Injured Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos said hes feeling better after taking a day off from practice on Monday because h

Injured Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos said hes feeling better after taking a day off from practice on Monday because his leg didnt feel right. Custom Mexico Jerseys . Stamkos took to the ice at the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday morning - where the Lightning prepared to face the Toronto Maple Leafs - wearing a regular blue jersey and skated for about 20 minutes. "It felt a lot better today," Stamkos said after the skate. "Just pain in certain areas. The bone is really strong, the x-rays look good - its more soft tissue issues." Stamkos added that he still hopes to get games under his belt before the Olympic break and also discussed the possibility of playing in Sochi even if he doesnt play an NHL game first. "The objective is to play a game (in the NHL), that would be something I would really love to do," he explained to the large scrum of reporters. "But if thats not the case, theres going to be another discussion about whether or not Im still going to be on that team if I cant play a game. Weve had brief discussions about that, its more or less been Well cross that bridge when (if) we need to." Team Canada executive director Steve Yzerman just happens to be his NHL general manager in Tampa and Stamkos is prepared to have a discussion with him on all of his options. "If we have to sit down a couple of days before we have to leave for the Olympics, we can be honest with each other," Stamkos said of his eventual chat with Yzerman. "If I say that Im at the level I think I need to be at to compete at the Olympics, I think hes going to have the trust in me that I can go over there and play at that level. But at the end of the day, I have to be honest with him. If I say Im not ready, obviously Im not going to go." When asked about Stamkos comments that going to Sochi without playing an NHL game was a possibility, Yzerman confirmed its among the different options, again very much depending on where he is physically. "Were not going to rule anything out," Yzerman told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun over on the phone Tuesday. "We dont really have to jump to any conclusions yet. Its one step at a time. A week ago he had the X-Ray at the 10-week mark and the doctors advised him to increase the intensity of his workouts on and off the ice and see how he responds to that. So thats what hes done for the last week. Hes still hopeful to play at some point next week but we dont know yet if thats realistic or not. "Once he gets home from the trip hell meet again with the doctors and see what they come up with at that point. But until hes cleared for a game, whether its prior to leaving or not, theres not much really to say, but were going to keep all the options open and make the appropriate decisions when the time comes." Stamkos fractured the tibia in his right leg in a Nov. 11 game against the Boston Bruins and underwent surgery the following day. He had 14 goals and 23 points in 17 games before the injury. The Lightnings final game before the Olympic break is Saturday, Feb. 8 against the Detroit Red Wings. Jonathan dos Santos Mexico Jersey . Some will say that Martin is too sensitive while others will say that it is part of the way football is in the locker room. But to have to absorb what was said to him for any rational and intelligent person is too much. Hugo Ayala Mexico Jersey . Heavily-criticized after allowing a dozen goals on 58 shots in two games in Boston, Luongo continued his dominance at home. Hes now allowed two goals in three home games in this series. http://www.nationalsoccermexico.com/jesus-manuel-corona-mexico-jersey/ . - Olympic champion Marielle Thompson accomplished her mission of defending her skicross World Cup title at Nakiska Ski Area on Saturday.ARLINGTON, Texas -- Jon Singleton homered among three hits and drove in four runs, Marwin Gonzalez had a bases-loaded triple and the Houston Astros snapped a seven-game skid with a 12-7 victory over the Texas Rangers on Monday night. Gonzalezs triple followed five consecutive singles in a six-run second inning, and Singletons towering flyball landed two rows above the Texas bullpen in right-centre for a three-run shot and a 9-2 lead in the fourth. Jarred Cosart (9-6) won for the first time in 12 career starts against AL West opponents despite allowing nine hits and six runs -- five earned -- in five innings. Every Houston batter had at least one hit after George Springers infield single with one out in the fourth. Singleton followed with his sixth homer to knock out Texas starter Miles Mikolas (0-1), who gave up 12 hits and nine runs in 3 1-3 innings. Adrian Beltre extended his hitting streak to 10 games with an RBI double in the third inning and a solo homer in the fifth that pulled the Rangers to 9-6. Beltres team-leading 12th home run came an inning after Elvis Andrus three-run double down the left field line. Houston relievers Josh Fields and Tony Sipp kept the Rangers from getting any closer, combining to strike out seven in a row starting in the sixth, when Texas trailed 10-6. The streak included Jake Smolinski in his major league debut for Texas in the seveenth. Carlos Salcedo Mexico Jersey. The Rangers lost for the 16th time in 19 games since they were 35-35 after winning a series opener in Oakland to get within seven games of the As last month. Texas, a playoff contender the past four seasons, started the day 17 games behind Oakland and finished it just two ahead of last-place Houston. Singleton had the first of the five straight singles and reached base four times, capped by an RBI double in the eighth. Carlos Corporan also had three hits as the Astros finished with a season-high 17. Alex Presley hit his fifth homer -- a solo shot in the sixth -- and was one of four Houston players with two hits. He had to come out after the 10th pitch of an at-bat in the eighth inning when he appeared to injure his right side on a swing. Pinch-hitter L.J. Hoes had a sacrifice fly to right on the first pitch he saw. NOTES: Jose Altuve tied Houstons franchise record for hits before the All-Star break at 123 on an infield single in the fourth. The play was originally ruled an out before Porter challenged. The replay clearly showed Altuve was safe, tying Bob Watsons record from 1973. Altuve broke the record with a single in the eighth. ... Rangers RHP Nick Martinez was scratched from Tuesdays start because of a pulled muscle in his rib cage. Hes being replaced by RHP Phil Irwin, who made his only big league appearance in a start for Pittsburgh last year. ' ' '