WINNIPEG - For centre Olli Jokinen, one loss does not a confidence-shaking setback make despite the Winnipeg Jets falling back into the Central Division cellar following a 4-3 loss to Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.Its not going to be our last game we lose, were not going to win every game, Jokinen said Wednesday, joining most of his teammates taking the day off to rest or work out in preparation to face the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.I think as a team were moving in the right direction and we just try to get our energy levels up and try to get a win Friday, he added.The Jets coaches and a handful of players were on the ice Wednesday but things will get more serious Thursday as the squad gears up for another important game against a Western Conference rival.Although theyve gone 4-5-1 in their last 10 games and lost 4-2 to Edmonton on Monday, the Canucks (27-18-9 before playing Chicago on Wednesday) are at least currently where the Jets want to be — holding down the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.The Jets stand 12th, eight points behind the Canucks before Wednesdays action. They have plenty of distance to cover and not much time to do it as they head into the Olympic break. After Fridays game they play four more road contests before the Olympics, then return Feb. 27 at the MTS Centre.But with the hiring of new coach Paul Maurice, the Jets have already done some surprising things in a relatively short period of time. They earned road wins over both the league-leading Anaheim Ducks and defending Stanley Cup-champion Chicago Blackhawks have won six-of-eight games with Maurice behind the bench.And neither Jokinen nor Maurice viewed Tuesdays loss as a step backwards from the kind of defensive zone game hes trying to teach.This defensive zone concept, its not like you write it on the board you get it and you go and theres your defence for the rest of your life, its a work in progress, Maurice said. There wasnt a letdown (Tuesday night).They werent running out of position, getting away from what they were trying to do to break a game open.Maurice said players are starting to see things and there are fewer questions coming back. Hes pleased with the compete level of one of the NHLs youngest teams.The biggest thing hes instilled in us is play for each other in every game, said centre Mark Scheifele.That approach seems to be working for the 20-year-old Scheifele, who had a goal and an assist against Nashville and is third in scoring among NHL rookies.Four Jets are heading to the Olympics: goalie Ondrej Pavelec and Michael Frolik for their native Czech Republic, Jokinen for Finland and Blake Wheeler, currently tied for Winnipegs scoring lead, for the U.S.The others will have a long layoff and while Maurice says hes had experience with Olympic breaks, with a young team like the Jets it might be different.The last time I went through an Olympic break that I remember, we ended up going to the final (2001-02 with Carolina) and came out fast and quick, Maurice said. We had a bunch of guys . . . that were older, fit men who used that break to rest but came back roaring.Maurice said veterans like former Carolina Hurricanes captain Rod BrindAmour and Martin Gelinas had the experience to know how to use the break.The concern is there will be a bunch of these guys that havent gone through an Olympic break, he said. Theres not much we can do in terms of structuring anything that is mandatory for our players.Maurice isnt worrying about the four Jets heading to Sochi, Russia.Theyre going to go and play at a really, really high level and theyre going to get better from it, he said. Id prefer to have more guys going than not.Meanwhile, Maurice said left-winger Evander Kanes hand was cleaned up by doctors after he was sidelined again by an infection that caused it to swell up.Everything finished the way we hoped, he said.Kane cut his hand in a fight with Tampa Bays Eric Brewer on Jan. 7 and initially missed four games. He returned Jan. 21 to register a goal and three assists in the next four games but isnt expected back until after the Olympic break. Pittsburgh Pirates Shirts .ca presents its latest weekly power rankings for the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League season. Stitched Pirates Jerseys .The Canadiens will visit the Boston Bruins at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., on New Years Day 2016, taking hockeys oldest rivalry outside.It was special in 2010 just to be there with the history behind Fenway Park and all that, Bruins centre Patrice Bergeron said. https://www.cheappiratesjerseys.us/. -- Officials have approved a deal to build a new $672 million stadium for the Atlanta Braves away from the downtown Atlanta area that has traditionally been its home. Pirates Jerseys 2020 . Im very excited about the playoffs, particularly in the Western Conference with amazing match-ups, as well as the wonderful local story in the Toronto Raptors. It should be a blast. Here are my predictions, but based upon my lousy prognostications during the NCAA Tournament, you might be better off going the other way on some of mine - particularly with the Raptors, who I hope and pray are able to win an incredibly difficult match-up. Pittsburgh Pirates Gear .com) - Scott Parel carded a 5-under 65 on Thursday and he grabbed a 1-stroke lead after one round of the season-opening Panama Claro Championship.CHICAGO - The Chicago White Sox have a dynamic power hitter in Jose Abreu. They have one of baseballs best pitchers in Chris Sale and a pesky leadoff man in Adam Eaton. Then there is the rest of the roster. Led by Abreu, the favourite for AL Rookie of the Year, Chicago posted a 10-game improvement this season compared to its 99 losses in 2013. It closed the season by dropping three of four against playoff-bound Kansas City in the final series for slugger Paul Konerko, who retired after 18 years in the majors. With Abreu, Sale and Eaton, the White Sox have three of the most valuable commodities in baseball, but there are several areas of concern heading into another important winter, namely an injury-riddled bullpen and the rest of the rotation behind Sale and Jose Quintana. I think we are pleased with a lot of the progress weve made in the last 15 months, but were by no means, first satisfied, nor operating under the belief that were by any means finished, in terms of assembling a core and a unit that can contend on annual basis, general manager Rick Hahn said. Thats absolutely the goal as we enter the off-season here. Another off-season like the previous one, and Chicago will be in prime position to improve again in 2015. The White Sox landed Abreu last October, handing over a $68 million, six-year contract to the Cuban slugger. He responded with one of the best rookie seasons in major league history, batting .317 with 36 homers and 107 RBIs in 145 games. Abreu turns 28 in January and could be anchoring Chicagos lineup for years to come. I think we see great things, manager Robin Ventura said. Any time a guy gets into his first year and has the impact that he had, youre very excited to see what comes of it. The White Sox also acquired Eaton from Arizona in a three-team trade last December. He hit .300 in his third year in the maajors with 10 triples, tying Clevelands Michael Bourn for the AL lead.dddddddddddd He also played fearless defence in centre field, becoming a fan favourite for his willingness to crash into the wall while tracking long flyballs. We werent expected to win, but I think we played better than most people thought, Eaton said before Sundays 6-4 loss to Kansas City. But like I said, you dont want to get into that mindset of were not expected to win so we dont have to win. I think we need to come every day knowing that were going to win, knowing that were going to compete, and I think well do that next year. Sale was his usual brilliant self, going 12-4 with a 2.17 ERA, and Quintana had another solid year. But the rest of the rotation was inconsistent, and the bullpen was even worse. Hurt by injuries to Nate Jones and Matt Lindstrom, Chicago had a major league-high 32 losses by relievers, and its 4.38 bullpen ERA was 28th in the league. It also had 21 blown save opportunities, tied for seventh-most in the majors. When you look at our bullpen, you wish that was better, Ventura said. You dont know if its going to be guys that are improving or different people. Thats just the way the game goes. You look at what youre weak at and try to figure out a way to improve it. Carlos Rodon, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 draft, could help the rotation or bullpen next year, and Hahn said the team has some economic flexibility heading into the winter. Chicago also could look to upgrade its outfield after the position group produced just 37 homers this year, tied for eighth-fewest in all of baseball, according to STATS. You look back at a lot of games you lost; see how you lost them, why you lost them, Ventura said. I think defensively for us, theres way to improve. Offensively theres ways to improve. Theres a lot of different things to it. ' ' '