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Russias Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov are holding a convincing lead in pairs figure skating going into Wednesdays free skate, winning the short program handily with a final score of 84.17. The clear favourite to win the gold medal in pairs on Wednesday, the duo skated a near-perfect routine in front of a wildly supportive hometown crowd. Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy from Germany, also looking strong in their short program, came in second with a score of 79.64. The duo performed a routine inspired by the Pink Panther. "We wanted to show that it was easy. We skated it for the fans," Savchenko says. "When youre having fun doing your routine and the audience goes with it, it just makes you feel good and less nervous." Szolkowy says that "we had a good feeling, indeed the most important thing was to skate clean. "Were glad that we did all our elements since we want to fight for the gold. The points dont matter for now. Lets see what comes out in the end." Third-place went to another Russian duo of Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov, scoring 75.21. on their routine. All three Canadian pairs also advanced to Wednesdays free skate finale. Meagan Duhamel of St-Leonard, Que., and Eric Radford of Toronto finished their short program as the highest ranking Canadians of the night, scoring 72.21 and finishing in fifth place. The duo enjoyed a solid routine with only a minor mistake on a triple lutz spin. Duhamel says it wasnt easy for her and Radford to skate right after eventual third-place finishers Stolbova and Klimov. "It was very difficult to skate after the hometown team. It sounds like a hockey game out there," Duhamel says. "We made some minor mistakes, but Im proud of what we were able to do in that circumstance." "We want a medal really bad, but for us skating the free skate of a lifetime would be worth more than gold, Duhamel says. Radford, who composed the pairs short program song in tribute to his late coach Paul Wirtz, says he "enjoyed every minute" of his short program experience. "Being out there, every moment is an amazing and unforgettable memory." Kirsten Moore-Towers of St. Catherines, Ont., and Dylan Moscovitch of Toronto placed sixth in their short program, scoring 70.92. The couple skated a solid routine as the final performers of the evening. Moore-Towers says that she wasnt nervous heading out onto the ice. "I think the real win tonight was how comfortable we were out there." Moscovitch says that before the couple performed their short program routine, he told Moore-Towers to "leave everything we have on the floor, lets just leave it all out on the ice." "We had a lot of fun out there," Moscovitch says. Paige Lawrence of Kennedy, Sask., and Rudi Swiegers of Virden, Man., in their first Olympics, skated to a score of 58.97. The couples training has been hampered all season by injuries, with Lawrence saying she is about "80 per cent good" in her recovery from a leg injury. Lawrence touched down twice during the couples routine, which led to their 13th place finish. Cheap Football Jerseys . The Mavericks avoided a season sweep by the Nuggets, who ran away with a win in Denver two weeks ago to hand Dallas its longest losing streak at three games. Dallas (42-28) got a boost in the playoff race when Miami rallied from seven down in the last 3 1/2 minutes to beat Memphis 91-86 Friday night. Cheap Brazil Jerseys . Winning more at home probably should be on the list. 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The Calgary skip fell 10-8 to Swedens Oskar Eriksson in semifinal action Saturday and will face Switzerlands Peter de Cruz for the bronze medal (Saturday at 10pm et/7pm pt on TSN2).BOSTON - Nineteen years into his Hall of Fame career, Derek Jeter may have produced his final first.The New York Yankees shortstop asked out of the lineup for Friday nights 3-2 win over the Boston Red Sox a€” something neither Jeter nor manager Joe Girardi could remember him ever doing before.Jeter watched the opener of his final major league series from the dugout, taking it easy a day after his walk-off single finished off an emotional farewell to Yankee Stadium.I dont think I really slept a€” maybe a couple of hours, Jeter told reporters. I dont know if I could play tonight if I was playing tonight. Last night was as special as it gets.Since announcing in spring training that this would be his final season, Jeter has been celebrated across the major leagues, collecting gifts at each stop and applause from former opponents and their fans. Then came his final home game, when the pregame cheers were surpassed by the postgame celebration after he led the Yankees to another win.I was thinking how fitting it was, what a great night it was, Girardi said before Fridays game. Im sure hes emotionally drained, probably physically drained.With both the Yankees and Red Sox eliminated from playoff contention, Girardi compiled a lineup missing many of his regulars and joked that it looked more like spring training roster. Eury Perez batted in Jeters familiar No. 2 spot a€” and collected his first major league hit a€” and Brendan Ryan played shortstop.Jeter said he would be back in the lineup on Saturday and Sunday a€” but as designated hitter, so his final memories as a shortstop would be in Yankee Stadium. Girardi told Jeter he could play any position but pitcher or catcher this weekend if he had the urge a€” including manager.Jeter declined.I dont pay attention enough, he said. When Im not playing, Im all over the place.A 14-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter has collected 3,463 hits in his career along with the near-universal respect from teammates and opponents alike. Even in Boston, where fans hate the Yankees like no other team, most of the animosity was reserved for Alex Rodriguez or Red Sox defectors like Johnny Damon and Roger Clemens.The sold-out crowd, peppered with fans in pinstriped No. 2 jerseys, chanted Jeters name in the second inning a€” something thaat would not have been tolerated a decade ago, when Bostonians wore profane T-shirts about Jeter and argued that Nomar Garciaparra was a better shortstop.ddddddddddddSince then, though, the Red Sox have ended their eight-decade World Series drought a€” winning three titles in 10 years, in fact a€” and the rivalry has lost some of its edge.I think after they won a€” I dont want to say they softened up, I would say I think theyre kinder, said Jeter, who ventured onto the streets of Boston for lunch on Friday afternoon and was greeted warmly. People were saying, Congratulations for the career. Im a Red Sox fan and I hate the Yankees, but I respect you.Even when I was walking here through the stands, people were cheering. I remember in 1999, when I was here for the All-Star Game ... I remember getting out of the car and I thought they were going to kill me. Funny how things have changed.And the feeling is mutual.Although his night off no doubt disappointed those who bought a ticket for an otherwise meaningless game hoping to see a part of history, Jeter said he would play the final two games of the season out of respect for the rivalry.Its always difficult at this point because everybody wants to see him, Girardi said. I think Derek understands the magnitude of the rivalry and the importance of it in the game of baseball. ... I think theres a huge amount of respect too for what these organizations have done for the game of baseball.Red Sox manager John Farrell said Jeters Yankee Stadium finale was special, and he expects the good feelings to surround this weekend, too.The game has an incredible way of creating unique opportunities, Farrell said. His 3,000th hit is a solo home run, his last at-bat at Yankee Stadium is a walk-off. The game provides us opportunities that embed memories, and thats certainly one of them.Elsewhere in baseball, they were also talking about Jeter.When you look at great players, you look at them as the heat turns up, they get calm, Washington Nationals manager Matt Williams said. Not everybody can do that. But hes one of them that can. ... Thats why he got the hit last night. Because the situation is never too big for him.___AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich in Washington, D.C., and freelancer Ken Powtak in Boston contributed to this report. ' ' '