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NASHVILLE -- Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne cant wait to test himself in a game. Pat Tillman Womens Jersey . The Predators, who announced Wednesday that they are sending Rinne to their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee, are cautiously waiting to see if the two-time Vezina Trophy finalist can help them chase down a playoff berth. Both Rinne and the team will have a better idea of where he is after the conditioning assignment for games Friday and likely Sunday in this latest step in his recovery from an E. coli infection in his surgically repaired left hip. Rinne has been limited to only nine games this season. Coach Barry Trotz said the Predators will be monitoring Rinne after each practice and game. "Hes at a point where weve got to find out where he is game-wise and also body and mind," Trotz said of Rinne. The Predators start a five-game home stand Thursday night hosting Tampa Bay just four points back of the Western Conferences eighth and final playoff spot with 23 games remaining. They missed the playoffs last year for only the second time in nine seasons. How quickly Rinne rejoins them depends on how he fares in Milwaukee. Rinne practiced with the Predators on Wednesday before travelling to Milwaukee, and he called this a big day with doctors giving him the green light for the latest step in his long recovery. He has been sidelined since Oct. 24 for an infection in the hip surgically repaired May 9, and Rinne said hes focusing on getting his game back and help the Predators. "So far I feel really comfortable," Rinne said. "Im happy how things have gone in practice and how things have gone so far. I think Im actually a little bit surprised its been going so well. But like I said, its still a process but for sure I feel like Im really close to game shape and now its just a final couple of games before I jump on the ice with the Nashville team." Rinne, 31, is sixth in the NHL with 152 wins since the 2008-09 season and has 30 shutouts since 2008-09, which leads all goalies during that time. He hasnt played since Oct. 22 in a 2-0 loss at Minnesota. He is 4-4-1 with a 2.31 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. The Predators have played four other goalies this season trying to make up for Rinnes absence. Currently, Carter Hutton is their starter, and he is 13-9-4 with a .904 save percentage and 2.87 goals-against average. Trotz said what theyve been missing without Rinne is a game-changer who can mean the difference in as many as 20 points in the standings each season. "Hes an elite goaltender and steals games maybe when you dont deserve it," Trotz said. "He can steal points." Trotz said theyre not sure what theyll see from Rinne. "Its not about Pekka coming back and being a saviour," Trotz said. "I think its Pekka coming back and adding to our mix. And if he can get his game to the level close to what hes capable of, were a better hockey team plain and simple. To me, its about Pekka for hopefully the next five or six years. Hes a difference maker." Captain Shea Weber, who practiced with the Predators on Wednesday after helping Canada win the Olympic gold medal Sunday in Sochi, said the Predators are definitely excited about the prospect of Rinne returning to the lineup as they try to chase down a playoff spot. "Weve been through a lot this year and to see what position we put ourselves in here four points out coming in its not going to be easy by any means," Weber said. "If anyone can do it, we can." Haason Reddick Youth Jersey . The Mavericks were not going to let San Antonio beat them with 3-pointers, and they did not want Tony Parker using the lane as his personal playground. Patrick Peterson Jersey . -- Jacksonville Jaguars rookie receiver Marqise Lee has agreed to terms on a four-year contract worth more than $5 million. http://www.nflcardinalsrookiestore.com/Cardinals-Byron-Murphy-Jersey/ .The Canadian teenage golf sensation announced Thursday shell join the LPGA Tour in 2015 instead of attending the University of Florida.TORONTO - For Dwane Casey and his club, this years preseason takes on a new importance as they prepare for the franchises most anticipated campaign in over a decade. The result of their eight-game exhibition slate - beginning with Sundays win over the Kings - is inconsequential, as much or more so than usual. Priority number one remains the same, albeit more crucial than ever before: come out of it in one piece. After that, the devil is in the details. The month of October, often criticized by coaches and players alike for its lengthy preseason schedule, affords the Raptors an opportunity to fine-tune their product before its put to the ultimate test in just over three weeks time. We still have a lot of work to do on the defensive end, Casey preached after his teams bittersweet 99-94 victory. I was disappointed. Whether we win, lose or draw is not important in these types of games, but what is very important is our defensive approach and I thought we didnt do it. After getting off to a quick start in front of a sellout crowd in Vancouver - thanks in large part to the familiarity of a unit that started 50 games together in 2013-14 - the Raptors fell victim to the missing quarter, in this case the third, a thorn in their side a year ago. For the first time that evening the preseason rust that you expect to see this early was evident. With the exception of the well-conditioned DeMar DeRozan, who was in midseason form coming off a busy summer, the quarter was filled with lazy paces, heavy legs, and sloppy defensive possessions. Toronto missed its first six shots to begin the second half, shooting just 31 per cent in the third quarter, but more concerning was the defensive effort and Sacramentos dominance on the boards. The Kings hit 12 of 20 attempts in the frame, out-rebounded Toronto 16-3 and turned a five-point halftime deficit into a seven-point lead going into the fourth. We didnt come out in the third quarter, Casey said, with that defensive intensity and that zeal that youve got to have if youre building something. Defensively, weve got some things to clean up, echoed Kyle Lowry. With an elite backcourt in DeRozan and Lowry, an emerging centre in Jonas Valanciunas and a restocked second unit, Casey knows he has the firepower to put points on the board. In other words, offence is not a concern. The focus for Torontos coaching staff during the first week of camp has been, and will continue to be, on the defensive end and on the boards. Even this early in the preseason, Casey had been looking at Sundays game - and Tuesdays rematch in Sacramento - as something of a litmus test in the trenches, where the Kings excel and the Raptors struggled through stretches last season. Led bby DeMarcus Cousins and former Raptor Reggie Evans, Sacramento - ranked fifth in offensive rebounding a year ago - bested Toronto 45-30 on the glass. Byron Murphy Womens Jersey. Predictably, that was the first topic Casey broached after the win and should be the basis of this weeks practice sessions when the team returns to Toronto on Wednesday. The real concern, going back to the teams chief preseason priority - staying healthy - will be the status of Terrence Ross. The third-year starter got tangled up with Kings guard Ramon Session late in the fourth quarter and limped to the locker room with what the medical staff diagnosed as a right knee contusion. Hes okay, Casey assured the inquiring media Sunday night. But thats what you want to avoid. Ross, like Patrick Patterson - who missed the game with a sore hand - is day-to-day. Lost in their incomplete victory, the bumps and bruises and Caseys post-game diatribe, the Raptors also showed Rudy Gay and the Kings whats made them one of the leagues most resilient clubs since last winters franchise-altering trade. With their new and improved second unit on the floor, Toronto regained control of the game in the final quarter, holding Sacramento to 27 per cent shooting while scoring 31 points without committing a turnover themselves. Newcomer Lou Williams, who missed all four of his attempts in 16 minutes through three quarters, played the entire fourth, scoring 11 of his 12 points. Bringing his usual brand of toughness and energy, Tyler Hansbrough added nine points, even knocking down a rare three-pointer from the corner, something hes been working on over the summer. Returning Raptor James Johnson honed in on his role as the teams lockdown perimeter defender while Greivis Vasquez commanded the group with some masterful passing and pick-and-roll execution. It was nice to go up against some other guys, said back-up centre Greg Stiemsma, who scored three points and fouled out in 17 spirited minutes during his Raptors debut. Our training camp has been really competitive and I figured that was going to translate over well and it did. We got down by a couple points, made a come back, held the lead and it just says how were going to gut things out all year. I was really impressed with the second unit in the fourth quarter, Casey added. Thats who we have to be. And I know its exhibition [and] its hard to get ramped up. But good teams do it. And thats the caveat. This camp is different than any other Casey has directed as a head coach. Its different than any other DeRozan, now entering his sixth year, has participated in. More is expected from them this season and this is the first step in ensuring theyre equipped to withstand the pressure. ' ' '