share with the PGA.Furyk said he is curious to hea

TAMPA, Fla. -- Sometimes Steven Stamkos does things that his Tampa Bay Lightning teammates cant help but marvel at. "Just about every shift," linemate Tyler Johnson said. That was clear in Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens when Stamkos went end-to-end before settling the rolling puck on his stick and firing a perfect shot far side past Carey Price. And even though the Lightning lost the game, that highlight and his two-goal night showed why Stamkos is the X-factor that can tip the balance of the series, no matter how well or how poorly the Habs play. "Thats what we expect out of him," winger Alex Killorn said Thursday. "As long as he continues that, I think he gives us a good chance of winning." Even with starting goaltender Ben Bishop and rookie-of-the-year candidate Ondrej Palat out with upper-body injuries, and even with more than a dozen players making their Stanley Cup playoff debut, the Lightning know they can count on Stamkos. And thats after the 24-year-old Markham, Ont., native missed four months with a broken leg. Stamkos returned March 6 and had five goals in his first seven games. But Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said that the stats were deceiving. "Those first 10-15 games, he wasnt himself," Cooper said Wednesday. "He was just slowly getting himself back. I would say these last five, six games that hes played, hes been an impact player for us." The only other player in the series who has the potential to make as much of an impact is Habs defenceman P.K. Subban, who has known Stamkos since the two played together for the North York Canadiens as eight-year-olds. Subban and Stamkos won a city championship together, then gold in 2008 with Canadas world junior team. Since, their families have remained close friends while theyve built up some healthy animosity as competitors. "I love playing against him," Subban said. "I like making him frustrated, and Im sure hell like to score on me. But the history that we have of playing each other, its been back and forth. When Im on the ice, Im sure he knows Im out there, and I know hes out there." Subban liked getting Stamkos involved in pushing and shoving after the whistle in Game 1 because it meant he was starting to get to him. Beyond that, the Habs defenceman expressed nothing but respect and admiration for his childhood teammate. "That guy, as far as Im concerned, hes probably the best goal-scorer in the league," Subban said. "Good players like him they find ways to be invisible on the ice, and they appear when they have to appear. And players like Stamkos, (Sidney) Crosby and (John) Tavares, they have that ability to disappear and then youre looking over your shoulder and next thing you know the pucks between your legs and hes tapping it in backdoor." That was one of Stamkoss goals, when Killorn gave him a perfect pass on a two-on-one past a siding Andrei Markov. But it was his first of Game 1, a wicked shot that followed a breathtaking rush, that had everyone buzzing. More impressive than banking the puck off the boards to evade Brandon Prust or even the shot itself was how Stamkos managed to settle the puck down in a split second. Teammate J.T. Brown knows he could do the same, but only if he had 20 seconds. Subban didnt realize Stamkos found a way to get the puck down before firing the shot by Price. He simply appreciated how Stamkos finished things off with such subtle skill. "I think sometimes as a shooter, they recognize when to release it," Subban said. "Its not about how hard it is, its just about where you put it and how quick you get it off. He got it off pretty quick. I dont think he needed as much power behind it because he was skating so fast. He had so much momentum already." It was the games most memorable play on a night full of them. It shouldnt be shocking that Stamkos brought his best with the spotlight so bright, given how he beams about being back in the playoffs for the first time since 2011. "Its an unbelievable experience," Stamkos said Wednesday. "Its the most fun a lot of guys have had playing hockey. The intensity is at a whole new level." Elite players find a way to reach or exceed that level. With Bishop unlikely to play this series and Palat a game-time decision for Game 2 Friday night, Tampa Bay as a team has plenty to work on. Turnovers are an issue and so is defensive-zone play, but Stamkos is far from a problem. Instead, he represents the Lightnings best chance to do something special at any given moment. "I dont know what he can do more," Johnson said. "Hes fun to play with, fun to watch, and Im glad hes on our team and not playing against him." Balenciaga Shoes Uk Sale . 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Balenciaga Shoes Uk Cheap .com) - James Harden needed just seven made field goals to drop 35 points on the Philadelphia 76ers, leading the Houston Rockets to a 104-93 win on Monday.SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda - Jim Furyk thinks its time for the Americans to think long term about the Ryder Cup.Furyk and Rory McIlroy both said Monday at the PGA Grand Slam of Golf that the public fallout from another American loss in the Ryder Cup last month at Gleneagles could be helpful. Europe now has won eight of the last 10 times.The next Ryder Cup is at Hazeltine in 2016, though Furyk said the Americans need to look beyond that.In the Ryder Cup, we have always talked about, We have got to win the next one. I think weve got to be a little more farsighted than that, Furyk said. I think we need to look at the next 10 to 20 years of Ryder Cup golf. ... For the next 20 years we got 10 events. Lets think about maybe 5-5 is good, lets think about 6-4, lets think about 7-3. Lets go on the winning side of it.When we look back the last 20 years, its probably a 2-8 type of deal, he said. Lets reverse that tide and get it moving forward.In the weeks since the most recent loss, various reports have painted an ugly picture of U.S. captain Tom Watsons heavy-handed style and old-school motivation. In an awkward and at times uncomfortable press conference at Gleneagles, Phil Mickelson raved about what worked in their last win in 2008 and that Watson ignored that winning formula.In a way, its not a bad thing that the PGA of America might start looking at the Ryder Cup a little differently or trying to sort of come at it from a different angle, McIlroy said. So in the end, it might not have been a bad thing to shake things up a little.Furyk said the back-and-forth about the captain has been unfortunate.I think Rory is spot on, Furyk said. The silver lining may be that it gives us a chance to have an open discussion. I want to look at the past, I want to see where we made our mmistakes, and how we can get better.ddddddddddddThe PGA of America is responsible for selecting the captain. It now wants to create a task force of past players and captains to find ways to improve.Paul Azinger, the captain of the last U.S. team that won in 2008 at Valhalla, is not interested in being part of a committee just yet. He said Monday by telephone that it was too soon after the most recent matches, and he has a meeting already scheduled next month with the PGA of America.Azinger did not want to talk about the details of what he would share with the PGA.Furyk said he is curious to hear different ideas, especially because it would be the first time everyone was heard as a group.Amongst ourselves, we talked a lot about where we have gone wrong in the past, what can we do better in the future, he said. Im anxious to kind of see the views from all different angles from the officers, from the captains, from the players.Furyk and McIlroy will be paired together when the Grand Slam gets under way on Tuesday. The 36-hole exhibition is for the major champions this year, and Furyk is playing as an alternate because McIlroy won the British Open and the PGA Championship.U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer and Masters champion Bubba Watson round out the field.Bermuda was hit by Tropical Storm Fay on Sunday, though Port Royal made it through in good shape.It doesnt look like theres been anything, McIlroy said. Obviously, theres a few limbs off trees and stuff on the side of the fairways, or in the rough, but the golf course is in great shape.Strong wind is in the forecast for the next two days, with locals also keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Gonzalo, which could become a hurricane by Friday.___AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson contributed to his report. ' ' '