NASHVILLE -- Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne is expected to start Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins in his return from a hip injury that has limited him to only nine games this season. The Predators recalled Rinne from a two-game conditioning assignment Monday and announced that he would start the Penguins game. "Its a blast to be back playing and feeling good," Rinne said. "I think thats the main thing. Absolutely, Im just super excited." Rinne, who hasnt played in an NHL game since Oct. 22, stopped 33 of 35 shots for a .946 save percentage during his two-game stint with the AHLs Milwaukee Admirals. "Its not in the same level -- the AHL and NHL -- theres a little bit of a gap between," Rinne said. "But still, that was the whole purpose of that trip, just to feel comfortable again, get some games and get that game conditioning going again." Rinne, a two-time Vezina Trophy finalist, has been recovering from an E. coli infection in his surgically repaired left hip. In his last five games before the injury, Rinne went 3-1-1 with a 1.60 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage. The 31-year-old Rinne is returning as the Predators make a late-season bid for one of the Western Conferences eight playoff spots. The Predators are 12th in the Western Conference standings with 62 points. The Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks are tied for eighth with 66 points. "You cant just throw a guy in there and expect him to be the saviour," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "But just getting him back playing is a great boost because you know the type of player that he is, the type of person he is and what he can mean to our hockey team, not only this year but the next year and the following years." The Predators also placed goaltender Devan Dubnyk on waivers Monday. The 27-year-old Dubnyk has played 32 games for the Edmonton Oilers and two games with the Predators this season. Steph Curry Shoes Deals . Head coach Randy Carlyle confirmed the news after the Leafs morning skate on Monday. Kozun was hurt during Friday nights home game against the Red Wings and did not make the return trip to Detroit for Saturdays game. Steph Curry Shoes Free Shipping . Stepanek gave the Czech Republic its second straight Davis Cup title Sunday, sweeping past Dusan Lajovic in straight sets in the fifth and decisive match to secure a 3-2 win over Serbia in the final. https://www.stephencurryshoescheap.com/ . The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said. Steph Curry Shoes From China . Harrison Barnes had 15 points and Reggie Bullock scored 11 for the Tar Heels (17-3, 4-1 ACC), who took the court for the first time without starter Dexter Strickland. The junior guard tore his right ACL last Thursday at Virginia Tech and will miss the rest of the season. Clearance Steph Curry Shoes . He spent the rest of the game making up for lost playing time. Green scored a career-high 36 points, including eight in overtime, and the Phoenix Suns beat Denver 112-107 on Tuesday night to hand the Nuggets their fifth consecutive loss.LAS VEGAS -- Pat Riley made his pitch. And now, LeBron James wants time to think. The Miami Heat president met with the four-time NBA MVP on Wednesday afternoon in Las Vegas, two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because neither side publicly disclosed details of the meeting. James, his agent Rich Paul, Riley and Heat executive Andy Elisburg were at the meeting, said one of the people. James has not made a decision and will not make any announcements before Thursday, a person said, adding, "He wants to meet with his family." As he weighs his options, James will not meet with any other teams, the person added. So now, Miami waits. So does Cleveland. So, too, does just about the entire NBA -- because once James picks the Heat or the Cavaliers, the teams believed to be serious suitors for his services, the domino effect of other free agent moves will surely follow. The meeting in Las Vegas lasted for more than an hour and took place more than two weeks after James opted out of his contract and elected to become a free agent, and the day before free agents may begin signing contracts. James spent part of his day before the meeting at his annual skills academy with some of the nations top high school and college players, interacting and observing workouts. That was part of the reason why Riley had to fly across the country to make the meeting happen, with hopes that he would return to Miami from the gambling haven with a huge win -- keeping James in Heat colours for at least another season. He returned to the camp after the meeting, jumping into some games with the high school players. James spent a few minutes on each court during the evening session, high-fiving the kids as he played. And when Shake Milton of Owasso, Oklahoma, hit the deck on one play, James shouted, "Hold on, I got you, stay down," then promptly helped his teammate to his feet. Another highlight came when James showed off his passing skills, throwing a no-look assist to Jayson Tatum of St. Louis for a two-handed slam. When his night of play was over, James got stretched out, had icepacks strapped to his knees and back, then went to the stands and sat with Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski -- his Olympic coach -- for about five minutes.dddddddddddd James then exited the building. Several teams have met with Paul during the free-agent process, but it appears James has only one decision to make: Cleveland or Miami, the same choice he pondered four years ago when he decided play with the Heat. With James, the Heat won four Eastern Conference titles and two NBA championships. The Cavaliers didnt sit idle waiting for James and Riley to meet. Cleveland created salary-cap space earlier Wednesday with a three-team trade with the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets, ensuring they have enough to offer the James a maximum contract. But James had said he would meet with Riley and the Heat before making his decision. The meeting came nearly three weeks after Riley addressed reporters following Miamis loss to San Antonio in the NBA Finals, when he insisted that the Heat needed to make some adjustments to get better -- but didnt need a massive rebuilding job to stay at a championship level. "Youve got to stay together if youve got the guts, and you dont find the first door and run out of it if you have an opportunity," Riley said on June 19. "This is four years now into this era, this team, four finals. Its only been done three other times before. And two championships. From day one to the end, it was like a Broadway show. Sort of ran out of steam, and we need to retool. We dont need to rebuild, we need to retool, and thats what were going to do." If James leaves, itll be more than a retooling project that awaits Miami. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh -- the other members of Miamis "Big 3" of the past four seasons -- are also free agents, and neither has given any hint as to what they will do, though its still expected Wade will not leave the Heat. Miami has just two players under contract for next season, one of those on a partially guaranteed deal. The Heat have also reached agreements with forwards Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger, as well as the draft rights to guard Shabazz Napier, but theres still plenty of jobs to be filled. And the Heat have mostly been in a holding pattern while waiting for James to make his next decision. ' ' 'ton left in the first period following a collision with Toronto forward David Clarkson in the corner and didnt return. ' ' '