0 on their nine-game trek with a 1-0 loss to the Bruins on Sun

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- George Gosbee and Anthony LeBlanc fulfilled every Canadian boys dream last week by becoming NHL owners. But before they had even completed the deal to buy the Phoenix Coyotes from the league, Gosbee, LeBlanc and their partners were already in the crosshairs. The issue was the five-year out clause they put in an arena lease agreement with the city of Glendale. On one hand, they understood the consternation; Coyotes fans had gone through an emotional roller coaster in four years of waiting for an owner. What bothered the members of IceArizona was that they had no intention of moving the team. That would mean they had lost $50 million in their new venture and had failed, something none of them have had much experience with. "Its frustrating for me because for this exit clause to kick in, we have to lose $50 million and thats not something I want to do," Gosbee said. "We came into this to build a successful organization in Phoenix and thats our plan. We have no plans of relocating anywhere else and we have no plans to lose $50 million, I can tell you that." For LeBlanc, buying the Coyotes completed an arduous quest that lasted more than four years. He started his career as a salesman for a regional cellphone company in New Brunswick and later joined Research in Motion just as it was developing the Blackberry. LeBlanc worked his way up through the ranks in eight years with the company, becoming a marketing executive before leaving in 2008 to pursue his dream of owning a hockey team. He started Ice Edge Holdings with a goal of bringing a major junior or minor league team to Thunder Bay, Ontario, where his family moved when he was 10. After former Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes took the team into bankruptcy in 2009, LeBlanc shifted his focus toward the Valley of the Sun. His initial effort, with partner Daryl Jones, fell through, as did a minority ownership with Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer. LeBlanc also was working with former San Jose Sharks CEO Greg Jamison in his attempt to buy the team. When Jamisons bid fell through in January, LeBlanc decided to take one more crack at buying the Coyotes. This time, he and Jones brought in Gosbee, a Calgary businessman whose specialty was completing complicated financial transactions. "If George didnt get involved, we wouldnt have bought this team, its as simple as that," LeBlanc said. Gosbee grew up in Alberta and, like LeBlanc, spent his Saturday nights watching Hockey Night in Canada and loved playing shinny games with kids in the neighbourhood. His two sons are also accomplished hockey players; John plays for a Junior A team in Port Alberni, British Columbia, and Carter at a high-performance school in Calgary. Gosbee made his mark professionally in energy investment banking, handling mergers and acquisitions for numerous companies. Once he became a part of the group trying to buy the Coyotes, Gosbee put his background to perfect use, bringing in what had been lacking in previous deals: investors with hard cash to spend. Gosbees ability to close the deal earned him the moniker the Great Gosbee and helped him offset the devastation of having his Calgary home flooded out in June. "We had a good partnership and were able to put all the missing pieces together," said Gosbee, who is now looking to buy homes in Calgary and Phoenix. "I thought if I was able to deliver the last piece to it, I was comfortable with it (being called the deal saviour), but there was a lot of legwork done before I got there." Though theyve only known each other since Gosbee came on board in February, the two have become fast friends. Gosbee and LeBlanc have the common bond of being Canadians who love hockey and have reached the upper echelons of their fields of expertise. Theyre also different in ways that complement each other: LeBlanc the gregarious salesman, Gosbee the calculating businessman. "I would say it was the perfect partnership," said Gosbee, the teams new governor. "Were similar in some aspects. Hes got some strengths Ill never get near to and I think I have some strengths where he doesnt have the experience with, so its a great combination." The task ahead for Gosbee and LeBlanc is making the Coyotes a successful venture in a market that has, at times, been nonchalant in its support for hockey. When the team is winning, the fans will latch onto the bandwagon, as they did when the Coyotes went to the Western Conference finals two years ago. Gosbee and LeBlanc gave general manager Don Maloney more financial leeway in this years free-agent period -- he was able to lure top-line forward Mike Ribeiro to the desert -- and plan to give him a bigger bankroll in the years to come. While being run by the NHL, the Coyotes had limited marketing options, so now the new owners have started aggressively marketing the team to increase suite and season-ticket sales, along with corporate sponsorships. With a competitive team, better marketing and a firm ownership group in place, Gosbee and LeBlanc believe hockey can be successful in the Valley. "We have a really strong hockey side of the business," said LeBlanc, who is working on getting his immigration status cleared before buying a home in Arizona. "Im not going to sit here and guarantee were going to go to the playoffs or win the Stanley Cup, but I will guarantee this is a franchise that is going to play hard and be competitive every night. You have that and strong ownership, those two things are the litmus test you need." Now that they own the team, its time for Gosbee and LeBlanc to see if they can pass the test and make the out clause a moot point. Air Force 1 Clearance . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. Air Force 1 Australia Sale . After the whistle, Thornton skated the length of the ice, pulled Orpik to the ice from behind and punched him in the face several times. http://www.airforce1cheapaustralia.com/ . -- Ohio States Urban Meyer has never had any issue acclimating to the biggest stages in college football. Air Force 1 Cheap Australia . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. Air Force 1 Cheap Wholesale . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. John Tortorella reached a personal milestone in his last game. Next hell try to guide the Columbus Blue Jackets to a team milestone.Seeking their 10th straight win, the Blue Jackets open what might be their toughest stretch of the season on Tuesday night when they take on the Los Angeles Kings to start a four-game homestand.Columbus matched the franchise record for longest winning streak and delivered Tortorellas 500th NHL win -- a first for a coach born in the United States -- with Sundays 4-3 overtime victory over the Vancouver Canucks.The 58-year-old, who won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004, also guided the New York Rangers to three straight playoff appearances followed by one stormy season with the Canucks.When all is said and done, Tortorellas finest work behind the bench might be with the Blue Jackets (20-5-4), who have the fewest regulation losses in the league while surrendering the fewest goals in the Eastern Conference (61) and posting a plus-37 goal differential.Columbus also has converted six of its last 14 power-play chances in the last four games and has the leagues top power-play unit, which has converted 27.7 percent of its opportunities with the man advantage.Were happy to have him at the helm. Hes really helped push this group forward, said Columbus captain Nick Foligno, who has assists in four straight games against Los Angeles.The Blue Jackets last won nine straight from March 18 to April 4, 2015. The team failed to make the playoffs that season, and have only been in the postseason twice since entering the league as an expansion team in 2000.The Jackets top two scorers during the winning streak are Cam Atkinson (four goals, seven assists) and Sam Gagner (six goals, five assists).Atkinson is two goals and two assists short of 100 in each category for his career. Gagner, the club leader with 13 goals this season, hasnt scored a goal in seven straight games when facing Los Angeles.Its fair to sayy Tuesdays game kicks off a key portion of the schedule.dddddddddddd On Thursday, the Blue Jackets face the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins followed the next night with a game against the Atlantic Division-leading Montreal Canadiens.After the Christmas break, Columbus closes the homestand on Nov. 27 against the Boston Bruins.If Columbus is to extend its streak and set a record, it will have to avenge a 3-2 loss in overtime on Oct. 25 in Los Angeles. The Blue Jackets also are 2-5-2 in their last nine games against the Kings at Nationwide Arena.Los Angeles (16-13-2) comes to Ohios capital at the midpoint of its longest road trip of 2016-17. The Kings dropped to 2-2-0 on their nine-game trek with a 1-0 loss to the Bruins on Sunday.We played our (butts) off again today, Kings coach Darryl Sutter said after pointing out that the team played for the fourth time in 5 1/2 days. ... They left it all out there.Los Angeles managed just 18 shots on goal playing without former captain Dustin Brown (day to day, upper-body injury), who has just four assists in seven games in December.Playing in Columbus could help veteran and first-year captain Anze Kopitar turn around a season that has been nothing short of disappointing.After averaging 24.3 goals in his first 10 NHL seasons, Kopitar has just three in 26 games so far. However, 10 of Kopitars 14 career goals against the Jackets have come in Columbus.The Kings also played Sunday without Marian Gaborik, who was a healthy scratch and whose status for Tuesday has yet to be determined. Gaborik has been limited to nine games after suffering a foot injury during the World Cup of Hockey in December. He has just one goal and three assists this season.The Kings are 6-9-1 on the road this season and 0 of 14 with the man advantage in five road games this month. ' ' '