EAST RUTHERFORD, N. Kareem Jackson .J. -- The New York Giants have released quarterback Rusty Smith, linebacker Allen Bradford, cornerback Junior Mertile and punter Jordan Gay. The Giants also signed five rookie free agents Monday: defensive tackles Kelcy Quarles of South Carolina and Eathyn Manumaleuna of BYU, end Kerry Wynn of Richmond, linebacker Justin Anderson of Louisiana-Lafayette and safety Thomas Gordon of Michigan. New York had signed Smith, a former Titans backup, on April 28. Bradford played in 10 games for the Giants last season and had five special teams tackles. J.J. Watt . With just seconds left in the third and final minute of stoppage time, substitute Haris Seferovic finished off a length-of-the-field move by slamming home a close-range shot. After wild Swiss celebrations, Ecuadors shell-shocked players barely had time to restart before the final whistle was blown. Keshawn Martin . - Once Gerald Green gets going, he doesnt think he can be stopped.Jared Cowen may have been handed a two-game suspension by the NHL on Wednesday, but the Senators defenceman is not planning on changing his style of game as a result. Cowen will miss the next two contests because of his bodycheck on Zemgus Girgensons in the third period of Tuesdays game in Buffalo, in which he made primary contact with the head of the Sabres forward. Speaking to a small group of reporters on Thursday morning, Cowen said he wont change anything if that situation arises again in the future. "Ill make that same hit over and over again. Just because I had a hearing or a suspension isnt going to change it," Cowen said. "It is harder to hit small guys when youre taller. You have to get down to come through instead of just coming through because you have to change your levels. Its a little bit harder, but at the same time, Im not going to change anything." The 22-year-old defenseman insists that he was not targeting Girgensons head on the play and that if he stops playing with that physical edge, he wont be as effective on the ice. "No, I wouldnt do anything differently. If I dont make that hit, I dont play and I dont play well," Cowen added. "Maybe I move a little bit to the left an inch or two and thats the difference. Thats all that it was." "I made a lot of hits in this league before and its the first time its ever been under question. One in a thousand hits is going to be bad or whatever you want to call it. I was making the intention to make a full body contact check and I guess I got a piece of his head." Cowen was under some scrutiny a couple of weeks ago for an errant elbow that caught the head of Red Wings sstar Pavel Datsyuk, who was forced to miss several games with a concussion. Jay Prosch Jerseys. The Sens defenseman says the league never mentioned his past incident with Datsyuk when doling out this two-game suspension. "It was never brought up that this was in relation to that one or that Im on some sort of list now. I think theyre not related at all," Cowen explained. "The Datsyuk one was totally reactional and accidental. This one was more of a missed hit or whatever you want to call it. I hope they werent considering the Datsyuk thing at all because that wouldnt make sense." During his phone hearing with the NHL department of player safety, Cowen argued that the play was not called a penalty on the ice and that Girgensons was not even injured as a result of the hit. In fact, the young Sabres forward immediately got up from the ice and charged towards Cowen. "He didnt say anything, but obviously actions speak louder than words," Cowen said when asked about Girgensons immediate response. "So obviously he was okay, too because he came after me and he wanted to do something. But I guess he was just faking it." The timing of the suspension couldnt have been worse for Cowen, who seemed to finally find his groove in the past two or three games. The young defenceman has been plagued by an inconsistent start to the season and appeared to be turning a corner in the past week. "Playing better and feeling better physically and just getting more into the rhythm, but this shouldnt stop that at all. Its one of those things I cant control. It shouldnt hinder me when I get back out there. Just stay skating and stay in good shape." ' ' '
