anucks have lost two in a row in Denver after winning the

MINNEAPOLIS - The last time the Minnesota Twins searched for a manager, Paul Molitor was in the mix. Fake Mariners Jerseys . He withdrew from consideration, with the franchises future uncertain during Major League Baseballs failed attempt to eliminate two clubs.The job didnt open for another 13 years, but this time Molitor was ready. The challenge he accepted is to help turn around a team that lost 92 or more games in each of the last four seasons.The Twins announced Monday they had agreed to a three-year contract for the Hall of Fame infielder and native of Minnesota, who will be introduced Tuesday as Ron Gardenhires replacement during a news conference at Target Field.Its pretty exciting. Im a huge Molitor fan, second baseman Brian Dozier said. Hes a bright individual, with a better IQ in the game of baseball than anyone Ive ever been around. Hes just an exceptional man.This is the first managing job at any level for Molitor, who has the 10th-most hits in major league history. He spent 2014 as a coach on Gardenhires staff. Prior to that, he served for 10 seasons as a minor league instructor in the organization, a noted influence on many young players.Three finalists who had multiple interviews with general manager Terry Ryan were Molitor, Boston Red Sox bench coach Torey Luvollo and Twins minor league manager Doug Mientkiewicz, according to reports. Matching the organizations patient, deliberate style, Ryan took his time with the search before settling on the candidate widely believed to be the favourite all along, particularly given the franchises penchant for promoting from within.I know he hasnt managed, but I dont think that should be a problem at all, just because his knowledge of the game. Hes been around the game for so long now, Dozier said. Its just taking all hes learned over his career and just going on the other side of it now.Molitor, 58, will be the 13th manager of the Twins, who will begin their 55th season. He was an initial candidate in 2001 when Tom Kelly retired, after serving as bench coach during Kellys last two years, but Gardenhire got the job then.Gardenhire led the Twins to the AL Central title in his first year, the first of six on his watch, and a spot in the 2002 AL championship series. The last of those division titles was as late as 2010, but gaps in the organizational talent pool quickly caught up with a club that was revered throughout the previous decade playing in the dingy, low-revenue Metrodome as one of best-run in baseball.These days, the fan base is filled with frustration. Ryan, long one of the most revered decision-makers in the game, has not been immune from the criticism, either, and he realized the importance of this hire.Molitors Hall of Fame and 3,000-hit club credentials were pluses, sure, but his reputation of valuable work with prospects in his role as a roving tutor specializing in baserunning and infield play were equal strengths for Ryan to assess. Molitor served the 2004 season as hitting coach with the Seattle Mariners but has otherwise spent the majority of his post-playing days tutoring throughout the Twins organization.Ill tell you this much, there wont be a team anywhere in the league with a better leader than (Molitor), Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe tweeted. Very excited to battle with him!Molitor made his reputation with the Milwaukee Brewers and won a World Series with the Toronto Blue Jays, but he finished a stellar 21-year career of flawless compact swings with the Twins from 1996-98.The soft-spoken native of neighbouring St. Paul attended the same high school as Twins first baseman Joe Mauer. After a standout career at the University of Minnesota, the Brewers took Molitor with the third pick in the 1977 draft.His time in the majors wasnt without tumult. Brewers fans were stung when he signed with the Blue Jays. He struggled with injuries. Then there was the drug problem that dogged the early stage of his career, use of cocaine and marijuana he later said was a reaction to pressure he felt by his image as the clean-cut, Midwest-raised star.___AP Sports Writer Jon Krawczynski contributed to this report. Mariners Jerseys China . Rob Klinkhammer and Mikkel Boedker scored 63 seconds apart in the first period for the Coyotes, who handed the Kings their third straight loss and took over sole possession of eighth place in the Western Conference. Mike Smith made 36 saves. Seattle Mariners Shirts . Murray beat Sam Querrey 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3 to clinch Britains opening-round victory against the United States on Sunday at Petco Park. "Im proud of the way Im playing just now, because I had to do a lot of work to get back to where I want to be," Murray said after celebrating with his teammates on the red clay court in a temporary stadium in left field of the downtown home of baseballs San Diego Padres. https://www.cheapmariners.com/ . Armstrong was given the rank of "Chevalier" -- or Knight -- in the "Legion dHonneur" in 2005, the last year of his seven consecutive Tour de France victories.The struggling Colorado Avalanche hope the return of their No. 1 goaltender can help the club end a four-game skid when it hosts the Vancouver Canucks in tonights clash at Pepsi Center. You can listen the game live on TSN 1040 Radio Vancouver at 6pm pt. The Avalanche are 1-4-2 on the season and in the midst of an 0-2-2 slide. However, Colorado head coach Patrick Roy revealed good news Thursday when he announced goaltender Semyon Varlamov will return to action in Fridays game. Varlamov was placed on injured reserve last Thursday with a groin injury. Although he is 0-2-1 with a 3.80 goals-against average and .910 save percentage through three games this season, Varlamov led the NHL last season with a franchise-record 41 wins and finished second in the voting for the Vezina Trophy. The 26-year-old Russian netminder is just 2-7-1 with a 2.62 goals against average in 10 lifetime games against the Canucks. Vancouver will shoot for a second straight win Friday after recording an impressive 4-1 road victory last night in St. Louis. Ryan Miller had 31 saves against his former club and the Canucks used a three-goal third period to beat the Blues at Scottrade Center. Miller, who signed with the Canucks during the summer after spending the second half of last season in St. Louis, turned aside 16 shots in the first two periods before stopping all 15 he faced in the third. It was interesting, said Miller. Ive never done that before. Ive never had a chance to play against a former team like that. ... A lot of good guys on the (Blues); it was one that I was actually really looking forward to, especially here in St. Louis. It was fun. Chris Higgins, Nick Bonino, Linden Vey and Jannik Hansen all scored for Vancouver, which got back on track after consecutive losses. The Canucks are 3-1-0 on the road this season and are closing a three-game trip tonight. Seattle Mariners Store. Next up for Vancouver is a three-game homestand, beginning with Sundays tilt against Washington. Its unclear if Miller will play on back-to-back nights Friday, or if Eddie Lack will get his second start of the season. Lack suffered an overtime loss in his only career outing against Colorado, while Miller is 1-4-3 with a 3.32 GAA in eight lifetime games versus the Avs. Colorado is lagging far behind last seasons pace, as the club shocked the hockey world by winning their first six games and going 12-1-0 out of the gates. The Avs, of course, wound up winning their first division title since 2003 last season, as they finished ahead of Chicago and St. Louis for the Central crown. After losing the final three tests of a four-game road trip, the Avs returned to Denver to face Florida on Tuesday, but dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the Panthers. Colorado fought its way back into the game after falling behind 2-0 in the first, but Floridas Brad Boyes scored the game-winning goal in overtime. Tyson Barrie, Alex Tanguay and Gabriel Landeskog each lit the lamp in the loss and Reto Berra stopped 32-of-36 shots for Colorado. We came back after a really bad first period, Berra said. We needed the wake-up call. Colorado had a strong 26-11-4 record on home ice last season, but fell to 0-1-1 as the host with Tuesdays setback. The Avs next game is Sundays away tilt in Winnipeg, but the club will follow that up with another two-game homestand against San Jose and the New York Islanders. Roys club posted a 2-1-0 record against the Canucks last season, but Vancouver has claimed 11 of the last 14 meetings in this series. The Canucks have lost two in a row in Denver after winning the previous four encounters at Pepsi Center. ' ' '