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PORTLAND, Ore. Cortez Allen Jersey . -- Fresh off their surprising run in the playoffs, the Portland Trail Blazers have signed head coach Terry Stotts to a multi-year contract extension. Stotts led the Blazers to a 54-28 regular-season record, for the teams biggest improvement in team history. Portland made the playoffs for the first time since 2011, dispatching the Houston Rockets in six games, before falling to the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the Western Conference semifinals. The season wrapped up for the Blazers on Wednesday night with a 104-82 loss in San Antonio. "We werent expected to be in the position we were in the regular season. We werent expected to win the first round. So, it was a special year," Stotts said after the game. "I thought everyone of our stars had career years. The young guys got better. We fought through adversity during the season. We made a strong push at the end of the year. There were so many positives about this season." Stotts has an 87-77 record in two seasons with the Blazers, after serving as an assistant with Dallas for four seasons, including the Mavericks championship in 2011. The Blazers finished 33-49 his first season. "Terry has done an outstanding job during his first two years with the organization," general manager Neil Olshey said in a statement. "This extension illustrates our confidence in him as our head coach as well as the Portland Trail Blazers continued commitment to building a model of consistency and stability." The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Ben Roethlisberger Jersey . David Griffin was promoted from interim GM on Monday by owner Dan Gilbert. He says Irving was not consulted on Browns future and any insinuation that he pushed to have him fired is "patently false. Mike Webster Jersey . Toews was drilled by Penguins defenceman Brooks Orpik with 6:30 remaining in the second period on Sunday night. The two were going for a loose puck.PITTSBURGH -- New York Rangers forward Martin St. Louis spent Thursday night with his family in Montreal, grieving the loss of mother France after she died suddenly. When Rangers coach Alain Vigneault told St. Louis perhaps the veteran forward should remain at home rather than help the Rangers try to fend off elimination against the Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis and his father held a lengthy heart to heart. Hours later, St. Louis was in Pittsburgh. By the end of the night he was near tears after an impassioned team effort in a 5-1 victory that forced Game 6 in New York on Sunday -- Mothers Day. "Im glad were able to get this win and stay alive," St. Louis said. "She was a great lady, the best human being Ive ever known in my life. I owed it to her to do it. I know she would have wanted me to play." Buoyed by the return of their teammate, one who has fit in quickly after being acquired from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline, the Rangers shook off a lethargic loss in Game 4 by blitzing the Penguins early. Derick Brassard scored twice and Chris Kreider, Ryan McDonagh and Kevin Klein added their first goals of the post-season for New York while Henrik Lundqvist stopped 31 shots. St. Louis had one shot in 16:19 of ice time, all of it with his mother in his thoughts. "She was with me the whole way but this is probably the most comfortable place you can be as a hockey player," he said. The Rangers certainly looked at ease while the Penguins failed to win a close-out game for the sixth time in their last seven chances on home ice. Evgeni Malkin had his third goal of the series for Pittsburgh and Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves but lacked the crispness that allowed the Penguins to sweep Games 3 and 4 in New York. While Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma stressed the importance of not letting the Rangers back in the series, the fire he was looking for came from the other bench. Pittsburgh committed a pair of sloppy penalties the Rangers finally turned to goals and couldnt convert a lengthy 5-on-3 power play late in the second period as they tried to climb out of a three-goal deficit. "At the start I think we played like a team that looked like we had an automatic bid to the next round," Pittsburgh defenceman Rob Scuderi said. "When its 2-0 right off the bat and youre playing from behind its not easy." TThe Penguins held the Rangers to a 15 shots in Game 4, a franchise record for fewest shots allowed in a playoff game. Hines Ward Steelers Jersey. New York had 17 in the first period Friday night. Having its beleaguered power play finally look competent helped. The Rangers hadnt scored with the man advantage since Game 2 of the first round, an 0-for-36 stretch that often featured disinterested or disorganized play by New York whenever an opposing player skated to the penalty box. Kreider ended the miserable run 9:36 into the first period after Pittsburgh defenceman Robert Bortuzzo was called for delay of game for lazily flipping a puck over the boards in the Penguins zone despite having no pressure on him. Playing in his second game after missing more than a month with a hand injury, Kreider threaded a rebound from the bottom of the left circle in a small hole between Fleurys right pad and his blocker to give the Rangers their first lead in more than 180 minutes of play. Brassard made it 2-0 just over 5 minutes later, diving across the Pittsburgh crease to bang home Mats Zuccarellos rebound. The Penguins seemed to regain their swagger in the second period and Malkin cut the lead in half at the end of a thrilling burst in which he beat two Rangers to the net and did a 360- degree spin before slipping his own rebound by Lundqvist. The momentum didnt last. Brassard roofed a shot through a scrum in front of Fleury to make it 3-1 and McDonagh scored his first goal of the post-season with a shot through traffic from the point after Pittsburgh was whistled for too many man on the ice, the kind of untidy mistake the Penguins had avoided while winning three straight to take command of the series. Now its back to Madison Square for a series that suddenly looks competitive. "I dont think theres much good to take from it to be honest with you," Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby said. "So I think we have to make sure we come with the right mindset going to New York. Whatever mindset we were tonight it wasnt enough." NOTES: The line of Brassard, Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot combined for seven points (two goals, five assists). ... Pittsburgh forward Jussi Jokinens points streak ended at eight games. ... Pittsburgh scratched D Brooks Orpik, who appeared to suffer a lower-body injury in Game 4. ... The Rangers are 5 for 47 with the man advantage in the playoffs. ' ' '