he has really worked on is consistency in length and thats what he is so good at. When we have needed a spinner to stop the game, he has done exactly that, but at the sa

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- One day after Thanksgiving, Nashvilles forwards were thankful for Mike Fishers generosity.Colin Wilson and Ryan Johansen scored twice, Fisher added three assists and Nashville beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-1 on Friday night.James Neal also scored and Pekka Rinne made 22 saves for Nashville, winners of three straight. The Predators continued their home dominance, improving to 8-1-1.Right now, I think our guys are doing a good job defensively, and because of that, good things are happening offensively, Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. Were getting out of our end, were making good decisions through the neutral zone, that allows us to play in the offensive zone.Wilson snapped a 12 game goal drought.Tonight I was just going back door and Fish was finding me, so Im thankful for that, Wilson said. He was making great plays. When he is seeing the ice like that and you know that a player is on, it is nice to be playing with. You know if you get to an area, hes going to get it to you.Dustin Byfuglien scored for Winnipeg. The Jets concluded their five-game trip, losing all five games. They scored just six goals and allowed 20 on the trip.When things start snowballing, sometimes its tough to reverse course, Jets captain Blake Wheeler said. I think we just kind of have our game in neutral right now. Weve got to kick it into overdrive.Byfuglien opened the scoring with 5:14 remaining in the opening period. His wrist shot from the right point deflected off of Wilsons stick and beat Rinne high to the glove side. After getting his skate tangled with Fisher, Rinne fell forward as the puck sailed over his shoulder.Wilson tied it at 5:39 of the second. Fisher had the puck on the right boards near the faceoff circle and sent a pass to Wilson in front, where he had an easy tap-in for his third of the season. The three assists equaled a career high for Nashvilles captain.Were just going to have to play fairly close to perfect mentally, Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said. That first goal that we gave up, weve got two guys behind the net. We just cant. We dont have that margin for error right now.Johansen followed 1:08 later on the power play.Fisher sent a pass from the right faceoff dot to Johansen at the left dot, where he beat goalie Connor Hellebuyck with a one-timer. Hellebuyck finished with 25 saves.Rinnes toughest stop came against fellow Finn Patrik Laine at 9:29 of the second. Rinne was able to kick away Laines snap shot from the right side.He has such a great shot, Rinne said of his World Cup teammate. That was his only chance tonight. They didnt have much to be honest with you. We played a solid game.Neal made it 3-1 with 2:06 remaining in the second on the power play.With 2 seconds remaining in major boarding penalty assessed to Winnipegs Brandon Tanev, Neals wrist shot from the left faceoff dot sailed toward the Jets net. In the slot, Jets defenseman Mark Stuart tried to swat the puck out of midair, but tipped it over Hellebuycks shoulder and into the net.Neal did not return to the ice following the second period. The team announced the he was out with an upper-body injury.Tanevs penalty was committed against Nashvilles Colton Sissons, who did not return to the game following the hit.Laviolette did not have an update on Neal or Sissons following the game.Wilson scored his second of the game at 2:13 of the third and Johansen struck again at 8:15.Game notes Predators D Ryan Ellis missed the game with an upper-body injury. He was replaced by Anthony Bitetto, who missed Nashvilles last 18 games with an upper-body injury sustained in the season opener. ... Nashville has scored at least one power-play goal in each of its last four games. ... The Jets are 3-12-1 when trailing after two periods this season. ... The Jets have allowed 32 goals in the second period this season while scoring just 14 of their own in the middle frame.UP NEXT: The teams will meet again Sunday in Winnipeg. Colorado Avalanche Shirts . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. Avalanche Jerseys China . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. https://www.cheapavalanche.com/ . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. Colorado Avalanche Store . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. Fake Avalanche Jerseys .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. Before Keshav Maharaj had turned three, Kiran More looked at his palms and predicted: This child will be a cricketer.More was not angling for a career as a clairvoyant, but as a former gloveman and with the knowledge that Keshavs father, Athmanand, was also a wicketkeeper, he must have seen something. As it turned out, it was not the palms that held Keshavs future, but his fingers. Two decades later, Keshav has made a career as a left-arm spinner to fulfill Mores prophecy and his fathers dream.Athmanand played for Natal B during the bad old days when sport was segregated. He knew someone of his skin colour would not be able to challenge for higher honours but immersed himself in the sport anyway.It was difficult for us, but despite the challenges we faced, we managed to produce some outstanding players. We enjoyed the game and we played it hard, Athmanand told ESPNcricinfo. It was a big part of our lives.So big that it consumed Athmanands young son. When Keshav wasnt receiving throwdowns, he was rubbing shoulders with the whos who of the cricket world when South Africa were being welcomed back to the international community. Players like Sachin Tendulkar, Mohammad Azharuddin and Pravin Amre.In 1992, when India travelled to South Africa for the Friendship tour, Athmanand was among the many friends the players made. Back then, it was commonplace for members of the Indian community to host the visiting team for meals, and the Maharaj home was one that the players visited.More became a family friend and remains in touch. He was the first person to give Athmanand the confidence to believe that a cricket career was possible, albeit not for him.With his playing days behind him, Athmanand worked in education, enjoyed a stint as deputy director general of sport in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Province and completed cricket coaching courses, all the while giving his son lessons in the game. Keshav played in the backyard, in the Bakers Mini-Cricket progamme (a developmental sports programme for primary school kids), and at school. He was a left-arm seamer and a decent batsman.One day in the nets, Keshav was mad about something and decided to bowl spin. He told the Sunday Independent that nobody stopped him from making the switch and the new bowling style simply stuck. No one was happier than Athmanand .From my experience as a wicketkeeper, I had learned a lot about spin, so I tried to mould him that way.Keshavs twirling earned him places in a team two age groups above his level and made him a star at Northwood School, the alma mater of Shaun Pollock. By the time he was 18, he had become a regular in the school XI.His father remained his most loyal supporter. I followed him everywhere and kept a scorebook with his performances. I still have it at home, Athmanand said.In 2008, despite making it to the provincial Under-19 side, Keshav was not picked in South Africas U-19 World Cup squad. He confessed to City Press that he was probably a little on the large side, which may have counted against him.Still, he progressed. He was chosen for the South African academy, given a rookie contract at the Dolphins and was on the fringes of the franchise side. Athmanand allowed his son all the time he needed to see if he could carve a career in cricket because he saw in Keshav someone with a good head on his shoulders, who is very focused and very determined in everything he does. He knows exactly what he wants and I told him I would ssupport him in that.ddddddddddddBut he also advised Keshav to have a plan B. Keshav took up a marketing degree part-time but he honed his plan A. He went to play in the Sussex Premier League in 2013, an adventure that took him away from home comforts and his mothers kitchen.I turned my life around. I lost weight and worked on my fitness, Keshav said.When Keshav returned, Dolphins team-mate Imraan Khan remembers that he looked like a completely different person, with a more diligent attitude towards eating. Cooking became a passion for him. He started a food blog and has been part of cooking shows on the local radio station East Coast Radio .Hes a pretty good cook, Athmanand said. The leaner Keshav enjoyed vastly improved results. In the 2014-15 season, he was sixth on the first-class wicket charts with 36 at 29.38. Last season he was seventh with the same number of wickets at 32.Even though there was a slew of spinners on the South African radar - Imran Tahir, Robin Peterson, Dane Piedt, Simon Harmer and Aaron Phangiso - Athmanand felt Keshav was doing too well to be ignored.There were times when we thought he would get a shot, but with team balance and that kind of thing, we always said that if it came, that would be good and if not, he would just keep doing his thing, because eventually he would get there. Statistics play a very important role.In the first match of this summers first-class season, Athmanand was proved right. Sort of. Keshav got a career-best haul of 13 for 157 to bowl Dolphins to an innings victory over Warriors in East London. But his place in the Test squad had been decided after he took his first wicket in the game.After the second days play, with Warriors on 104 for 1 in reply to Dolphins 478, in which Keshav had contributed a 71-ball 72, he got a phone call.It was Linda Zondi [the convener of the national selection panel], and he just told Keshav, Well batted, and then said that he needs his passport, Ahtmanand said. I told him it might mean he was selected but that he mustnt jump to any conclusions.Over the next two days, Keshav ran through the Warriors line-up, taking six more wickets in the first innings and six more in the follow-on. Then he found out he was going to Australia.He was surprised, but it is also a very well-deserved call-up, said Imraan. Over the last few seasons what he has really worked on is consistency in length and thats what he is so good at. When we have needed a spinner to stop the game, he has done exactly that, but at the same time he has remained an attacking bowler and has always picked up wickets.South Africa are searching for exactly that kind of spinner, especially in a series where they expect the quicks to dominate. Whether that will give Keshav the edge over Tabraiz Shamsi, a left-arm chinaman and the only other spinner in the squad, remains to be seen.Keshavs family members are unlikely to travel to Australia to watch the series because of the time it will take to get their visas and Athmanand is busy getting Keshavs new flat ready for occupation. But regardless of whether he gets the opportunity to watch his son walk out in South Africa colours, Athmanand is ecstatic.It will be fantastic if he gets his first cap, but even if he doesnt on this tour, he has made us all very proud. We know his journey begins now. ' ' '