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SEATTLE -- Steve Ballmers departure from the group looking to bring the NBA back to Seattle isnt derailing lead investor Chris Hansens hopes of getting a team back in the region. Hansen told The Associated Press on Monday that he is confident hell be able to find investors to take Ballmers place in his group that is trying to build a new arena and last year nearly bought and moved the Sacramento Kings to Seattle. Hansen is the majority investor in the project, but said it would likely take more than one person to replace Ballmers investment. Other than Hansen, the only other known partners in the investment group are members of the Nordstrom department store family. Hansen said he wont put a limit on the number of investors at this time. "I think we want to have a reasonable group of partners," Hansen said. "That will be the thing that is probably most missed from Steves involvement. One, hes a great guy and very successful in his career and would have added a lot of insights and value in operating the team. Thats probably the first thing that will be missed from having him as a partner and the second thing, given his net worth, (he) had the ability to be really the only other partner that we needed. In all likelihood there are not a lot of Steve Ballmers in the world with his financial well-being, so in all likelihood I think its reasonable to assume we have a few more partners rather than just one." Seattles hopes seemed to take a blow last week when Ballmer agreed to buy the Los Angeles Clippers for $2 billion. Among other things, it raised questions about whether Ballmers decision should be taken as a sign that Seattles hopes of getting a franchise are dwindling. Hansen tried to calm those concerns, noting the environmental reviews on the proposed arena site are ongoing and that he remains committed to continuing the process both with the arena and a team. Hansens memorandum of understanding with the city of Seattle and King County on the arena goes through November 2017. "Everybody is very interested in what that means for right now. In six to nine months this will pass and well still be here trying to get our arena built and still be here trying to pursue a franchise and I think that is what is most important," Hansen said. "There is nothing we have to do. We own the land outright. There is no immediate time pressure that we have to do something and thats been very well received by the NBA as well -- the fact were willing to be patient and endure through this." Because of a lack of buzz about the NBA prior to Ballmer agreeing to purchase the Clippers, questions about whether the NHL could be first to land in Seattle have increased. It peaked recently when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman flew to Seattle during the NHL playoffs to meet with Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and King County executive Dow Constantine. Hansen reiterated he does not have an interest in being the majority owner of an NHL franchise. But hes willing to partner with another investor who has that passion for the NHL. That would require a restructuring of the memorandum of understanding and Hansen said any re-writing of the deal would have to be initiated by the city and county. "We would like to be accommodative to get the NHL here. There should be no question about that. Were building this arena as a two-sport building. It has the larger footprint for hockey. Weve worked hard to do that. We would like to do everything in our power to allow hockey to come here in a way that makes sense for the NHL and for a prospective partner," Hansen said. Andy Pettitte Astros Jersey . With timely hitting and good pitching, the Marlins are one win away from sweeping the slumping Houston Astros. Aaron Sanchez Jersey .com) - Ryan Miller made 28 saves to record his fifth shutout of the season and second in as many nights as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0 on Friday. https://www.cheapastros.com/143o-jose-cruz-jr-jersey-astros.html . -- Houstons All-Star tandem of James Harden and Dwight Howard refused to let the Rockets give in to fatigue. Abraham Toro Jersey . -- Jerome Verrier scored once and set up two more as the Drummondville Voltigeurs downed the visiting Chicoutimi Sagueneens 5-1 on Friday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play. Don Larsen Jersey . Brad Malone had the other goal for the Monsters (1-1-0), while Elliott chipped in an assist for a three-point night and the games first star. Bryan Lerg also had two assists. Corban Knight and Max Reinhart scored for the Heat (1-1-0), who opened their season Friday with a 5-2 win over the Monsters in Cleveland. TAMPA, Fla. -- The Boston Bruins are making a charge to claim the Eastern Conferences top spot. Reilly Smith scored the lone shootout goal in the seventh round to lead the Bruins past the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 on Saturday night. Smith put an in-close shot between the pads of Ben Bishop. Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask caught a break on Tampa Bays seventh shootout attempt when Richard Panik hit the post. "Many times you get that gut feeling, and I said, You know what, this is probably a good chance for Smitty to get himself going," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "I even told one of my assistant coaches, Its going to end here." Smith has not scored a regulation goal in his last 11 games. "It was good to be able to help the team get an extra point on that," Smith said. "Personally, it may take a little bit off my shoulders, but hopefully I can get back to it next game." The Bruins, winners of four straight, got regulation goals from Daniel Paille, Carl Soderberg and Johnny Boychuk. Boston trails East-leading Pittsburgh by a point. Ondrej Palat, Mark Barberio and Valtteri Filppula scored for the Lightning, who are 1-4-1 since the end of the Olympic break. "We, at least, got a point out of this one, so its definitely a step," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "This is the best weve played since the break." The Bruins outshot Tampa Bay, which had the games first seven shots, 32-20. Boston pulled even at 3 when Boychuk snapped a 20-game goal drought 8:11 into the third. The Bruins have outscored their opponents 78-43 during the third period this season. Filppula put the Lightning ahead 3-2 from the slot at 9:31 of the second after the teams had each scored twice earlier in the period. Palat ended Tampa Bays long scoring drought against the Bruiins on a short-handed goal to make it 1-0 just 27 seconds into the second.dddddddddddd The Lightning went 169:55 without scoring after Filppula, in the first of four games between the teams this season on Oct. 3, had a goal midway through the second in that game. Boston had outscored Tampa Bay 11-1 in winning the previous three meetings. After Barberio scored at 4:13 of the second, the Bruins had two goals in 1:31 by Paille (6:58) and Soderberg (8:29) to tie it at 2. Paille beat Bishop with a backhander between his legs before Soderberg had a breakaway goal. "Even though we fell behind 2-0, it was just small mistakes that ended up in the back of our net, but we seemed to find our rhythm after that," Julien said. Lightning star Steven Stamkos played in his second game since returning from a broken right shin, which occurred in a game at Boston on Nov. 11. The centre, who has no points through the two games, lost out on a breakaway chance in overtime when time ran out as he approached the Boston zone. "I saw it coming, and Im looking at the clock," Cooper said. "Its just one of those things." Stamkos played 21:46, had one shot and finished minus-2. NOTES: The Bruins are 6-0-3 in their last nine road games, which is the longest point stretch since a nine-game run in 2010-11. ... Boston RW Jarome Iginla played in his 1,295th NHL game, moving him past Pierre Turgeon into sole possession of 56th place on the career list. ... Chicago senior adviser Scotty Bowman has resumed scouting games after having right knee replacement surgery on Jan. 24. The 13-time Stanley Cup winner is a regular at Lightning home games. ... Tampa Bay RW Ryan Callahan, acquired from the New York Rangers on Wednesday for Martin St. Louis, assisted on Barberios goal for his first point with the Lightning. ' ' '