." Things started well for New York as Anthony pushed them to

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Having lost three straight, the Calgary Flames were looking for something positive when they visited the Carolina Hurricanes. Karri Ramo delivered just what they needed. Ramo made 22 saves in his first NHL shutout, and Mikael Backlund and Sean Monahan provided the offence in the Flames 2-0 win over the Hurricanes on Monday night The Flames snapped their skid and handed the Hurricanes their second straight shutout defeat. "It was probably our best team effort of the season," Calgary coach Bob Hartley said. "We had quite a good first period, and I felt we pressured them and gained the momentum. Carolina came hard at us, and we did a great job." Carolinas offence has been shut down for two games following a season-best, five-game winning streak. The Hurricanes failed to match Calgarys intensity at the start, and were shut out for the fourth time this season. "We spent too much time in our own end," defenceman Brett Bellemore said. "We didnt get off to a good start and they kind of got a lucky bounce off a skate or something (on their goal)." The Hurricanes now have a long wait before they host Florida on Saturday. "We didnt have that extra jump," Carolina coach Kirk Muller said. "Its disappointing. We have four days ahead of us to sit on it. When you play teams like Calgary, its going to be a game in the trenches. "They got the lead, and once they did, they were able to sit back a little bit and defend." Backland scored his seventh goal of the season for the Flames, who notched their second power-play tally in 26 chances. Backland gathered the puck in front after it bounced off the skate of Hurricanes forward Radek Dvorak. "It was nice to score first," Backlund said. "Its easier to play with some energy when you score than have to chase all the time like weve been doing lately." Monahan scored his 13th goal midway through the third period to add some insurance. He scored into an open net after goalie Anton Khudobin was unable to get back across the crease from the far post. Ramo improved to 8-8-3 as the Flames swept the two-game season games from Carolina. It was Calgarys first shutout in 117 games. "Its good that its out of the way," Ramo said. "Its nice to finish one without a goal. Obviously, everyone thinks about it and knows the situation but you just have to focus and play normally." Khudobin, who lost his second straight, did some of his best work in the first period when the Flames carried the play and held a 14-5 shots advantage. Khudobin made 27 saves overall. Carolina captain Eric Staal returned to the lineup after missing three games because of a lower body injury. NOTES: Calgary is 11-3-3 in games in which it scores a power-play goal. The Flames went 1 for 3. ... Carolina activated C Jiri Tlusty from the injured list, and he was in the lineup for the time since Dec. 23, before he was sidelined because of an appendectomy. ... The Flames have won three straight and four of five against Carolina. ... Calgary RW Kevin Westgarth returned to face his old team for the first time since being traded by Carolina on Dec. 30. Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys . - Doug Kalitta led Top Fuel qualifying Friday in the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway with a 3. Wholesale Baseball Jerseys . -- Kole Calhoun homered and drove in three runs, Albert Pujols also went deep and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Chicago White Sox 8-4 Friday night. https://www.mlbjerseyschina.us/ .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to complete a sweep of the Washington Capitals when the clubs cap a quick home-and-home series Tuesday night in the Steel City. MLB Jerseys China . - The width of Alec Martinezs shin guard was the difference between the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks in their playoff series opener. Discount MLB Jerseys . -- The Los Angeles Clippers chose not to speak publicly about owner Donald Sterling before they faced the Golden State Warriors for Game 4 of their first-round series Sunday.INDIANAPOLIS -- Lance Stephenson savors each opportunity he gets to beat up on his hometown teams -- especially when the Pacers are winning. On Thursday night, Indianas flamboyant guard had a big night on national television. Stephenson had a career-high 28 points, four rebounds and four assists and led the Pacers to their second-most lopsided win of the season, 117-89 over the Knicks. "If hes flashy, hes being flashy making basketball coach," coach Frank Vogel said. "One of our assistants said, Boy, I wish I had Lances energy every day. His competitive spirit is as high as anyone weve coached." Stephenson has been playing this way all season. He leads the NBA with three triple-doubles, the most of any Pacers player since Detlef Schrempf in 1992-93. With any luck, hed have a couple of more, too. And after a nasty crossover or spectacular move to the basket, he might show off some of that New York flair by wiggling his hips. But the Nets and Knicks seem to bring out the best in the Brooklyn native. This time, on a night that may serve as an audition for the All-Star selectors, he showed the whole basketball world what he could do. Stephenson went 10 of 17 from the field, 5 of 5 from the free-throw line, 3 of 7 on 3-pointers and had no turnovers in 28 minutes. His previous scoring high (26) came Dec. 23 in a 103-86 win at Brooklyn, and before this season, Stephenson had scored 22 points just two times -- once against Chicago in April 2012; the other, of course, came at Madison Square Garden last spring. Even a former Indiana University basketball star like Mike Woodson, who was drilled in defence under Bob Knight, came away impressed. "Youve really got to tip your hat to him," the Knicks coach said. "We had no answers for him." That has been a league-wide problem for Pacers foes, and not just against Stephenson. Indiana won its third straight to maintain its grip on the NBAs best record, extend its Eastern Conference lead over Miami to four games and continue its claim to the leagues best home record, 20-1. The Pacers arent slowing down, either. They beat Washington by 27 on Friday, Sacramento by 24 on Tuesday and handed what was one of the leagues hottest teams its most embarrassing road loss of the season. For the most part, Indiana has relied on its staunch defence. Stephenson andd Paul George have suddenly given Indiana a devastating offensive punch, too.dddddddddddd George added 25 points and seven rebounds on a night six players scored in double figures. The Pacers produced season highs for total points and points in a half (63) for the second straight game, and they even heeded the advice of team president Larry Bird, by cutting down their turnovers to a season-low five. "We have set a goal, and we want to be the No. 1 seed (in the East)," Stephenson said. "Every night I try to bring something to the table." The Knicks just couldnt keep up. Carmelo Anthony finished with 28 points, nine in the first six minutes and 18 in the first quarter when it was still a game. Tyson Chandler had 13 points and nine rebounds, while Raymond Felton and J.R. Smith each had 12. Smith played nearly 28 minutes after being benched in two of the Knicks previous four games. "Theyre a good team, but I dont think theyre 30 points better than our team," Woodson said after the rematch of last springs conference semifinals, which Indiana also won. "We were awful." Things started well for New York as Anthony pushed them to a 16-8 lead. But the Pacers rallied with an 11-2 run to take a 28-26 lead. Anthony bailed out the Knicks with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to make it 31-30 after one. Indiana seized control with an 11-1 spurt midway through the second quarter and pulled away late in the first half with a 16-7 run. That made it 63-48 at halftime. George opened the second half by scoring 10 points in a 15-8 spurt, which made it 78-56, and Stephenson closed it out as the Knicks couldnt get closer than 16 the rest of the way. "We understand how good we are when we run," George said. "I think thats the best way to put and the biggest way to look at it." NOTES: Kenyon Martin left in the second quarter and Amare Stoudemire followed him to the locker room in the third quarter. Both had sprained left ankles and did not return. ... Former Pacers All-Star Metta World Peace was inactive in New Yorks only regular-season game in Indianapolis. ... Fans chanted "Reg-gie, Reg-gie" when former Pacers star turned TV analyst Reggie Miller was shown on the overhead screen during the fourth quarter. ... Indiana has won four straight home games against the Knicks. ' ' '