VAL DISERE, France -- On a day dominated by veterans, 34-year-old Mario Matt won his 14th World Cup slalom race to equal his Austrian countryman Benjamin Raichs mark while 35-year-old Patrick Thaler of Italy got on the podium for first time in nearly five years. Matt, a two-time former slalom world champion, safely protected his first-run lead while other contenders struggled on the notoriously tough Stade Olympique de Bellevarde course. "The last two years I was a few times on the podium, but always had some small mistakes on the runs and didnt win," Matt said. "I dont have the feeling Im old. Sometimes I have the problems with the back but I already had this eight years ago, and when I dont have the problems I feel fine." He beat Swedens Mattias Hargin by 0.53 seconds and Thaler -- second after the first run -- by 0.78 for his 15th overall World Cup win, with the other coming in supercombined. "You have to push your limits in order to win but I was still surprised how fast I was in the first run," Matt said. "I think no one felt too comfortable, but at least in the second run the first part felt really good so I cant complain." Matt was second in the slalom at Levi, Finland, last month and his most recent previous win was at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, in March 2011, while his first was nearly 14 years ago at Kitzbuehel, Austria. "We trained in great conditions this fall, so thats maybe why I am in good shape this early in the season," he said. It was another disappointing day for the United States when for the second straight day neither Ted Ligety, who finished the first run in 39th, nor Bode Miller, who went off course, qualified for the second run. They failed to finish the first run in Saturdays giant slalom. "It was tough conditions where it was very hard snow but very grippy," U.S. mens head coach Sasha Rearick said. "We have been trying on ice getting ready for Val dIsere, but we didnt make that transition very well today. So thats something were going to have to work on." They next head to Italy to prepare for Saturdays downhill at Val Gardena and Sundays giant slalom at Alta Badia. "It makes for a kind of interesting week, because youve got glidy, glidy, glidy at Val Garcena and youve got to be on your A game, clean skiing, for Alta Badia," Rearick said. Austrian Marcel Hirscher also failed to qualify. He won Saturdays GS but struggled on the tricky top section and finished way down in 41st. Matt, the slalom world champion in 2001 and 07, is coming into form at just the right time for Februarys Winter Olympics in Sochi. "Its still far away," Matt said. Hargin secured his first podium since finishing third at Schladming, Austria, in January 2011. "Ive been fighting a lot and it meant a lot to get the podium today," the 28-year-old said. "Weve worked really hard and we have a new coach this season." Thalers only other podium -- also third in a slalom at Kitzbuehel, Austria -- was even longer ago, in January 2009. "I think Im the oldest guy ever on the podium in the slalom," he said. "I was a bit emotional." Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Grange finished fourth, 0.04 behind Thaler, and Swedens Markus Larsson was fifth in a far-from-usual top five. Hirscher was aiming for a second consecutive podium double after winning last years GS and finishing third in the slalom, but he made a huge error on the top section and finished 4 seconds slower than Matt after an early-morning first run under clear, blue skies but with temperatures bitingly cold. After failing to make a GS second run for the first time in nearly five years, Ligety was 3.59 slower than Matt. Miller almost fell on the treacherous top section, recovered, but then lost control. Frenchman Alexis Pinturault --fourth in GS -- went off course near the bottom, while Austrias Manfred Pranger also veered off. On a brighter note for the Americans, David Chodounsky finished seventh for a career best slalom performance. "Val dIsere is really tough, steep," the 29-year-old said. "I was really happy with my first run, didnt quite have the confidence to go at it, but it was solid." Tie Domi Rangers Jersey .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. Nickl... Backstrom Capitals Jersey . LOUIS -- Valtteri Filppula assisted on three of Tampa Bays four goals, and the Lightning beat the St. http://www.c... . A forerunning sled crashed into the worker Thursday at the Sanki Sliding Center. The unidentified worker broke both legs and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. [url=http://www.cheapnhl.net/Pittsburgh-Penguins-Tom-Barrasso-Jersey/]Tom Barrasso Penguins Jersey . 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Bumgarner (4-1) gave up just four hits and walked two, winning for the first time since April 13. "Theyve got as good a shot as anybody to play October baseball," Bumgarner said of the Braves. "When you play a team like that, you want to play your best baseball, too." Blanco had a three-run double and triple in setting a career high for RBIs. San Franciscos rotation, considered one of the best in the majors, has struggled early this season. But ace Matt Cain tossed eight innings of three-hit ball in Fridays win, and coupled with Bumgarners effort, the Giants can claim the four-game series with a victory in Sundays finale. It was a frustrating day for the National League East-leading Braves. Dan Uggla struck out four times and Chris Johnson went down swinging three times. After a victory in Thursdays opener, the Braves have mustered just 10 hits and been outscored 18-3. "Hes nasty," Johnson said. "For me, he is one of the best lefties in the game. He throws his cutter in to righties. He makes righties feel uneasy." They hurt themselves defensively Saturday, and lefty Paul Maholm (4-4) lasted just 4 1-3 innings and was charged with six runs on eight hits. The Giants led 2-1 when they broke the game open with a four-run fifth, aided by the adventures of Braves right fielder Justin Upton. Upton let Marco Scutaros liner skip past him for a one-out triple. After Pablo Sandoval was hit by a pitch, Buster Posey drove an RBI double deep to right that Upton made an awkward attempt on as it bounced up against the wall. Hunter Pence wass intentionally walked to load the bases, and Braves interim manager Carlos Tosca called on Cory Gearrin to relieve Maholm.dddddddddddd Giants manager Bruce Bochy sent up Blanco to hit for Francisco Peguero, and Blanco delivered a three-run double to right-centre that extended the Giants lead to 6-1. "It is definitely a difficult outfield," Upton said. "You definitely have to make a decision pre-pitch on how aggressive you want to be." Blanco was at it again in the eighth, when the Giants batted around and tacked on four more. His liner to left field skipped past a charging Evan Gattis and went for an RBI triple. Blanco is 9 for 19 this season with runners in scoring position. San Franciscos starting pitchers entered the day with a 4.48 ERA, which ranked 13th out of 15 NL teams. Bumgarner rebounded after his worst outing of the season, when he gave up five runs in six innings against Philadelphia on Monday. "Thats a tough lineup to go through and he did quite a job for us," Bochy said. Johnson, the Braves third baseman, struck out swinging in all three at-bats against Bumgarner. "Hes nasty," Johnson said. "For me, he is one of the best lefties in the game. He throws his cutter in to righties. He makes righties feel uneasy." Sandovals homer in the first gave the Giants an early lead. Brandon Crawford doubled in a run in the fourth to make it 2-0, one of two hits the left-handed hitting Crawford had off Maholm. Maholm entered Saturday having yielded just four hits to lefties all season. NOTES: Giants reliever Santiago Casilla was scheduled to run during batting practice to test his sore right knee, but Bochy wasnt planning on having Casilla available until Tuesdays road trip opener at Toronto. ... Tim Lincecum, who starts Sunday for San Francisco, has lost his last four starts against Atlanta. Kris Medlen will take the ball for the Braves, looking to snap a five-start winless streak. ... Scutaro has an 11-game hitting streak. ... Johnson is 0 for 17 with eight strikeouts this month. Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '