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VANCOUVER, BC -- It’s old-home week for Shawn Matthias. On Saturday, he faced the team that drafted him – the Detroit Red Wings – and on Thursday he’ll see the team he used to play for – the Florida Panthers – before he was dealt to the Canucks last March. And while the visits from those teams bring with them memories of earlier stages of his career, Matthias would like to go back in time. However he wouldn’t go back years, he’d merely turn back the clock one month to early December when, without question, he was playing his best hockey as a Canuck. But since a shot to the head forced him out of a game in Toronto on Dec. 6, along with the two games that followed, Matthias hasn’t resembled the player that was effectively using his size and strength to win puck battles and create offence. In fact, in the eight games since Leafs defenceman Stephane Robidas lowered the boom with a forearm to his face, Matthias has just one point – the not-so-important seventh goal in a 7-1 romp over Arizona on Dec. 22. In the five games prior to that hit, Matthias had four goals and six points including goals in three straight games against New Jersey, Columbus and Detroit. He followed that up with arguably his best game as a Canuck with a goal and an assist in a 3-0 victory in Pittsburgh on Dec. 4. Two nights later, the 6-foot-4, 226-pound forward, who will turn 27 next month was sent to the sidelines. Matthias admits the shot to the head and the subsequent time he was forced to miss disrupted his rhythm and took him out of a groove he had worked hard to get into. He also says a longer-than-usual Christmas break, which followed shortly thereafter didn’t help, either. “I had to take some days off and not do anything,” he says of the league’s standard protocol for treating head injuries. “It’s like anything. It takes you a little bit of time to get going, and then having the break right after just getting a couple of games in didn’t help. I thought I played well against Arizona, and then having another four days off maybe that slowed down getting the legs back a little bit.” Matthias did show glimpses of his pre-injury form in the Canucks’ 4-1 win over the Red Wings at Rogers Arena on Saturday, skating on a line with Brad Richardson and Zack Kassian. He didn’t find his way onto the score-sheet, but contributed in other ways, including drawing a pair of hooking penalties by Detroit defenders Brendan Smith and Dan DeKeyser. The second penalty led to Radim Vrbata’s third period power play goal, which proved to be the game winner. The Canucks are hoping that the solid showing on Saturday was a sign Matthias is finding his game again. “I think he was playing a little bit better before and I don’t think he’s played quite as well since,” head coach Willie Desjardins says of the drop in Matthias’ play. “I don’t know if that’s (the head injury) the reason. He needs to get back a little bit more to his game. He’s been real good for us in different stretches, but that’s the same with every player we’ve got. Everybody has to get back to their best effort.” When the Canucks have been at their best this season, they’ve received contributions from throughout their lineup, including timely goals from players like Matthias, who has seven goals and 12 points in his first 35 games this season. If he can double that output in the second half of the season, the Canucks would gladly take a 15-goal campaign from the big bodied third-line winger who also plays a key role on the team’s outstanding penalty kill. His first half pace still puts Matthias on track to challenge his career highs for goals (14) and points (24) in a season. Matthias is hoping the fact the Canucks are back into a schedule that has them playing every other night will allow him to recapture the form he showed before his injury. “It gets you back to your timing, so it’s definitely going to help me. Those two breaks -- you lose it so quickly. It’s crazy how you take a couple of days off and you feel like you’re playing hockey for the first time again. But there’s no excuse. I have to be better. We all have to be better. I haven’t had my best, but I’m feeling good out there now and I don’t see why I can’t get it back again.” And after a strong showing on Saturday, there definitely appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel. But at the same time, Matthias has to realize that the All-Star break is looming, and this time he’ll have to find a way to ensure his game doesn’t go dark even if the schedule does. 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Malcom Brown Jersey . Today, well look at five frontcourt players today, here from the Bay Area. 1. AMIR JOHNSON (Raptors): I cant figure out what the issue or problem is, but based upon what Im seeing, hes not right.Richmond, KY (SportsNetwork.com) - Indiana State played in its first FCS playoff game since 1984 on Saturday. Maybe the Sycamores just needed some extra time to warm up. After surrendering the first 16 points to Eastern Kentucky, Indiana State scored the final 36 points for a 36-16 first-round victory over the Colonels. The Sycamores (8-5), one of a record-tying five playoffs teams from the Missouri Valley Football Conference, will visit eighth-seeded Chattanooga (9-3), the Southern Conference champion, for a second-round game next Saturday. Senior quarterback Mike Perish led Indiana States comeback win, completing 41- of-57 pass attempts for 407 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. Indiana State was nearly shut out in the first half, but Perish conneected with Robert Tonyan for a 4-yard touchdown pass with two seconds left, pulling the Sycamores within 16-7 at halftime.dddddddddddd They then ran off 24 points in the third quarter. Eric Heidorn kicked a 47-yard field goal, Perish fired touchdown passes to Kyani Harris (57 yards) and Gary Owens (38), and safety Mark Sewall returned an interception of EKUs Bennie Conney for a 48-yard touchdown. DyShawn Mobley scored on an 18-yard run and finished with 96 yards on 22 carries, and Andrew Lloyd kicked three field goals as the Colonels (9-4) from the Ohio Valley Conference built their 16-0 lead in the first half. The playoff win was Indiana States second in three seasons of playoff appearances. EKU fell to 16-19 all-time in 21 playoff appearances. 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