BOSTON -- Bruins forward Nathan Horton says hes ready to get back in games but he understands why the team is taking it slow as he returns from a concussion. Jordan Matthews Jersey For Sale . "Obviously, I want to play. But theyre going to give me a chance to ease my way back into it," Horton said Friday after the teams practice. The Bruins were scheduled to play their second exhibition game on Friday night against the New York Islanders -- their first game at home since winning the Stanley Cup in June. Horton did not skate in the earlier session Friday morning with the players where were expected to play against the Islanders. Horton said hes had no setbacks since being knocked out of the Stanley Cup finals in Game 3 on a hit from Vancouver Canucks defenceman Aaron Rome. Horton did not return to the series as the Bruins went on to win their first championship since 1972. "Hes fine," coach Claude Julien said. "I expect to get him in the lineup shortly here." The Bruins have four more exhibition games, including matchups with the Canadiens on Sunday and Monday in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Montreal. They open the regular season at home against the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 6. Horton said before the start of training camp this month that he had been working out for a while but only got back on the ice recently. The 26-year-old forward, a former No. 3 overall pick in the draft, scored 26 goals with 27 assists last year in the regular season, his first with the Bruins. In the first playoff appearance of his career, he scored eight goals with nine assists, scoring the winning goal in overtime in Game 7 of the first round against Montreal -- and again in the Eastern Conference finals. He had just passed the puck early in the first period of Game 3 against Vancouver when Rome turned his shoulder and left his skates to hit him. Horton was apparently knocked unconscious, hitting his head on the ice and staying down for several minutes before medical personnel took him away on a stretcher. He returned to the building, but never the ice, providing the team with an emotional lift. Before Game 7 in Vancouver, he was caught superstitiously emptying a bottle of water from Boston onto the ice at the Rogers Arena. Tommy McDonald Jersey . -- The Los Angeles Galaxy have signed coach Bruce Arena to a multi-year contract extension. Reggie White Eagles Jersey For Sale . Greg Chase and Kenton Helgesen also scored for the Hitmen (18-7-4), who extended their win streak to five games, while Brady Brassart chipped in with two assists.SAN FRANCISCO -- If Tim Lincecum wants to win without an overpowering fastball, he knows he will have to find his way through games when he is nowhere near his best. And he was nowhere near his best Friday night. And yet, he still won. Pablo Sandoval and Brandon Hicks homered to back a wildly effective Lincecum, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Minnesota Twins 6-2. "He was bobbing and weaving out there the whole game," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. Lincecum (4-3) struck out four and walked six in six innings. He allowed five hits and also had two wild pitches, escaping trouble in nearly every inning. Only 57 of Lincecums 112 pitches were strikes. "Youve got to battle when you dont have your best stuff, your best command. And today was just that," Lincecum said. "Its kind of an ugly win, but Ill take it. Joe Mauer and Chris Parmelee drove in Minnesotas only runs in the third. Sandoval hit a three-run shot in the first, Hicks hit his eighth homer off Kyle Gibson (4-4) in the fourth and drove in another run on a flyout in the seventh. Gibson gave up five runs and five hits in five innings, working quickly and in command for most of his 72-pitch outing. He struck out four and walked none. "I really got beat on three pitches, which is the frustrating part," Gibson said. San Francisco opened its six-game homestand with some pop at the plate and slick manoeuvring on the mound. Hunter Pence extended his hitting streak to 10 games with an infield single after Angel Pagan doubled leading off the first. Pence was originally ruled out, Bochy challenged the call and umpires overturned it after a 33-second video review. Pagan was thrown out at home on Buster Poseys grounder, but not before third baseman Trevor Plouffes throw pulled Brian Dozier off second on what wouldve been an inning-ending double play. Then, Sandoval sent the first pitch he saw over the brick wall in right to put the Giants ahead 3-0. It was Sandovals fifth home run this season. "I just focused and tried to calm myself ddown a little bit more," Sandoval said. Casey Matthews Elite Jersey. Mauer hit an RBI triple and Parmelee drove in another run for Minnesota in the third to slice San Franciscos lead to 3-2. In the bottom of the inning, Pagan tripled and scored for San Francisco after shortstop Eduardo Escobar couldnt corral Pences grounder. Despite his lack of command, Lincecum kept the Giants in control. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner, still searching for consistency as his fastball has faded in recent years, walked two and threw two wild pitches in the third without allowing a run. Sandoval fielded Gibsons grounder at third and threw out Escobar at the plate before Lincecum struck out Dozier to end the inning. In the fifth, Lincecum loaded the bases before getting Escobar to hit a weak groundout to first. Lincecums saved his smoothest inning for his final one, retiring the side in order before leaving to a standing ovation from the announced sellout crowd of 41,514. Left-hander Jeremy Affeldt tossed a scoreless seventh for the Giants. After Javier Lopez allowed two baserunners in the eighth, Jean Machi got pinch-hitter Josmil Pinto to ground into a double-play before pitching a perfect ninth for the save. "We were a little sloppy defensively and we missed plenty of opportunities to get some hits," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "A rough start for us here, and that team over there knows how to take advantage of you." NOTES: The Giants will wait until at least Saturday to decide if RHP Matt Cain, who strained his right hamstring Wednesday at Colorado, will make his next start Monday against the Chicago Cubs. Bochy said Cain "was bouncing around pretty good" in the clubhouse. ... Mauer and Posey, who have each won an MVP at catcher, both started at first base. ... Twins RHP Samuel Deduno (1-2, 3.53 ERA), originally slated to start Sunday, will take the mound on Saturday. Ricky Nolasco will pitch Sunday. ... Ryan Vogelsong (2-2, 3.62) goes for the Giants on Saturday and lefty Madison Bumgarner starts Sunday. ' ' '
