LOS ANGELES, Calif. . - The Dodgers began the season poorly and then soared from last to first during a torrid 50-game stretch to make the playoffs for the first time in four years. The way they exited overshadowed it all. Los Angeles lost the NL championship series 4-2 to St. Louis on Friday night, with NL Cy Young Award favourite Clayton Kershaw turning in a rare clunker on the mound while getting no offence from teammates in a 9-0 defeat. It wasnt the ending sought by the team with baseballs second-highest payroll at the end of the regular season — more than $236 million. The Dodgers drought of World Series appearances now extends to 26 years. "Going through spring, the long season, and then it just comes to a crash, so its disappointing for all of us," manager Don Mattingly said. Now, the Dodgers face several decisions in the off-season, starting with Mattingly. He led the team to 92 wins and the NL West title in his contracts final guaranteed season. The 52-year-old manager is 261-226 in three seasons and the team holds a $1.4 million option for next year. "You all can question this move or that move, but nothing really caught me by surprise," he said about managing in his first playoffs. "I didnt feel overwhelmed by it." The Dodgers will be discussing new contracts for Kershaw and Hanley Ramirez, the teams best hitter who played hurt during the NLCS. Kershaw had the major leagues lowest ERA for the third straight season while pitching a career-high 259 innings between the regular season and the playoffs. He needed 48 pitches to get out of the third inning Friday, when he allowed four runs. The left-hander is entering his final year of salary-arbitration eligibility. "We had some good moments this year," Kershaw said. "Put together a good streak there toward the middle, but really unless you win the whole thing it doesnt make a difference." Ramirez has one year left on his contract. He hit .500 in the division series against Atlanta with six RBIs in four games. Then he got plunked by a pitch from Joe Kelly in Game 1 of the NLCS and was never the same. Ramirez broke his left rib and batted just .133, going 2 for 15 against the Cardinals. Among the teams dozen potential free agents are starters Ricky Nolasco and Edinson Volquez, along with bearded reliever Brian Wilson, who revived his career while bolstering the Dodgers bullpen. Relievers J.P. Howell and Carlos Marmol could leave, too, as well as infielder Juan Uribe, considered a clubhouse favourite by his teammates. The Dodgers bench could be facing a makeover, with veterans Jerry Hairston, Nick Punto, Skip Schumaker and Michael Young all eligible for free agency. "Whenever a season ends, no matter what, you know this entire group of guys wont be together next year," said catcher A.J. Ellis, whose .316 hitting proved a bright spot against St. Louis. "Its the last time these guys will be together in this room, and that hurts." Besides Ramirez, outfielder Andre Ethier was slowed by shin splints throughout the playoffs, when the Dodgers didnt have outfielder Matt Kemp. He spent the season on and off the disabled list, although his absence didnt prevent the clubs heralded turnaround in July and August. "Im really proud of my club," Mattingly said. "I felt like these guys hung in all year long." Rookie Yasiel Puig injected much-needed energy into the struggling club upon his arrival in early June. He nearly made the All-Star team, and his at-bats became must-see events. But the 22-year-old Cuban defector bottomed out against the Cardinals, going 5-for-22 with 10 strikeouts, and committed two errors in Game 6, when he made a pair of terrible throws and allowed Yadier Molinas single to bounce off his glove and skip away. "Weve got to do a better job of helping him to mature and understand what we want done and the way to do it," Mattingly said. The Dodgers won the NL West by 11 games over Arizona, their biggest margin since the team moved West from Brooklyn after the 1957 season. But they failed to earn home-field advantage in the playoffs. The Dodgers lost all three of their road games in St. Louis. "One of the key things is to try to get that home-field advantage so it doesnt happen like this," said infielder Adrian Gonzalez, who batted .300 against the Cardinals. "You cant win if you dont win on the road, especially if you dont have home-field advantage." [url=http://www.nflcheapjerseywholesalechina.com/]wholesale jerseys . "Theres no reason to think that I wont play on Sunday," Vick said. "Ive had two good days of practice. Im optimistic Ill be able to go out there and very excited to play." Eagles coach Andy Reid said that barring a setback, Vick will start against the team that has lost to Philadelphia six straight times. . Chase Utley hit a three-run homer and drove in four, Halladay tossed six effective innings and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Miami Marlins 6-4 on Tuesday night. [url=http://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/2hhkv2/any_one_know_a_good_place_to_pi... . Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar will take on top contender Junior Dos Santos in front of the crowd at Rogers Arena, according to a report by MMAjunkie. [url=http://www.shopjerseyssaints.com/73-black-jahri-evans-elite-home-jersey-nik... Jahri Evans Elite Youth Jersey . Vickerson was injured in the Broncos loss at New England Sunday night. Hes the second Denver defensive starter to get hurt this month, joining safety Rahim Moore (leg), who was put on recallable IR. . The 32-year-old Malisse, from Belgium, will face two-time tournament champion Sam Querrey on Friday "Ill try to put as many returns (as possible) in play, thats the first thing," Malisse said.DALLAS -- Paul Stastny made the most of the help in front of him to carry the Colorado Avalanche to victory in overtime. Stastnys second goal of the game 3:36 into the extra session gave the Avalanche and troubled goalie Semyon Varlamov a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars on Friday night. Stastny fired a shot from the left circle past goalie Kari Lehtonen to beat the Stars, who had rallied from a 2-0 deficit. The goal was his fourth of the season. "I tried to shoot through the D," Stastny said. "You dont score on these goalies unless youre flying, you make a perfect shot, or you use a screen. I tried to use a screen." It worked and even impressed Avalanche coach Patrick Roy, a Hall of Fame goalie in his playing days. "I think Lehtonen had no chance on that one," Roy said. "It was a perfect shot right over his shoulder." Dallas had scored twice in the third period against Varlamov, who two days earlier spent the night in jail because of an alleged assault against his girlfriend. A judge in Denver had ruled Thursday that Varlamov could travel with the team to Dallas. He posted a $5,000 bond, and now has a restraining order that prevents him from seeing his girlfriend. "Theres been a lot going on with him, with the team in the last 24-48 hours," Stastny said. "Sometimes the best thing is to just get in your comfort zone. "When hes on the ice, when hes in net, hes focused on what he does." Varlamov declined to comment on his legal issues. "I think I am the luckiest guy in the world because I play in the NHL and I play for this team," Varlamov said. "Ive got such good teammates, so I dont think about whats happening." Stastny had made it 1-0 at 8:22 of the first period. Gabriel Landeskog doubled Colorados lead with 1:19 left in the second. It was more than just the start that went badly for the Stars. "Were playing the game too slow," coach Lindy Ruff said. "Our transition is too slow. Weve got to quicken things up. "The third period was where we got some good stuff." The Stars, who recorded just 12 shots in the first two periods, began their comeback with Alex Goligoskis goal at 3:57 of the third. Tyler Seguin tied it at 16:31. Dallas (5-6-2) had scored just threee third-period goals in its first 12 games, and hadnt rallied in the final frame to win any of them. [url=http://www.shopjerseyssaints.com/82-black-benjamin-watson-elite-home-jersey... Benjamin Watson Elite Womens Jersey. The Stars outshot the Avalanche 16-8 in the third period on Friday. Colorado (11-1) took a 1-0 lead just 8:22 into the game. Stastny put the puck in from just to the right of the net off assists from Alex Tanguay and Jan Hejda. That goal came barely 2 minutes after Dallas turned aside the Avalanches 5-on-3 power play. Despite recording the final three shots of the period, the Stars were outshot 13-4. Dallas kept pressure on Varlamov early in the second, especially during a power play midway through the period. His toughest stop was on a close-in attempt by Alex Chiasson. Colorado had the best second-period scoring chances with near breakaways by P.A. Parenteau and Ryan OReilly on a power play. "He gave us great saves," Ruff said of Lehtonen. "I thought both goaltenders came up with big saves." The Avalanche finally broke through late when Nathan MacKinnon took the puck away in the neutral zone and passed it behind him to Landeskog. The Avalanche captain fired a shot from the left circle across Lehtonens body and past his glove for his fourth goal. The Stars outshot Colorado 8-5 in the period but had nothing to show for the effort but a 2-0 deficit. "Lehtonen was outstanding," Roy said. "I think the reason why they picked up a point is because of him. He kept them in the game long enough for them to come back in the third because it could have been a 3-, 4-, 5-0 game." The Stars fared better in the third. Seguin skated through the left circle, turned and passed back to Goligoski at the top of the circle. The defenceman drilled a shot into the top of the net for his second goal. Seguins tying goal came on a blast from the top of the slot after Dallas had recovered the puck in the neutral zone. The 25-year-old Varlamov improved to 8-1 for the Central Division-leading Avalanche. "He made some great saves, and the two goals that we gave up, they were perfect shots," Roy said. NOTES: Stars centre Ryan Garbutt served the final game of his five-game suspension for a charging penalty on Oct. 20 at Anaheim. . MacKinnon, Colorados first-round draft pick, had two assists to take the team lead with eight. ' ' '