on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. HOUS

NEW YORK -- When the New York Rangers selected Chris Kreider with the 19th pick in the 2009 draft, stardom was expected.Entering his fourth NHL season, the left wing may be beginning to live up to the projections.Hes a power forward who is playing to his strengths, New York coach Alain Vigneault said after Kreider had a goal and an assist for the third straight game as the Rangers beat the San Jose Sharks 7-4 on Monday night.Hes tough to handle right now, whether on the initial rush or down low in the oppositions end. He makes it real challenging for the other team.Kreider, who signed a four-year, $18.5 million contract on July 22, has three goals and three assists in New Yorks first three games. According to the team, he is the first Ranger since Brian Leetch in 1992-93 to tally six points in New Yorks first three games. He also became the first New York forward to record six points in three games to start a season since Bernie Nicholls and Darren Turcotte in 1990-91.You want to play instinctually, Kreider said. You simplify your game; you get back to the stuff you know you do well. A lot of time that adversity helps you focus. From there, lock in on what you do well and do on a consistent basis.Kreider was one of seven Rangers to score, along with Marc Staal, Rick Nash, Kevin Hayes, rookie Jimmy Vesey, Mats Zuccarello and Michael Grabner. Twelve Rangers finished with at least one point, led by Zuccarello, who recorded a goal and two assists.New York has won two of its first three games this season.Im hoping were going to get better, Vigneault said. If youre going to get into the playoffs you have to be one of those teams that continues to improve. Some teams improve. Some teams dont improve and fade away. We need to be one of those teams that continues to improve.Tied 1-1 early in the second period, New York took the lead for good on Nashs first of the season 4:15 of the period. The sequence began when Rangers captain Ryan McDonaghs shot ricocheted off the end boards to Nash, who was in front of Martin Jones net.Jones finished with 22 saves.The lead grew to 3-1 6:06 later when Kreiders off-wing drive ticked off Jones stick and into the net.New York was 1 for 3 on the power play, and San Jose was 1 for 4.We are finding our way, Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said of his specialty units. I probably like our penalty kill better than our power play.Staals one-timer 12:06 into the game put the Rangers ahead 1-0.Following Staals goal, though, the Sharks outshot the Rangers 7-2 for the remainder of the period, culminated by Logan Coutures 5-on-3 power-play tap-in with 57.5 seconds left.San Jose, which lost for the first time in three games this season, cut the deficit to 3-2 on Brent Burns second of the season at 9:13 of the third.We had it early, then we didnt, said San Jose captain Joe Pavelski, who finished with a goal and three assists. We were chasing it a little bit too much.New York struck back quickly as Hayes and Vesey scored 21 seconds apart to push the lead to 5-2. The goals were the first of the season for both, and for Vesey, the first of his NHL career. The Rangers signed the Hobey Baker Award winner from Harvard to a two-year, free agent contract on Aug. 19.It was definitely just pure joy, Vesey said. I just couldnt be happier to get that one out of the way.Im really happy to get that one.The tack-on goals were significant as Burns scored his second of the game 1:20 after Vesey scored, followed by Pavelskis first of the season at 15:31.Despite watching his team score three third-period goals, DeBoer wasnt enthralled with the Sharks performance.We got what we deserved, DeBoer said. The team that competed the hardest won and thats the way it should be.Zuccarello and Grabner added empty net goals.New York goaltender Antti Raanta made 26 saves on 30 shots.Game notes New York played without D Dan Girardi and D Kevin Klein, along with rookie LW Pavel Buchnevich, due to injuries. Before the morning skate, the Rangers announced Girardi was day-to-day with a strained groin and Buchnevich had back spasms. Klein has missed the first three games of the season with back spasms. ... San Jose scratched D Dylan DeMelo, and C Ryan Carpenter and C Micheal Haley. . Saturday Night Live actor Michael Che was among the announced 18,006 in attendance.UP NEXT:SHARKS: visit Brooklyn on Tuesday night for a game against the New York Islanders.RANGERS: host Detroit in a nationally televised game Wednesday night. Chris Lindstrom Falcons Jersey . -- For the first time in two months, an opponent was standing up to Alabama. Julio Jones Falcons Jersey . Breaking three of his own world records on his way to winning in Paris, Chan silenced the critics and left the audiences standing in appreciation and awe. http://www.thefaclonsshoponline.com/Kendall-sheffield-falcons-jersey/ .com) - The Chicago Blackhawks aim for their third three-game winning streak of the season when they host the struggling Edmonton Oilers in Sundays battle at the United Center. Deion Sanders Youth Jersey . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Tony Gonzalez Youth Jersey .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. HOUSTON -- C.J. Okpalobi ran for 103 yards and the game-winning touchdown in overtime to lift Nicholls to a 33-30 victory over Houston Baptist on Saturday night.Tony Dawson ran for a 24-yard TD to give Houston Baptist a 27-24 lead with 1:25 remaining. David McKey kicked a 35-yard field goal for Nicholls (3-3, 3-1 Southland Conference) with six seconds left to force overtime.Alec Chadwick kicked a 35-yard field goal for Houston Baptist (2-4, 1-3) before Okpalobi ran 112 yards for the game-winner.dddddddddddd.Dawson threw for 165 yards and a touchdown, and ran for 191 yards on 25 carries.Ronald Ollie returned a blocked field goal 84 yards into the end zone for the Colonels. Chase Fourcade threw a 50-yard touchdown strike to Damion Jeanpiere and ran for a 10-yard score in the second quarter for Nicholls. ' ' '