ST. PAUL, Minn. - Thomas Vanek was bound to get a goal for Minnesota soon. The Wilds power play was well overdue, too.Scoring with a snap shot off a textbook behind-the-goal-line pass by Zach Parise, Vanek crossed both items off the to-do list on Saturday night.Vanek capped a three-goal second period with his first score for his new team, and the Wild stayed unbeaten at home with a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars.Mikael Granlund and Matt Dumba struck first for the Wild, the first goal for each this season, but the loudest roar from the crowd came when Vanek scored 57 seconds before the intermission. Vanek skated emotionless off the ice, only slightly shaking his head. He said hes not much of a celebrator.It was more a relief more than anything, said Vanek, who signed a three-year, $19.5 million contract with the Wild. Even though it didnt look like much, it felt great.Not only did the puck that whizzed past goalie Kari Lehtonens glove give Minnesota a 3-1 lead, it gave Vanek his first goal in 10 games with the Wild and gave them their first goal in 29 extra-skater opportunities. They were the last NHL team to get one.It was way past the joking point. It was more just relief, said Parise, who had two assists and has a team-high 10 points in 10 games.Thats about the only part of Minnesotas game that wasnt working well. Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves to improve to 6-2 as the Wild raised their home record to 5-0, including four wins in regulation, with a 22-6 goal differential in those games. The Wild have scored first in eight of their 10 games, going 6-2 when doing so.Nino Niederreiter added another power-play goal for good measure in the third period, a slick between-the-skates tip-in of Ryan Suters feed in the third period.We were just sticking with our game. We knew it was going to come eventually, Dumba said of the power play. Its just one of those things that we werent getting the bounces, but hopefully now we can get it rolling.Wild coach Mike Yeo said he wasnt worried about Vanek. Stars coach Lindy Ruff, his longtime coach with the Buffalo Sabres, wasnt buying the slump, either.Thomas is going to score 25 to 30 goals. Hes that good a goal scorer, as good as any guy around the front of the net that Ive ever coached, Ruff said.Vernon Fiddler scored for the Stars, just 8 seconds after Dumbas goal, but they were outshot 30-20. The Wild have outshot every opponent this season, by a whopping total of 350 to 229.Theres energy missing in our game. Its as simple as that, Ruff said.Lehtonen was in the Dallas net for the second straight night, having lost in overtime at home Friday to Anaheim 2-1. He made several difficult saves, but his effort was hardly enough. Backup Anders Lindback has given up nine goals in two games this season, and Ruff wasnt ready to give him another start.The Stars fell to 0-2-2 in their last four games after going 0 for 4 on the power play. They had 78 seconds of a 5-on-3 advantage in the first period that was frittered away without a threat.Jordie Benns failed clearing attempt was snagged by Granlund, who pivoted and zipped a slap shot from the slot into the net with Parise screening Lehtonen. Jamie Benn took the slashing penalty that set up Niederreiters power-play goal.Things were coming easy for us at the beginning of the year, and now were starting to find a bit of an uphill stretch here, Fiddler said. Good teams find a way to work through it, and thats what were going to have to do.NOTES: Stars RW Ales Hemsky sustained an upper-body injury in the second period and didnt return. ... The Wild got defenceman Jonas Brodin and centre Erik Haula back from two-game absences, both due to upper-body injuries. ... The Wild placed D Jared Spurgeon (shoulder) on the injured list, expecting him to miss several games. Christian Folin (illness) returned from a five-game absence to take his place in the lineup. Spurgeon has a team-high 25 blocked shots and six points in nine games. ... The Wild improved to 19-25-8 (including 15-9-2 at home) against the Stars, who played in Minnesota from 1967-93. Wholesale Vapormax Plus . -- When the Los Angeles Kings are on top of their formidable defensive game, they revel in the silence they can create in a frustrated road arena. Vapormax Clearance Sale . “Im not sure well get Melky Cabrera at all,” said Gibbons. The 29-year-old left fielder struggled all season with knee and hamstring problems. Cabrera was first on the disabled list from June 27-July 20 with tendinitis in his left knee. http://www.wholesalenikeshoesclearance.c...orge-shoes.html. - The Washington Redskins have signed free agent offensive lineman Mike McGlynn. Fake Air Max 270 For Sale . The mood in Seattle was electrified as the parade featuring the NFL champions began near the Space Needle and made its way to CenturyLink Field, the home of the team. At a ceremony inside the stadium, the team thanked its loyal followers -- the 12th Man -- capping a day of boisterous celebration that drew an estimated 700,000 revelers to Seattle. Air Max 1 Wholesale . -- Derek Jeter spoke for 25 minutes, 44 seconds and answered 26 questions about his decision to retire at the end of this season.FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- LeGarrette Blount made one last big splash into a soggy end zone. The powerful back finished his 35-yard touchdown run up the left sideline by flopping with outstretched arms and capping the New England Patriots 34-20 win over the Buffalo Bills in a steady downpour Sunday. The victory gave the Patriots a first-round bye and the Gillette Stadium field an extra week to dry out. "He carried the team on his back most of the day," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. The rain "got worse as the game went along. It was definitely a running game." Blount rushed for a career-high 189 yards, returned two kickoffs for 145 and set a club record with 334 all-purpose yards. The Patriots (12-4) obtained Blount in an off-season trade with Tampa Bay and he shared playing time with other backs since then. On Sunday, the 250-pounder led the charge. He also scored on a 36-yard run and set up a touchdown and field goal with kickoff returns of 83 and 62 yards. The extra point after his 35-yarder put the Patriots ahead 34-20 with 2:31 left. "Every time I play I try my best to come out with the mindset to make a contribution to any part of the game, whether its kick returns or running the ball or catching it," Blount said. After his second touchdown, he hugged Belichick, who had a towel draped over his shoulders. Tom Brady was content to hand the ball off rather than throw through rain drops against a team leading the NFL in sacks and second in interceptions. "The water on the field at the end, it was just puddles," he said. Stephen Gostkowski kicked four field goals as the Patriots earned their eighth bye in Belichicks 14 seasons. The Bills (6-10) missed the playoffs for the 14th straight year, the leagues longest current streak. They won their previous two games. "It would be much different if we were ending on a three-game winning streak," Bills coach Doug Marrone said. "To say that youre close or anything like that, until you win we dont have a leg to stand on." New England won its 13th straight home game against Buffalo, including 12-0 since Gillette opened in 2002. The Patriots have the second seed and play in two weeks at home, where theyre 8-0. Denver, which beat Oakland, has the top seed. New England began its game with a chance to finish iin any of the AFCs top four playoff spots.dddddddddddd "We put together a great season, but it doesnt matter much now," Brady said. The Bills played without quarterback EJ Manuel, who has a small tear in a left knee ligament, and wide receiver Stevie Johnson, excused for the second straight game after his mothers death. Backup Thad Lewis threw a 12-yard scoring pass to T.J. Graham late in the third quarter and led an 80-yard drive capped by Fred Jacksons 5-yard run with 10:20 remaining. After each of those touchdowns Blount had his long kickoff returns. His 83-yarder set up Bradys 5-yard scoring pass to Shane Vereen, followed by a 2-point conversion pass that made it 24-10. The 62-yarder led to Gostkowskis fourth field goal, a 35-yarder that put the Patriots ahead 27-17. The Bills turned over the ball on downs on their next possession. "Of course the ball is wet," Buffalo wide receiver Robert Woods said, "but we still have to make plays and catch the ball." Before the Patriots ran the next play, "Singin in the Rain" blared over the public address system, and drenched fans sang along. Then Manny Lawson intercepted Bradys pass and the Bills capitalized with Dan Carpenters 37-yard field goal. Buffalo tried an onside kick, but Nate Ebner recovered for New England. Blount then ran 10 yards before scoring his second touchdown on the next play. The game even featured a punt by Brady on third-and-32 from his 46-yard line midway through the third quarter with the score 16-3. It travelled 32 yards, where Jim Leonhard made a fair catch. "It could have been a lot better," Brady said. Brady finished 14 of 24 for 122 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Lewis went 16 for 29 for 247 yards and a touchdown. C.J. Spiller led the Bills with 105 yards rushing. NOTES: Bills tackle Marcell Dareus was benched for the first half for violating a team rule. In Buffalos previous game he was benched for the first quarter, also for violating a team rule. ... The previous Patriots record for all-purpose yards was 273 by Larry Garron in 1962 at Buffalo. ... Carpenters 51-yard field goal that tied the game at 3 made him the first player in Bills history with four field goals of at least 50 yards or more in a season. ' ' '