VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks arent used to this feeling. After five straight playoff appearances -- including a Stanley Cup final Game 7 on home ice just three seasons ago -- the clubs miserable 2013-14 campaign was finally taken off life support Monday. It wasnt pretty on the ice or in the stands. John Gibson made just 18 saves to record a shutout in his first NHL game as the Anaheim Ducks defeated the listless Canucks 3-0 to officially eliminate Vancouver from post-season contention. "Not a very good feeling," said defenceman Kevin Bieksa. "Not too familiar. Its been a while. Were disappointed for sure. The last few weeks have been very disappointing." The Canucks played a decent opening 20 minutes on Monday, but couldnt muster anything through the final two periods with their season on the line. Once the hottest ticket in town, the lower bowl at Rogers Arena was dotted by hundreds of empty seats throughout the game, and many of the fans who did show up started heading to the exits long before the final buzzer sounded. The night ended with some in the half-empty building chanting for Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis to be fired. Gillis seemed to criticize the style of first-year head coach John Tortorella in a radio interview last week, saying that he wanted the team to get back to the type of game that got it to the 2011 final against the Boston Bruins. But its clear many blame Gillis for the teams current plight. "(Fans) paid big money to come to these games. Its their prerogative how they handle themselves," said Tortorella. "As far as fans are concerned, thats their call. "They pay money to come see the games. Theyre not happy. They can voice their opinion how they like to." Bieksa said the players heard the chants with the clock and their playoff chances winding down. "Personally I dont think its the right thing to do, but at the end of the day the fans come and they can do whatever they want," he said. "Put it this way: were all going to take the blame for this. Its not just one or two guys. Its the whole team. Were going to take what we get, move forward, push through this." Daniel Winnik, Kyle Palmieri and Matt Beleskey had the goals for Anaheim (51-20-8), which is in a dog fight with the San Jose Sharks for first place in the Pacific Division. Eddie Lack stopped 20 shots in his 19th straight start for Vancouver (35-33-11) since the Olympic break. The Canucks post-season hopes had been reduced to a mere mathematical possibility in recent weeks and it was fitting they were finally knocked off the cliff by an Anaheim team that looks primed for a long playoff run. Known for his outbursts during other coaching stops, Tortorella has been on his best behaviour in Vancouver and that didnt change despite Mondays disappointment. "It doesnt do anybody any good right now to be critical," said Tortorella. "Obviously we didnt play well enough, but Im not going to criticize the hockey club at this stage." Down 1-0 after giving up a short-handed goal in the first, the Canucks came out inexplicably flat in the second, registering just three shots in a demoralizing effort that saw Anaheim grab a 2-0 lead on Palmieris 14th of the season at 17:03. Prior to that back-breaker, the Canucks had a couple chances to at least direct pucks at Anaheims rookie netminder, but both Jannik Hansen and Daniel Sedin passed up shooting opportunities on separate 2-on-1 breaks. Vancouver had just nine shots to Anaheims 18 through two periods, with a smattering of boos just a prelude of what was to comes as the teams headed to the locker-rooms. "We just didnt execute very well. We had a good first period," said Bieksa. "They capitalized on our power play. Its not the end of the game. Were still feeling good. Second period just wasnt very good at all. "If I could pinpoint it, we just werent executing. We werent making tape-to-tape passes. We were creating our own problems for ourselves." The Ducks -- who sit three points ahead of the Sharks for top spot in the Pacific Division and have a crucial home date against San Jose on Wednesday -- basically put things on autopilot in the third to help snap a two-game slide that included Sundays loss to the Edmonton Oilers. "The team played really well in front of me and made my job easier, I only had to make regular saves and if there was rebounds they cleared it out," said Gibson, who became the youngest goalie to earn a shutout in his first start since Daren Puppa in 1985. "Everyone knew it was a big game." Anaheim made it 3-0 against the sleepy Canucks 1:20 into the third when Beleskey finished off a pretty passing play for his seventh of the season. Gibson didnt have a lot to do on the night, but did make a huge save on Niklas Jensen to preserve the shutout with about eight minutes gone in the third. "He looked so much more calmer than a 20-year-old kid playing his first NHL game," said Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau. "It was like Ho hum. After my first game when I scored a goal you couldnt shut me up, I was so happy I was jumping up and down, and he was just Ah, here we go again. "I think its a demeanour that a goalie has to have." Coming of a spirited 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night that kept their minuscule playoff hopes alive, the Canucks didnt seem ready off Mondays opening faceoff. Lack stopped Cogliano on a breakaway 15 seconds into the first period, but the Vancouver goaltender couldnt bail his team a second time after another gaffe a few minutes. With Vancouver on the power play, Winnik jumped on a mistake by Canucks captain Henrik Sedin and moved in alone to rip his sixth of the season at 6:26. Vancouver had a couple of chances later in the man advantage, including a scramble in front of Gibson that saw the puck dribble off the post and stay out. Alexander Edler then ripped another shot off the iron that fooled Gibson, who is seen by many as Anaheims goalie of the future. Those two instances would be among the only highlights for the Canucks, who must now regroup with three meaningless games remaining on their schedule. "We keep preparing as we always do until the seasons done," said Tortorella. "Obviously were out of the playoffs now, but I still believe you go about your business until the last day of work and thats how were going to approach it and I believe the team will too." Notes: The game marked Teemu Selannes final visit to Vancouver as a player. Set to retire after the post-season, 43-year-old has said repeatedly that the city is his favourite stop in the NHL. The Canucks honoured Selanne with a brief scoreboard tribute in the first period. ... The Ducks are 10-1-2 in the second of back-to-back games this season, including two wins against the Canucks. ... Anaheim now has a 110 points in 2013-14, which tied a franchise record set in 2006-07 when the club won its only Stanley Cup. ... Gibson led the United States to gold at the 2013 world junior hockey championship. ... The Canucks host the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night. Travis Wood Jersey . "That was a great lift for the staff," Padres manager Bud Black said. Yonder Alonso and Yasmani Grandal homered, and Chase Headley drove in three runs, as the Padres beat the Chicago Cubs 11-1 on Friday night. Welington Castillo Cubs Jersey .com) - Melvin Gordon rushed for 205 yards and a touchdown and No. http://www.cubsJerseyteamshop.com/Ryne-Sandberg-Cubs-Jersey/ . -- After having his worst game in a Detroit Pistons uniform earlier in the week, free agent Josh Smith erased that memory with his best game Friday night. Kyle Schwarber Cubs Jersey . Head coach Lindy Ruff confirmed on Sunday that his starting goalie has a head injury and the team will take it day by day. Kosuke Fukudome Jersey . It was his first time he skated with teammates since injuring his groin in a game against the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 20. The 31-year-old is hoping to be back in uniform before the All-Star break, which is January 22-26.(SportsNetwork.com) - A funny thing happened on the way to the latest incarnation of the storied Tom Brady-Peyton Manning rivalry, Andrew Luck decided to crash the party. The heir apparent to the NFLs elite quarterback club will lead his upstart Indianapolis Colts into Foxborough on Sunday to face off against football royalty -- Brady, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots -- in the AFC Championship Game. The Luck-led Colts will be trying to avenge a Week 11 42-20 thumping at the hands of the Pats in the Jonas Gray game, where the little-used former Notre Dame star broke onto the national scene, rushing for 202 of New Englands 246 rushing yards. The contest will also mark the fifth time since 2003 that New England and Indy will be meeting in the postseason and the third time in which they will play in the AFC title game, a rivalry ignited by the Brady/Manning feud. The Pats and Colts split matchups for the AFC crown, after the 2003 (New England) and 2006 seasons (Indy), in which each winner moved on to capture the Super Bowl. Thats what you play for, Belichick said. You play to win your division, you play to be in the postseason and then you play to be in the AFC Championship Game and then you see what happens after that. Thats what its all about. That what you work all year for, its to get to this point. In last years divisional round, Luck got his first chance against Belichick and Brady and it was much like the Week 11 game, a 43-22 Pats win as New England rushed for 234 yards and six touchdowns. Overall the Patriots have won each of their past five meetings with Indianapolis and are averaging 41.2 points per game in those contests. Luck has been at the controls for three of those affairs and the Colts have been routed each time, being outscored 144-66. New England advanced to its 11th AFC Championship Game -- and its ninth with Belichick and Brady at the helm -- with a 35-31 win over the Baltimore Ravens last Saturday when Brady threw for 367 three touchdown passes, the last of which was a go-ahead 23-yard strike to Brandon LaFell with 5:13 remaining. Bradys yardage total and 33 completions in 50 attempts each shattered his own franchise records for a playoff game, while the three-time Super Bowl champs connection with LaFell gave him 46 career postseason touchdown passes to break the leagues all-time record held by Bradys boyhood idol, Joe Montana. He also ran for a touchdown. Hes a pretty good quarterback, Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs admitted when talking about Brady. He sat in there and made the plays they needed him to make. Belichick, meanwhile, moved into a tie with Hall of Fame mentor Tom Landry for the most postseason wins by a head coach with 20. Rob Gronkowski caught one of Bradys touchdown throws in a 7-reception, 108- yard effort. Danny Amendola finished with a pair of touchdown grabs for New England, including a 51-yard catch from wide receiver Julian Edelman on a trick play in the third quarter, the longest in postseason history by a non- quarterback. Thankfully well be playing next week, Belichick said. Its great to have Tom (Brady) and his ability and his poise and presence as our quarterback. Obviously hes done a tremendous job throughout the years. Theres no quarterback Id rather have than Tom Brady. Luck, meanwhile, led the Colts to a 24-13 win at Denver last Sunday and has now won three of his past four postseason starts. He threw for 265 yards and two touchdown passes against the Broncos and now has 1,703 passing yards in the postseason, the most by any player in his first five career playoff games, surpassing the previous mark set by Kurt Warner (1,644). Were playing good team ball, said Luck, who has guided Indianapolis to the postseason in each of his first three NFL seasons. Were feeding off each other. Im so proud to be a part of it. Luck, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, is supposed to be good, though. The Colts defense was the big surprise, limiting the high-powered Broncos to 288 total yards, including just 200 net passing yards. During the regular season, Denver averaged 402.9 total yards per game and 291.3 passing yards. The defense did a heck of a job and its fun watching them making plays, said Luck. I know we feed off their energy and Id like to think they feed off of us and special teams. It was truly three phases working together, but, what a great job we did defensively. The Colts will be appearing in their fourth AFC Championship Game since 2003 and won the past two with Manning at the controls. The club knows winning in Foxborough wont be easy, however. The Patriots are a great, great team, said Indianapolis head coach Chuck Pagano. Hall of Fame coach. Hall of Fame quarterback. We all know how hard it is to win there. We know it will be a tall order but its going to be a great opportunity for our guys. Well continue to embrace this opportunity and prepare accordingly. New England leads its all-time series with the Colts by a significant 49-29 margin, including a 3-1 mark in postseason. WHAT TO WATCH FOR The Patriots are as playoff-tested as it gets. Brady will be making his NFL record ninth conference championship appearance and Belichick is on the verge of surpassing Landry for the most postseason triumphs. A victory over Indy here would be New Englands eighth Super Bowl berth, matching Pittsburgh and Dallas for the most ever. Were very fortunate to be in this position to have a chance to play in (the title game), Brady said. I think more than anything, youre just excited for the opportunity to be able to do it. Its hard to do and our team found a way to get there this year so hopefully we can take advantage of the opportunity. The Indy offense is obviously the teams strength and finished third in the NFL with 406.6 ypg but was No. 1 overall in passing with 305.dddddddddddd of those yards coming through the air thanks to Luck, who is just the eighth QB in NFL history to toss 40 TDs in a season. The Stanford product has 12,957 passing yards since entering the league in 2012, the most of any player in their first three seasons. In the playoffs, Luck is the first player in NFL history to pass for 250-or-more yards in each of his first five postseason games. Luck has a plethora of weapons starting with the speedy T.Y. Hilton, who amassed a career-high 1,345 receiving yards with 1,159 of them coming after the first month. He also excels in the playoffs as Hilton has 568 career receiving yards in five postseason contests. Meanwhile tight ends Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener each had eight TD receptions in the regular season. The Pats are expected to try to slow down Hilton by shadowing him with All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis, who is itching for a bounce back game after a rare down performance against the Ravens. You never know what Belichick is thinking, though, and the innovative mentor could use Revis to completely shut down veteran Reggie Wayne or Hakeem Nicks and use bracket coverage to stunt Hilton. Belichicks plans have worked well in the past against Luck, who has completed just 53.8 percent of his passes and amassed a dismal 67.7 passer rating in his previous three games against New England. Id like to think I am a better quarterback and would like to think were a better team, Luck said when asked about his prior difficulties against the Pats.We are well equipped to handle the unknown, the unforeseen. Belichick rarely rests on his past laurels, however, aware with the notion that what worked yesterday will not necessarily be sufficient for everything that is thrown at you tomorrow. If (Luck) extends the play, then he has the ability to create big plays, Belichick said. Weve seen him do that multiple times throughout his career already. Its another guy you have to defend in the running game, the passing game in terms of his ability to scramble and make first-down yardage on possession-type downs. And he makes good decisions, so all those things are a problem. What Luck doesnt have, though, is a consistent running game and the disappointing Trent Richardson has been benched in favor of the nondescript Daniel Herron, who has been an upgrade at least. Herron isnt going to remind you of Edgerrin James, though. He rushed 23 times for 63 yards and a TD against Denver, along with a team-high eight receptions for an additional 32 yards, In two playoff games, he is averaging 118 yards from scrimmage per game. They run the ball, they stay out of long-yardage, they get better production out of the running game, more play-action, those kind of things, Belichick said. The Colts defense has lacked consistency this season, especially on the pass rush where the club has missed Robert Mathis, who sat the entire campaign, first on a suspension and then with an Achilles injury. The group has picked things up in the playoffs, however. Veteran linebacker DQwell Jackson is the leader of the unit in his first season since coming over from Cleveland, pacing the AFC with 140 total tackles. The defensive backfield is highlighted by Vontae Davis, one of footballs best man-to-man coverage corners as well as veteran safety Mike Adams, who led the team with a career-high five INTs this season. Stopping the run has to be in the forefront of Paganos mind because the last two times he has faced the Pats, theyve averaged 240 yards per game on the ground with LeGarrette Blount and Gray taking turns as the torturer. Last weekend Brandon Bolden started for New England at running back and the team didnt have one rushing attempt in the second half so you never know what Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels are going to dial up. What happened in the regular season is what happened and were a much better team for that, Indianapolis defensive lineman Cory Redding said. So we learned from those mistakes and were moving on. On the injury front, the Colts are hurting in the defensive backfield as Davis is dealing with a knee injury and fellow corner Greg Toler has a groin issue. For New England, starting center Bryan Stork has been ruled out with a knee injury. OVERALL ANALYSIS There is a reason that Belichick is the best coach in professional football and everyone else is fighting for second place best evidenced by the wrinkle he unveiled on the Pats second drive of the third quarter against the Ravens after Stork was forced to leave with the knee injury. New England kicked Ryan Wendell inside to the pivot and lined up just four natural offensive linemen, declaring a normally eligible receiver like blocking tight end Michael Hoomanawanui or running back Shane Vereen as ineligible, all in an effort to keep Baltimore off balance. The strategy worked as Baltimore defenders were often confused when trying to substitute and match up, causing John Harbaugh to blow his stack and draw an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Belichick is the Nolan Ryan of football, a pure power pitcher who has developed impeccable control over the years and is able to pull the string on you at any time, leaving you in the batters box unable to react. One week its Brady throwing for 300 and the next its Blount or Gray or Bolden killing you on the ground. Defensively, he uses Revis to lock down one side of the field but you never know which receiver he wants to shadow and New England remains the one NFL team most likely to use multiple fronts from one week to the next. This is likely going to be Lucks league in two or three years but to win in this spot at this stage of his development is asking a little too much. Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Patriots 30, Colts 21 Cheap Soccer Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '