Schwarzesbrett » Anaheim went back ahead when Kesler put the puck on net

BARCELONA, Spain -- Gareth Bale scored three goals and set up a fourth to make sure Real Madrid didnt miss injured star Cristiano Ronaldo as it cruised to a 4-0 win over Valladolid in the Spanish league on Saturday. With Ronaldo out nursing a hurt hamstring for a second straight game, Bale took up the scoring duties in the 32nd minute then found Karim Benzema to make it 2-0 four minutes later. Bale got his second in the 64th and third in the 89th against Valladolids bewildered defence to give him five goals since Ronaldo was sidelined. Madrids fifth league win in a row following its loss at Barcelona lifted it three points from the defending champions and Atletico Madrid, which won 2-0 at Elche on goals by Diego Costa and Jorge "Koke" Resurreccion. Barcelona can reclaim sole possession of the league lead from Atletico at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. Bale, who joined Madrid on a world record 100 million euros transfer from Tottenham this summer, showed with his first hat trick for Madrid that he has certainly shaken off his injury problems from earlier this season. "His adjustment period is over," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said about Bale. "He has confidence, he is important to the team, and he played very well." Bale has seven goals in league play, leaving him third for Madrid behind Benzemas eight and Ronaldos 17, which lead the league. Bale also has scored twice in the Champions League. Marcelo, however, made it clear who Madrids No. 1 is. "Gareth is a great player but you cant compare him with Cristiano because Cristiano is above all the rest," Marcelo said. Also, Celta Vigo came back to beat Almeria 3-1 for its first home victory at Balaidos Stadium in eight attempts this season under first-year manager Luis Enrique. With Ronaldo unavailable, Angel Di Maria started and wasted little time in controlling a clearance outside the area before rattling the bar with a left-footed shot on either side of two Sergio Ramos headers that sailed high. The overmatched Valladolid rarely managed to shift the action out of its area, and Bale found himself in perfect position to nod in a rebound of Di Marias curling effort that goalie Diego Marino parried directly to the Wales winger. Bale then picked out Benzema with a pinpoint cross to thump the ball beyond Marino and put the result beyond doubt before halftime. Bale was again aided by a poor clearance for Madrids third. This time it was defender Jesus Rueda, who knocked Marcelos cross back for Bale to fire home. But Bale wasnt finished and he started and finished off a late counterattack by charging forward to tap in Marcelos low cross. With Elche hanging tough, Atletico coach Diego Simeone sent on Raul Garcia and Adrian Lopez and the changes paid off to earn Atleticos 17th win in all competitions to go with four draws and just one loss. Atletico broke through seconds after Garcia replaced David Villa. Koke pounced on a rebound from Garcias shot that Manuel Herrera saved but failed to clear, leaving the Elche goalkeeper strewn on the turf with defender Alberto Botia and Diego Costa after they collided. Diego Costa secured the three points in the 74th by scoring from Lopezs perfectly placed chipped pass. It was Diego Costas 15th league goal this season, the second highest tally in the competition after Ronaldo. "The entrance of Raul Garcia and Adrian (Lopez) gave us two bursts of creativity when the game had gotten bogged down," Simeone said. "We have to keep going forward this way and remain realistic. I know its a good moment for Atleticos fans, but we are focusing on one game at a time." Celtas much-needed win lifted it three points from the relegation zone, while Almeria stayed among the bottom three. After Jesus "Suso" Fernandez opened for Almeria, Fabian Orellano scored one goal and set up another to lead the fightback. Real Sociedad visited Espanyol later. New world chess champion Magnus Carlsen took the honorary kickoff at Madrids Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Cheap MLB Jerseys .A. remained bitter for Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers on the long flight back home to New York. Cheap Joe Crede Jersey .J. -- Freshman Eli Carter scored a career-high 31 points and hit the go-ahead basket in the second overtime as Rutgers rallied to stun No. http://www.cheapwhitesoxjerseys.com/ . Toronto FC hosts the three-time Italian league champions in a friendly Aug. 7 at BMO Field, a game that Roma CEO Italo Zanzi said falls within a key part of their pre-season. 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Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse will reunite at this weekends season-opening World Cup at Canada Olympic Park as they begin their buildup to the Winter Games in Sochi.ANAHEIM, Calif. - Matt Beleskey was a pugnacious grinder for most of his NHL career until this season, when he has surprised just about everybody by becoming the Anaheim Ducks leading goal-scorer.The Ducks needed every bit of Beleskeys newfound scoring touch to edge Martin Brodeur and the St. Louis Blues.Beleskey scored the tiebreaking goal midway through the third period, while Ryan Kesler and Sami Vatanen had two assists in the Ducks 4-3 victory Friday night.After St. Louis rallied three times to erase a one-goal Anaheim lead in the first two periods, Beleskey beat Brodeur with a vicious wrist shot for his 16th goal with 9:05 to play. The NHL-leading Ducks hung on for their ninth consecutive home victory over St. Louis since October 2009.He stopped me a few times early, said Beleskey, who had a goal and an assist in his second multipoint game of the year. Luckily, I got that one through. I tried his glove a couple of times tonight, and he baits you with the glove. But Ive scored on his blocker side before.Beleskey credits his surge to confidence and Kesler, his centre on Anaheims second line.Hes always had a tremendous shot and release, and hes never had confidence, Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau said. Its just his natural maturation, his growth.Ryan Getzlaf, Kyle Palmieri and Andrew Cogliano also scored for the Ducks, who are 2-1 on their eight-game homestand. They won a game by one goal for the 16th time in their last 18 victories.Were used to this situation, and we know what we have to do in the third period, Boudreau said.Frederik Andersen made 39 saves to earn his 41st career victory — just 650 fewer than Brodeur.Kevin Shattenkirk and Alexander Steen each had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who have lost six of seven despite a lively effort in Anaheim.Tonight, we took a step forward despite the loss, St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said. I still think that we were better as a team this game. ... We did a good job putting pucks in their zone and establishing our game.dddddddddddd We just have to find that goal in the third that puts us ahead.Brodeur stopped 29 shots and was impressive for long stretches in what could conceivably be his final start for the Blues. The NHLs career victories leader joined St. Louis and played his way into shape while Brian Elliott was out with an injury, but the Blues have three goalies after Elliott returned this week.Brodeur was in solid form, even stacking his pads for a couple of saves with a move that looked a little bit like the old Marty there, he said with a grin.I thought we had a great effort and we scored three goals, but I think on the defensive side of the puck, we made a few mistakes that they capitalized on, Brodeur added. Theyre a good hockey team. You just cant give up anything for free, and we did today.Getzlaf backhanded home his first power-play goal since Nov. 7 in the opening minutes, ending an 0-for-21 power-play drought for Anaheim.After T.J. Oshie tied it, Anaheim went back ahead when Kesler put the puck on net despite being on his knees with his back to Brodeur, allowing Palmieri to tip it home.After Cogliano scored his second goal since Nov. 20, Steen tied it again during a 5-on-3 advantage after Vatanen shot the puck 190 feet over the far glass. Steen finished with 11 shots.Colin Fraser made his debut for the Blues, who signed the three-time Stanley Cup champion as a free agent before the season. The grinding forward spent the past three seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, getting a championship ring and a playoff share even though he didnt appear in any post-season games last spring.NOTES: Palmieri returned to Anaheims lineup after a six-game absence with a shoulder injury. ... St. Louis F Jaden Schwartz missed his seventh straight game with an injury, but participated in the morning skate. He could return Saturday at San Jose. ... Beleskey got his 100th NHL point on Palmieris goal. ' ' '