Vikings have ruled Christian Ponder out for Sundays game at Baltimore, because the quarterback has not yet passed all of his post-concussion tests.OTTAWA - Maybe Jaroslav Halak just needed to feel wanted.First the goaltender was second fiddle to Carey Price in Montreal then got pushed out in St. Louis for Ryan Miller. Nothing more than a rental in Washington, Halak last June heard from a team that wanted to turn the reins over to him and invest in him for the long term.Now the New York Islanders are atop the Metropolitan Division, riding the wave of Halaks all-star-calibre play during his franchise record 11-game winning streak.This team showed interest in me and interest in signing me, Halak said. Interest was on both sides, and Im glad it worked out well.It has worked out for the first-place Islanders because general manager Garth Snow was willing to trade a fourth-round pick for Halaks rights two weeks after the regular season ended and even more willing to give him a long-term contract. Halak did his homework on the Islanders, talking to current and former players, and ultimately signed a US$18-million, four-year deal.The season is only 26 games old, but so far that looks like a bargain. At 14-4-0 with a 2.05 goals-against average and .926 save percentage, the former Canadien has stabilized the goaltending position that has gone through so much recent change and fits of inconsistency.Since Ive been here, weve gone through a lot of goalies, and theyve been quality goaltenders, coach Jack Capuano said. But to know that we have a couple guys now back there and hopefully we can stay healthy, its been a big plus for our hockey club.Capuano is referencing backup Chad Johnson, too, but the onus really has been on Halak to shoulder the load for New York. The way the schedule sets up — the Islanders only have one back-to-back for the next month — the fifth-year head coach cant help but want to keep putting Halak on the ice.On Thursday night, the 29-year-old Slovak beat the Ottawa Senators to break Billy Smiths franchise record of consecutive victories with his 11th.Its great to see him break the record and he deserves it, Capuano said. Hes working real hard and hes enjoying himself between the pipes right now.Halak has an intense demeanour on the ice, something captain John Tavares notices when Cal Clutterbuck shoots high on him early in practice. Halak doesnt take too kindly to that.I think you can just tell by his facial expressions, Tavares said.Maybe Halak doesnt smile too much, but hes loving life with the Islanders, who are a world away from where they were a year ago. Back then they were losers of 10 in a row during a season in which they didnt get great goaltending from Evgeni Nabokov, Anders Nilsson or Kevin Poulin.These Islanders underwent significant off-season changes. Snow signed former Maple Leafs forwards Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin, then a few days before opening night traded for defencemen Johnny Boychuk and Nick Leddy.ddddddddddddQuite simply, this is a better team all over the ice.We just play a good poised game, and we have a lot of depth, so were able to come at teams with every line and all our D, Tavares said. We just want to put teams on their heels. We want to play with the puck, obviously. I think the more energy youve got to spend to try to get it back, I think it makes it tough for the other team to generate offence, generate opportunities.Tavares pointed out theres no panic in Halaks game and likewise no panic on the bench or in the locker-room in difficult situations, unlike last season. Theres little doubt the Islanders feed off their No. 1 goaltender.Everyone sort of plays like Jaro a bit, defenceman Thomas Hickey said. Hes quiet in the net and I think it rubs off on us. ... When any goalie’s playing on their game it makes it really easy on the team.Things havent exactly been easy lately, even as the Islanders have been on a roll. Just four of their past nine victories have come in regulation.That speaks to some strong play in close games but also to New Yorks slim margin for error. Halak plays a part in that because hes not prone to giving up soft goals.He makes every save he should, Hickey said. You dont see him making the 10-bell save because hes always in position, he doesnt need to.During this winning streak, which will be on the line Saturday against the St. Louis Blues, Halak has stopped 275 of the 289 shots he has faced (.952 save percentage) and put up a 1.24 GAA.Capuano said Halak was dialed in. Some athletes feel momentum building, but not this one.I dont think about it, Halak said. I go game-by-game. Im always trying to focus on the game thats ahead of me. Whatever happened in the past, happened in the past. Thats great. But back to work tomorrow.Halaks work never stops. Earlier in the season Capuano and goaltending coach Mike Dunham talked to Halak about managing his emotions, and he has done that.I just thought mentally he was a little frustrated, and right now hes in a good place, Capuano said. Hes got high expectations of himself, which is good. Thats what you want.Its no different than a quarterback or different than a starting pitcher. Youre the last line of defence back there. I like the fact that he puts that pressure on himself, but how he channelled in a different way.Halak isnt out of control. In fact, Tavares called him pretty calm.The Islanders have followed that lead.The consistency he brings in his game and the calmness he brings, of course we feed off that, Tavares said. He does such a good job of not giving up second, third chances and swallowing pucks and pushing them off to the side. Both the skaters and the goalie feed off one another, and hes been great for us.---Follow @SWhyno on Twitter ' ' '