DENVER -- Patrick Roy was quite calm and even cracked a few jokes as his team went through a light workout. Don Larsen Jersey . No signs of stress at all. Of course, the first-year Colorado Avalanche coach has been in a few pressure-packed Game 7 situations as a Hall of Fame goaltender -- 13 to be exact. His players? Not as much experience. A dozen had never been to the post-season before this year. And yet Roys hardly fretting over his teams emotional state heading into a decisive final game Wednesday night against the Minnesota Wild, with the winner moving on to face the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. On the contrary, Roys reminding his youthful team of one simple thing: Enjoy the moment. "How good is this?" Roy said. "Theyre excited about it and they should be. ... Were playing Game 7 in our building, in front of our fans." In this series, home ice is a pretty big deal. All six games in this tightly contested matchup have been decided during the waning moments, with the home team capturing each one. Wild coach Mike Yeo has a stirring pregame speech all prepared for just the occasion, a few well-chosen words to put into his players ears before they hit the ice and hear the clamour of the crowd. Care to share the highlights? "Then it wouldnt be very inspirational," Yeo joked. Minnesota will try to neutralize the noise with another sizzling start. The Wild have scored the first goal in four of the games. "(Game 7s) are the best and also the worst," Yeo said. "You have so much on the line -- the players laying it all out there, the passion and the energy of the building and the fans. Theres just so much at stake." Avs forward Maxime Talbot stressed "having fun" to rookie Nathan MacKinnon, whos tied with Zach Parise for most points (10) in the NHL playoffs so far. Talbot knows the butterflies will be present for players such as MacKinnon -- and its something to embrace. "Thats why we play the game," said Talbot, who scored twice in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup final to lift Pittsburgh to a 2-1 win over Detroit. "Thats the coolest thing about hockey. As much experience as you have, you have to take these butterflies and turn them into excitement and energy, and thats definitely the feeling I have right now." Roy believes that Game 7 will hinge on, what else, the goalies. Semyon Varlamov won a team-record 41 games in the regular season, breaking the mark held by Roy. The goalie nicknamed "Varly" has faced a barrage of shots in this series, coming up big in several games. "Varlys always the brick out there," Talbot said. "We know hes going to make the big saves." The same can be said of Darcy Kuemper, who has a 1.53 goals- against average since stepping in for Ilya Bryzgalov in Game 2. Although Kuemper cant ever remember playing in a Game 7, he said that Mondays game -- a 5-2 win in which the Wild sealed it and extended the series by scoring two empty-net goals -- was good practice. "Now, both teams are in the situation," Kuemper said. "So theyre going to be a little bit more desperate than they were last game. Weve been through it before, so we should be pretty calm and confident with it." The intensity level is something the Wild are embracing. They know its going to be a hostile environment, but its not as if the Wild have been blown out inside the Pepsi Center. No, the Avalanche have needed to rely on some late magic, pulling Varlamov for an extra skater in Games 1 and 5, get big late goals and to send it into OT, where they found a way to win. "We feel good about the way weve been playing," Parise said. "Hopefully, we can get a win here." Colorado received a boost last game with the return of Matt Duchene from a knee injury. The teams leading scorer in the regular season is still rounding into shape, but with every shift hes getting back his quickness. "This is just another game," Duchene said. "Thats how you have to treat Game 7s." The previous time the Avs were in a Game 7 was 2003, when they were eliminated by the Wild in Roys last game. "Thats not going to have a big effect on our team," Roy said, smiling. "Because there are not that many players from then that are still with us." Roger Clemens Yankees Jersey . -- Ben Bishop had a milestone game against one of the NHLs greatest goalies. Don Mattingly Jersey . Following the Ford Womens World Curling Championship gold medal match that attracted record-breaking audiences to TSN, the networks exclusive live coverage of the tournament begins Saturday at 7am et/4am pt with Canadas opening draw against Denmark. https://www.cheapyankees.com/1761g-don-larsen-jersey-yankees.html . That time around, the cage is as much a part of baseballs daily routine as a beer and a hotdog is to a fan in the stands. Coaches, scouts, broadcasters and other media hover, tossing verbal barbs, telling stories and sharing laughs. Occasionally, especially in spring when the atmosphere is relatively laid back, the list of invited guests expands and on this day, Gibbons welcomed two men strongly influential in his life.After last Sunday afternoons embarrassing performance in the Manchester Derby, there was no finer remedy some 72 hours later than defeating the one club Wayne Rooney believes are Manchester Uniteds fiercest rivals. Having pulled a summer-long strop, hes recovered from an injury suffered at the start of the pre-season but also got injured again from a bizarre training ground collision that blew a significant divot in his re-thatched hair style. Now back on the team, Rooney wears a type of headwear which likely wouldnt have been permissible if the Quebec Soccer Federation oversaw the BPL. He has returned to his high-performing rugged self, potting scorchers seemingly for fun. All of this combined, its safe to say Wayne Rooney has dominated the headlines so far this season like no other Manchester United player in recent memory. Or just like George Best used to do after every operatic performance which occurred each Old Trafford Saturday afternoon back in them halcyon days of the 1970s. No, this is not an exercise in pole-vaulting Wayne Rooney into the exalted George Best-type comparisons - they simply dont exist. Well, not in the strictest of senses. Both did hone their crafts on the streets of the inner city neighbourhoods they hailed from. And as Rooney has threatened to walk out, Best actually did - and on more than one occasion. Then of course, their off the pitch extra-curricular activities do cross paths. Renowned for his marginal propensity to consume booze, Best graced a football pitch like no one before or after as he glided right on through the mistimed challenges of so very many of his opponents. Stand up Ron Chopper Harris and Norman Bite Yer Legs Hunter, especially. These challenges were not ever aimed at the ball, but the Belfast Boys ankles. Best was required to be more ballerina than a Rudolph Nureyev in his prime. Ahead of Saturday afternoons West Brom game, the last time the BPL champs were at home for a league game was a fortnight ago - a 2-0 victory against newly-promoted Crystal Palace. The three points were certainly welcomed by the 75,000-plus Manchester United faithful who had gathered at Old Trafford. Moreover, Sept. 14 was a highly poignant day for the elder generation especially. Exactly 50 years ago to the day, George Best made his Manchester United debut - a mere strap of a lad, just 17 years of age. This regal-type occasion was certainly not lost on Rooney as along with his teammates prior to the kick off against Palace, witnessed an homage to Best. As a personal encore, Rooney - very fittingly - scored Uniteds second goal. Best had been discovered by United scout Bob Bishop, who recommended the 16-year-old to United manager Matt Busby. There was no lengthy dossier required and power point presentations were two generations away. All it took to convince Busby was a mere seven (a fitting number, no?) words. I think Ive found you a genius, the telegram stated. Bishop wasnt exaggerating. Best eventually would go on to make close to 500 competitive appearances for United. In his sophomore season, the club captured their first title since the 1958 Munich air tragedy that decimated the club. Just a few short seasons later, Best followed that up in the showpiece 1968 European Cup Final played at Wembley Stadium. With a brilliant individuaal effort, Best scored the games winning goal and United secured English footballs very first European title. Mike Ford Yankees Jersey. Later that year, Best was anointed European Footballer of the Year. As Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo captivate their audiences today, Best enthralled and entertained like no one else. Now 50 years on, he still very much reigns supreme in the hearts and minds of all United supporters. The Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) – who speaks for hundreds of thousands of the clubs most dedicated supporters - were in the news earlier in the week as they successfully saw off any legal attempt to reverse the recent decision granted by the local Manchester council to deem Old Trafford a protected Community Asset. And MUST Vice Chairman Sean Bones counts amongst those fortunate enough to watch Best in his prime. Boness fondest recollection came during a game against that team who delivered Englands only World Cup triumph in 1966 - West Ham United Football Club. "One of the games I always remember was in the 1971/72 season when George scored a fabulous hat trick against West Ham at Old Trafford," Bones told TSN.ca by email. "George always created huge excitement and expectation when the ball arrived at his feet. In that game he was completely unplayable, even the great Bobby Moore couldnt get close enough to him to put in a tackle."Even as Jan. 4 of next year signifies the 40th anniversary of Best hanging his boots up on United, his legendary status still shines as beacon bright as it did in those swinging 1960s. "George Best means everything to Manchester United supporters," said Jones. "He was a pure genius on the football field - to see him play was literally like watching poetry in motion." As Rooney was seemingly agitated for a move all summer long (with United pushing back two official offers from Chelsea shortly after the transfer window slammed shut) and with a virtuoso two-goal performance during Uniteds Champions League debut, the former Everton striker reached the 200-goal plateau. He now sits in fourth place on the all-time Manchester United goal scoring list. Another 50 would see him surpass Sir Bobby Charlton at the top. David Moyes (not missing an opportunity to latch onto this as the club look to extend Rooneys contract past next July) commented immediately after he reached the lofty 200 club plateau, saying he could eventually go on to be mentioned in the same breath as Uniteds most illustrious and accomplished players. And by extension, alongside some of the worlds greats. Hows that for a carrot to contemplate? Not so fast. Even for Waynes Manchester United World. Invoking Peles endorsement of Best as the greatest ever, Bones cited that locally-held Mancunian expression which sums up poetically where Best sits amongst planet footballs all-time greats. "We have a saying here in Manchester," he said. "Pele Good, Maradona Better, George Best." You can reach and follow Noel Butler at:Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca@TheSoccerNoel TSN & TEAM Radio is your BPL home this season. Double Header Saturday Kicks Off with Manchester United vs. West Bromwich Albion, with the pre-game show at 9:30am et/6:30am pt. Its followed by Swansea vs. Arsenal at 12:30pm et/9:30am pt. ' ' '