NEU » We can start some matches with a player in front

Sidney Crosby raises his game another to level when the calendar reads November. The Buffalo Sabres know how dangerous he can be regardless of what month it is.Crosby looks to continue his high-scoring ways and help the Pittsburgh Penguins extend some lengthy winning streaks over the Sabres when the teams face off on Saturday night in western New York.The accomplishments by Sid the Kid are well-documented-- two-time Hart Trophy winner as league MVP, two-time Art Ross Trophy winner as league scoring leader, and a two-time Stanley Cup winner among many others.Over the course of 11-plus NHL seasons, November has clearly been Crosbys time to shine even brighter. His power-play goal in Friday nights 3-2 overtime win against the New York Islanders was the 73rd of his career, far and away the most hes had in any month.Crosby also assisted on Kris Letangs game-winner 1:24 into the extra session.When hes got time and space, hes going to hurt you, Letang said of Crosby, whose career numbers against Buffalo are eye-popping.In 31 games, Crosby has 14 goals and 35 assists, helping the Penguins to a 22-7-2 record. In 17 career games at KeyBank Arena, Crosby has nine goals and 19 assists leading them to a 12-4-1 mark.Pittsburgh (11-4-2) has won nine straight from the Sabres by a combined 37-13 score, thanks in large part to 15 assists from Crosby, and six in a row in Buffalo by a combined 26-11 count with Crosby contributing 12 assists.Crosby has 11 goals in 11 games after missing the first six with a concussion, and is one goal shy of 350 for his career. Despite the delayed start to his season, Crosby is tied for second in goals, one behind rookie Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets for the NHL lead.After Matt Murray defeated the Islanders, Marc-Andre Fleury may get the chance to bounce back from some recent subpar play. In his last three appearances, including two starts, Fleury has surrendered 11 goals in just over 162 minutes for a 4.06 goals-against average.But Fleury has hardly struggled versus the Sabres. In 26 career starts, Fleury is 19-5-2 with 2.18 goals-against average and four shutouts, and hes won seven straight starts in Buffalo, posting a 1.43 GAA and .950 save percentage with two shutouts.Buffalo (5-8-4) has not made the playoffs since 2011 and any hopes of ending that streak appear to be a long shot. The Sabres are 1-4-2 at home, have an NHL-low 31 goals and are at the bottom of the Atlantic Division with 14 points.Left winger Matt Moulson said Buffalo needs to refocus on the ice.We talked (Friday) about concentrating on playing the right way, Moulson told the teams official website. It seems like were giving up a lot of odd-man rushes to some pretty skilled groups the last couple of games, so I think thats the focus. Playing the right way will lead to offensive chances and scoring chances.A three-time 30-goal scorer, Moulson has six goals in 17 games after totaling eight in 81 games with Buffalo last season. He also has two goals and an assist in a three-game point streak versus the Penguins.Among the Sabres struggling to score consistently is right wing Kyle Okposo. Though hes second on the team behind Moulson with five goals and has a team-best 10 points, Okposo has failed to score in six straight games, and he has just one goal at home.Weve got to make sure were playing the right way and we cant press, Okposo told the teams website.While with the Islanders, Okposo had a career-best four goals in a win over Pittsburgh on Jan. 16, 2015. In five matchups since then, hes had a goal and two assists.Buffalo center Ryan OReilly -- the teams second-leading scorer with nine points (four goals, five assists) -- is expected to miss his fourth straight game with an oblique injury.However, one player who could help the Sabres sputtering offense is left wing Evander Kane, whos been limited to six games this season after missing 11 with cracked ribs. Though Kane has just one assist so far, hes scored three goals and added six assists in his last five games against the Penguins.Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (no points, minus-4 in 12 games) has missed the last four games with a back injury and is not likely to suit up Saturday for Buffalo.Right winger Patric Hornqvist (five goals, eight assists, 16 games) missed Fridays contest for Pittsburgh with a concussion suffered in Wednesdays 7-1 loss to the Washington Capitals. Its not immediately known if he will be cleared to face the Sabres. Mike Bordick Jersey . - Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is not a fan of his teams use of the wildcat formation, saying "it makes you look like a high school offence. Vladimir Guerrero Jersey .C. -- Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. https://www.cheaporioles.com/528i-tom-phoebus-jersey-orioles.html . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. DJ Stewart Jersey . -- Nate Robinson has played for seven teams, so beating one of them is no longer a rare occurrence. Cal Ripken Jr. Jersey . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. MANCHESTER, England -- An $800 million cast of global superstars will take the field for the Manchester derby in the English Premier League on Saturday.The game could be decided, though, by two teenage academy graduates whove barely cost City and United a penny.Marcus Rashford of United and Kelechi Iheanacho of City are fearless, free-spirited strikers who provide proof that kids can still break through at top clubs in the worlds most lucrative league. That theyve started the season as the No. 2 strikers for their teams is testament to their ability and the faith being shown in them by their managers.The 18-year-old Rashford is the better known of the pair. Plucked from Uniteds youth team to solve an injury crisis in the first team in February, Rashford scored eight goals in the final months of last season and forced his way into Englands squad for the European Championship.Quick, lithe, direct and with a composure in front of goal, Rashford is proving to be a player for the big occasion. He has scored at least one goal on his senior United debut, his Premier League debut, his England debut and his England under-21 debut. Oh, and he also netted the winner in his first Manchester derby.Rashford is already showing last season was no fluke, coming on as a sub to score Uniteds injury-time winner against Hull before the international break in his first league game this campaign.The kid is going to play lots of matches, for sure, United manager Jose Mourinho said.Iheanacho, 19, has done remarkably well to emerge as Citys second-choice striker considering the caliber and number of attackers who have been at the club in recent seasons.City has been happy to offload Edin Dzeko, Stevan Jovetic and Wilfried Bony over 12 months to give Iheanacho his chance, making him the first player to come through from the clubs $300 million training and player-development center -- the City Football Academy -- since its opening in December 2014.Already a Nigeria international, Iheanacho is quick like Rashford, is technically gifted and has been compared to Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge with his moveement and finishing ability.ddddddddddddIheanacho was elevated to the senior squad in the summer of 2015 and scored 14 goals in his breakthrough year last season, including a winner in his second league start and a hat trick in an FA Cup game. He opened his account for this season with a long-range piledriver for Nigeria in its 1-0 win over Tanzania last week.With Sergio Aguero suspended for this weekend, Iheanacho is in line for a start at Old Trafford in what might be the biggest game of his life.Games like this mean a lot, he said, and it doesnt come bigger than a derby.Heres a look at where Rashford and Iheanacho might fit in during the Manchester derby:---MARCUS RASHFORDZlatan Ibrahimovic stands in the way of Rashford with United deploying a 4-2-3-1 formation, but Mourinho said after the teenagers winner against Hull that he could pair them up front.We play now with a second man behind Zlatan, Mourinho said. We can start some matches with a player in front of Zlatan.Alternatively, and more likely, Rashford could start on the wing, potentially on the left in place of Anthony Martial to use his pace against Pablo Zabaleta or Bacary Sagna.Rashford still hasnt started a game under Mourinho, who may decide to keep him in his role as an impact substitute.---KELECHI IHEANACHOThe most straightforward option for City coach Pep Guardiola is to replace the suspended Aguero with Iheanacho and retain the 4-1-4-1 formation City has used in its opening five wins this season.Guardiola could, however, choose to play one of his wingers -- Raheem Sterling or Nolito -- up front. Or theres the option of using David Silva or Kevin De Bruyne as a so-called false nine, basically leaving City without an out-and-out striker and instead flooding the midfield.We try to reduce the unpredictability of the game, Mourinho said. (But) we know they have so many options, so for (my) players is more difficult. It feels a bit of a contradiction, but without Aguero its more difficult. ' ' '