VANCOUVER - David Backes went to Sochi hoping to bring back some stories. Rashaan Melvin Raiders Jersey . Instead, he brought back a couple of stray puppies. The St. Louis Blues captain, who played for the U.S. in the 2014 Winter Olympics, and his wife Kelly rescued the dogs from the streets of the Russian city with members of the Canadian teams entourage. Now in quarantine in St. Louis, the dogs will eventually be given to good homes. "Were just trying to widen our scope to help animals across the (U.S.) and across the world, and doing what we can," Backes said Tuesday. Backes said he and his wife did not originally intend to bring any animals back. They were hoping to create awareness about shelters that have been set up in Sochi to help hundreds of stray dogs that have received international media coverage. "She doesnt take no very lightly," he said. "So when she saw those two pups and a few more, she said weve gotta do something to get these out of here and tell their story and broaden the awareness of some of the mistreatment of animals - and just the difference in (how) they treat their companion animals and we treat ours." The Backes, who have four rescue dogs and two rescue cats in their home set up their own foundation, Athletes for Animals, last November, received helped from Canadian winger Jeff Carters girlfriend Megan Keffer and defenceman Drew Doughtys girlfriend Nicole Arruda and others. The three-to-four-month-old pups, named Sochi Junior and Sochi Jake, were brought back to the U.S. on an Air Atlas charter to Newark and another flight to St. Louis. Nick Nelson Jersey . Next up, the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns in the AFC North. Baltimore Ravens In 2014, the 8-8 season that the Baltimore Ravens experienced was to be expected. Brandon Parker Jersey . Anderson is scheduled to have neck surgery April 8 to repair the injury, which occurred when he collided with the Celtics Gerald Wallace during a game in Boston on Jan. 3. The 6-foot-10 Pelicans forward, who had been averaging 19. http://www.theraidersfansclub.com/Black-Emmanuel-Lamur-Raiders-Jersey.html?cat=973 . Sweeting scored two in the first and three in the second before Strong (4-4) got two back in the fourth. Sweeting then scored three in the fifth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh to grab a commanding 9-2 lead. MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Vikings have moved into the home stretch of their search for a head coach and Cincinnati defensive co-ordinator Mike Zimmer has emerged as a favourite. John Wooten, the executive director of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, said in a phone interview on Monday that Vikings general manager Rick Spielman told him last week the teams plan was to contact finalists for the job by Tuesday. According to an NFL Network report on Saturday, Zimmer was scheduled to travel to Minnesota on Monday and meet with Vikings officials for a second interview Tuesday. The alliance, based in Washington, is designed to promote candidate development for coaching, front office and scouting jobs in the NFL. The FPAs strategic efforts include advocacy for and marketing of the hiring and promotion of minorities among NFL teams, and one of Wootens protegees is Arizona defensive co-ordinator Todd Bowles, another strong candidate for Minnesota. Bowles spoke with Spielman in Arizona last week, and Wooten said Spielman told him the interview went well. "He was thoroughly, thoroughly impressed. Thats the way I would describe it," Wooten said. Wooten said on Monday afternoon that he had not yet heard from Spielman about a second interview for Bowles. The Vikings began the week one of four teams left without a head coach, joining Cleveland, Detroit and Tennessee. The Lions, according to Wootens conversation with general manager Martin Mayhew, were also moving toward a concclusion, with a similar plan to invite finalists to Michigan on Monday or Tuesday for further talks with team brass. Martavis Bryant Jersey. Another candidate working with Wooten is former Indianapolis coach and current Baltimore offensive co-ordinator Jim Caldwell, who has previously interviewed with the Lions. "We think that Jim is right in the thick of this thing," Wooten said. One of Spielmans favourite terms is "due diligence." His public declaration when the process began was that he wouldnt let a particular category, circumstance or deadline limit his options for Leslie Fraziers successor. Spielman, though, said his preference was to make the hire prior to the Senior Bowl, a prime period of draft prospect evaluation for coaching staffs around the league. Practices for the annual college all-star game in Mobile, Ala., begin next week. The Vikings arent publicizing any information about the search. Zimmers agent, David Dunn, didnt immediately return messages left on Monday. Theyve already interviewed, according to various reports: Seattle offensive co-ordinator Darrell Bevell, Seattle defensive co-ordinator Dan Quinn, Cleveland defensive co-ordinator Ray Horton, San Francisco offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman and San Francisco defensive line coach Jim Tomsula, in addition to Bowles and Zimmer. With the Seahawks and 49ers playing this Sunday for the NFC championship, the Vikings couldnt talk to any of those four candidates again until next week. Cheap Canadiens JerseysCheap Predators JerseysCheap Devils JerseysCheap Islanders JerseysCheap Rangers JerseysCheap Senators JerseysCheap Flyers JerseysCheap Penguins JerseysCheap Sharks JerseysCheap Blues JerseysCheap Lightning JerseysCheap Maple Leafs JerseysCheap Canucks JerseysCheap Golden Knights JerseysCheap Capitals JerseysCheap Winnipeg Jets Jerseys ' ' '