NEW YORK -- Hockey rarely gets much attention in Norway, a skiing-obsessed nation that turns to soccer when the snow melts. [url=http://www.authentic76ersauthority.com/amir-johnson-76ers-jersey-c- 30/]Amir Johnson Jersey[/url] . Mats Zuccarello is changing that. Zuccarello is only the seventh player f

NEW YORK -- Hockey rarely gets much attention in Norway, a skiing-obsessed nation that turns to soccer when the snow melts. Amir Johnson Jersey . Mats Zuccarello is changing that. Zuccarello is only the seventh player from Norway to make it to the NHL, and hes the first to make it to the Stanley Cup finals. Now, "Zucca" has Norwegians staying up late to watch New York Rangers games and checking the stats to see if he scored. "A lot of Norwegians have fallen in love with Zuccarello," says Roy Kvatningen, sports editor for Norwegian online paper Nettavisen. "First and foremost because hes successful at what he does. He won the scoring title in Norway, he won the scoring title in Sweden, and now hes playing on the biggest stage in the world. "Hes also got a cool name and a good personality: confident, but down to earth." Former teammates of Zuccarello and his mother are being interviewed by Norwegian media. Downhill skier Kjetil Jansrud and players on the national soccer team have sent him congratulatory messages. In his fourth NHL season, all with the Rangers, Zuccarello notched 19 goals and 40 assists in 77 games. He added four goals and seven assists in 20 post-season games to help New York get to the finals for the first time in 20 years. "Some people, like my close family and friends that have been following me since I was young, are really excited," he said. "I told everyone its a huge opportunity for me to play, but at the same time nothing is won yet." The affable 26-year-old winger hopes his success will build up hockey at home, but he knows it will take a lot more than that. "I would love to be a role model for younger players back home and create some more buzz around hockey," he said. "Hopefully this can help. If I was Norwegian or not, I would be equally happy to play in the Stanley Cup finals." Norway finished last in the Sochi Olympic hockey tournament. Zuccarello believes a greater commitment is needed within the country before success outside of it can be reached. "We have 25 rinks. There is no ice in the rinks during the whole summer," he said. "... How are you supposed to be a good hockey player when you go four months with no ice?" Zuccarello says Norway hasnt made a commitment to hockey since Oslo hosted the 1952 Olympics. "Nothing," he said in a frustrated tone. "We have one new rink in Norway that is not from 52. They have renewed it a little bit, but our main rink in Oslo was built in 52, and thats not good enough. Its got to start from the top. Its going to cost money, but the government has money. Youve got to use it to get new rinks, get people excited to go to a hockey game with new seats. Norway is considered the "little brother" in hockey circles to Sweden and Finland. Sweden has 10 times as many rinks than Norway, Kvatningen said. Zuccarello was fortunate to attend a hockey-centric high school and then played three seasons in Norways elite league. From there he went to Modo in Swedens premier league before signing a free agent deal with the Rangers in 2010. He watched the Stanley Cup finals as a youngster in the early morning hours. The first one he recalls was the Colorado Avalanches victory over Florida in 1996 when he was 8. The Avalanche, with Swedish star Peter Forsberg, was Zuccarellos favourite team. They won that series in a four-game sweep -- ending it with Uwe Krupps goal in triple overtime. "I remember waking up. I was going to school, I turned on the TV and Uwe Krupp scored the overtime winner," Zuccarello said. "I didnt think it was live. I thought it was taped." He might be about to create a lot of sleepless nights for grown-ups and kids alike back home once this series against the Los Angeles Kings begins Wednesday. Family members and friends are planning to make the trip to New York to see him play live in Games 3 and 4. They will have to make room for other Norwegian tourists who are looking to make the trek, too. "I know already that more Norwegians have been travelling to New York to catch a game at Madison Square Garden," Kvatningen said. "Even if theyre not hockey fans, its a great experience for Norwegians to go over there and see a small Norwegian guy getting celebrated." JJ Redick Jersey .The seventh-seeded Raonic was scheduled to play U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori of Japan, but was replaced in the Group B pool by Spanish substitute David Ferrer.Raonic, who was 0-2 at the year-end event, said he suffered the injury late in the first set of Tuesdays 6-3, 7-6 loss to Murray. Allen Iverson Jersey . This week they discuss the Philadelphia 76ers, Gregg Popovich, Royal and Ancient Golf Club and Bill Belichick. http://www.authentic76ersauthority.com/dario-saric-76ers-jersey-c-32/ . Ryan Getzlaf certainly got them started in the second. Getzlaf scored the first two goals in the second, and Teemu Selanne scored the go-ahead goal late in the period as the Anaheim Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 4-3 Thursday night.LONDON -- Chelsea became the latest leading Premier League side to see its ambitions stall at West Bromwich Albion as a 1-1 draw prevented the leaders from bolstering their position on Tuesday. Just like Everton and Liverpool in the previous two games at the Hawthorns, Chelsea was forced to settle for a goal apiece. Chelsea defenders exploited slack opposition defending to put the visitors in front, with Branislav Ivanovic turning the ball into the net on the stroke of half time after David Luiz flicked on Williams corner. But Chelseas defence left Victor Anichebe in too much space to meet Saido Berahinos cross in the 87th minute and head West Brom level. "In the first half we had complete control without creating many chances -- Petr (Cech) not making one save, their strikers with not one shot," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. "In the second half they opened and gave us the space we didnt have in the first half, but we were not strong enough to kill the game." Chelsea is two points clear of second-place Arsenal, which hosts struggling Manchester United on Wednesday. Manchester City also has a chance to move to the top by beating Sunderland if Arssenal slips up. Moses Malone Jersey. "We must have the personality to get out, to not accept the pressure," Mourinho said. From the top to the bottom, the Premier League has rarely been so open in the second half of the season. West Ham beat Norwich with a third consecutive 2-0 win to complete its rise from 18th to 10th in eight days, but the London club is still only eight points from bottom-place Fulham. Mohamed Diames cross was headed in by James Collins in the 84th and the striker netted himself in stoppage time after surging through on the break. Norwich is just 16th despite being only three points behind West Ham. Cardiff remains mired in the relegation zone after being held to a 0-0 draw by Aston Villa. At the other end of the standings, Southampton extended its unbeaten run to six matches after Jose Fonte clinched a 1-0 victory at Hull. An initial header by Fonte was saved, Jay Rodriguezs follow-up was thwarted but Fonte had another attempt that was cleared by Maynor Figueroa -- only for goal-line technology to show the ball had crossed the line. Southampton would have gone in front regardless, as Rickie Lambert fired the rebound over the line. Wholesale NFL T-shirts China NFL Gear Cheap Jerseys 2020 Wholesale NFL Womens Jerseys Cheap NFL Black Jerseys Youth NFL Jerseys Cheap Youth NFL Jerseys Wholesale ' ' '