CALGARY - Flames goaltenders Reto Berra and Karri Ramo faced a daunting task at training camp last September. Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. It was a tall order and the Flames struggled at the start of the season. But there finally appear to be signs that the team may be ready to turn things around. Berra and Ramo have helped Calgary to a 5-4-2 record in its last 11 games, with three losses coming in close games against league heavyweights Pittsburgh and Boston. Berra entered the holiday break on a high after helping the Flames to a 4-3 shootout win Monday over the surging St. Louis Blues. He made 32 saves and stopped all three shots in the shootout to improve to 5-8-2 on the season. Berra is also a perfect 3-0 in shootouts, an area in which Kiprusoff historically struggled (23-37). "Overall Im happy with where I am," he said. "For my first year over here, Ive played solid, Ive played calm and Ive played my game. "I want to have more wins but sometimes you cant control that." Once described by former Flames general manager Jay Feaster as the “best goaltenders not playing in the NHL,” Berra and Ramo are still adjusting to the league since coming over from Europe. The ice surface is smaller and there is more traffic in front of the net. "One thing Ive been working on is trying to track the puck and follow it with my body," said Berra. "Also, guys here shoot perfect shots so you cant just go down and hope it hits you, you have to read the shot. Thats a big part of where Im way better than at the start of the season. "I can read the shots and where theyre coming." Ramo, who spent the last four seasons in the KHL, is more familiar with the North American game than his teammate. The 27-year-old native of Asikkala, Finland spent three seasons in the Tampa Bay organization after being selected by the Lightning in the sixth round of the 2004 entry draft. "Im trying to be quicker with my positioning so I can get set and see more pucks," said Ramo. "If you can play a little bit more outside the crease and still be quick, thats always better. Berra, a 26-year-old native of Bulach, Switzerland, said he has also noticed a big difference in the number of blocked shots. One of the trademarks of the Flames blue-collar style of play, Calgary has blocked 688 shots this season, second only to Montreal (725). Individually, defencemen Kris Russell (105), Chris Butler (100) and Ladislav Smid (83) all rank in the top 10. "I think the guys would jump face first into shots, they have so much commitment to the Flames," Berra said with a laugh. "They play like a goalie. Sometimes if theres not many shots, its hard to get into the game and Ill be thinking, Hey, let it through, I want to save something too." Flames coach Bob Hartley has been pleased with how his two goaltenders have improved. "Very happy with their progression," Hartley said. "Theyre two great guys. They want to learn, they want to contribute to the team success. They get along great together. Were trying to give them streaks where if they play well, we ride them." Berra started 11 of 12 games in one stretch, starting with a spectacular 42-save win in his NHL debut in Chicago. Lately its been Ramos turn, as he has started eight of the last 12 and is playing his finest hockey of the year. Hes gone 4-2-2 in that span with a 2.06 goals-against average and .925 save percentage. On the season, Ramo is 6-6-3 with a 2.79 GAA and a .904 save percentage. He attended Finlands Olympic orientation in July, but thinks there is little chance hell be in Sochi this February given the countrys depth at the goaltending position. Its unclear if Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne will be ready for the Games as hes still recovering from a hip infection. However, Finland is still loaded with other options, including Bostons Tuukka Rask, San Joses Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen of Dallas. "With Finland and the goalies, pretty easy decisions for the people who are selecting," said Ramo. "Theyve been well known for so long in Finland and played in the NHL for so long and have been so good." Its a different scenario for Berra. After a strong showing last May at the world championships, he fully expects to be in the mix on the Swiss team. "For sure," Berra said. "Plus Ive made my next step personally by now playing in the NHL." The Flames, who sit 11 points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference, return to action Friday against the visiting Edmonton Oilers. Adidas Superstar Foundation Nere . But Bourque, who has missed three games with a lower-body injury, wont be in the lineup when the Habs travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Wednesday. . Self was acquired from the Buffalo Bandits in a trade for Alex Hill midway through last season, and made his debut in Rochester on March 16, 2013. [url=http://www.scarpesuperstar.it/adidas-superstar/adidas-superstar-bianche.htm... . 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. [url=http://www.scarpesuperstar.it/adidas-superstar-2/adidas-superstar-2-blu.htm... Superstar 2 Blu . -- The Missouri Tigers might not have a roster full of superstars. Adidas Superstar 2 Graffiti . Rousey will put her perfect 8-0 record and hardware on the line against another undefeated fighter, 7-0 Sara McMann in the main event of UFC 170, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas Nevada on February 22nd.MONTREAL - A recharged Eugenie Bouchard, fresh off her stunning run to the Australian Opens final four, says shes ready to lead the Canadian team against Serbia at this weekends Federation Cup. Bouchard, who grabbed the tennis worlds attention at last months Grand Slam, will be joined in the best-of-five series by Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa, Sharon Fichman of Toronto and Aleksandra Wozniak, of Blainville, Que. The 19-year-old rising tennis star said Wednesday she took time off after the Australian Open, and only worked a little bit on her serve and a few technical issues. "I was definitely physically and mentally tired," Bouchard told a news conference at Montreals Claude-Robillard Sports Complex, the site of Saturday and Sundays indoor World Group II first-round series womens tie. "Im happy with what I did, but never satisfied. I wanted to do better. At the end of the day I lost in the semifinals, so ... I hit the practice court and Im going to continue to work hard on court to try and do better." Bouchard, whose success in Melbourne moved her up to No. 19 in the world rankings, made her Fed Cup debut in 2011 and has a record of 7-2. Last year in Kyiv, Bouchard battled an injured ankle and won two matches, including the decisive doubles match alongside Fichman. That victory gave Canada a place in World Group II for the first time since 2010. Dabrowski, the countrys top-ranked female doubles player at No. 61 in the WTA computer, reached her first two WTA doubles finals in 2013 at Brussels and Linz in addition to winning two doubles titles of the ITF Challenger Circuit. The 26-year-old is 3-0 in Fed Cup play. The 23-year-old Fichman has a 22-7 career record at the Fed Cup, while Wozniak, 26, is 37-9. The Canadians will square off this weekend with a young, less-experienced Serbian team that will be missing two of its top players: Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic, a former world No. 1. Bouchard, who upset Ivanovic in the quarterfinal at the Australian Open, said Wednesday her team would have liked to meet them in the Fed Cup. "I think were all disappoiinted not to have the two best, Ivanovic and Jankovic, here," said Bouchard.dddddddddddd "But now we will take advantage, we will try to do our best and I think we have all the best players in Canada here. They might not have their best, so we will use that to our advantage." Serbian team captain Dejan Vranes said Ivanovic wont play this weekend due to injury and that Jankovic no longer competes in the event. The country will be represented by Nina Stojanovic, 17, Aleksandra Krunic, 20, Jovana Jaksic, 20, and Vesna Dolonc, 24, who at No. 117 is its top-ranked player. Vranes called the Canadians the favourites, particularly since they will be playing in front of a home crowd in a venue that holds some 4,000 fans. "We have a great challenge in front of us, but I believe in our team and I think we have a chance in every match," a confident Vranes told reporters. "Well be ready to fight." The Canadian women, however, are aiming to continue Canadas recent stretch of strong tennis performances. On the mens side, Milos Raonic climbed into the top 10 in the world last year, while Vasek Pospisil also rose in the rankings. Both reached the Rogers Cup semifinals in Montreal last summer and led the Davis Cup team to a first-ever semifinal appearance. Wozniak said she hopes the women can also deliver their own record-breaking finish. "Were looking forward to the challenge, and what the men did, its made history in Canada," Wozniak said. "So, I think for me, and for the team, its important. We would love to make a new history for Canada and win this tie." For Bouchard, who grew up in the Montreal Island community of Westmount, theres the bonus of playing a match in her hometown for the first time in a year and a half. "Its always fun to play in Montreal," said Bouchard, who was asked whether more people seem to recognize her in the city since the Australian Open. "Yeah, for sure, there are people who say, Good luck and that they are proud of me. Its special. Im happy to get compliments like that." Cheap China Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China ' ' '