Stars und Sternchen! » FC manager Ryan Nelsen to shed any tears for

TORONTO -- Dont expect Toronto FC manager Ryan Nelsen to shed any tears for cs current crisis in defence. "Weve lost far more than them over the first eight games of our season and nobody felt sorry for us," Nelsen said prior to Friday nights game in Kansas City. "Just because theyre missing two or three, were missing three in our midfield. So actually were probably hurting more than them, to tell you the truth." Nelsen notes he has been able to use his starting lineup once this season, a reference likely to the D.C. United game back in March. While Toronto (4-4-0) has question-marks in midfield, the defensive cupboard is almost completely bare for Kansas City (5-4-2). Matt Besler is with the U.S. World Cup team while Lawrence Olum has been summoned by the Kenyan national team for a two-legged Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Aurelien Collin is nursing a hamstring injury and Ike Opara is out for the season after ankle surgery. To make matters worse, 17-year-old defender Erik Palmer-Brown was sent off for two yellow cards in his MLS debut last weekend, a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Fire that saw Kansas City give up two penalties. So Palmer-Brown is suspended for Fridays game. Kansas City is also without key attacking midfielder Graham Zusi, whos with the U.S. team. Manager Peter Vermes started the Chicago game with a 3-5-2 formation, with Palmer-Brown between fullbacks Chance Myers and Seth Sinovic at the back, in a bid to work around his lack of defensive options. He had to return to a four-man backline after Palmer-Browns ejection. Palmer-Brown, reportedly a target of Juventus, still made history by becoming the youngest defender to start an MLS game. He turned 17 on April 24. Collin and defensive midfielder Uri Rosell, who could drop back in defence, may be healthy enough to play Friday. But with three games in eight days -- Kansas City hosts the Red Bulls next Tuesday and visits D.C. United on May 31 -- Vermes will likely not want to rush players back. While the MLS champions are still a quality team, they have lost two straight. And a makeshift defence would seem like catnip to Torontos Jermain Defoe, who has five goals in all competitions. Nelsen has questions of his own, facing five games in 15 days. He has lost American midfielder Michael Bradley and Brazilian goalie Julio Cesar to the World Cup. Brazilian Jackson (concussion) is not expected to play and fellow midfielder Jonathan Osorio is doubtful (hamstring, hand injury). Nelsens other questions are selection-related. Rookie defender Nick Hagglund had a strong game against New York in place of Doneil Henry while Bradley Orr, pushed up into midfield, also impressed. Henry, 21, already has 40 MLS starts under his belt but has made some costly errors in recent games. Nelsen, perhaps easing the blow, said he was moved to the bench against the Red Bulls because he had played 120 minutes midweek in Vancouver and had a few knocks. Hagglunds fine play against French star Thierry Henry and Englands Bradley Wright-Phillips, the leagues leading scorer, may extended Henrys time on the sidelines. "Nick was brilliant," said Nelsen. Nelsen, while not showing his hand, rejected the suggestion that time on the bench might offer a mixed message to Henry whom he regularly talks up. "I sat on the bench at D.C. United and I was three years older than Doneil. They sat me," said Nelsen. "Its going to happen. Its going to happen when youre 20, its going to happen when hes playing in the Premier league or in the top level." "Theyre not bumps, theyre life experiences that youve got to deal with. Everyone deals with them in any job, in any profession ... its just how you react." "Generally the best ones find a way on the field pretty quickly," he added. The 21-year-old Hagglund has already won kudos on the field for his no fear approach. Off the field, his bubbly personality is also appreciated. "Hes a massive part of this squad, this changing room, for such a young kid," said captain Steven Caldwell. "He takes a lot of stick. He laughs, he smiles. His personality rubs off on everybody, Hes a pleasure to have here." Nelsen could retain Orr in central midfield and has newly acquired Collen Warner available, although he may have to play on the flank if Osorio, as expected, cant go. Warner was the last man off the practice field Wednesday, chatting with Nelsen en route to the locker-room. Rookie Daniel Lovitz, who has impressed since returning from loan in Wilmington, is another midfield option. Torontos career record against Kansas City is 4-10-4, including 1-7-1 on the road. Kevin Bieksa Jersey . -- Michael Bennett gambled last off-season that playing on a one-year deal in Seattle would pay off in the future with the long-term contract he always wanted. Paul Kariya Jersey .Y. -- As if the worst start in franchise history isnt bad enough, Buffalo Sabres President Ted Black braced his teams win-starved fans for potentially more tough times. http://www.cheapducksjerseyschina.com/brandon-montour-jersey/ . The 22-year-old slugger, who is no stranger to adversity, made up for it at the end. Ryan Getzlaf Jersey John Gibson Jersey . You can watch all the action on TSN2 beginning at 7pm et/4pm pt. Pineda won his second straight start last Wednesday against Chicago, as he held the Cubs to just four hits over six scoreless innings to run his record to 2-0, while lowering his ERA to 1.RALEIGH, N.C. -- Winless in shootouts this season, the Carolina Hurricanes werent optimistic when Fridays game against the Anaheim Ducks was tied after 65 minutes. But Chris Terry helped the Hurricanes end their homestand successfully, scoring the game-winner in the shootout to lift Carolina to a 3-2 victory over the Ducks. With the win, Carolina improved to 3-10 in shootouts since the start of the 2011-12 season. "Obviously, the confidence wasnt very high going into shootouts," Carolinas Jordan Staal said. "Theres a fine line in those shootouts -- things can go right and wrong pretty quickly. Were glad we got the upper hand tonight." Eric Staal and Drayson Bowman scored for Carolina in regulation while Justin Peters made 28 saves. Peters, who is filling in for the injured Cam Ward and Anton Khudobin, helped Carolina conclude a 4-0-1 homestand by making 138 saves on 144 shots in the five games. "Im just really proud of the effort of the guys," Carolina coach Kirk Muller. "Weve had a couple injuries -- guys have jumped in different spots, different roles, starting with Peters in net. Hes had a great week, great homestand here." Corey Perry had a goal and an assist for the Ducks while Dustin Penner also scored. In his first game since being activated from injured reserve on Thursday, Viktor Fasth stopped 21 shots. After a nine-game stretch in which they went 8-0-1, the Ducks have lost three in a row. Anaheim entered Friday leading the NHL with 31 points. "I think we played pretty well tonight," Anaheims Teemu Selanne said. "The last two games, we havent been at the level where we should be, so were going in the right direction." Perry and Carolinas Riley Nash had scored earlier in the shootout, but Terry won it when he skated quickly at Fasth and made a move before going to his backhand for the goal.dddddddddddd "Its a different kind of way to help the team, but nonetheless, we got the two points," Terry said. Earlier in the third period, Penner tied the score at 2 with a one-timer on the power play at 7:18. Penners stick broke on the play, but the puck managed to flutter into the net. The Ducks entered the game ranked 28th on the power play, having scored eight goals. Only two of those had come on the road. Carolina took a 2-1 lead 3:01 into the third period when Bowman collected the puck off the boards and charged the net, shovelling the puck past Fasth after he skated along the goal line. After the first 35 minutes had few scoring chances, Anaheim and Carolina both struck in the final five minutes of the second period. The Ducks opened the scoring when Carolinas Justin Faulk made an ill-advised pass through the middle of the ice from deep in his own zone. Anaheims Ryan Getzlaf intercepted the puck and passed it to Perry, who snapped it past from Peters from close range at 18:00 of the second. Perry entered the night tied for sixth in the NHL with 11 goals. Carolina answered 1:43 later with a power-play goal. Semin skated across the blue line and created space by cutting across the middle of the zone. After delaying for an extra second, Semin sent a wrist shot that deflected off Staal and beat a screened Fasth high on the glove side. "We knew he fakes and fakes and fakes and fakes," said Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau, who coached Semin in Washington. "I think our young penalty killers bit too easily on him there. They hadnt seen him play before." NOTES: Getzlaf returned to the Ducks lineup after missing three games with an upper-body injury. ... After its five-game homestand, Carolina will play three of its next four on the road, beginning Saturday night in St. Louis. 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