The Calgary Flames are in danger of losing seven straight games in regulation for the first time in 15 seasons, but management still believes Bob Hartley is the right man to end that skid and guide the team for years to come. Stephon Marbury Jersey . Two days after the veteran coach earned a multiyear contract extension, the Flames try again to end their slide Friday night against the visiting Dallas Stars. The 54-year-old Hartley is 71-79-13 since coming to Calgary in 2012, and had the Flames (17-14-2) off to a strong start prior to their six-game skid. However, that didnt stop the organization from extending the contract of Hartley, who won a Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2001. I firmly believe in the bigger picture, first-year Flames general manager Brad Treliving said. Anybody can swim in the lake when the water is calm. It takes leadership, it takes perseverance when the water gets choppy to see who can steer the boat here. I know weve got the right guy steering the boat. This should send a clear message to our dressing room that Bob is not only the coach for today, but moving forward. The Flames were one of the leagues biggest surprises before being outscored 21-10 in the last six games. Calgary hasnt had a longer losing streak in regulation since dropping eight in a row during the 1998-99 season. Its so easy when youre winning to go out there and make things happen when things are bouncing your way, said center Matt Stajan, who recorded an assist in Tuesdays 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers. The real test is when nothings going your way and youre in a funk like we are. This is where we have to step up. Though the Flames have struggled to score, theyve outshot five of their last six opponents, including 31-23 over the Rangers. Calgary has gone 3 for 22 on the power play in those six games. Internally, weve got to figure out whats going on here and turn it around, defenseman Kris Russell told the Flames official website. It would seem Calgary has a good chance to break out against a Dallas team that allows a league-worst 3.4 goals per game, but the Stars (12-13-5) used a 27-save performance from Kari Lehtonen to win their second straight and third in four games, 2-0 at Vancouver on Wednesday. Dallas had yielded at least five goals seven times over the previous 12 contests. We are taking it one game at a time, but we know we have three left (before) the (Christmas) break. We want to go out on a good note, defenseman Alex Goligoski told the Stars official website. Lehtonen has a 2.03 goals-against average while winning three of four to follow a seven-start stretch where he went 3-2-1 but had a 4.10 GAA. He has a 2.33 GAA during a three-game winning streak against the Flames. Tyler Seguin scored five of his league-leading 23 goals in four straight games before being blanked against the Canucks. He had a career-high four goals with an assist during a 7-3 win at Calgary on Nov. 14 of last year. Calgarys Jiri Hudler has a goal in two straight games and a point in each of the last four but was shut out in two against the Stars last season. Jalen Lecque Jersey . LOUIS - The St. Mike Bantom Jersey . The Durban-based Sharks withstood a furious second-half fightback to beat the Queensland Reds 35-20 for a fourth straight win which gave them a five-point lead atop the championship table. The Hamilton-based Chiefs scored two late tries to beat the Cape Town-based Stormers 36-20 for their third win, after the Stormers rallied from 24-6 down to 24-20 with six minutes remaining.Just under a month ago, 32 teams started out on a path to join the elite club of World Cup Champions. Two teams remain in pursuit of that goal, but both nations – Germany and Argentina – have multiple titles to their credit. Germany reached the Final with the most unpredictable of performances, piling goal after goal on a stunned Brazilian team en route to a 7-1 thrashing. The Argentinian team, meanwhile, snuck by a powerful Dutch side by the slimmest of margins: waiting out 120 minutes of cautious, scoreless play and settling things in penalty kicks. So, with the Final looming on the horizon, which nation do you like to capture its first title in over two decades? Germany started their campaign in Brazil with authority, drubbing Portugal 4-0 in their group stage opening and providing the margin of victory that would inevitably send Cristiano Ronaldo and his compatriots home before the knockout stage. A 2-2 draw to Ghana would provide the only blemish on Germanys record thus far but the team would clinch the top of Group G by edging out former coach and World Cup hero Jurgen Klinsmann and his American side 1-0 in their opening round finale. The Algerians would give Germany a scare in the round of 16, forcing extra time before Andre Schurrle and Mesut Ozil put away what would stand as a 2-1 victory. They would then ride an early header from defender Mats Hummels past a high-scoring French side in the quarters to set up their drubbing of the host Brazilians in the semis. Along the way the Germans have seen one man write his name in the annals of World Cup history and another serve notice that he may be next in line. Miroslav Kloses mark in the semifinal thrashing put him in sole possession of the all-time World Cup goal scoring record, one ahead of Brazilian great Ronaldo with 16. Not to be outdone, however, is 24-year-old Bayern Munich striker Thomas Müller. After earning a share of the Golden Boot in South Africa with five goals, Müller has piled on another five and enters the Fiinal one shy of an unprecedented second straight. Wesley Person Jersey . Argentinas performance has been a study in doing just enough to win. Though they have won all six of their contests in Brazil, they have done so by just a single goal in each match. The team emerged from a group devoid of titanic opposition, edging out Bosnia and Herzegovina in part thanks to a third-minute own-goal and Iran thanks to an unforgettable Lionel Messi free kick in second half stoppage-time. With the group hanging in the balance, the Argentines went back and forth with Nigeria in the opening round finale, eventually outlasting their African opposition in a 3-2 victory. In the knockout round, however, the Argentinians have used lone goals to get past highly-ranked European opposition. Switzerland – the top seed in Group E entering the tournament – held them scoreless through nearly two hours before Angel di Maria broke through in the 188th minute. Against Belgium it was the opposite, with Gonzalo Higuain finding the back of the net eight minutes in to provide the matchs lone goal. The question begs whether the team can find the firepower to match the German machine. Messi enters the Final tied for third in the competition with four goals and all eyes will be on the Little Magician to see if he can step up and add to his “Best Player in the World” argument when it matters most for his country. A double-sided historical note to help you make up your mind: Germany has lost just once to Argentina at the World Cup and has ended Argentinas tournament at each of the last two. However, Germanys one loss came in the 1986 Final, the last time the nation was crowned World Champions. So, who do you like? Will the balanced German attack find its way through the Argentine defence to earn a first World title as a unified nation? Or, will Messi heed Diego Maradonas claims as the future of Argentinian football and continue the trend of European World Cup futility in the Americas? As always, its Your! Call. ' ' '
