John Tortorella was contrite with the media in his first public statement since being handed a 15-day suspension by the National Hockey League. Joe Kocur Jersey . "I apologize first and foremost to the players, to the organization and to the league," Tortorella told reporters in Detroit Monday morning. "It hasnt been a great two weeks." Tortorella is slated to make his return to the Canucks bench tonight against the Detroit Red Wings after the League suspended him for his actions against the Calgary Flames on Jan. 18. Angered by a game-opening brawl, Tortorella tried to confront Flames coach Bob Hartley – who iced his fourth line to start the game -in the Calgary locker room between periods. Tortorella wasnt allowed to have any contact with his team during the suspension. As for his teams performance of late, Tortorella was adamant that the Canucks will get better. "Were off the rails on a lot of different aspects," Torotrella said. "Every aspect of our game is off. This team can and will play the right way. "We had meetings this morning, we have a long list of things we need to improve at. We need to start over on the mental side." The Canucks – who were seventh in the Western Conference before the now-infamous Calgary game – are now in eighth with just a one-point lead over the Phoenix Coyotes for the Conferences final wild card playoff spot. They have lost three in a row and are just 3-7 over their last 10 games. "Weve let a lot of teams back into the picture here, weve got a job to do and were going to face it head on," Tortorella added. "Were in a tough spot right now. Its up to me to do my job and get this team back." Mike Gartner Jersey .What they got was a bevy of players chipping in to pick up the slack.Josh Smith scored 18 points and James Harden added 17 as the Rockets used a balanced scoring effort to outlast the Mavericks for a 99-94 victory. Mika Zibanejad Jersey .com) - Will Conant booted a 39-yard field goal as time expired and Air Force played spoiler with a 27-24 win over 21st- ranked Colorado State on Friday. http://www.officialrangersproshop.com/Rangers-Ron-Greschner-Adidas-Jersey/ . - Chelseas 1-0 win at the Etihad, spoiling Manchester Citys perfect home record continues to be the talking point of the week.Erika Brown remembers very little about her first Olympics. After all, it was 25 years ago -- and she was only 15. "I remember the opening ceremony, marching, bits and pieces of the competition," Brown said of her time at the 1988 Calgary Games, "but not a heck of a lot, actually." Now 40, Brown has earned the chance to relive the Olympic experience. On Saturday, she was skip of the rink that swept the playoffs in the U.S. curling trials in Fargo, N.D., to claim a place at the Sochi Olympics in Russia. "Twenty-five years later is bit hard to swallow," Brown told The Associated Press in a phone interview. "I can barely believe I have been alive that long." Brown, who also represented her country at 1998 Nagano Games, said this will be her last Olympics. But for a fierce competitor with curling in her blood, somehow its hard to believe her. Her parents, Steve and Diane, both curled for the U.S. and own a big curling store in Madison, Wis. Steve, who coached Erika at the 1988 and 1998 Games, will coach the U.S. wheelchair team in Sochi. Even Erikas younger brother, Craig, is into curling and competed at the mens trials in Fargo. "Its been a family thing since we were little kids," Erika said. "My mum wasnt sure what to do after I was born, so she took me to watch my dad curl when I was 7 days old. Id probably had only two trips to the doctor by then." Brown has managed to maintain her motivation and desire to practice curling despite having a day job as a physicians assistant in Ontario, where her patients range from newborns to 90-year-olds, and being a mother of two. If she wraps up her morning appointments, she tries to squeeze in about 30 minutes of curling during her lunch hour at a curling club a short distance from work. Chris Kreider Jersey. That will change in the run-up to Sochi. "I am going to be taking a leave of absence from work, probably in January," Brown said. "That should allow me to have more relaxed practices, where I can be a little more deliberate and take my time." Brown certainly didnt appear underprepared in Fargo last week, clinching victory over Allison Pottingers team at the Scheels Arena with a draw into the four-foot with the final stone of the game. Her teammates -- Debbie McCormick, Jessica Schultz and Ann Swisshelm -- are all former Olympians and Browns rink should contend for a medal in Sochi. "We just found a great combination with this team about three years ago when we got together. Our goal was to make it back to the Olympics and we have," Brown said. "I think anyone who has been to the Olympics once has some pretty built-in motivation to go back. Its such a privileged experience to be part of Team USA, wearing your nation on your back. That experience alone has been a pretty big motivator for the past 25 years." When Brown took time away from school to compete in Calgary, curling was only a demonstration sport. It was again in 1992 before returning to the Olympic program in Nagano. The U.S. rink didnt get past the round-robin stage then, and an Olympic medal remains the thing missing from Browns resume that includes world and national titles. "Olympic gold?" Brown said. "That would be a pretty sweet one of sew it all up with." Cheap Canadiens Jerseys Cheap Predators Jerseys Cheap Devils Jerseys Cheap Islanders Jerseys Cheap Rangers Jerseys Cheap Senators Jerseys Cheap Flyers Jerseys Cheap Penguins Jerseys Cheap Sharks Jerseys Cheap Blues Jerseys Cheap Lightning Jerseys Cheap Maple Leafs Jerseys Cheap Canucks Jerseys Cheap Golden Knights Jerseys Cheap Capitals Jerseys Cheap Winnipeg Jets Jerseys ' ' '