Mitgliederinfo » night, while fellow forward Alexandre Burrows was hur

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- At last, Mario Manningham is back in game-week mode. And that has a far better ring to it than rehab mode given the countless hours he has spent for much of the last year nursing himself back to health following major knee surgery. Manningham walked through the locker room Wednesday, binder in hand and headed for meetings with the expectation that he will play for the San Francisco 49ers (6-2) in Sundays game against Carolina (5-3), even if coach Jim Harbaugh has yet to formally say so. "Mario, hes a receiver whos easy to throw to, so its not going to take much time for him to get back up to speed," quarterback Colin Kaepernick said. Manningham is on the active roster again nearly 11 months after a knee injury derailed his season and forced him to the sidelines long before the Super Bowl run. Michael Crabtree is back on the practice field six months after he suffered a torn right Achilles tendon that also sent him to surgery. Kaepernick credits both of his star wideouts for returning to their former explosive selves so soon. Such compliments go a long way. "Its important when it comes from your teammates," Manningham said. "I know I can get better, everybody can always get better. Im trying to take it step by step and do what I can do to make my team look better. Im practicing like Im playing, just trying to make plays and come out with a W." At the start of practice, the first full session for Crabtree since he was medically cleared Tuesday, he planted hard with his healthy right foot to cut inside on a short route. Between drills, he shuffled his feet in a little jive as Bruce Springsteens "Born in the U.S.A." blared from the sound system. Crabtree has been doing speed work for a few weeks. "I really just want to get back out there. They really have to calm me down. I was the first person out there today stretching for no reason," he said. "When I come back Ill let you know if its stronger. Right now Im just trying to get going." Harbaugh wandered over for a glimpse of the receivers doing their position work. He will be among those to keep Crabtree on task so he doesnt try to do too much too soon. "Good to have him back, 15 reporting eligible," Harbaugh said earlier, referencing Crabtrees uniform number. "Everybody kind of watches out of the corner of their eyes doing their drills. Its neat to see any player who comes back from a serious injury, understanding the grueling rehab thats taken place, the mental toughness grinding through those rehab sessions. ... Hell be on a pitch count." Just imagine what San Franciscos 32nd-ranked passing game might look like down the stretch with these two back in the offensive mix for Kaepernick to complement Anquan Boldin. Suddenly, San Franciscos players will allow themselves to think about the added big-play potential for a unit already on a nice roll and riding a five-game winning streak in which the team has scored at least 30 points in each victory. "Itll be crazy," running back Frank Gore said. "Looking back the way guys were playing, especially with Kap and Crab on the field last year and how they were so used to breaking a lot of plays down the field, the running game will be getting easier. Thats big for the team. A lot of teams are playing us with a lot of people in the box. With those guys back out there making plays, with the people who are already making plays -- Vernon (Davis), Anquan Boldin, adding Crab, Mario, thats big." Before his injury last December, Manningham had 42 receptions for 449 yards and one touchdown in 12 games and 10 starts. He injured his left knee in a loss at Seattle Dec. 23 then underwent reconstructive surgery to repair torn anterior cruciate and posterior cruciate ligaments. Crabtree, the teams 10th overall pick in the 2009 draft out of Texas Tech, established career highs last season with 85 receptions for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns. Then Crabtree sustained the injury during 7-on-7 drills in an organized team activity May 21. Manningham is likely to make his season debut for the 49ers in Sundays home game against Carolina. Crabtree shouldnt be more than a couple of weeks behind him. In Crabtrees case, the 49ers have slightly less than three weeks before they must activate him. "I had the math since the surgery, five months, 27 days as of Sunday, so five months, 30 days, today," Harbaugh said. "Surprised? I dont know the surprise there, I guess because you watch them day to day. Successful surgery, on track at every point, doing everything he was asked to do by the doctors. All reports were really good." Kobe Bryant Shoes Deals . The former Toronto FC designated player played three of his 15 professional seasons with the team. Kobe Bryant Shoes Free Shipping . Carcillo was a little of both for New York in Game 3. Derek Stepan, Martin St. Louis, Dan Girardi and Carcillo scored goals, leading the Rangers to a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night. https://www.cheapkobebryantshoes.com/ . As if he had been rehearsing it, Vasquez looked around with a grimacing stare as he clinched two fists and flexed his muscles. What do you think of DeMar DeRozans face after he hits a big shot, he was asked moments earlier. Cheap Kobe Bryant Shoes . Unfortunately for Toronto, that surge was too much to handle as the Stars scored six straight goals and ended the Marlies season with a 6-2 victory on Tuesday. Toronto had built a 2-0 lead on goals by Frazer McLaren and Peter Holland, but Texas charged back with a wild rally late in the second period to spark its trip to the Calder Cup final. Kobe Bryant Shoes From China . 1. Lions WR Calvin Johnson (6 REC, 101 YDS, 1 TD, 10 targets) leads receivers with 1,299 yards and 12 touchdowns, though his 118.1 receiving yards per game ranks second behind Clevelands Josh Gordon. Gordon (10 REC, 261 YDS, 2 TD, 15 targets) is emerging as a superstar, putting up huge numbers even with Jason Campbell and Brandon Weeden at quarterback.VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Canucks hit the road for crucial back-to-back games this week knowing full well that their season likely hangs in the balance. With just nine contests left on the schedule and the club sitting four points adrift in the Western Conference playoff race, the Canucks have no margin for error. "Everybodys looking at the standings. We are too," head coach John Tortorella said after Tuesdays practice at Rogers Arena. "All we can do is control what we have. "Were going to keep on trying to battle away here and find points." That begins Wednesday in Minnesota against the Wild before another tough test the following night against the Colorado Avalanche. Both teams are all but locked into playoff positions, something the Canucks can only dream of at this point. While the standings dont look all that daunting at first glance — the eighth-place Phoenix Coyotes were four points up with a game in hand on Vancouver heading into Tuesday — the math tells a different story. The website www.sportsclubstats.com, which calculates teams playoff chances, currently gives the Canucks just a 2.3 per cent shot at making this years post-season. Its a stunning slide for a club that has become accustomed to battling for division titles in recent years, not its playoff life. Vancouver has won its last two games over the punchless Nashville Predators and the Buffalo Sabres to stay above water, but the Wild and Avalanche should pose a much tougher test in what could be two season-defining contests. "Weve been a very resilient group. Weve been on the outside looking in for a while now and weve climbed right back up there," said Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa. "Weve had some tough losses for sure. Theres no hiding that, but we keeping fighting. "Were still here. Were still standing." They might not be after this week. Apart from the Coyotes, the Dallas Stars also stand in the way of the Canucks playoff hopes. Dallas was three points up on Vancouver with two games in hand heading into Tuesday. But if Vancouver can survive the trip to Minnesota and Colorado, the club could have some life with six of its final seven games coming at home. "Im just trying to take it day by day here," said goaltender Eddie Lack, who is expected to make his 14th straight start Wednesday. "I know (Phoenix and Dallas) have a really tough schedule left. We have a lot of home games too so hopefully we can take advantage of that and just do our part here and well see if its enough or not.dddddddddddd." Canucks forward Zack Kassian said the players are aware of the out-of-town scoreboard each night, but added that the daunting task makes his preparation easier. "We know theres only nine and we know that every one of those games is going to be very important for our hockey team," he said. "You definitely look (at the scores) as a team when youre not playing and youre seeing how other teams are doing that youre trying to chase. "At the end of the day if we dont take care of our business and win hockey games it has no effect on us." Canucks forward Daniel Sedin said he cant help but pay attention to other teams results when every point is so critical. "I think you have to right now. We need those two teams to lose a few games," he said. "I think you keep an eye on that, but on game day youre so focused on your own games you dont really worry too much about the other scores." Tortorella and his players both refuse to use injuries as an excuse, but the Canucks have rarely had a chance to ice their full lineup since the end of December. Daniel Sedin returned on Sunday against Buffalo, but the club lost Henrik Sedin the same night, while fellow forward Alexandre Burrows was hurt against Nashville. Neither will make the two-game road trip. "It cant be deflating. Weve been going through this all year long. You get a couple back, another one goes out," said Tortorella. "Its been most of our top guys ... but it cant be deflating at this time of year. We just need to stay upbeat." While refusing to use injuries as a crutch to explain his teams predicament, the fiery coach who preaches pressure in all three zones added that the crowded sick bay has left him hamstrung at times. "The lineup when we were healthy, I think we were a different team. I think it allowed us to play a little bit differently, too," said Tortorella. "When we started getting banged up there ... we had to make some adjustments within our play and it changes things." Bieksa said that despite the injuries and long odds, a belief remains in the Canucks locker-room that the playoffs are still attainable. "Weve set ourselves up to make a push at least," he said. "Were fighting to the end. Were not going to give up." Follow @JClipperton_CP on Twitter ' ' '