MONTREAL -- A day before heading to Florida to continue training camp, the Montreal Impact picked up a new captain and a new striker. [url=http://www.brazilsoccerproshop.com/c-53-fred-brazil-jersey.aspx]Fre d Jersey[/url] . Veteran midfielder Patrice Bernier will be a popular choice to replace the dep

MONTREAL -- A day before heading to Florida to continue training camp, the Montreal Impact picked up a new captain and a new striker. Fred Jersey . Veteran midfielder Patrice Bernier will be a popular choice to replace the departed Davy Arnaud as captain, not only because he is a local player and fluently bilingual. "Hes always very positive in his attitude around the team," sporting director Nick De Santis said Thursday. "And even in difficult times, you never see the pressure get to him. These are important things." And Santiago Gonzalez, a 21-year-old forward from the Sud America club in Uruguay, who was signed under Major League Soccers special discovery rule, could be a nice addition to a club that is thin up front. The Impact ended their first phase of camp indoors at Marie Victorin College and now move onto grass fields and warm weather in Orlando, Fla., to defend their title in the Disney Pro Soccer Classic, a pre-season tournament. Bernier, of Brossard, Que., was hoping to get the captains armband after Arnaud, their skipper for their first two MLS seasons who left for D.C. United. New coach Frank Klopas picked veterans Marco Di Vaio, Matteo Ferrari and Troy Perkins as Berniers assistants. The 34-year-old Bernier began his pro career with the Impact, then played nine seasons in Europe before returning for the clubs MLS expansion season in 2012. "Its another step in my career and a new challenge in terms of my personality and what I have to do, not just on the field, but how to interact with my teammates," said Bernier "I started off here and hopefully I end here. Now, to have the armband, its a great show of respect." Luring Bernier back from Europe was one of the Impacts most important moves while moving from the second tier NASL to MLS. It gave them a high quality midfielder who understood North American soccer but who could also relate to the many European, especially Italian, players the club brought in. Bernier has 13 goals and 16 assists in 58 games over the last two seasons. He was named the Impacts player of the year in 2012 and played in the MLS all-star game last season. Arnaud arrived with the experience and credentials to make him the logical pick as the teams first MLS captain, and Bernier was the obvious pick to succeed him. Even while Arnaud wore the armband, Bernier was the teams most visible player in the media and out in the community. "Maybe now Ill be looked upon as the reflection of the team in what I say and what I do," he said. "Ill be the same guy as before, but maybe you have to stand out. "Its something special. In soccer, the captain is the first one to step onto the field, the first one that people see, that the referees go to for explanations or rectifications or whatever. So I cant just think of my own bubble anymore." Star striker Di Vaio had a little fun when asked about Bernier as captain. "I dont agree. I wanted to be captain," he said, before smiling and adding "No. Its good for us and its good for Patrice. Its the best thing for the team. We know that Patrice is going to be a good captain for us, for the club and for the fans." Bernier has been unable to join his teammates on the field since the first day of camp as he heals from surgery on Dec. 11 to fix loose cartilage in his right knee. He expects to resume full training in Florida. Also on the pitch in Orlando will be Gonzalez, who was in Montreal and was to make the flight with a team after undergoing a medical exam. De Santis said that as a special discovery player, the club can amortize the five-foot-eight forwards costs over several years, so that his salary cap hit stays between $125,000 and $150,000. He is also not a designated player, which leaves one DP spot open for a future signing. Di Vaio and Argentine midfielder Hernan Bernardello are the teams DPs. "Hes going to bring a new dynamic to the team," said De Santis. "Theres a question of adaptation because its the first time he leaves his country to play professional soccer, so we need to be patient with him. But hes got a lot for good qualities." De Santis also denied reports from Italy that Pablo Piatti of Valencia and Stefano Mauri of Lazio would be joining the Impact, saying hes had no contact with either club. He said he may still sign another player "if we can add an important piece to get you to the next level." Renato Augusto Jersey . Then youve got to worry about the other up and coming teams in the two weaker divisions in the "Junior Circuit". Roberto Firmino Jersey . -- Caris LeVert had 14 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for his first career double-double, and No. http://www.brazilsoccerproshop.com/c-41-thiago-silva-brazil-jersey.aspx . Colorado came up big against Chicago last spring, and repeated that performance Tuesday night. Varlamov stopped 36 shots and Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche in a 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks.SEATTLE -- Collin McHugh didnt know he was starting Tuesday until late the night before. When he took the mound, he surprised just about everyone with his performance. McHugh struck out a career-high 12 in his season debut to lead the Houston Astros to a 5-2 win against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night, extending Seattles losing streak to eight games. McHugh (1-0) was told he was being called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday and flew to Seattle. It wasnt until he got to the team hotel late Monday night that he found out he was going to start for the Astros on Tuesday. Before the game, Houston coach Bo Porter characterized McHugh as a "pitch to contact guy," but the Mariners made almost no contact. McHugh struck out the first three batters he faced to set the tone for his first win in 10 career starts. "That was outstanding. Thats what you call seizing the opportunity," Porter said. The right-hander didnt walk a batter, giving up three hits in 6 2-3 shutout innings. "I dont think anybody prepares to go out and strike out a bunch of people. But I knew I had pretty decent command today with two or three pitches," McHugh said. "It was really good to kind of get the proverbial gorilla off your back with a W." McHughs stuff caught the Mariners off guard as well, as they only reached second once against him. "He was a little different than the scouting report we got. He was 94 (miles an hour) with a pretty good cut slider," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He threw exceptionally well tonight." The Astros offence gave McHugh plenty to work with, as Jason Castro and Chris Carter each hit homers to give Houston a 3-0 lead after two innings. Seattle starter Erasmo Ramirez (1-3) struck out eight over six innings and only allowed three hits, but they included the two costly homers. Three at-bats into the game, Castro just cleared the left field wall for a two-run homer, his fourth. Carter followed in the second inning with a shot to left that landed in the second deck for hhis first homer of the year. Gabriel Jesus Jersey. Seattles Dustin Ackley tried to counter with a deep ball to left in the bottom of the second, but Matt Dominguez made a leaping catch at the wall to end the inning. Dominguez added a homer of his own in the top of the seventh to give Houston a 4-0 lead. The Astros have now won two in a row after a seven-game losing streak, and their offence -- which entered Tuesdays game with a major league-worst .196 batting average -- is finally showing some signs of life. "Once the whole offence is flowing like it is the last couple games, you kind of get in a little groove with it," Dominguez said. "Its been nice being able to score some runs." McHughs 12th strikeout came against Robinson Cano to leadoff the bottom of the seventh, but Porter brought on reliever Raul Valdes with two outs in the inning. McHugh had thrown 89 pitches, well above his high of 73 pitches in his minor league outings this year. Valdes walked Kyle Seager and then gave up a two-run home run to Justin Smoak, Seattles only offence of the game. McHughs call up came after Scott Feldman was placed on the disabled list with biceps tendinitis. Feldman will miss at least one more start, possibly giving McHugh more chances to show what he can do. "He didnt do anything to hurt his chances of sticking around," Porter said. "He definitely earned his keep." NOTES: The crowd of 10,466 was the fifth-lowest in Safeco Field history. Six of the seven lowest crowds at Safeco have been matchups with the Astros, all coming since the start of last season. ... Seattle RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (finger) was scheduled to pitch in a rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Tacoma, but instead threw a simulated game at Safeco Field on Tuesday afternoon due to weather concerns. McClendon said the outing went well, and Iwakuma will have a rehab outing with Tacoma on Sunday. ... Astros RHP Lucas Harrell, designated for assignment on April 16, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Discount Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Online Jerseys NFL China Wholesale Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Womens Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping China Jerseys Cheap ' ' '