closer Drew Storen walked back-to-back hitters and then surrendered a pair of two-run singles to send St. Louis on to the next round.For Washington, it was a familiar ending.One they know

Patrik Elias is staying in New Jersey after the Devils forward signed a three-year, $16.5 million contract on Thursday, one day before he was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent. Elias agent, Allan Walsh, announced the terms of the deal on Twitter. Elias has spent his entire 15-year career with the Devils. He leads the franchise with 375 goals, 555 assists and 930 points in 1,090 career games and holds team playoff records with 45 goals, 80 assists and 125 points. He has led the Devils in points in eight seasons, including this past year when he finished with 36 points (14 goals, 22 assists) in 48 games. Selected by New Jersey in the second round of the 1994 draft, the Czech-born Elias has topped 70 points in a season five times. That includes the 2011-12 season when he had 78 points (26 goals, 52 assists) in 81 games. New Jersey also re-signed veteran forward Dainius Zubrus to a three-year, $9.3 million contract. A person familiar with the deal revealed the terms to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the Devils didnt release those numbers. Zubrus is a 16-year NHL veteran, who has spent the past six seasons with New Jersey. Zubrus had two goals and seven assists in 22 games last season. He missed 26 games after having surgery to repair an injured left wrist. New Jersey is expected to lose forward David Clarkson, who will test free agency on Friday. Forwards Steve Sullivan, Alexei Ponikarovsky and defenceman Marek Zidlicky are also eligible to become unrestricted free agents. The person also revealed the Devils placed veteran backup goalie Johan Hedberg on unconditional waivers for the purpose of buying out the final year of his contract. Hedberg is a 12-year NHL veteran who has become the odd-man out in New Jersey. Longtime starter Martin Brodeur has one year left on his contract, and the Devils made a move to secure his successor by acquiring goalie Cory Schneider in a trade with Vancouver during the NHL draft on Sunday. Hedberg went 6-10-3 with one shutout last season. Overall, he is 161-143-36 with 22 shutouts. Cheap Nike Dunk Shoes China . Its an influence in football and a big part of the game. Cheap Nike Dunk Shoes Free Shipping . "I dont know that were close," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "I just think, right now, the acquisition cost just doesnt work for us right now. I dont know if I can quantify how far off or things like that that they might be but I would say we continue to have dialogue. http://www.cheapnikedunk.com/ . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. Wholesale Nike Dunk Shoes Online . PAUL, Minn. Nike Dunk Shoes Outlet . Neymar curled home a free kick from just outside the area to put the 2014 World Cup host ahead in the 44th minute. Three minutes after the break, a simple through pass from Paulinho freed Oscar and the Chelsea star rounded goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong to extend Brazils lead. Sorry, Chicago Cubs, youre not the only team in this years baseball playoffs that gets to play the misery card.The Curse of the Billy Goat is a good one.Extra credit, for sure, for going more than a century without winning the World Series.But the Cleveland Indians know a thing or two about postseason disappointment. So do the Texas Rangers. And dont even get us started on Washington and its long-suffering fans.First in war, first in peace, last World Series title?That would be 1924, when the winning hit ricocheted off a pebble in what remains the first and only postseason break to go their way in the nations capital.So, if the Cubbies want to sulk over their two Series titles -- the last of which came in 1908, shortly before William Taft was elected to the White House -- they wont get a lot of sympathy from the city that endured two different versions of the Washington Senators (both of them terrible, for the most part) before landing the Nationals.In Cleveland, they once had a team known as the Spiders that went 20-134. The Indians last World Series championship came in 1948, with World War II still fresh in everyones minds. Theyve been back to big dance only three times since then, losing every one of `em. The last of those was especially galling. In 1997, Cleveland was three outs from the title in Game 7 but lost to the Florida Marlins in extra innings.Texas certainly deserves a mention, even though its only been a part of the big leagues since 1972. In an interesting twist, the second version of the Senators moved to the Lone Star State, but only after forfeiting its final game in Washington when outraged fans stormed the field in the ninth inning.They shouldnt have gone to all that trouble.The Rangers lost 100 games in their inaugural season, 105 in Year 2. When they finally made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history in 1996, they squandered a 4-0 lead at home in the deciding game, losing 6-4 to the New York Yankees.But that little exercise in heartache was merely a warmup for 2011, when the Rangers made it to their second straight World Series (having lost, of course, in their first).With a three games to two lead on the St. Louis Cardinals and up 7-5 in the bottom of the ninth in Game 6, Texas was one strike from its first title when David Freese -- ugh, the mere mention of that name still turns the stomach of Rangers fans -- tripled in the tying runs.On to the 10th, where the Rangers restored their two-run cushion on Josh Hamiltons homer. The Cardinals were once again down to their final strike before Lance Berkman drove in the tying run, again denying a Texas-sized celebration that, alas, would never come.At that point, the outcome was a merely formality. The baseball gods have given the Rangers their chance -- two of theem, actually -- and they had blown it both times.ddddddddddddThe Cardinals scored the winning run in the bottom of the 11th, and then won Game 7.That had to sting, but Indians fans will counter with what theyve endured over the last 68 years. After setting a then-American League record with 111 victories in 1954, Cleveland was swept by the New York Giants in a World Series best known for Willie Mays amazing over-the-shoulder catch in the deepest part of the Polo Grounds, a highlight that still taunts the Indians to this day.It would be 41 years before Cleveland made another postseason appearance, which culminated with another World Series loss, this one to Atlanta, which failed to win the Series any other season in their unprecedented run of 14 straight division titles. Thankfully for the Braves, they got one shot against the Indians.Three years later, Cleveland took a 2-1 lead to the bottom of the ninth against the Marlins, but closer Jose Mesa surrendered Craig Counsells tying sacrifice fly. In the 11th, second baseman Tony Fernandez let an easy grounder slip under his glove for an error, and Florida scored the season-ending run with two outs on Edgar Renterias soft little liner up the middle, the ball skimming off the tip of pitcher Charles Nagys glove and landing just out of the reach of Fernandez.Washington hasnt even been to the World Series since 1933 -- a longer drought than any other big league city, Chicago included. The Senators lone title came in the midst of the Roaring Twenties against the New York Giants, the winning run scoring in the bottom of the 12th of Game 7 on a routine grounder that took a bad hop.That would be the extent of Washingtons good fortune.The following year, the Senators were up three games to one in the World Series but couldnt close the deal against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Washington hasnt been that close to a title since, though their latest team added a worthy chapter to the citys hall of postseason shame in 2012.In the decisive Game 5 of the NL Division Series, at home no less, the Nationals built a 6-0 lead through three innings and were up 7-5 on St. Louis heading to the ninth.With the Cardinals down to their final out, closer Drew Storen walked back-to-back hitters and then surrendered a pair of two-run singles to send St. Louis on to the next round.For Washington, it was a familiar ending.One they know well in Cleveland and Texas, too.Take that, Curse of the Billy Goat.---Paul Newberry is a sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at pnewberry(at)ap.org or at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry . 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