lved.The Rangers entered the game leading the NHL in goals per game

Arnold Palmer considered the question, fighting back a mischievous grin.This was in June 2016, and he was sitting in a golf cart behind his office just across the road from Latrobe Country Club, the Western Pennsylvania course Palmer grew up on as the son of the greens-keeper-club pro and later bought. Like much of the golfing public, he was trying to make sense of the U.S. Golf Association ruling that had nearly cost Dustin Johnson the title at nearby Oakmont Country Club a day earlier.Ill tell you what I think: The USGA screwed it up, Palmer chuckled, using an even saltier term, but good.It was vintage Arnold, just being one of the guys and making you feel that way, too. He was frail at the time, but still feisty and besides, you rarely had to work hard to figure out how Palmer felt about things.That voice was stilled Sunday night, when news of the death of the games King reminded millions why they took up the maddening game in the first place. But it will resonate for as long as golf is played.Palmer acknowledged dozens of time how impossible the game was to master, but quick to add that few accomplishments gave him more satisfaction than taking control of it for a few magical moments. He spoke his mind on topics beyond the game and even late in life, as age and illness hobbled his once-powerful frame stole the timber from his voice, Palmer still radiated so much charm and candor that he still got his point across. Only months earlier, all it took was one of his million-dollar smiles for a photo shoot with Kate Upton to go viral.That grin melted quickly in the heat on that June afternoon, though, as Palmer talked about the rest of his day. Hed just come from the practice range at Latrobe, where trying to hit balls left him frustrated. He crossed his arms in front of him, the opposite palm resting on his shoulders.I dont have any strength left, he said.Not at that moment, but his surroundings spoke volumes about what a powerful man Palmer had been.The walls of his office were covered with pictures of his family and testimonials and thank-you notes from U.S. presidents and local charities. Stacks of requests for his autograph were piled atop a desk, where Palmer plowed through them happily whenever he could squeeze out the time. A reception area twice as big as his office was lined floor to ceiling with the overflow -- trophies, ribbons and plaques; almost too many to count -- that reflected a life well-lived.Across from his office was Palmers original workroom, stuffed with more than 5,000 golf clubs in various stages of being repaired or reworked. He learned to wield tools helping his father, Deacon, keep everything from the tractors at Latrobe to the members clubs in good working order, then began working on his own. As Doc Griffin, Palmers long-time friend and aide wrapped up a tour of the workshop, he pointed toward a few clubs on a nearby bench.Hes still tinkering, Griffin chuckled.Palmer never lost that working-man appeal. If anything, the man once described as having the strong hands of boxer Rocky Marciano and the forearms and shoulders of a blacksmith turned it into a legacy. He wintered in Florida, but spent his summers around Latrobe, never really leaving his hometown. After winning most everything the game offered, he bought the country club where members occasionally clashed with Deacon about his sons temperament and his go-for-broke swing, and Palmer threw the doors open to the public.None of the golfers whod played the course that sunny June afternoon had any idea that golfs King had been out among them. They were too busy taking in the scenery or struggling with their own games. A lucky few may even have been playing well enough to experience a moment of exhilaration that was writ large across Palmers face when he had been in pursuit of major championships.As far as he was concerned, that would have been tribute enough.---Jim Litke is a sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org and https://Twitter.com/JimLitke . Custom Houston Rockets Jerseys .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. Michael Carter-Williams Rockets Jersey .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. https://www.rocketsrookiesshop.com/Gerald-Green-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Its sharpness matched my mind. This was no night to go to sleep. Anthony Bennett Rockets Jersey . At a Manhattan federal court hearing, attorney Jordan Siev said his law office has gotten more evidence nearly every day to support its lawsuit accusing MLB and Selig of going on a "witch hunt" to ruin Rodriguezs reputation and career. He said the defendants went "way over the line. Ben McLemore Jersey . With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. NEW YORK -- For Henrik Lundqvist, the focus is not on recording shutouts. Instead, the emphasis is just on playing well -- individually and as a team.Shutouts, he reasoned, are satisfying byproducts of everyone perfectly executing the game plan.Every goalie, you feel good about your game when you get a shutout, Lundqvist said after making a season-high 35 saves for his 60th career shutout to lead the New York Rangers to a 5-0 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night. Every game youre looking for the complete game (where) you dont give up goals, obviously. Its a good feeling when you do that.Jimmy Vesey had a goal and two assists, and Dan Girardi, Rick Nash, Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes also scored for New York, which has won seven of its first 10 games.Chris Kreider, who missed the previous four games due to neck spasms, had two assists as 11 Rangers players recorded at least one point.Were making plays when theyre there, defenseman Marc Staal said. Its allowing us to be effective and right now were scoring on chances which helps, for sure.Jake Allen started in goal for St. Louis and allowed four goals on 19 shots until he was replaced by Carter Hutton after Zuccarello made it 4-0 with 7:05 remaining in the second. Hutton stopped eight of the nine shots he faced. The Blues lost for the third time in five games.Thats a hell of a team, Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. They gave us a hell of a lesson. They are playing great team hockey and they just exposed any weakness we had. They exposed it. Theyve done it to a few teams.The Rangers led 2-0 after goals 1:34 apart midway through the first period. Giradi opened the scoring 9:37 in with a 4-on-4 goal at 9:37 as his shot ricocheted off the skate of the Blues Vladimir Tarasenko and bounced off the ice and past Allens glove side.Vesey then doubled the lead 1:34 later on the power play as he skated down the slot and snapped a pass from Derek Stepan past Allens stick for his sixth of the season.Im starting to get really confident out there and try some things I might not have tried a couple games ago, Vesey said. I think confidence is everything in this game and right now its high. ... I am riding that.Nash scored his fifth of thhe season 6:18 into the second to extend the advantage to 3-0.dddddddddddd Vesey began the sequence by intercepting Kevin Shattenkirks clearing pass in the neutral zone, then carried the puck into the offensive zone where he found Nash, who banked a shot off Allen from behind the net.Zuccarellos power play tap-in 6:37 later made it 4-0, and prompted Hitchcock to replace Allen with Hutton.Hayes got one past Hutton 5:07 later as he finished a passing sequence with Vesey and J.T. Miller with his third of the season.Lundqvist, who entered the game with a .901 save percentage and 2.45 goals-against average, wasnt consistently tested by the Blues, but was strong when called upon and got his first shutout of the season. Lundqvists toughest save was a sprawling pad stop on Robby Fabbri late in the first period.Ive been feeling good the last few weeks, Lundqvist said. This was a game where I was more involved.The Rangers entered the game leading the NHL in goals per game at 3.89 and were tied with Philadelphia for the most goals scored (35). The Blues came in fourth in goals allowed per game (2.22) and tied for fifth in total goals allowed (20).New York finished the game 2 for 5 on the man advantage, while the Blues were unable to convert on their two chances.Right now the guys are finding the options and getting some real good looks on it, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said of his teams power play, which is converting 23.7 percent of its chances.Game notes Blues D Jay Bouwmeester dressed in his 1,000th NHL game. He is 18th active player and the 307th in league history to reach the milestone. ... The game was the second of two regular season meetings between the teams. The Blues beat the Rangers 3-2 in St. Louis on Oct. 15. ... D Ryan McDonagh missed two shifts following a high stick from the Blues Patrik Berglund. ... According to the Rangers, New Yorks 40 goals in its first 10 games marks the first time since 1992-93 that the team reached that mark.UP NEXTBlues: At Dallas on Thursday night.Rangers: Host Western Conference-leading Edmonton on Thursday night. ' ' '