Laufende Spiele » Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot of the Ottawa Se

SAN DIEGO -- Even if the San Diego Chargers continue to struggle for an identity, Melvin Gordon isnt.For the second day in a row, coach Mike McCoy referred to the second-year running back as a bell cow.Gordon led the herd all right, running for a career-high 196 yards in helping the Chargers hold off the Tennessee Titans 43-35 on Sunday. It was the ninth-highest total in franchise history and the most since LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 198 against Oakland on Oct. 14, 2007.Gordons NFL-high 11th touchdown was a go-ahead, 1-yard run in the third quarter.The way we ran the football, that was outstanding, with Melvin being the bell cow and really just pounding it home and being the physical runner that he is, McCoy said Monday.Gordon ripped off a 47-yard run on third-and-7 in the closing minutes as the Chargers finally figured out how to close out a game when they held the lead.Thats phenomenal. It doesnt get better than that, McCoy said. Thats imposing your will on your opponent, whether its the guys up front, whether its the ball carrier making a special play like that to really seal the deal, and then to get the additional first down after that, was something special, McCoy said.McCoy said Gordon became the bell cow after Danny Woodhead was lost for the season with a torn ACL in the second game of the season.We all understood what we were dealing with, McCoy said.Its a dramatic turnaround from Gordons miserable rookie season. He failed to score a touchdown, didnt have a 100-yard game, was twice benched for fumbling and then missed the last two games with a knee injury that required microfracture surgery in January.Sunday was his second straight 100-yard game and third overall.McCoy said Gordons confidence is no different now that it was early in his rookie season.I think we saw that a lot early on last year, the first couple games of the year, the physical runner he was, McCoy said. Then from that point on, to a certain point during the season, whether it was us not blocking as well up front or him maybe making the wrong cut or guessing a little too much as the year went on last year. Weve been talking about this for a long time. We werent efficient enough.McCoy lauded Gordon for coming into the season in shape.Hes in great shape right now. Thats why hes able to do this, McCoy said.The Chargers (4-5) remain in last place in the AFC West. They host the Miami Dolphins (4-4) on Sunday.---Follow Bernie Wilson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/berniewilson---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Kai Nacua Jersey . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Chris Manhertz Jersey . 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Dylan Strome is living his NHL dream playing for the Arizona Coyotes, staying in a hotel and avoiding the harsh Pennsylvania winter he endured the past three years playing for the Ontario Hockey Leagues Erie Otters.He just doesnt know how long it will last.Strome was the No. 3 overall pick in 2015 and he is in hockeys version of purgatory: At 19, he is eligible to be sent back to the juniors without burning a year of his contract as long as he doesnt play 10 games.In the NFL and NBA, when youre drafted, youre in, and Major League Baseball prospects almost always start in the minors.NHL teams, however, get the chance to test-run some of their top young prospects before committing to them for a full season.No one feels bad for you, Strome said. Its not really up to me. Obviously I want to be in the NHL.In the same uncertain spot are Coyotes teammates Jakob Chychrun and Lawson Crouse and others around the league, from the New York Islanders Anthony Beauvillier and Mathew Barzal to the Calgary Flames Matthew Tkachuk. Despite making their teams opening-night roster, the players face a nerve-racking nine-game tryout -- and decision time is near for many of them.Its normal to have that kind of tryout because you never know what can happen, said Beauvillier, whose contract will count for this year if he plays his 10th game Tuesday. I dont control that. I just control what I do on the ice.The NHLs transfer agreement with the Canadian Hockey League prevents major-junior players under 20 from going to the American Hockey League for some professional seasoning. So even though Strome had 111 points, Tkachuk 107 points and the Toronto Maple Leafs Mitch Marner 116 points in juniors last season, they must remain in the NHL or go back to juniors instead of spending time in the minors.Once considered a top player in the 2016 draft class, Chychrun slipped to 16th and pondered the rule often during camp. But he has played well enough to get into seven games and give himself peace of mind.Now that Ive gotten a taste of the level here and just seen that I can play here, I think Im just trying to really just act like a pro, Chychrun said. You cant play when youre stressed. Youve just got to act like youre sticking here, and if you do that youll have a better chance of showing them why.Easier said than done ffor Barzal and Strome, who have been out of the lineup more than in it.dddddddddddd Coach Jack Capuano implied that a roster crunch could prevent the Islanders from keeping Beauvillier and Barzal all season, but Arizona could let Strome and Crouse practice, learn and wait rather than making them essentially repeat a grade level they already aced.The Coyotes sent Max Domi back to juniors two years ago and watched him dominate and blossom as a result, so coach Dave Tippett understands the nine-game barrier but doesnt dwell on it.Were more in tune of making sure that were doing everything we can to make it so they can play here so the nine games doesnt matter, Tippett said. We have to give them every opportunity, whether through extra coaching, extra workouts, critiquing their play -- everything you do to try to make sure it gives them the best chance to be successful.The Philadelphia Flyers approach was to take the nine games out of the equation entirely with 19-year-old defenseman Ivan Provorov and forward Travis Konecny, telling the 2015 first-round picks before opening night that theyd be around for the entire season. General manager Ron Hextall told them pointedly, This is not a nine-game tryout, so neither had to worry about that.It definitely gives me a little confidence, it allows me to play my game and be comfortable, said Konecny, who has a goal and six assists in 10 games and is in the NHL to stay. He wasnt going to bed every night stressed out (about whether) Im going to get that phone call.That phone call came Monday for 2016 No. 9 pick Mikhail Sergachev as the Montreal Canadiens sent him back to the OHLs Windsor Spitfires after just three NHL games. Along with Provorov and Konecny, Marner and Pavel Zacha of the New Jersey Devils are up for good and Chychrun is all but assured to stick.Meanwhile, Barzal, Strome, Crouse, Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot of the Ottawa Senators must wait.You just kind of have to put in the back of your mind, Crouse said. Its going to be there, but you kind of just have to store it in a spot where youre not thinkin