ST. David Bakhtiari Super Bowl Jersey . PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota is hardly a marquee place in major professional sports, a midsized market in the middle of the country best known on the coasts for the length and extremity of its winters.In the NHL, though, theres evidence mounting to the contrary. Thomas Vanek was the latest free agent to pick the Wild, two summers after Zach Parise and Ryan Suter jolted the league by coming as a package deal.Its a good city to live in and play in, so I dont see why this wouldnt be a destination of choice, said Jason Pominville, who was traded to the Wild last year and liked the surroundings enough to sign a new contract.After advancing to the Western Conference semifinals last season, the Wild have returned with a roster to match the hockey-maven populace and quality-of-life features in the Twin Cities area. Winning, of course, is the ultimate sell.Good players want to play with good players. Hopefully that trend is going to continue, Parise said.Vanek was the one, ironically, who first encouraged Pominville to embrace this place when he was traded by Buffalo. Vanek and Pominville were teammates with the Sabres for eight years and neighbours, too, and the Montreal-area native wasnt familiar with Minnesota.He loved Buffalo a lot, which I did too, Vanek said. But I told him, Youll like it there. Theres a lot of good fans. And after a week or so, he called me and said, You know what? Youre right. I do like it here a lot.Pominville signed a five-year, $28 million deal a few days before last season, and that has now kicked in. Vanek signed for three years and $19.5 million. Two seasons ago, Parise and Suter each signed 13-year, $98 million contracts.People recognize the talent that you have. So were getting better, general manager Chuck Fletcher said.Another factor in the Wilds favour has been the cultivation of prospects who have begun to contribute. With Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle and Jonas Brodin the standouts, the Wild will likely send a 20-man lineup to the ice for the season opener Thursday against Colorado that includes 11 players age 24 or younger.The 14-year-old Wild dont have much on an original six franchise and the Twin Cities area is dwarfed by New York or Los Angeles in glamour and density, but Minnesota has produced more NHL players than any other state. Canada will always be king, but the land of frequently frozen lakes is a legitimate landing spot for many of this sports best.Vanek was raised in Austria but played at the University of Minnesota, winning an NCAA championship in 2003. Parise grew up in the Twin Cities area, the son of a former NHL star. Suters roots are across the border in Wisconsin, but his wife is from Bloomington, where the North Stars used to play before moving to Dallas and creating the void filled by the Wild.Stephon Marbury once infamously swore off a long-term NBA career with the Timberwolves because of Minnesotas cold weather, but for players in this league the climate during the season feels no different than western Canada or northern Europe. Good schools for the kids and postcard-quality summer days help, too, and the depth, history and passion of the fan base is a plus.With the Suter-Parise signings as the impetus, the season-ticket base for 2014-15 is the highest in owner Craig Leipolds nearly seven years running the team.Weve got the total package here and I think we need to continue to push that, Leipold said. We have a really great product to sell, and thats one reason we know that Thomas Vanek was interested. Anybody who has ever played in Minnesota wants to come back.Vanek has kept an off-season home in the Twin Cities area, so he had opportunity to settle his family. He wasnt going to pick the Wild, though, if they hadnt shown the same promise on the ice.I liked the team, I liked the depth, I liked the veteran players that we have, I like the young guys, Vanek said, and overall I think its a good mix. Clay Matthews Super Bowl Jersey . Ryu (8-3) allowed a run and three hits in six innings and struck out six in his 13th start. In his first 13 starts last season -- his first in the major leagues -- the left-hander was 8-5 with a 2.85 ERA. This was the ninth time this year that Ryu has allowed fewer than three earned runs, and he is 7-0 in those games. Jace Sternberger Super Bowl Jersey . "Well over 50 (per cent)," coach Claude Noel said Tuesday after practice, where the Jets were looking at ways to cut down the scoring chances theyve been giving away. http://www.shoptheofficialpackers.com/Elite-Jamaal-Williams-Packers-Jersey/ . With the final four being arguably the four best – and most complete – teams from the regular season, picking a winner is not as easy as it sounds.Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - James Harden nearly recorded a triple-double and the Houston Rockets used a fast start to take down the Oklahoma City Thunder, 112-101, on Thursday night. Harden led six Rockets in double figures with 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Trevor Ariza totaled 17 points and Donatas Motiejunas had 14 for Houston, which has won five of its last six. Dwight Howard, Patrick Beverley and Josh Smith each contributed 13 points to the victory. Kevin Durant paced the Thunder with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Russell Westbrook, Dion Waiters and Reggie Jackson scored 16 points apiece in Oklahoma Citys third loss in four games. Both teams shot under 30 percent in the last meeting, a forgettable 69-65 Rockets victory on Nov. 16 in a game Durant and Westbrook were absent from the OKC lineup. Houston used relentless effort during a strong opening quarter in this one and jumped all over the Thunder from the onset. Harden looked to get a lift playing his former club, scoring the first seven points for the Rockets as part of a 23-2 run early in the first. Oklahoma City made the first two field goals of the game, then did not register another successful basket until the newly acquired Waiters hit a bank shot at 5:20 which closed the gap to 23-9. Raven Greene Super Bowl Jersey. Harden netted 15 points in Houstons highest-scoring quarter of the season as it grabbed a 40-18 advantage entering the second. Durant scored 15 of his 16 first-half points in the second quarter and helped the Thunder cut a 26-point deficit to 64-53 at the break. The Rockets maintained a double-digit lead throughout the third and brought an 88-75 edge into the fourth. Houston led 88-78 early in the fourth when Smith converted a pair of buckets inside during a 12-0 run that put the game out of reach. Game Notes OKC has been held under 100 points in four straight games on the heels of reaching the century mark in three straight -- two wins ... The win was Rockets coach Kevin McHales 200th career ... Durant had a game-high three blocks ... Serge Ibaka finished with 13 points and seven rebounds in the loss ... Houston shot 16-of-36 from beyond the arc. ' ' '