It was never going to the academy to play football.

PHILADELPHIA -- Pittsburgh won three of its four games without defenseman Kris Letang in the lineup and there is a chance the Norris Trophy candidate could be back in uniform when the Penguins renew their rivalry with the Flyers in Philadelphia on Saturday night.Sidelined by an upper-body injury suffered on Oct. 18 in Montreal, Letang was examined by a doctor on Friday before boarding the teams flight to Philadelphia.Hes getting closer for sure, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told the teams website. Obviously, hes a big part of our team and were a better team when hes a part of our lineup.The same can be said of captain Sidney Crosby, who has two goals and one assist in two games since returning from his third concussion in six years.Pittsburgh is 2-0 with its captain in the lineup and if history is any indication, Crosby will get an earful when he steps on the ice at the Wells Fargo Center. Crosby has scored more goals against the Flyers (33 in 55 games) than he has against any other NHL team.While the Penguins (5-2-1) are coming off Tuesday nights 4-2 home win over the New York Islanders, the Flyers (3-4-1) are coming off a 5-4 loss to the Arizona Coyotes, whose only two wins of the season have come against Philadelphia.Slow starts have been an Achilles heel for the Flyers, who surrendered the first goal in each of their four home games and have been outscored 8-1 in first periods this season, including 2-0 against Arizona on Tuesday.The first period was not pretty and we know that, Flyers captain Claude Giroux said. We need to find a way to come out stronger.We did some good things sporadically, Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said. But you dont win games by doing a few good things sporadically throughout the game. You have to be good from start to finish, individually, collectively and thats how you win games.Giroux is still seeking his first goal of the season but leads the NHL with nine assists. He is on a seven-game point streak, which ties the second-longest of his career. He also recorded a seven-game streak from Jan.14-25, 2011 and posted a nine-game streak from Dec. 11-30, 2013.Flyers right wing Jake Voracek leads the team and ranks third in the NHL with 33 shots this season. He has three goals.Philadelphia defenseman Andrew MacDonald (1 goal, 1 assist, minus-3) could be a healthy scratch for the first time this season in favor of Nick Schultz on Saturday.Sullivan said Marc-Andre Fleury (5-2-1, 2.97 GAA) will be between the pipes for the Penguins on Saturday.Flyers coach Dave Hakstol has a tougher decision. Both Steve Mason (2-4-1, 3.15 GAA) and 1-0-0, 4.47) have struggled. Neuvirth was pulled from each of his first two starts.Penguins forward Carl Hagelin, who is struggling with one goal in eight games, was checked into the boards from behind against the Islanders but practiced on Friday and is expected to play, despite sporting stitches and a black left eye. Greg Maddux Braves Jersey . Dallas hasnt ruled out the star quarterback for Sunday nights game against Philadelphia, but all signs point to Romos back injury pushing Kyle Orton into the starting role after two years of limited play as the backup. Surely Ortons name isnt the first that comes to mind for fans wanting a change after years of damaging interceptions, fumbles or, most infamously, the field goal flub when Romo dropped the snap on a kick that could have won his first playoff game in 2006. Sean Newcomb Braves Jersey . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . http://www.baseballbravesproshop.com/orlando-cepeda-braves-jersey/ .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Julio Teheran Braves Jersey . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Ozzie Albies Braves Jersey . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. Army defensive back Gervon Simon has never played against Navy, and hes a senior. Even if he doesnt get his first chance on Saturday when the archrivals meet in Baltimore, hes more than ready for what will be the biggest football game of his life.This is the most excited Ive been and the most confident Ive felt in our team in all four years, Simon said. I dont think there needs to be any more motivation. As a team, we understand the significance of this game.Army coach Jeff Monken is in his third year at West Point, and he marvels at the passion of players like Simon, whose Army resume is scant. Simon, also a member of special teams, has played in only four games this season and has assisted on two tackles. Those are the only four games Simon has played in his Army career.When you consider that Simon was a standout quarterback in high school in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and that his father, Geroy, was a star receiver at Maryland and one of the most decorated players in Canadian Football League history, you understand why Monken heaps praise on this senior class.They decided that it was time for us to get it done, Monken said. Theyve worked tirelessly. Tough, resilient, hard-working group of guys that believe in each other. No matter whats come our way, they found a way to claw back and come back the next week and prepare for the next day.What a great example for the young guys coming behind them. I hope this is only just the beginning.Army (6-5) is in sort of rarefied air for a program thats been down and out for the past two decades. With a date in a bowl game this month, the Black Knights have a chance to post only their second winning season since 1996.First things first, though, for the firsties (seniors) -- stopping the 14-game winning streak fashioned by Navy (9-3) in the series.It feels good being able to go to a bowl game, but definitely not thinking about that right now, senior linebacker Jeremy Timpf said.We need to get it done, added Simon. Theres no substitute for it at the end of the day. We need to win. Thats it.That streak-ending victory nearly came a year ago with freshman quarterback Chris Carter playing in only his second gamme for Army.dddddddddddd A Hail Mary on the final play of the game fell short and the Midshipmen held on for a 21-17 triumph in Philadelphia.And so its been another 362 days -- and counting -- of the same dialogue, the same mindset that is everywhere at West Point.Theres no other program that wants to beat the other academy (as Army does), said Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva, a star at Army who served three tours of duty in Afghanistan and won a Bronze Star before getting a chance to play in the NFL. You say `Beat Navy! a thousand times a day at the academy. You say it when you salute somebody. It gets ingrained.It sucks to lose to Navy, but its for school pride, Villanueva said. We beat Navy in basketball, we beat Navy in rugby, we beat Navy in other sports. You love that. But football is one of those things we havent won in a long time.Monken, a former assistant at Navy, has placed his imprint on the Army program, and its trending up. A victory over Navy would be another step in the right direction.It would mean a lot to the program, Simon said. Itll mean so much going forward and bring momentum for the years to come -- to be able to change the result this year and get the win. The culture has changed so much from my first year here to now. Its a better culture.Regardless of the outcome, theres always one constant for the players.I think Army is on the right path, but football is never a priority in the hearts and minds of a player. It wasnt for my class, said Villanueva, who graduated from West Point in 2009. The last time we played Navy, we lost and obviously it sucks, but immediately after I pulled off my cleats II said, `My career in the Army is the one thing that takes (precedent).My heart was on serving after getting done with four years at the academy. It was never going to the academy to play football.-