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Drew MacIntyre doesnt know why at the age of 30 he hasnt started an NHL game. Cheap Authentic NFL Jersey . The journeyman goaltender can only go by what hes told. "Probably the main reason why I havent gotten a game while Ive been up is because I dont have NHL experience," MacIntyre said. "Thats the most frustrating thing." Listen to all the action on TSN Radio 1050 starting at 7:30pm et. Its hard to have experience without someone giving him a chance. "Chicken and egg thing," said his agent, Thane Campbell. "You have to get that right opportunity. Some of it is just luck -- being at the right place at the right time." MacIntyre is now in exactly the right place at the right time. With the Toronto Maple Leafs officially eliminated from playoff contention and Jonathan Bernier out with a knee injury, the Charlottetown product is set to make his first career NHL start Thursday night at the Florida Panthers. Its a long time coming for a veteran of 351 AHL games, 56 ECHL games and even two in the KHL. Along the way, he has seen Cory Schneider, Ben Scrivens and other goaltenders he competed against in the minors earn full-time NHL gigs. "It literally feels like every day I see one of the guys that Ive competed against for a while getting starts and becoming a No. 1 goalie in the NHL," MacIntyre said last month. "So that kind of thing can get frustrating because Ive competed pretty well against all those guys. Thats just more evidence that I believe that I can play here (in the NHL)." MacIntyres resume so far includes just five NHL appearances, all in relief. Two came for the Vancouver Canucks in 2007-08, two for the Buffalo Sabres in 2011-12, and the most recent one in March after James Reimer gave up three goals at the New Jersey Devils. On March 23, MacIntyre came in and stopped all 14 shots he faced. He saw that as something of an audition, which Thursday night can be, as well. "That enters your mind," he said. "I havent had that many opportunities. Theyve all been kind of getting thrown in there. ... Thats just the position that Im in where every summer Im hoping to get a job and scrambling to find something. I want to get a chance to compete for a backup role just to see what I can do." MacIntyre will likely be scrambling again this summer. The AHLs Toronto Marlies could go with a young goaltending duo of Garret Sparks and Christopher Gibson, leaving the career minor-leaguer to look elsewhere. Campbells sales pitch is that MacIntyre is a two-time AHL all-star, people know him around the league and hes "not too old." He said MacIntyre is considered one of the best No. 3 goalie options around, but where he might end up next season depends on trades and other player movement. If nothing else, MacIntyre shouldnt have to face the same questions he did last year after breaking his ankle playing for HC Lev Prague of the KHL, getting released and struggling to find a job anywhere. For a while, no team in the ECHL or Central Hockey League would sign him. While practising with the University of Prince Edward Island, MacIntyre was asked by people close to him if he was considering retiring. "It kind of made me say, Jeepers, should I be thinking that?" MacIntyre said. "It definitely crossed my mind, but I didnt think about retiring. I just knew I was up for a fight." Itll likely be a fight to get an NHL deal that gives him a legitimate opportunity to compete for a backup job. After trips through three organizations, thats what MacIntyre expects. "With a number of teams hes been knocking on the door and hes been very close," said Campbell, who has represented MacIntyre since he was 16 years old. "But its tough to get into the NHL, its a tough league to play in. Its the best league in the world. But hes only 30 and theres time left, thats for sure." The goaltender who gives MacIntyre inspiration is Tim Thomas, who didnt make his first career NHL start until the age of 28 and didnt get a real chance until after a sojourn to Europe showed what kind of performer he could become. Family members and friends always bring up Thomas, now a Conn Smythe Trophy and Stanley Cup-winner, to give MacIntyre hope. And he buys into that belief. "He did it. I dont see why I couldnt do it," MacIntyre said. "Im not saying Im going to be Tim Thomas if I get a chance, but I like to think I can compete well up here." Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping . - This is just the warm-up act for 18-year-old William Nylander. Cheap Jerseys From China . The Suns termed Fridays surgery by team doctor Thomas Carter a success. No timetable was given for Bledsoes return but the team said in a news release that he "will pursue a possible return to action during the second half" of the season. www.wholesalenfljerseysmart.us/ . Levante, which had lost five straight including a Copa del Rey game last weekend, fell behind at its Ciutat de Valencia stadium when Ionut Sapanura opened the scoring for Elche in the 26th minute.CHICAGO -- The Detroit Tigers will have to wait at least another day to try to snap out of their recent funk. The second game of the Tigers scheduled four-game series at the Chicago White Sox was postponed Tuesday night. The tarp stayed on the field all day as intermittent rain fell in the Chicago area. With more wet weather in the forecast for the rest of the night, the game was called about 2 hours before the scheduled start. There was no immediate announcement of a makeup date for the first postponed White Sox home game of the season. Detroit returns to Chicago for a three-game series from Aug. 29-31. The White Sox used the rainout to skip Andre Rienzos turn in the rotation. Left-hander John Danks was moved back a day to Wednesday, and Chris Sale will pitch in the series finale on Thursday. Rienzo, who has dropped each of his last three starts, will pitch Sunday against Kansas City. Detroit adjusted its rotation. Drew Smyly, who was slated to start Wednesdays game, was pushed out of the series altogether. Justin Verlander was moved back to Wednesday and Max Scherzer will face Sale on Thursday in a matchup of two of the best pitchers in the AL. The Tigers dropped to 4-3 against the White Sox this season with a 6-5 loss in the series opener Monday night. Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Eugenio Suarez homered, but Rick Porcello struggled through five-plus innings. AL Central-leading Detroit got off to a 27-12 start this season, but it has struggled of late. The Tigers, who won the division in each of tthe previous three seasons, have lost seven of nine and 15 of 21 overall. Wholesale Cheap NFL Football Jerseys. Before the game was called, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus had Cabrera at designated hitter and Victor Martinez at first base for the second straight night. Cabrera left Sunday nights 5-3 loss to Boston with left hamstring tightness, but went 2 for 4 in Monday nights loss. "He said hes feeling better today," Ausmus said. "Its going to be wet out there. I dont know if he would have played the field anyway, but the fact that its going to be raining on and off makes the decision easier to DH him." Cabrera is 8 for 14 with a homer and two RBIs in his last four games. The AL MVP the last two seasons is batting .329 with 12 homers and 52 RBIs in 2014, playing in each of Detroits first 60 games. "Its tough to get him out of the lineup because hes the best hitter in the game," Ausmus said. While the Tigers have been sliding, they have received a boost from Suarez. The 22-year-old rookie shortstop is 4 for 11 with two homers in four major league games since he was recalled from Triple-A Toledo last Wednesday. "It should give him confidence. He looks good with the bat. Hes swinging the bat well," Ausmus said. "The truth is that in baseball three weeks from now, if youre not swinging the bat well, your confidence is gone. You have to re-find. That happens to everybody at some point, without fail. I hope he goes through without ever struggling a day in his life. But chances are thats never going to happen." Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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