Noel to open his post-game news conference. "We didnt have very m

KELOWNA, B.C. - When Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier didnt make Canadas team for the Sochi Olympics, the ice dancers put themselves on autopilot.It was the low point on a roller-coaster season of crazy highs and heartbreaking lows.We really had to keep moving forward, so we had to go home, take it one day at a time really, because we couldnt really dwell on: Well, that was it, Gilles said. We had to turn our minds off for a little bit.Gilles, from Toronto, and Poirier, from Unionville, Ont., captured a silver medal in ice dance at Skate Canada International on Saturday night, and reflected on how far theyve come from last season.Its so nice to be prepared coming into the Grand Prix season this year, I think there are so many positives coming out of this competition, Poirier said.Their Sochi Olympic campaign got off to a nightmare start when Poirier broke his ankle in May of 2013, a break so severe it took three plates and 13 screws to repair it. He wasnt back on the ice until August, and the two werent able to do full run-throughs of their programs until about three weeks before their Grand Prix debut last November.All the while, the American-born Gilles was nervously waiting for her Canadian citizenship, which she was finally awarded a few weeks before the Olympic trials, making her eligible to compete for Canada in Sochi.It wasnt to be — they would finish fourth at the trials, narrowly missing the team.The first couple days (of Sochi) were hard for me, Gilles said. I couldnt watch the first couple of days. But then once your competitors and your friends are all there, youre like, OK, I have to, because you want to cheer them on. And as hard as it is for you, it still gives you the motivation for the next four years.Gilles and Poirier, who are both 22, didnt have much time to dwell on their disappointment. They were named to the Four Continents team, where they finished second, and then were replacements for Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir on Canadas team for the world championships, where they finished eighth.I think more at the end of the season, it was like: Aw man!, Gilles said on not making the Sochi team. But we did worlds and we had a positive worlds, so that kind of helped the negative part of it.It gave us a lot of momentum going into this season and we saw what we could achieve with training behind us, and weve tried to really embrace that this season, Poirier added.Gilles and Poirier say they already have more training under their belts this season than they did all of last year, and with the changing landscape of ice dancing post-Olympics — both Virtue and Moir and U.S. Olympic champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White are taking the season off to contemplate their futures — are keen to position themselves among the worlds best.We really want to make a big statement this year, said Poirier, who was 14th at the Vancouver Olympics with former partner Vanessa Crone. We really want to show were contenders in this quadrennial, and I think it has to start now. Weve really been pushing ourselves because now is the time where we can really break into the ranks.Looking back on the stresses of last season, especially the nerve-wracking wait for citizenship, Gilles said, I wouldnt change it.Were still hoping for our goal, a medal, for the next one, so were still pushing, she added.The end goal is still the same, Poirier said. And were still hoping to get there three and a half years from now. Anthony Davis Pelicans Jersey . First, Ivan Nova decided to have season-ending Tommy John elbow surgery. Then Michael Pineda was suspended for 10 games for using pine tar. ETwaun Moore Pelicans Jersey . Speaking on TSN Radio 1050s TSN Drive with Dave Naylor on Monday, Colangelo said he had no intention of tanking the shortened 2011-12 season, but definitely wanted a high pick in the draft. "I wish that word wasnt used for headline reasons," said Colangelo, "but the story behind it was: how can we fix the system? How can we tweak the system to make it less likely that teams are rewarded for losing records? "I do believe that if youre as transparent as we were at the time - with our season seat holders, our fans, the market place and the media - everybody knew what the plan was and what we were going through. http://www.shoppelicansonline.com/Authentic-ETwaun-Moore-Pelicans-Jersey/ . However, Therrien added that Galchenyuks status for next Wednesdays game against the Detroit Red Wings is questionable. Galchenyuk has been out since Jan. 6 with a broken right hand. Anthony Davis Jersey . Louis still looking for a way out of Tampa Bay, the 38-year-old NHL veteran isnt showing his cards. Jahlil Okafor Pelicans Jersey . Here at TSN.ca we will take a look back at the season by bringing together a panel of experts to help pick the best 50 players of the season.The Jets are back to an even 13-13-4 on the season, 6-7-1 on the road and 3-2 on their current six-game road trip after dropping a 5-2 decision to the Florida Panthers. These are frustrating games for players, coaches and fans - games where you know you are the better team but where "any team can beat you on any given night" comes into play. Panthers meanwhile snapped a three-game losing streak. The Jets got off to the good start with Andrew Ladds goal just 5:27 in giving them the early 1-0 lead. It was Ladds eighth goal of the year with assists going to Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler on the marker. Little now has gone seven without a goal, but in his last 18 games, he has seven goals and 12 assists. In the last 18 games, he has not gone back-to-back games without a point and continues to lead the Jets in scoring. Eric Gudbranson later tied the game with his second of the year in a period where the Jets outshot the Panthers 12-9. In the second, a play that started with a big hit by Gudbranson on Toby Enstrom in the Panthers zone led to an odd-man rush and the first NHL goal for Dylan Olsen. That came at 3:21 of the period and, despite a number of great chances, the Jets couldnt get the tying goal past Tim Thomas before Tomas Fleischmann at 17:59 made it 3-1. Fleischmann, battling an offensive slump, has always put up good numbers against the Jets. In fact, he now has 53 career multiple-point games with 11 of them against the Jets. The Jets outshot the Panthers 11-10 in for the period. Nick Bjugstad made it a 4-1 game before former Panthers captain Olli Jokinen, with his seventh of the year, made it 4-2. Seven goals matches his goal total from last season and Jokinen now has four points in two games (two goals and two assists,) while the assist by Devin Setoguchi gives him fivee points in his last five games (three goals and two assists.dddddddddddd.) Chris Thorburn hit a goal post shortly thereafter, but that is as close as the Jets would get as Jimmy Hayes ended the scoring at 17:16 for a 5-2 final. The Jets outshot the Panthers 31-26. It was the first time on this trip the Jets have allowed more than two goals against. The Jets outhit the Panthers 46-19. Players were first to step up after the game and admit that they were not ready to play. But "why" is the question as to which that there did not seem to be a consistent answer. "The game wasnt very good," said a frustrated Jets coach Claude Noel to open his post-game news conference. "We didnt have very many good players," continued Noel. "We played way differently tonight that we did Monday in New York. It was a hard time getting the guys going, getting them engaged in the game." Despite players having said for two days that the "one step forward and two steps back" pattern is not acceptable, it appears they underestimated their opponent. "Why we cant take that next step, I dont know," explained Noel. "We made bad decisions. We have success playing a certain way and then decide to play differently." A win Saturday in Tampa to close out the trip would make it a 4-2 trip and a good six games. A loss, and to go home at .500 after being three and one, it would be disappointing. You can catch that game live on TSN 1290 Winnipeg at 6pm ct. The Jets played without Evander Kane (day-to-day with a lower body injury,) and Michael Frolik (day-to-day with the flu.) Eric Tangradi played in Froliks spot and had five hits in 15:06 of ice time. After Saturday, the Jets return home for games against St. Louis, Colorado and Dallas. ' ' '