What happened last night that you need to know about? Joe McDonald gives us his take on the biggest and best performances. This is where we say, Morning, Joe.Avs starting strong: The defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins had a chance to start the season 3-0-0, but the Colorado Avalanche beat them 4-3 in overtime Monday night at PPG Paints Arena. Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog scored the tying goal late in the third period and then the winner in OT. Despite the absence of Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who remains sidelined with a concussion, the Penguins have been impressive in their Stanley Cup defense. However, youve got to like what were seeing from the 2-0-0 Avalanche, who missed the playoffs the past two seasons. After coach Patrick Roys surprising exit during the offseason, GM Joe Sakic hired up-and-coming AHL coach Jared Bednar for the job, a key hire. Landeskog has great puck-protection instincts and needs to keep his legs moving to be effective, which he did exactly that against the Penguins. Re-signing goalie Calvin Pickard was a good move for the Avalanche. His teammates respect him and he will push No. 1 goalie Semyon Varlamov. Joe Colborne, who scored a hat trick in his first game of the season, is versatile and he will help the teams possession game. Ultimately, the teams core players -- captain Landeskog, 23, Nathan MacKinnon, 21, and Matt Duchene, 25 -- need to set the tempo. Those players are at an age where theyre ready to lead and if they and the Avs continue like they have in the first two games, then Colorado should like its chances of returning to the postseason in April.Kreider a pain in the butt: Two summers ago, New York Rangers Chris Kreider played a charity game in Boston like it was Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. The game was loaded with current and former NHLers and his tenacity was on full display. That hasnt always been the case on a consistent basis during past regular seasons for Kreider. The 25-year-old forward is off to a solid start this season and hell need to continue that if the Rangers are to be successful. He has registered at least one goal and one assist in each of the Rangers first three games of 2016-17. His six points and three-game scoring streak is a career high. Even though its early in the season, Kreider has found chemistry with linemates Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich. Kreider is showing his strengths as a power forward and hes been a pain in the butt for the opposition. The Rangers are 2-1-0 after Mondays 7-4 win against the San Jose Sharks at Madison Square Garden.Vanek not done yet: Sure, Detroit Red Wings defenseman Mike Greens first career hat trick en route to a 5-1 win against the Ottawa Senators Monday night was impressive. It was the first three-goal game by a Red Wings blueliner since Nicklas Lidstrom on Dec. 15, 2010. But it wasnt Greens heroics I focused on: It was the three assists by Wings newcomer Thomas Vanek that had me smiling. After the Minnesota Wild bought out Vaneks contract during the summer, the Red Wings took a low-risk chance and signed the 32-year-old forward to a one-year deal worth $2.6 million. Vanek was signed because of his ability to produce, especially on the power play. In Detroits first three games this season, Vanek has two goals (one on the power play) and three assists for five points. If he can continue this pace for the majority of the season, it could turn into an incredible offseason transaction for the Red Wings. Mike Piazza Jersey .7 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.2 million. Wieters had asked for $8.75 million and the Orioles had offered $6. Logan Forsythe Jersey . Kyle Denbrook, a soccer player from Saint Marys University, took the CIS male athlete of the week honour. Stanley, a fourth-year business administration student from Charlottetown, scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Dalhousie on Friday and tallied again in a 1-0 win over Saint Marys on Sunday. http://www.cheapdodgersjerseyschina.com/ . Ibaka equaled a career high with 20 rebounds, adding four blocked shots and 15 points as the Thunder smothered the Milwaukee Bucks offence in a 92-79 victory Saturday night. Enrique Hernandez Jersey . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. Dodgers Jerseys Outlet . The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it. HOOVER, Ala. -- Florida won 10 games and advanced to the Southeastern Conference title game despite a sputtering passing offense that fell apart during the seasons most important games.Thanks to four new quarterbacks -- including two transfers and two freshmen -- coach Jim McElwain is confident hell find somebody who can fling the ball downfield.Heres the good thing -- weve really got good arm talent, McElwain said. Im excited about being able to stretch the field vertically. Should be a lot of fun.Junior Luke Del Rio appears to be the leading candidate at quarterback after an impressive spring game, though McElwain has not made a final decision. Austin Appleby, a graduate transfer from Purdue, and freshmen Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask are also in the mix.Del Rio is the son of Oakland Raiders coach Jack Del Rio. The 6-foot-1 quarterback was at Alabama and Oregon State before transferring to Florida in 2015. He sat out last season per NCAA transfer rules.He is a good guy and a great quarterback, Florida junior offensive lineman David Sharpe said. Hes a great leader -- a vocal leader.Florida hopes an infusion of better quarterback play can help the Gators avoid a collapse similar to last year, when they lost three straight lopsided games against Florida State, Alabama and Michigan to end the season.Very disappointed in how we finished, McElwain said. Not something that were proud of, and not somethhing that, you know, I take very lightly.dddddddddddd Yet, at the same time, it was an opportunity for us to kind of learn.The SEC Eastern Division race appears wide open with Florida trying to fend off an improved Tennessee program. Georgia, South Carolina and Missouri all have new coaches while Kentucky and Vanderbilt havent shown much reason for optimism.Maybe thats why McElwain is so optimistic despite returning just 10 starters from last season.Things are good at the University of Florida, McElwain said. And thats the way it should be.One unresolved piece of business for the Gators involves two suspended players: receiver Antonio Callaway and quarterback Treon Harris. Both players were suspended in January for violating the universitys code of conduct policy.Callaway caught 35 passes for a team-high 678 yards last season and four touchdowns. Harris started nine games at quarterback, but is expected to switch positions if he returns.They are back on campus, using the academic center and working out, and yet nothing has been resolved yet, McElwain said. And there really isnt -- there isnt a time table on it. 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