Herzlich Willkommen » Gagner is 0 for 2 on penalty shots in his career

PYONGYANG, North Korea -- Dennis Rodman said Monday that a game he and other former National Basketball Association players are planning in North Korea will be a "birthday present" for one of their most unlikely fans: leader Kim Jong Un. Rodmans squad -- featuring ex-All Stars Kenny Anderson, Cliff Robinson and Vin Baker -- will play against a team of North Koreans on Wednesday, which is believed to be Kims birthday. The former NBA players, who arrived in Pyongyang on Monday, also include Eric (Sleepy) Floyd, guard Doug Christie and Charles D. Smith, who played for the New York Knicks. Four streetballers are also on the squad. Rodman told The Associated Press he was glad to be in North Korea for the game, though he said he has gotten death threats for his repeated visits. He said proceeds from the game would go to a charity for the deaf in North Korea. "The marshal is actually trying to change this country in a great way," Rodman said of Kim, using the leaders official title. "I think that people thought that this was a joke, and Dennis Rodman is just doing this because fame and fortune." Instead, he said, he sees the game as a "birthday present" for Kim and his country. "Just to even have us here, its an awesome feeling. I want these guys here to show the world, and speak about North Korea in a great light," he said. "I hope people will have a different view about North Korea." The game will be another milestone in Rodmans surprising relationship with Kim, who rarely meets with foreigners and about whom very little is known outside of North Korea. Rodman is the highest-profile American to meet Kim since the leader inherited power after his father, Kim Jong Il, died in late 2011. Rodman travelled to North Korea for the first time last February with the Harlem Globetrotters for an HBO series. After spending time together, Rodman called Kim a "friend for life" and came back just before Christmas to hold tryouts for the North Korean basketball team, though he did not meet with Kim then. Rodman has been given the red-carpet treatment on each of his trips, but visiting North Korea for any high-profile American is a political minefield. To keep the game itself friendly, the two sides will only play against each other in the first half, and then mix together in the second. Americans are regarded as enemies in North Korea since the two countries never signed a peace treaty to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War. Thousands of U.S. troops are still based in South Korea, and the Demilitarized Zone between the North and South is one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world. Relations are also tense because of the Norths development of nuclear weapons and its threats to use them if a conflict breaks out with Washington or Seoul. Rodman has also been slammed for not trying to use his influence with Kim to secure the release of Kenneth Bae, an American missionary with health problems who is being held in North Korea on charges of committing "anti-state" crimes. To make the trip more complicated, Kims once-powerful uncle was recently executed for a long litany of alleged crimes, including trying to divide the regime and usurp power from Kim. Although that has generated speculation abroad about the regimes unity, North Korean officials say the execution settled the issue and there is no instability. Rodman, however, says none of that is his concern. "Im not a president, Im not a politician, Im not an ambassador," he said before arriving. "Im just an athlete and the reason for me to go is to bring peace to the world, thats it. Thats all I want, no money. I want no money, no money." Former Knicks player Smith said he hopes the game will lead to better relations between the two countries. "Its new being here, but overall the concept is not new," he said. "The team is made up of a lot of guys who really care, thats the most important, its not about bringing dream-teamers. Its about guys who are coming that want to be a part of this, that care, and really that care about humanity." Nike Air Max 270 Heren Goedkoop .C. -- Steve Spurrier was much happier about South Carolinas improved performance than about his lastest career milestone. Nike Air Max 270 Dames Nederland . Thats 14 consecutive losses to the two-time defending champs, and most of them were over before they even began. Result notwithstanding, Sundays game had a very different feel to it. http://www.airmaxkopennederland.com/uitv...ir-max-180.html. The R&A announced Monday that golfs oldest championship will return to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland for the first time since Max Faulkner won in 1951. Nike Air Max Thea Goedkoop . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. Nike Air Max Nederland . Rosbergs time of 1 minute, 33.185 seconds at the Bahrain International Circuit was a quarter of a second faster than Hamilton, who had to abandon his final flying lap after running wide at the first corner.CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks were sloppy on defence at times Sunday night. The struggling Edmonton Oilers struggled even more in their own zone and it cost them against the defending Stanley Cup champions. Marcus Kruger scored the tiebreaking goal with 8:16 left in the third period, Duncan Keith added a power-play goal 1:55 later and the Blackhawks beat Edmonton 5-4 for their third straight victory. "Were happy to get wins and get points, but we always want to keep getting better, take positives from every game," Keith said. Brandon Saad, Andrew Shaw and Bryan Bickell also scored for the Blackhawks (12-2-4), who are 6-0-1 in their last seven games. Kruger was alone at the edge of the crease when he took a pass from Ben Smith off the boards, turned and wrapped the puck past Devan Dubnyk to put Chicago ahead 4-3. Keith added his first of the season on a screened shot from the point. It turned out to be the game-winner because Jordan Eberle scored short-handed for the Oilers on a deflection of Nick Schultzs point shot with 1:28 remaining. "We make a few more mistakes against these guys than we should," Keith said. "Theyre able to capitalize." Edmonton also got an even-strength goal from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and power-play scores from Nail Yakupov and David Perron, but lost its third straight and fifth in six games. Sam Gagner missed on a second-period penalty shot. Chicago goalie Corey Crawford made 19 saves, while Dubnyk had 31. "Their power play ignited their offence tonight," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "But still, it was one of those games where we stuck with it, which was important, and found a way to win against a team that enjoys playing against us and has some success against us." The Oilers were 1-1-1 against the Blackhawks last season. "We tend to get out of our game playing against them," Saad said. "We started slow, but we bounced back and finished the game well." The Oilers entered with the NHLs worst goals-against average (3.83) after allowing 48 goals in their first 18 games. The Blackhawks came in averaging 3.47 goals, second only to San Jose, and had scored 27 in their last six games. Defensive zone breakdowns doomed the Oilers in this one. The Blackhawks scored four even-strength goals when one of their players was left wide open near the net. Keiths power-play goal through a screen was the only exception. "Thats missed coverage, and missed coverage by some of our veteran players, which is concerning to me," Edmonton coach Dallas Eakins said. "If you cant defend in this league, youre not going to win. &"Tonight we had flashes of very good D-zone coverage and then we had some flashes of just total unawareness of what was going on behind us," he added.dddddddddddd "Were losing individual responsibilities in our D-zone and its killing us." Chicago defenceman Michal Rozsival left with just more than 4 minutes left after being hit in the face with a puck, but Quenneville said he would be OK. Both teams and goalies played their second game in two days. The Blackhawks won 5-2 at Dallas on Saturday night, and the Oilers lost 4-2 at Philadelphia in an afternoon game. Saad scored the only goal of a sluggish first period with 1:37 left. Edmontons Philip Larsen got a stick on Brandon Pirris centring attempt from the left side of the net, but the puck popped into the air and landed in the slot. Saad drove to the net between two Oilers defenders and put a shot into the lower left corner. Nugent-Hopkins tied it 54 seconds into the second period on a quick shot that fooled Crawford high on the stick side. After taking Perrons feed, Nugent-Hopkins turned and in one motion whipped a shot into the upper left corner. Gagner was awarded a penalty shot at 4:13 after Brent Seabrook hooked him from behind on a breakaway. On his attempt, Gagner lost control of the puck and slid it wide right after several quick moves in close. Yakupovs power-play goal at 8:55 put Edmonton ahead 2-1. Set up by Larsen, Yakupov ripped a one-timer from the top of the right circle past Crawfords glove. The Blackhawks picked up the pace, tested Dubnyk and tied it at 2 with 2:42 left in the period when Shaw capitalized on another Oilers coverage breakdown. Saad powered into the Edmonton zone with the puck, but was steered aside by Anton Belov and Larsen. Shaw snuck in behind the play, took Saads pass and scored on a wrist shot from inside the hashmarks. Bickell gave Chicago a 3-2 lead at 5:33 of the third when he was left alone at the edge of the crease and stuffed in a rebound of Rozsivals drive from the blue line. Perrons power-play goal 2:25 later, on a deflection of Larsens shot from the point, tied it at 3. NOTES: Gagner is 0 for 2 on penalty shots in his career. ... The Oilers finished 1-3-0 on their road trip. ... Chicago C Michal Handzus missed his eighth game with an upper-body and is still "one or two weeks" from returning, according to Quenneville. ... Veteran G Ilya Bryzgalov, signed by Edmonton to a reported $2 million, one-year deal on Friday, is expected to join Oklahoma City of the AHL for a conditioning stint. He hasnt played an NHL game since April. ... Edmonton LW Luke Gazdic (shoulder) sat out. He was injured Saturday in Philadelphia. ' ' '