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LOS ANGELES -- Jonathan Quick and the Los Angeles Kings have returned from the Olympic break with a revitalized game and a sharpened playoff focus. The Carolina Hurricanes have neither, and they realize theyre running out of time to get it. Alec Martinez scored the tiebreaking goal on a power play with 11:45 to play, Quick made 24 saves, and the Kings beat the Hurricanes 3-1 Saturday for their third victory in four days since the break. Mike Richards scored his second goal since late November and Justin Williams added an empty-net goal for Los Angeles, which has roared out of the break with three wins in three cities in about 70 hours. The low-scoring Kings put up eight goals at Colorado and Calgary before holding off Carolina in their return to Staples Center. After five scoreless power plays in the first two periods, the Kings finally converted on their sixth. Captain Dustin Brown got the puck behind the Carolina net and fed it to Martinez, who blasted a shot from the slot for his first goal since Jan. 9. "Its no secret we werent happy with our game before the break started," Martinez said. "We worked on a lot of things, and we knew that when we came back, this would be crunch-time, playoff hockey." After two straight trips to the Western Conference finals and a Stanley Cup championship in 2012, the Kings know a few things about post-season grit -- and they know theyll need it just to reach the playoffs this time. Los Angeles had a 1-8-1 stretch shortly before the Olympic break, falling back to the pack in the conference playoff race. The Kings are thoroughly revived after their time off and an eventful Olympics, which included gold medals for Drew Doughty and Jeff Carter along with two surprising victories for Slovenia and Anze Kopitar. The rest of the Kings got several days off and several more days of practice, and both appear to be paying off. "Weve got to bring our best every night right now," Quick said. The Kings have won four straight overall, and Quick appears to be in top form after starting for the U.S. Olympic team in Sochi. He followed up his shutout of the Flames on Thursday with another strong performance against the Canes, including a handful of spectacular saves over the final two periods. Andrej Sekera scored and Anton Khudobin stopped 28 shots for the Hurricanes, who have lost three straight on their five-game road trip out of the break. Carolina has lost four straight overall, and the Hurricanes must visit NHL-leading Anaheim and powerful San Jose over the next three days. "We didnt have a lot of good scoring chances, but the ones we did, we didnt capitalize on them," Carolina coach Kirk Muller said. "Weve played nine periods now (since the break), and I think were happy with seven of the nine, but we havent gotten any points. Were playing hard and playing well defensively, but were not generating the offence we need to get ahead in these games." Carolina played without forward Alexander Semin, who was scratched with a lower-body injury. The Russian Olympian was hurt Thursday at Dallas, but might return Sunday in Anaheim. "Hes one of our best players, so it hurts having him out," Carolina centre Riley Nash said. "But guys have to fill (the void)." Los Angeles had a fruitless 4-on-3 advantage for 1:09 during the first period, but went ahead in the final minute on a sharp-angled shot by Richards, the veteran centre whose scoring touch has deserted him this season. The goal was his first in 13 games since Jan. 18 and just his second in 37 games since Nov. 25. The Hurricanes tied it up just 41 seconds later on a goal by Sekera. The Slovak Olympians floating shot banked off Kings defenceman Robyn Regehr and beat Quick with 15 seconds left in the first. "We played well and didnt give them a whole lot," Nash said. "It just seems like were finding ways not to win games and not to get points." NOTES: Carolina visited Staples Center for the first time since Oct. 21, 2010. ... Carolina D Jay Harrison was a healthy scratch. He had played in 13 straight games. ... Los Angeles scratched C Jordan Nolan and dressed young F Tanner Pearson for his 10th career NHL game. ... Wayne Gretzky watched from a seat on the glass. Clearance NBA Jerseys . The eighth-year point guard played in his 500th career game on Sunday, a 98-93 win over the Orlando Magic. Does he feel like hes played in that many games? "No," he said initially, before reconsidering. Fake NBA Jerseys . -- San Francisco 49ers offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman is a finalist to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State, his agent said Monday. https://www.nbachinajerseys.us/. The appointment of Boullier continues the behind-the-scenes restructuring at McLaren, who recently brought back former team principal Ron Dennis as its new chief executive. Cheap Nike Basketball Jerseys . -- Maxence Parrot of Bromont, Que. Stitched NBA Jerseys . Louis Cardinals, the team will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the opening of the SkyDome. Jays legends Jimmy Key and Ernie Whitt, members of playoff and World Series-winning teams of the past, will be on hand for the festivities to look back at what was the beginning of the Jays halcyon years.MONTREAL -- Canadas Laurent Duvernay-Tardif has his eyes set firmly on the upcoming NFL draft. Under the gaze of nine NFL and four CFL scouts, Duvernay-Tardif confirmed why hes one of the most touted Canadian football prospects in recent memory. The six-foot-five offensive lineman for the McGill Redmen had his private pro day in Montreal on Thursday. He leapt, sprinted and tackled during the two-hour training session, setting personal bests and impressing his visitors from out of town. Its been a while since a CIS player garnered such attention from both sides of the border. "It doesnt happen every day, sure," said the 23-year-old, who chose to let scouts from both professional football leagues assess his abilities simultaneously, rather than attend last weeks CFL combine. "And its not every day a Canadian gets the opportunity to do what Im doing. I dont know if this is historic. But Im really happy it happened to me." Duvernay-Tardif, a medical student at Montreals McGill University, is projected as a third-to-fourth round pick in Mays NFL draft. The native of St-Hilaire, Que., scored a personal best in the broad jump Thursday, and some scouts clocked him in at less than five seconds in the 40-yard dash -- impressive results for a player weighing just under 300 pounds. "Ive been training for so long for these tests," said Duvernay-Tardif, who dedicated five months of work and conditioning to his pro day. "It was time to show what I could do. I knew what I was going to hit. I hit those numbers, and even better." About the only downside was Duvernay-Tardif registering 34 reps in the bench press. While thats a more than respectable showing, Duvernay-Tardif was looking for between 37 and 40 reps. Still, his results in most categories place him amongst the top performers from last Februarys NFL scouting combine, a week-long event where the top U.S. college football prospects display their abilities before league coaches, scouts and GMs. In Duvernay-Tardifs case, the NFL came to him. Scouts from Oakland, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Arizona, New York, Green Bay, Chicago, San Francisco and Buffalo made the trip north to see first-hand if the Quebec native has what it takes to play in the NFL. Lee Gissendaner, area scout for the Green Bay Packers, was pleased with Duvernay-Tardifs overall performance. "The most impressive was the way he moved around," said Gissendaner, now in his 13th yeear scouting for the Packers.dddddddddddd. "He showed the versatility that you like, the flexibility. He did everything in the workout. "He seems like a guy who likes to compete. He responded to what we asked him to do, followed directions. His work ethic was on display." NFL scouts have been watching Duvernay-Tardif closely since the East-West Shrine game in St. Petersburg, Fla., last January. He and Manitoba defensive tackle Evan Gill -- another top prospect for this years CFL draft -- represented Canada at the annual U.S. college all-star game. "You look for a guy to stand out at this level," said Gissendaner. "When he came down to Florida, he held his own. We saw some raw ability, and some raw tools that maybe we can develop." Scouts will continue reviewing film, compare some of their top prospects, and put together draft and free agency boards until the start of the NFL draft May 8 in New York. If the offensive lineman gets his way he will be drafted by an NFL team and head to training camp this summer. There are only a handful of Canadians in the NFL, and earning a spot on a starting line in the U.S. is no easy task. And Duvernay-Tardif is actually the top-rated prospect for the coming CFL draft according to the latest rankings. Alongside NFL scouts Thursday were members of the Montreal Alouettes, Calgary Stampeders, Toronto Argonauts, and Ottawa Redblacks. "Hes one of the top picks in this draft, for sure," said Joey Abrams, the Alouettes assistant director of player personnel. "Its difficult to find a kid like this, with his skill set and abilities. Hes a rare specimen. This is unprecedented. Ive never seen this before. "He met expectations. Everyone knew he was big and strong, and he showed that today." If the NFL doesnt come calling, Duvernay-Tardif is more than happy to play in is home country. "I would love to play in the CFL," he said. "I played against a lot of people that now play in the CFL. It would be great to play in that league. Im going to play and do my best wherever I end up." The CFL will hold its annual draft by conference call May 13. Notes: Earlier in the week, Duvernay-Tardif appeared on a two-page spread in the latest edition of Sports Illustrated. The article was titled "Heal Thyself." a Last fall, Duvernay-Tardif was awarded the J.P. Metras Trophy as Canadian university footballs top lineman. ' ' '