victory last season.Last year, I knew we were going to win the race. I knew

UNIONDALE, N. NMD Skor Billigt .Y. -- The New York Islanders traded veteran defenceman Andrew MacDonald to the Metropolitan Division rival Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday for a pair of draft picks and minor league centre Matt Mangene. The deal was announced one day before the NHL trade deadline and several hours before the Islanders played the Jets in Winnipeg. Philadelphia will host Washington on Wednesday night, following the afternoon dealing deadline. MacDonald will bolster the Flyers defence corps as they push for a playoff spot. Philadelphia, which also has former Islanders defenceman Mark Streit on the back end, is currently in second place in the Metropolitan, one point ahead of the New York Rangers and two points above the post-season cutoff. Streit, who spent time as MacDonalds defence partner with New York, was traded to the Flyers last June after serving as Islanders team captain. He then signed a four-year, $21 million contract less than a week after the deal, before he could become a free agent. New York is in a selling mode now, all but certain to fail in its bid to make the playoffs for a second consecutive season. The Islanders, who are last in the division, acquired a third-round pick in this years draft and a second-round choice in 2015, along with Mangene. The Islanders had arguably the top available defenceman and forward in this years trade market. Leading scorer Thomas Vanek, acquired earlier this season from Buffalo, also is expected to be dealt before Wednesdays deadline. The 27-year-old MacDonald, who can become an unrestricted free agent this summer, has four goals and 20 assists in 63 games this season. He leads the NHL with 198 blocked shots and is eighth in average ice time per game at 25 minutes, 25 seconds. In 295 career NHL games over six seasons, all with the Islanders, MacDonald has 17 goals and 72 assists. He was chosen by New York in the sixth round of the 2006 draft. Mangene, who will turn 25 on March 12, has three goals and three assists in 51 games this season with Adirondack of the American Hockey League. He was assigned to Bridgeport. Mangene played three seasons of college hockey at Maine, and had 16 goals and 34 points in his final season of 2011-12. He signed an entry-level contract with the Flyers in 2012 before being sent to Adirondack. In 92 career games with Adirondack, Mangene had 14 goals and 15 assists. Adidas Falcon Rea . After the loss, White refused to make good on the bet, instead offering Hoyt tickets to a Bears game. Adidas Falcon Herr . Head of clinic Josef Obrist tells the Austria Press Agency on Thursday that Morgenstern "is doing surprisingly well. ... He still has a memory gap but thats nothing unusual." Morgenstern has moved to a rehabilitation clinic in Klagenfurt for further recovery. http://www.nmdsverige.com/ .C. - Nick Merkley and Damon Severson each had a goal and two assists as the Kelowna Rockets downed the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds 6-3 on Saturday in Western Hockey League playoff action.HOMESTEAD, Fla. - Jeff Gordon did his best to shake off the disappointment over his elimination from the championship field by winning the pole for Sundays season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.Gordon turned a lap at 180.747 mph in Friday qualifying to earn the top starting spot for a race that became meaningless to his season after he crossed the finish line last week at Phoenix. Gordon finished second and was in the field of four drivers for the championship race, but he was knocked out seconds later by Ryan Newman.Using an aggressive pass of Kyle Larson coming out of the final turn, Newman picked up the one position he needed to knock Gordon from the championship race by one point.Now Gordon will race only for the trophy on Sunday, while Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Ryan Newman will compete for the title.It hit me hard when I crossed the line at Phoenix. I think I was just really in disbelief for a good 24 hours that we did everything so right and didnt make it, Gordon said. That disappointment was definitely there throughout the week. I think even if we win this race on Sunday, thats only going to make it hurt a little bit more in some ways because we could have won the championship if we were here.Gordon, a four-time winner this season and the points leader for most of the year, was seeking his fifth championship. Now hes just trying to close out the season on a high note for his Hendrick Motorsports team.The first step was winning the 200th pole for the Hendrick organization. Kurt Busch qualified second and was followed by Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski.I think the way were looking at this weekend is we want to finish this season on the best note possible, Gordon said. Its been a tremendous season for us. Im disappointed were not in this thing for the championship, but thats not going to stop us from trying tto win the pole and win the race. NMD Rea. arvick will lead the title contenders Sunday by starting fifth. Hamlin will start eighth and Logano is in the 12th slot. Newman was the worst qualifier at 21st.Harvick continued his needling of Logano, the youngest driver in the championship field. It began at Wednesday nights contenders event when he deliberately tried to rattle Logano, and carried over into Friday when he was told to wait off to the side while Logano and Hamlin were participating in a news conference.Im going up here anyway, he said as strolled onto the stage. Going to sit right here next to my buddy.Logano grinned, patted Harvick on the back, and said: Whats up, buddy?Hamlin then stood as if he was going to leave, Alright, Ill let you two have at it, he joked.The champion will be the highest-finishing driver among the four on Sunday, and it will be the first Cup title for the winner.Hamlin, the defending race winner, said his car feels as good as the Toyota he drove to victory last season.Last year, I knew we were going to win the race. I knew in practice we were going to win the race, Hamlin said, and my car feels equally as good this time around.But Harvick was also confident — just not prepared to talk as tough as Hamlin.I think theres just too many things, way too much to live up to, to make those kind of comments, he said. You want to try to prepare yourself for the races as best you can. Hopefully, you make the right adjustments going into the race, and regardless of how our car is in practice, well all wonder if we made the right decisions.As the lowest-qualifying driver, Newman seemed to recognize hell have his work cut out for him Sunday.Its going to be a crazy race, Newman said. Its going to be some really crazy restarts, but I dont think your starting position defines whos going to finish there. ' ' '