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Alex Killorn and the Lightning wanted to keep the team together, and Tampa Bay made sure hed be part of its long-term future. Air Max Shoes Wholesale China .On Sunday, the Lightning signed Killorn to a $31.15 million, seven-year contract to avoid arbitration and lock up another important player.Earlier this offseason, Tampa Bay signed captain Steven Stamkos for eight years and $68 million, defenseman Victor Hedman for eight years and $63 million, and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy for three years and $10.5 million.After a trip to the Stanley Cup finals in 2015 and the Eastern Conference finals in 2016, Killorn saw the Stamkos contract and the potential for more postseason success and wanted keep the trend going.When you have your captain, the leader of your team, taking a pretty substantial discount, I think that sets a precedent for everyone else, Killorn said by phone. For me, it wasnt just about money. I think the contract was a great contract, but living in Florida, playing on a team that has a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup every year is important.Killorn, who turns 27 in September, will count $4.45 million against the salary cap through the 2022-23 season.He has 53 goals and 85 assists for 138 points in 272 regular-season NHL games. In 47 Stanley Cup playoff games, he has 15 goals and 18 assists.The native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, has 33 playoff points, fourth most among Canadian-born players over the past three years. That total trails only Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith of the Chicago Blackhawks and Ryan Getzlaf of the Anaheim Ducks.Ive been pretty fortunate because when you play on a team that does so well, obviously youre going to be put in those situations, Killorn said. I think playoff hockey kind of suits my style.Winning in the playoffs is what its all about for the Lightning, who needed to keep Killorns cap hit manageable because of three other restricted free agents who need contracts: forwards Nikita Kucherov and Vladislav Namestnikov and defenseman Nikita Nesterov.General manager Steve Yzerman said recently that negotiations with Kucherovs camp are ongoing, and Namestnikovs arbitration hearing is scheduled for July 29.If Yzerman can get the other deals done while navigating the salary cap, the Lightning should be one of the favorites to win the Cup next season and for several more years after that.Theres obviously still a couple guys that need to be signed, but it seems like most guys want to be here and want to be a part of this, Killorn said. Everyone really believes in the management and what theyre doing, so were just excited for the future. Wholesale Air Max Sale Online .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend. Wholesale Air Max Shoes Sale . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. http://www.airmaxauthentic.com/ .S. Open champion Justin Rose birdied the first hole with a blind shot he hit to a foot of the pin, and he stayed in front Tuesday until he completed a 4-under 67 for a two-shot lead over Jason Dufner in PGA Grand Slam of Golf. CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina improved enough defensively last season to edge Pittsburgh on the way to winning an Atlantic Coast Conference division championship.Roughly a year later, its unclear if the Tar Heels are capable of doing it again.The teams that finished 1-2 atop the Coastal Division meet in their league openers Saturday, with the Tar Heels facing the familiar challenge of trying to hold up physically against the Panthers pounding ground game. But unlike last year -- when the Tar Heels defense went from awful to adequate -- that unit doesnt enter the game with many positives.Theyre coming off a performance coordinator Gene Chizik described as soft.Soft defense is a choice, and thats the choice we made, Chizik said. Weve got to improve this week or this game could get ugly.UNC (2-1) ranks 106th nationally against the run (226.7) and allows 28 points per game. That includes last weekends 56-28 win against James Madison in which the Championship Subdivision team scored touchdowns on its first three drives, while both Chizik and head coach Larry Fedora later noted they didnt remember the Tar Heels making a good defensive play until the second quarter.Pitt (2-1) is ranked 21st nationally in rushing (239 yards per game), with tailback James Conner cracking the 100-yard mark in each of the past two games. Two years ago, Pitt ran for 305 yards at UNC -- Conner had 220 yards and four touchdowns -- but the Tar Heels held Pitt to 153 in last years 26-19 road win while Conner was out recovering from a knee injury and being treated for lymphoma.Pitt has its own defensive concerns after allowing 640 yards in a loss at Oklahoma State.After a loss last week, I think we respond well to adversity, Panthers defensive end Ejuan Price said, and were not thinking so much about redemption but about getting on the track.---Some other things to know about Saturdays Pittsburgh-North Carolina matchup:TRUBISKYS ROLL: UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky enters with momentum. He completed 24 of 27 passes for a career-high 432 yards last week. That included setting a single-game program record by completing his last 18 passes. He enters this one with a progrram-record 156 throws without an interception. Cheap Wholesale Air Max Shoes. And hes coming off a game when he finally connected on the deep ball.PITTS PASS DEFENSE: The Panthers were especially vulnerable to the pass last week, surrendering 541 yards through the air -- including a national-best 296 yards receiving by James Washington. So how will Pitt handle UNCs attack if Trubisky is connecting with deep threat Mack Hollins or receiver Ryan Switzer? Fundamentally you have to play with good technique, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. Thats what we try to play at every position on the field. You better play good technique when youre playing against great wide receivers.PETERMAN PROGRESSING: Narduzzi is quick to defend quarterback Nate Peterman, who passed for a season-high 237 yards against Oklahoma State with a touchdown and an interception while completing less than 50 percent of his passes (14 of 29). Narduzzi said Peterman has played above average the last two weeks, adding: If he continues to do that, we will be fine.DEFENSIVE HEALTH: UNC has been shorthanded on the defensive line, but could be close to full strength. Two-year starter Dajaun Drennon practiced fully this week after missing the first three games with an undisclosed injury and could play, while junior tackle Naz Jones is listed atop the depth chart after missing last week with an apparent concussion.FRIENDLY RIVALS: Conner and Switzer have struck up a friendship over the years, with Switzer even paying tribute to Conner last fall after the 2014 ACC player was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma by writing #ConnerStrong on his cleats before the 2015 ACC title game.That friendship takes a breather as Conner and the Panthers try to snap a three-game series skid. Hes one of my better friends, Conner said of Switzer, but I know he wants to take some kicks back on us.---AP Sports Writer Will Graves in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.---Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap and the APs college football site at http://collegefootball.ap.org