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BOSTON -- Patrice Bergeron was just 22 years old when a serious concussion jeopardized his career. Now, less than two weeks before his 28th birthday, one of the NHLs best two-way forwards is under contract for the next nine seasons and hopes to retire with the only team hes played for, the Boston Bruins. Bergeron signed an eight-year, $52 million extension Friday that starts once his current three-year, $15 million deal expires after next season. "We dont want to go anywhere else and so it was an easy decision for me and my family," the Bruins alternate captain said in a conference call. Bergerons extension came two days after the Bruins re-signed goalie Tuukka Rask, a restricted free agent, to another eight-year contract. Its worth $56 million even though he just completed his first full season as the teams No. 1 goalie. General manager Peter Chiarelli was eager to keep two core players who were instrumental in Bostons run to the Stanley Cup finals. "We want to try and get these guys locked up," he said, "the pillars of the team." Chiarelli acknowledged the danger in such long-term contracts, knowing that performance can diminish and injuries can increase. "You accept a lot of the risks," he said, "but with a person of Patrices character ... who weve closely monitored his recovery over the years -- and its not without risk. But Patrice is a terrific character guy and hes shown his resiliency. So were comfortable with the risks." Bergeron learned early how a promising career can be put in peril. He was off to a strong start in 2007-08 with three goals and four assists in 10 games. But he didnt play again that season after sustaining a grade-three concussion and a broken nose when he was checked into the end-boards by Philadelphia defenceman Randy Jones. Bergeron said he didnt think much then about how the concussion might affect his future. "It never really crossed my mind at that time," he said. "I was really just trying to stay in the moment and try to get back on my feet and get good again. I wasnt really thinking about the future and long term." Now he has one Stanley Cup championship, in 2011, and one bid that fell just two wins short when the Chicago Blackhawks clinched the title in six games on June 24. The prospect of contending for another Cup was "a huge factor" in his decision to stay in Boston. "You want to keep doing it, keep reliving the moment, the way that we felt in 2011 after winning the Cup. Those are the memories that you never forget," Bergeron said. He was outstanding throughout his 22 playoff games, tying for the team lead with nine goals, including two winners in overtime. The second-line centre played the last game of the finals with a broken rib on the left side and a separated right shoulder. After that 3-2 loss, when Chicago came from behind with two goals in the last 1:16, he was hospitalized with a punctured lung. He was released two days later. Doctors have told him he could resume working out on July 22, four weeks after the injury. He needs that time to heal from the procedure in which a hole was put in his ribcage to allow air out and let the lung re-inflate. "Its really more of my lungs than anything else," Bergeron said. "My shoulder and my ribs are feeling better." A talented playmaker and checker, he won the Selke Trophy in 2011-12 as the top defensive forward in the NHL. He led the league in 2012-13 in faceoff percentage, winning 62.1 per cent of them. In his nine seasons, he has 153 goals and 280 assists. He had 10 goals and 22 assists last season. In 83 playoff games, Bergeron has 20 goals -- none bigger than the two he scored in Game 7 of the opening round this season against Toronto. The Bruins won three of the first four games before the Maple Leafs won the next two and led 4-1 with less than 11 minutes left in the third period. Nathan Horton cut the lead to 4-2, Milan Lucic scored an empty-net goal with 1:22 left and Bergeron tied it with another empty-netter with 51 seconds remaining in regulation. Then he won the game -- and the series -- with a goal at 6:05 of overtime. Chiarelli said Bergeron signed even though he could have gotten more money on the open market after next season. "He embodies a lot of what the Bruins stand for," Chiarelli said. "Hes a responsible player. Hes a hard player. Hes a leader. Hes a clutch player. Hes just (had) a classic way of carrying himself that I like to be part of and the Bruins like to be part of." Cheap Basketball Shoes Online . Now tied for second in the league in shootout goals, the 24-year-old likes to see what the opposing goaltender has in store before he ultimately lands on a move. Wholesale Basketball Shoes China . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. http://www.wholesaleshoesbasketball.com/ . 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. Cheap Basketball Shoes Free Shipping . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. Basketball Shoes Wholesale Prices . But by the time the game started, the Toronto Raptors forward felt even worse. And, for three quarters, it showed as Gay shot a woeful three-for-13 from the field. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- One of the New York Yankees breakout Baby Bombers had another solid start Sunday. He didnt get much support, though, and one of baseballs most decorated active veterans ruined the kids bid for a sweep.Chad Green limited the Angels to one run and five hits in six innings, but Albert Pujols had three hits and scored twice to lead Los Angeles over the Yankees 2-0.Green (2-3) followed up his 11-strikeout performance on Monday in Toronto with five strikeouts and one walk while matching his career high for innings. Yankees manager Joe Girardi called it a solid performance from the 25-year-old, even though he was missing a key pitch.He didnt have his cutter today, Girardi said. But he still found a way to get through it all and give up one run. He was a little bit different today, but the good thing was that he found a way to get through it.After winning the first two games of the series, New York entered four games over .500 at 63-59 but for the fourth time failed to move five games over, putting an added emphasis on winning the next series in Seattle.I think its really important, Girardi said. If pitchers get on a roll, a lot of things can happen. You can put really good streaks together and thats really important now.Jhoulys Chacin (4-8) allowed six hits over 5 2/3 innings, struck out four and walked one in his first scoreless start since April 12.It felt good, not just for me, but for the team, too, Chacin said. I wasnt trying to do too much. I was just trying to throw strikes.Pujols scored both runs on singles by Andrelton Simmons. That was enough offense for Chacin, who had been 0-4 in five starts and eight reliief appearances since beating Minnesota on June 14.ddddddddddddDeolis Guerra, JC Ramirez and Fernando Salas followed with hitless relief. Salas pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save.Pujols had his seventh three-hit game this year. Aggressive baserunning allowed him to score from second on Simmons first single. Pujols went from first to third on C.J. Crons single and scored on Simmons two-out single just beyond the reach of second baseman Starlin Castro.Something thats lost in everything is Albert going first to third in the eighth inning, Scioscia said. That opened up a hole there at second base where Castro was playing.One night after tying former St. Louis teammate Mark McGwire for 10th on the career home run list at 583, Pujols nearly surpassed his close friend. Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury made a leaping catch at the wall in the fifth to deny Pujols a two-run homer.New York was 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position. Mark Teixeira hit an inning-ending flyout to leave the bases loaded in the fourth. After the Yankees put two on with one out in the eighth, Ramirez struck out Didi Gregorius and retired Castro on a groundout.Our opportunities, we have to take advantage of them when we get them, Girardi said. We werent able to do that today.UP NEXTYankees: RHP Michael Pineda (6-10) will pitch on an extra day of rest Monday when the Yankees open a series at Seattle, his former team. Pineda pitched five scoreless innings against Toronto in his last outing and has won five of his last six starts. ' ' '