NEW YORK -- Frans Nielsen is glad to have his first game against the New York Islanders since leaving as a free agent last summer behind him.There was some nerves, Nielsen said Sunday night after assisting on a goal in the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 overtime victory over the Islanders. Ive been looking at the schedule for a long time waiting for this game. Feels like now that its done, I can move on.The 32-year-old Danish center was drafted by the Islanders in the third round in 2002, No. 87 overall, and had 119 goals and 230 assists over 10 seasons in New York before signing a six-year, $31.5-milion deal with Detroit.There were about a dozen signs held by fans near the ice welcoming Nielsen back during warmups and he received some applause from the crowd when his name was called during the announcement of the Red Wings starters. Nielsen also got an ovation during a video tribute about eight minutes into the first period.It was awesome, he said. I had been here so long. So many people in this organization mean so much to me. I was happy about that.Nielsen knew this wasnt going to be just another game.Theres going to be some butterflies for me and some nerves, Nielsen said when he met with reporters about three hours before the game. Hopefully it just gonna take a couple of shifts and I can relax and play my game.Nielsen, one of three players to leave the Islanders in free agency along with Matt Martin (Toronto) and Kyle Okposo (Buffalo), says he wasnt looking to go elsewhere, but began exploring other options when talks with the Islanders stalled.It wasnt an easy decision, said Nielsen, who was the longest tenured Islander at the time of his departure. I dont have anything bad to say about anything here. It dragged out for some reason and got to a point where I got a chance to talk to other teams and kind of realized it might be fun to get a new challenge and try something new.So what does he cherish most about his time in New York?A lot, from playing the first game to scoring the first goal, Nielsen said. The first playoff series I was in against Pittsburgh (in 2013). The (Nassau) Coliseum, just how loud it was. I dont think Im going to experience that again. To winning a round last year. All the friendships, all the people you met not only with hockey, but away from the rink. ... One-third of my life I lived here, so lot of stuff you miss about (not) being here, too.Nielsen said it felt `weird flying into town Saturday night after Detroits loss at Pittsburgh, and then staying in a hotel nearby. When he arrived at the arena, he saw former teammate Johnny Boychuk by the players entrance and jumped in his car for the `two-minute ride down to the parking level.The Red Wings were in the market for a new center after former star Pavel Datsyuk decided to end his NHL career and return to Russia. Nielsen has fit right in with his new team, totaling six goals and nine assists in 26 games.I love him, Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. Hes got inner drive to be great. Hes selfless, he does what it takes to win for the team. Hes an all-around player who plays in most situations for us, penalty kills, power plays, can go up against other teams best players. ... Hes got lots of experience, hes a leader-type person. Theres no question he brings a presence just by with the way he handles himself and the type of teammate he is. With the Red Wings remaining in town overnight before flying out to Winnipeg on Monday, Nielsen expected to spend time with some of his former teammates after the game.The friendship you build up with all these people over the years, Nielsen said. We had some really tough times and a lot of the guys went through the tough times here where we werent winning. Just going from that to building a competitive team, you just build a special bond when you go through that.---Follow Vin Cherwoo at www.twitter.com/VinCherwooAP Nike Shox Sale . Pedro scored from a pass by Lionel Messi in the 33rd minute and added two more goals in the 47th and 72nd after Valdes saved his second penalty in four days following his stop in Wednesdays 4-0 over Ajax in the Champions League. Nike Shox Outlet . Meanwhile, there were huge victories for Sunderland and West Ham over fellow relegation rivals, leaving the battle to avoid the drop up for grabs with the bottom 11 teams separated by just six points. Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored second-half goals to seal a fourth straight victory for Chelsea, which climbed above Arsenal and Manchester City in the standings ahead of their games on Monday and Sunday respectively. http://www.shoxoutletshoesstore.com/ . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. Nike Shox Mens Clearance . Their experience showed Tuesday as the No. 10 Badgers blunted a Saint Louis surge to win 63-57 and advance to face West Virginia in Wednesdays finals of the Cancun Challenge. Nike Shox Clearance . Pettersen, winner of last years Evian Championships, had nine birdies and three bogeys, holding off a series of challengers led by Marion Ricordeau of France. The second-ranked Norwegian made her season debut after missing the LPGA Tours opening event last month in the Bahamas because of a shoulder injury. Sri Lanka Under-19 coach Roy Dias believes that experience will be vital heading into the 2018 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, and this has played a hand in the selection of the current U-19 squad that is playing a home series against South Africa U-19. Four players in the squad for the South Africa Youth Test series - Avishka Fernando, Shammu Ashan, Vishad Randika and Damitha Silva - participated in the 2016 U-19 World Cup but will not qualify for 2018 edition. Dias, however, said their experience was needed to help the younger players develop.There are about four experienced guys; other than that the rest are all playing for the first time at Under-19 international level, Dias said. They are quite good; you have to expose them and give them more matches and see how they perform.My idea is to prepare them for the 2018 Under-19 World Cup, which is in New Zealand. Right now we are playing the Under-19 boys, but most of them are 17-plus and we need to give them the experience, which is going to be important. We are playing the experienced guys so that the juniors can learn from them as well.The home series against South Africa, comprising three Youth Tests and as many Youth ODIs, is Dias first assignment following his appointment to the post in March. The Sri Lankan team has been impressive against a strong visiting side, and managed to draw all three Tests. The two teams will play a Youth ODI series between July 9 and 13, before the team departs for the England tour on July 17. In England, Sri Lanka are scheduled to play a tour match, two Youth Tests and three YYouth ODIs.ddddddddddddAlthough it is an Under-19 series the cut-off date for players is March 31, 1996 so it is more or less an Under-20 side that England will be fielding, Dias said. Sri Lanka Cricket has given permission to play boys who will be 19-plus because we have to play good cricket. We cant take a junior side and play an England team which is Under 20. Its a good thing because some of the Under-19 boys who have finished with the Under-19 World Cup get another chance to play cricket.Dias, who played 20 Tests and 58 ODIs between 1979 and 1987, took up a coaching role with the Sri Lanka senior team in 1998 before stints with Oman and Nepal. He also has experience coaching a junior side, having done so with Nepal.I thought coaching the Under-19 boys was a good opportunity for me because I feel you have to start at the grassroot level, he said I have been doing that in other countries and when I showed interest Sri Lanka Cricket gave me the job, its a one-year contract, which is renewable.Dias also felt the players were getting exposure through school cricket and stressed that the standards had not dropped.These guys are playing quite a lot of cricket than we did, he said. We hardly played any cricket at all; we had about eight school matches for the season. These boys are getting more cricket and more exposure. I dont think the standards have fallen. The side given to me is a good one and my job is to get them to the next level. ' ' '