Turkmen blistering said play ice hockey

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan (AP) - ice hockey is hardly the most appropriate sport for a nation of desert where temperatures as high as 50 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit can increase).

And yet, the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov to make departments and Crown corporations ordered a hockey League.

State neutral Turkmenistan daily reported Wednesday that police set up their own team is already underway.

Turkmenistan has overcome the problem with product in the exports of natural gas for the construction of costly in rinks.

Critics of the idea are unlikely to reveal their thoughts in a country where opponents of the Government face serious retaliation.

Berdymukhamedov has in recent months are busy to preach the need for its former Soviet Central Asian nation to be a power sport and personally led the way in showing his active side.

Over the weekend, he made a dress and skated in hockey on ice for thousands of people recently built indoor arena in the capital Ashgabat. After that, the teams played the first ice hockey tournament ever - a country of various events organized for the "week of health and happiness" recently invented by Berdymukhamedov.

Earlier the same day, President unexpectedly took part in a car of the time trial race and won.

These screens are a project of the State President-engineering design - who won the presidential election in February with 97% of the vote, as a man of action.

Relentless idolatry has strong characteristics of the head of cult of personality built by Saparmurat Niyazov, Berdymukhamedov eccentric predecessor, who died suddenly in late 2006.

On previous trips, jogging, volleyball, horseback riding horses was Berdymukhamedov, cycling, judo and taekwondo and shooting fire was seen.

State media reported miniature Berdymukhamedov, a 54-year old qualified dentist, remove a tumor from a patient of cancer and an aircraft on the ground.

Matt Read, <b>Jaromir Jagr</b> lead Flyers to <b>6</b>-3 win <b>...</b> - The Hockey <b>News</b> - Matt Read ...

Matt read scored twice and Jaromir Jagr had the goal to lead Islanders Thursday night winning the flyers 6-3 against New York.Andrej Meszaros and Scott Hartnell scored for Philadelphia, which reduce was. The flyers had lost five of the eight, but moved to fifth place in the Conference with the victory is.Josh Bailey scored two goals and Kyle Okposo had one for the Islanders, who have overall fourth in the NHL point of the lowest.Bailey scored just 1: 35 into the Islanders a 1-0 lead indicating that the Flyers right have given up the first goal for the ninth set. LaViolette was sufficient, so he called a timeout and his team to hear."It was positive," Jagr said with a smile. "" He said: "Please guys, play our way." »Other players have different versions."" He again said things and ".""still", said read. "After the amount of time was se""a message to hear and we have played large 55 minutes one."The flyers were worn a West coast of ur - set Fovoyage, then perhaps in their slow start into account."We were flat," LaViolette said. "Then we have our position."Evgeni Nabokov was easy order 24 29 shots for New York. Nabokov was sensational in a 1: 0-victory in the shootout on the flyers last month. He turned 47 stepped aside, including two in the shooting. But clearly the same experienced goalkeeper this time against a team which had been closed in two of its previous three games.Ilya Bryzgalov made 21 saves earn the victory in his fifth start right.Jagr and reading scored 39 seconds in the second period in Philadelphia ahead 4-2.First of all it is me the Jagr 40 years to a gesture quIch remembered his days of glory of Pittsburgh. Jagr made the puck on the right side.ran around the net, pushed back the position of the defender and backhanded shot past Nabokov for his goal in the NHL-663.1, 642Nd point in the career of Jagr, his pass to Joe Sakic on the eighth place on the career in the LNHliste. His former teammate Mario Lemieux is Jagr 1 723 points."It was a stroke of luck," Jagr said. "I was looking after the rebound and went."Reading then the flyers a cushion of two goals from grooves in the middle and a run through of the intersection of Wayne Simmonds was in perfect for its 18. Objective of the deviation. Reading is connected for the most goals among the recruits with Gabriel country coast, Colorado.Hartnell scored to make his 31 from a rebound, 5-2 in the third period. Sean Couturier then added an empty-net goal.Second goal by Bailey 2-2 in the minute of the game in connection with the hearing coverage of the second phase. A pass from Frans Nielsen created Bailey shot through the net Center."It's always nice to wear," said Bailey.The flyers went 2-1 in the last minute of the first period when Meszaros a target of the power play on a pass from read scored. Mészáros ripped a slap shot off the coast of the post, but the puck jumped into the broad back of Nabokov.Mészáros and reading approved tied 1-1 in the first. Deviated POPs shot reading Mészáros past Nabokov.Notes: The flyers lose James van Riemsdyk indefinitely, after the striker blocked a a bone in his left foot shot broke in the first period. ... The Islanders lost in this season for the first time in three games in Philadelphia. They were to win 11-0-2 in the last four seasons in Philadelphia before the first two meetings of the season. ... The flyers

U.s. prepares for junior hockey world to defend (PA)

BUFFALO (NY) - no point asking coach Canada Dave Cameron how lost the title of the World Junior Hockey Championship in United States - and on the House floor, no less - even updates a year later.

"What do you think? Cameron said Friday pure and simple, that he and his team participated in a pep rally at Niagara Falls, Ontario.

The United States have gold. And today, Canadians want to return.

The problem is, there are a number of teams, in particular the Sweden and Russia, which have the potential to derail the ideal scenario for both the expected and the United States Canada title game, 10-nation tournament opens at Buffalo Sunday.

And why Cameron and United States coach Keith Allain care to note how early it is discuss recovery or repeat end us for five years in the Canada conducts a 6-5 overtime victory in the title game in Saskatchewan in January.

"You can't look at the final result, gold," said Cameron, who, for a third consecutive year returns. "The margin between the teams is low, and we can afford to look by anyone."

Allain already enough on his plate without worrying about Canada. It tries to divert and expectations placed on a team which linked as favorite despite having just won the tournament twice in 34 years and has never won a medal in four previous times that the event took place at the United States

And it is especially unfortunate this last week after shootout consecutive American decisions in their first two exhibition games tournament.

Allain, "maybe this will delete any notion that we are favored, it is clear," said Tuesday after losing 3-2 Czech Republic. "I love my team, no mistake. And I think at the end of the day, we will ultimately. But I don't know how you can watch these games and say "" that they will withdraw with tournament." "

The United States returns with a 6-1 victory on Thursday the Norway and tournament against the Finland will open on Sunday.

Americans return eight players, including goalkeeper Jack Campbell. There are also nine first round NHL Repechage and six second-rounders, including prior Jeremy Morin, who has two goals and an assist in nine games with the Chicago Blackhawks this season.

Known players, is a great help. So the confidence they receive by beating the Canada last year.

"It's something that I will never forget." We were able to do something great, "said back before Jason Zucker." Beat the team showed that we can win. This is huge for us, and we hope to contribute that.

The Americans have a much easier way. They are in a pool complemented by the Switzerland Finland, Slovakia and Germany - four opponents, who have contributed to only 13 medals tournament, including Finlands two gold medals.

With a better tournament 15 titles, Canadians face a much more difficult task. They open on Sunday against Russia (12 titles, including the nine as the Soviet Union) and is also faced with double champion Czech Republic and Sweden, who finished second or third in each of the last three years and won gold in 1981.

The Canadian round draft 15 NHL collects the function and the edge in support of the fan. "With adjacent Buffalo in southern Ontario," said tournament organizers about two-thirds of 300,000 tickets sold is rendered in the Canadian population.

But support also means an additional pressure with a "Gold or bust" hockey-mad nation mentality and still received the additional Canada winner of gold medal on the United States at the Olympic Games in Vancouver in February.

"Everyone expects of us and I think we are the team to win," said Canada captain Ryan Ellis, who, in his third tournament right competes. "We are certain go."

The Canadians won all three of their exposure, capped by a 5-2 victory on the Finland Thursday games tournament.

Sweden, who won the bronze medal last year, a lot of depth of talent, including prior Gabriel Landeskog, which plays in Kitchener, and was the prospect of rated Ontario hockey League in the ranking of the central NHL Scout in October.

"Our goal is to win the tournament, so if you're going to win the tournament, you have to beat all the teams," said the Swedish Captain Anton Lander. "" "" If it is good to be in a group where the teams are very good. We'll see what happens. »

Comments: Team Canada had to eat the Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff at home on Friday. Ruff was a coach Assistant Canadian Olympic team in Vancouver. ... The best two teams from each group go directly to the semi-final on January 3. The Medal of the Games gold and bronze for January 5. ... Canada and the United States have only a chance to meet in semi-finished products or Medal of the games.