WINNIPEG -- Hands up who predicted at the beginning of the season that Tuesday nights game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets would be a battle between the Central Divisions top two teams?The Jets come into Tuesdays game having picked up points in four consecutive games (3-0-1), including a 3-2 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday, which has propelled them into second place in the ultra-tough Central Division.The positioning could be temporary as the Jets have 18 points in 17 games while the Minnesota Wild sit just one point back with three games in hand.The Jets performance, however, is all the more remarkable considering the team has enough call ups from the farm to be called the Winnipeg Moose. (The Jets AHL affiliate is the Manitoba Moose.)Over the past two weeks, they have called up forwards Marko Dano, Nic Petan, Andrew Copp and Quinton Howden. On Monday, Chase De Leo was added to the list when rookie forward Kyle Connor was placed on injury reserve with an upper body injury after being slammed into the boards on Sunday.Its not as if the recruits have only been playing in garbage time, either. Against the Kings, Dano played alongside the leagues leading point-getter (Mark Scheifele) and the goal-scorer (Patrik Laine). Petan centred the Jets No. 2 line and spent some time on the second powerplay unit while Copp has proven to be an effective penalty-killer.When you get brought up you want to play and act like you fit in and you belong in this position, Petan told the Winnipeg Free Press. I think, for the most part, the three or four of us whove been up, weve played and held our own pretty good.The Blackhawks, meanwhile, beat the NHLs top team on Sunday, a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens, handing the bleu, blanc et rouge just their second regulation loss of the season.The win boosted the Blackhawks record to 11-3-2 for 24 points.The highlight of the night was Patrick Kanes game-winning goal in the second period, during which he dangled past Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry deep in the offensive zone, fought off a world-class hook from captain Max Pacioretty and -- while flying through the air -- flipped the puck over Al Montoya.You might have seen the goal on every hockey highlight package across North America a few million times ever since.It was so beautiful, forward Marian Hossa marveled to the Chicago Tribune. He showed his quick hands. It was just beautiful, he went through the two guys and he saw the goalie coming to him, too, and just a quick flip to the top shelf. Not many guys can do that.Coach Joel Quenneville was also getting out his pom-poms.That had the wow factor all over it. All of a sudden (he) makes a play with a guy draped all over him and makes a great shot falling on the ice. Spectacular goal by a great player, fun to watch.Hossa has been no slouch himself. He has scored in eight of his last nine games and his nine goals puts him third in the NHL. Laine leads all goal scorers with 11. Dalvin Tomlinson Giants Jersey . - NASCAR announced a 33-race schedule for the 2014 Nationwide Series with virtually no changes from this years slate. Michael Strahan Giants Jersey . Oyama had six birdies and two bogeys at Kintetsu Kashikojima in the event also sanctioned by the Japan LPGA Tour. "I have been having this neck ache thats been affecting my golf recently," Oyama said. http://www.nygiantsfanaticshop.com/Black-Dexter-Lawrence-Giants-Jersey.html?cat=966 . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision. Odell Beckham Jr Giants Jersey . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. Doug Kotar Womens Jersey . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck wont be watching when the College Football Playoff poll is released Tuesday night.Hell be too busy dealing with other, more pressing matters.See, Fleck understands the 17th-ranked Broncos didnt position themselves for an unbeaten season, a Mid-American Conference championship and perhaps a playoff spot by worrying about things beyond their control. Hes turned Western Michigan into a national power by earning respect for the program on the field and keeping it by winning game after game.We are everybodys big game, we are everybodys elite opportunity and we know that, Fleck said. We used to play against teams like that when we werent very good. We were there. We know where weve been. So now weve embraced this completely opposite role.While the Broncos (8-0, 4-0) relish this new role, they attack it with the same vigor they needed to reach this point -- even if Tuesday nights game at last-place Ball State (4-4, 1-3) looks like a gimme to everyone else.For Western Michigan , its chance to show the college football world why they are one of five remaining unbeaten teams in the country and why they deserve to be in the CFP discussion. The first batch of rankings will be released shortly after the Broncos game begins.Play poorly on national television, in a game most believe should be a rout, and the performance could taint Western Michigans national perception for the rest of the season.But its also a potentially dangerous predicament for the Broncos.Ball State can take more risks than usual, will likely play in front of a big, raucous crowd and has something to prove, too.If you want to be the best, youve got to beat the best, and they are the best in our conference, first-year Ball State coach Mike Neu said. Its great to have that challenge here at Scheumann Stadium. We look forward to that.If Western Michigan keeps it up, the possibilities could be limitless -- if they keep climbing the CFP charts.ddddddddddddFor now, Fleck and the Broncos will let everyone else debate where they belong. Theyll be content to add a few more chapters to their 10-game winning streak -- the schools longest since 1940-41.Like we say, start fast, accelerate in the middle and finish strong, running back Jarvion Franklin said. So I think we started fast, and I guess we accelerated in the middle and now we have to finish strong.Here are some other things to watch Tuesday night:NO. 1 vs. NO. 2: Franklin and Ball State running back James Gilbert are the top two runners in the MAC and both could top the 1,000-yard mark on Tuesday. Gilbert, who first committed to Western Michigan before switching to Ball State, leads the MAC with 987 yards and 11 touchdowns and has four straight 100-yard games. Franklin has 909 yards and seven TDs and averages 113.6 yards per game.TIDY ON TURNOVERS: One reason Western Michigan is undefeated -- theyve had only three turnovers all season, the fewest in the FBS. Another reason: Their turnover margin of plus-1.5 per game, was second in the nation heading into the weekend behind only No. 4 Washington (plus-2.0).RUN, RILEY, RUN: Ball State quarterback Riley Neal scored on two TD runs at Buffalo in the Cardinals last victory. He has run for six scores this season, and Ball State is 3-1 when Neal scores on a TD run.KEEPING UP WITH DAVIS: Broncos receiver Corey Davis is the FBS active leader in yards receiving (4,524). But Davis has much bigger visions. The MACs career receiving leader needs 482 yards to break the FBS career yardage record (Trevor Insley, Nevada, 5,005 yards). He also leads the nation with 11 TD receptions, giving him a school-record 44 in his career and three away from tying the conferences career mark.---The APs college football page: http://collegefootball.ap.org/ ' ' '