ort.Major League Soccer teams are also the worst in professional sport for hiring people of color to vice-president positions. Currently, only 4 percent of team vice presidents are people of co

DALLAS -- Rick Nash and Henrik Lundqvist returned to the New York Rangers lineup and were instrumental in their 2-0 shutout of the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.Nash, who had missed four games with a groin injury, scored an unassisted goal with his team short-handed to snap a scoreless tie in the third period.Lundqvist, who hadnt started since a 4-2 loss to the Islanders on Dec. 6, left briefly after getting bowled over behind the net and combined with Antti Raanta for the shutout. Raanta had won three of the previous four games.I went out there with a lot of desperation, said Lundqvist, who has won at least 30 games in 10 of his 11 seasons. I felt like it was an important game for me to just feel good. My game hasnt changed over a week, but my mindset has changed.It is a new experience for me, he added.Nash broke up a pass by Jamie Benn near the Rangers blue line, skated down the ice and put a snap shot past Dallas goalie Antti Niemi at 7:08.Nash said he benefited from watching teammate Chris Kreiders unsuccessful breakaway in the second period.After watching Chris try it on his breakaway, I thought (Niemi) was kind of cheating the deke, and thought I could kind of catch him off guard, Nash said.Mats Zuccarello added an empty-net goal.Lundqvist actually returned twice on Thursday. Raanta replaced him for 5:31 of the first period after Dallas Cody Eakin plowed into Lundqvist behind the net, knocking off his mask as the goalie played the puck along the end boards.Eakin received a major penalty for charging and a game misconduct.The league better do something about that hit, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. Its everything that you want to take away from the game. A hit to the head, forward motion and its a goaltender on top.Stars coach Lindy Ruff defended Eakin.I understand the call. As a penalty killer, hes trying to gain speed so he can get back. I know it doesnt look that way, but there was no intent on his part, Ruff said.Lundqvist said he didnt see Eakin coming at him before he was knocked to the ice. He stayed down for a bit and left the game for 5 1/2 minutes.(The trainer) came out and told me, `You have to leave right away. Did a quick test and tried to rush to come back out there, because I really wanted to play.Lundqvist finished with all 27 saves for New York, including 18 in the second period.Niemi made 28 saves for Dallas.The Rangers have won four of five. The Stars missed a chance to match their longest winning streak this season at two games.Niemi made five saves during a first-period power play that lasted 6:09. His best stop was a sprawling save on a snap shot by Brandon Pirri at 10:32.The first 51 seconds of that power play were 5-on-3 after Eakins penalties. Dallas has escaped three 5-on-3s without a goal in the last two games, though Anaheim scored 5-on-4 just 5 seconds after the first penalty expired Tuesday night.Dallas entered Thursday ranked 28th in the NHL on the penalty kill.About 5 minutes into the second period, Kreider had a breakaway but sent a backhand wide right. The Stars Jason Spezza hit the right post on a power play 6 minutes later.During Dallas second power play of the period, Lundqvist stopped wrist shots by Devin Shore and Esa Lindell.The Stars were 0 for 5 on the power play.Game notes Nash scored the 15th short-handed goal of his career and first since Feb. 2, 2015, vs. Florida. ... Nash took a run at Eakin after his penalties, but no penalty was called on Nash. ... Dallas C Tyler Seguin left the ice briefly in the third period after being hit in the back of the head by a shot. ... The Rangers are the only team that has held Benn without a point, in 10 career games. Even his brother, defenseman Jordie Benn, despite 411 fewer career points, has one assist in seven games vs. New York.UP NEXTRangers: Complete a two-game trip at Nashville on Saturday.Stars: Host Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon in the third game of a five-game homestand. The Flyers will arrive with a 10-game winning streak and two days rest. Cameron Reddish College Jersey . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Stitched Duke Jerseys . Rinne played two periods in his first game since left hip surgery in early May. Gabriel Bourque scored 3:07 into the second period and Austin Watson tallied 5:15 later for Nashville. http://www.cheapdukebluedevilsjerseys.com/?tag=justise-winslow-college-jersey . The parade and rally were held to celebrate the Saskatchewan Roughriders 45-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday in the CFLs championship game. R. J. Barrett College Jersey . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Christian Laettner College Jersey . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) released the 2016 Major League Soccer Racial and Gender Report Card today. The MLS earned an overall grade of 84.7 points, a B+ and an increase from the 2015 report card. This grade is a result of a B+ in racial hiring practices and a B in gender hiring practices. I, along with my co-author Erin Davison, commend Major League Soccer for the improvement in inclusion and for being one of only two mens professional leagues to earn a B for gender.That being said, I also believe the MLS is in a unique time and place in American sports. As a country, it seems we are finally getting behind soccer. In addition to various expansion teams, internationally famous players such as David Villa, Kaka, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have brought heightened attention and prestige to the league. Ive dedicated my life to fighting for those without a voice through the power of sport, and I believe theres an opportunity to set a standard for inclusion.This summer I witnessed one MLS teams commitment to inclusion and the power of sport. On the morning of June 12, my wife, Ann, and I wondered how Orlando would ever be the same after the news broke that a man pledging allegiance to ISIS killed 49 at the Pulse nightclub. But, as the citys sports teams plans to honor and support the victims became clear, so, too, did the path ahead.I will never forget the atmosphere inside Camping World Stadium as Orlando City SC hosted the San Jose Earthquakes the first Saturday after the tragedy. The entire game was a moving tribute to the victims. Forty-nine empty seats were marked with rainbow balloons, the game paused for a moment of silence during the 49th minute of play, first responders were honored on the field and a gay mens choir sang the national anthem. The fans matched the support by organizing on Facebook to paint the bowl rainbow. Fans in each section wore the same color shirt, and the next section wore a different color and the stadium looked like a rainbow flag. The crowd sang along with John Lennons Imagine in the stands. In the wake of horrific tragedy and demonstration of hate, Orlando City SC used the power of sport to spread love.I was proud that former DeVos Sport Business Management students helped plan that inspiring night for Orlando City SC. At DeVos, we not only understand the power of sport, but also understand the importance in having diversity in our league front offices. In the 2016 MLS report, the league office continued to be the standard for the entire league with people of color making up 36.4 percent of all professional positions, and women holding 37 percent of these positions. At the team level, people of color held 14.7 percent of all senior administration positions, and women held 25 percent of such positions. It is noted that this is the first time in six years there was an increase of women in team senior administration positions. It was also the first time in six years there was an increase of people of color in team professional administration positions, now at 17.6 percent.People of color holding head-coaching positions increased from 10 percent to 20 percent. Latinos lead the Colorado Rapids, Houston Dynamo, New York City FC and FC Dallas. Meanwhile, people of color hold 13.6 percent of assistant-coaching positions. That is the worst in professional sport.Major League Soccer teams are also the worst in professional sport for hiring people of color to vice-president positions. Currently, only 4 percent of team vice presidents are people of color, and 16.2 percent are women. In addition, there is only one president/CEO of color.For many years in America, football, basketball and baseball have dominated. But everywhere else in the world, soccer is king. Franklin Foer, author of How Soccer Explains the World, said: Soccer isnt the same as Bach or Buddhism. But it is often more deeply felt than religion, and just as much a part of the communityss fabric, a repository of traditions.dddddddddddd. According to FIFA.com, approximately 3.2 billion people watched the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. There is an estimated 3.5 billion soccer fans globally, nearly half the worlds population.Despite the fact that children of every color, language and religion can be found playing soccer in the streets of any corner of the globe, discrimination is still prevalent in the sport. I have previously written about the prevalence of racism in international sporting events, especially soccer. In 2016 alone, two major top-tier games in Spain and Italy were suspended briefly because of racist chants. For the past few years, numerous games have been played in empty stadiums as a result of racist chants by fans. The FARE Network reported 92 incidents of discrimination by Russian soccer fans during the 2014-2015 season.2016 also saw the emergence of the U.S. Womens National Team wage discrimination dispute with U.S. Soccer. The United States Senate called upon U.S. Soccer to immediately end gender pay inequity and to treat all athletes with the respect and dignity those athletes deserve. Meanwhile, women in Afghanistan not only suffer discrimination but also live in danger for playing soccer. Julie Foudy, Mia Hamm, Kobe Bryant and many others showed support on social media for the Afghanistan Womens National Team. Yet, it is evident that sexism still exists in soccer around the globe.The 2016 Racial and Gender Report Card found that 43.3 percent of players in Major League Soccer are now international. This percentage has grown steadily over the years from 20.6 percent in 2006, which was the first year TIDES collected data on international players. This growth has been reinforced by the MLS designated player rule, allowing teams a better chance to penetrate the international market. It has also been paralleled by a growth in the percentage of people of color playing in Major League Soccer (38.7 percent in 2006 vs. 52.5 percent in 2016).Last Saturdays MLS Cup sold out in three minutes from the time the tickets went on sale. Seattle and Toronto played in front of a packed and intense crowd despite the freezing temperature. Watching Toronto fans passionately sing along with the Canadian anthem reminded me of Orlando City SC fans equally passionately chanting Vamos Orlando! The global popularity of soccer and MLS fans demonstration of multiculturalism go hand in hand.There can be no argument that soccer is the most loved sport worldwide. And it is clear MLS is beginning to solidify its place among the better soccer leagues of the world. Therefore, now more than ever is the time that MLS team and league offices must be more representative of the world. Major League Soccer has the chance to set the standard for the world. It can show that there is no room for racism or sexism in soccer. Displays such as the one I witnessed by Orlando City SC prove the MLS cares about diversity, inclusion, the community and the healing power of sport. I hope to see this sentiment reflected with more women and people of color given a leadership voice in front offices, as coaches, and as owners, vice presidents and presidents.Richard E. Lapchick is the chair of the DeVos Sport Business Management Graduate Program in the College of Business Administration at the University of Central Florida. Lapchick also directs UCFs Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, is the author of 16 books and the annual Racial and Gender Report Card, and is the president of the National Consortium for Academics and Sport. He has been a regular commentator for ESPN.com on issues of diversity in sport. Follow him on Twitter @richardlapchick and on Facebook. Erin Davison was Lapchicks graduate assistant and is now research manager for the Intel Team at Turnkey Sports and Entertainment. Cheap Soccer Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Hockey Jerseys Nike NFL Jerseys China Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys China Wholesale Baseball Jerseys China Wholesale College Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys Near Me Cheap Jerseys Online Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap NCAA Jerseys Authentic Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic MLB Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Throwback Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '