MANCHESTER, England -- Just one practice session in the company of Radamel Falcao has convinced Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal that the Colombia striker is the player to turn around the teams flagging fortunes. "I dont have doubts because he is for me one of the best strikers in the world," Van Gaal said on Thursday. "Today in training he got one ball and it was in the goal. He confirmed it in his first training session with me." A glance at Falcaos scoring record since moving to Europe from River Plate in 2009 also suggests Uniteds reported outlay of $25 million in salary and fee for his season-long loan from Monaco is a financial gamble worth taking. At FC Porto, he scored 72 goals in 87 games from 2009-11. At Atletico Madrid, he scored 70 goals in 91 games from 2011-13. And his scoring ratio in half a season at Monaco before he succumbed to a serious knee injury in mid-January was almost one goal every two games. With Falcao, goals are guaranteed. No wonder Van Gaal wore a broad smile as he grabbed Falcaos hand and held it up at the end of his presentation as a United player at Old Trafford on Thursday. Falcao said the right things, too, suggesting he was ready to settle down at United -- his fifth club in five years, all in different countries. "When I was in Porto, Atletico Madrid, I always wanted to improve, and dreamed of playing in a team like (United)," he said in English. "And now, I want to stay here for many years." United has the option of signing Falcao for a reported 44 million pounds ($71 million) at the end of the season. If Falcao can help return the club to the Champions League, it will be a no-brainer for the 20-time English champions. What United and Van Gaal will be keen to see is that Falcao has recovered from the injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee that cost him a place in Colombias World Cup squad. He hasnt played 90 minutes since his return, in six matches for club and country. "I feel well," Falcao said. "I started to play two months ago with Monaco and I improved in the last month a lot. I am confident in my physical form. I am comfortable with my knee." Falcao completed his move to United in the final hours of the summer transfer window, arriving at Old Trafford just as another striker in England international Danny Welbeck left to join Arsenal. Critics have suggested that by moving on Welbeck and other young British players like Tom Cleverley and Tom Lawrence this summer, Van Gaal is abandoning the clubs long-held policy of bringing through youth players. At least while United looks to recover its position as one of Englands top teams following a dreadful season under David Moyes in 2013-14. Van Gaal offered a stern defence. "I am always willing to give young players chances but they have to take them," Van Gaal said. "I cannot do that for them. "I have given all the players a chance to convince me of their qualities. Danny Welbeck was here when he was 9 ... but he doesnt have the record of Van Persie or Rooney and that is the standard. That is why we let him go." By moving in successive summers to Atletico, Monaco and now United, Falcao is making a habit of missing out on playing in the Champions League. Its the fifth straight season that he wont be featuring in Europes top club competition, a stage which attracts so many South American players to Europe. "Every player wants to play Champions League," he said. "This year it is not possible in Manchester but we are confident of achieving the qualification for next season." Falcao could make his debut for United in the Premier League match against Queens Park Rangers on Sunday. United has two points from its opening three games under Van Gaal. Bernie Kosar Womens Jersey . 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Rookie Marek Mazanec made 39 saves for his first NHL victory and the Predators beat the Chicago Blackhawks 7-2 Saturday night.MONTREAL -- The Montreal Canadiens looked to be in trouble when goaltender Carey Price got injured just after helping Canada win gold at the Sochi Olympics. But back-up Peter Budaj has put up two wins and an overtime loss while starting three games in four nights since Price went down with a suspected groin injury. Budaj was sharp when he needed to be as the Canadiens bounced back after blowing a third-period lead to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 on Max Paciorettys second goal of the game, 3:28 into overtime on Saturday night. "Hes been unbelievable" U.S. Olympian Pacioretty said of Budaj, who played for Slovakia at the Winter Games. "Hes kept us in all three games hes played and hes made key saves at key moments. "Thats probably the most important thing a goalie can do. Hes one of the hardest working goalies Ive ever seen and its good to see him get rewarded." Alex Galchenyuk scored in the first period and P.K. Subban tied the game and forced OT with a power-play goal at 10:52 of the third frame for Montreal (34-21-7), which is 7-1-2 in its last 10 games. James van Riemsdyk had two and Phil Kessel also scored for the Leafs (32-22-8), who were coming off an overtime loss to the Islanders in New York in their first post-Olympic action on Thursday night. Budaj, now 4-1-0 against Toronto in his career, made 22 saves for the win after backstopping Montreal to a 6-5 OT decision Thursday in Pittsburgh and a 2-1 OT loss to Detroit on Wednesday. He may face even tougher action if he continues to get the starts as the Canadiens leave Sunday on a four-game West Coast road trip. Price is listed as day to day and may be able to return during the trip. Against the Leafs, Budaj and the Canadiens were on a roller coaster as Montreal went up 2-0, but then saw Toronto roar back to take the lead, only for Subban to tie the game. Along the way were unusual penalties, including two delay of game calls against the Leafs and one against Budaj. Paciorettys game-winner, when he beat Jonathan Bernier with a high shot from close range that gave Andrei Markov his third assist of the night, came after Bernier slid well out of his net and was called for a delay as he smothered the puck with his glove. Toronto had started overtime shorthanded when Kessel was called for flipping the puck over the glass. Leafs captain Dion Paneuf would not pin the loss on the officials. "Im not going to stand here and say the calls were right, wrong or indifferent," he said. "If you start complaininng about that, thats an excuse.dddddddddddd "We showed a lot to come back. JVR (van Riemsdyk) made an unbelievable individual effort and Phil had a great shot, but our team overall, we fought back. We got a point. Were disappointed we didnt get another one, but we did a lot of good things." There were plenty of Leafs fans at Bell Centre, but the atmosphere didnt peak until the third period. It took the Leafs until 14:38 of the first frame to get their first shot on goal, but they held Montreal to a 2-1 first period lead. Galchenyuk put a spin-around shot from the slot past Bernier 12:38 in and Pacioretty scored on a backhander at 14:02. After Joffrey Lupul hit a post, Kessel slipped a pass that van Riemsdyk deflected at the net, only to see it go in off Budaj at 17:34. The third period saw van Riemsdyk get his second goal of the game on a short-handed breakaway at 5:28. Then Tyler Bozak snuck a pass through traffic that sent Kessel in on a breakaway to beat Budaj at 7:43. "Bozak made a spin-around, behind-the-back pass and it went through two skates, a couple of sticks and ends up right on Kessels stick for a breakaway," said Pacioretty. "I was right there with Kessel but I didnt see the puck coming until the last second." Montreal coach Michel Therrien called a time out to settle his players and it seemed to work as Subban tied the game to force overtime. "We got on our heels after (Torontos) third goal, and we just needed to calm down," said Therrien. "I felt the bench was really down and I just wanted to say there was still a lot of hockey to be played." The Canadiens and Leafs have split their four meetings this season, with their last regular season game set for March 22 in Toronto. The Leafs return home to face Columbus on Monday night with their top line still hot. In their past seven games, Kessel has six goals and eight assists, while van Riemsdyk has five goals and six assists. The Leafs are 6-1-1 in their last eight games. Five of van Riemsdyks 26 goals this season have come against Montreal. Notes: Montreals Ryan White missed a second game with a flu, while Carey Price (lower body), Brandon Prust (upper body) and Michael Bournival (concussion) are sidelined. Francis Bouillon was scratched. . . The Leafs called up Peter Holland from the AHL and he centred the third line, bumping Nikolai Kulemin to the wing. Dave Bolland remains out with an ankle inury. Colton Orr, Trevor Smith and Paul Ranger didnt dress. ' ' 'Maldonado and Daniel Sarafian, the 32-year old feels very well prepared for Friday nights encounter. Yu Darvish Jersey . - Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Jason Babin is now a free agent.CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Maybe its good this one got suspended. Gave everybody a chance to dry off a bit, catch their breath and let those unbelievable numbers start to sink in. Ten homers in only six innings. Three sets of back-to-back homers, tying a record. The most combined homers in a major league game since 2006. And the Pirates and Reds still have a long way to go. Neil Walker and Gaby Sanchez hit back-to-back homers twice, and the Pirates and Reds hit 10 in all before rain forced a suspension after six innings with the score tied 7-all Monday night. "I saw a lot of crazy stuff in Coors Field over the years," said Pirates manager Clint Hurdle, who managed in Colorado for eight years. "I spent a lot of years there, saw a lot of homers, saw a lot of weather. "This was as good as any of that, jammed into one evening." The shocking slugfest will resume on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the top of the seventh inning. Conditions are expected to be drier but much colder. Not that the weather seems to matter much when these two rivals get together. "Ive never seen anything like that," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "The way we got started, one team going in front of the other with home runs. Ive seen a lot of home runs hit, but not in those conditions. You wouldnt imagine they would carry that far." Pittsburgh hit six solo shots and Cincinnati had four homers, most of them into a heavy rain. Already, its the most homers in a major league game since 2006 and the most combined homers for a game in Great American Ball Parks 12-year history. Pittsburgh had three sets of back-to-back homers, only the third time thats happened in major league history. The game was suspended following a 1-hour, 38-minute delay, the second time in less than a year that a game was suspended in Cincinnati. The Reds and Phillies were scoreless last April 16 in the middle of the ninth inning when play was halted because of rain, and Cincinnati won 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth the following day. The Ohio River rivals were known more for trading hit-by-pitches last season. The Pirates and Reds plunked each other 28 times -- most in the majors -- while nailing down the two NL wild-card spots. Their first matchup of 2014 was more swing-away than get-out-of-the-way. Ten of the 17 combined hits so far have cleared the wall. All but one of the 14 runs has come on a homer. "It wouldnt be a Pittsburgh-Cincinnnati game without some drama," Walker said.dddddddddddd Pittsburgh went back-to-back three times. Walker and Sanchez did it in the second inning off Homer Bailey and again in the sixth off J.J. Hoover. Starling Marte and Travis Snider teamed up in the fifth off Bailey. It was only the third time in major league history that a team had three sets of back-to-back homers in a game, according to STATS. The others: Cincinnati against the Braves in 1956, and Boston against the Yankees in 1977. "I certainly wouldnt think that I would find my way attached to a home run record," Walker said. "The games not even over yet, so I dont know how to express whats going on. But thats pretty cool." Both teams had a chance to take a lead with the rain coming down heavier and the field getting muddier. The starters and bullpens failed to hold on. Wandy Rodriguez gave up Joey Vottos two-out homer in the bottom of the fifth inning, putting Cincinnati up 6-5. The umpires inspected the infield, called for dry dirt and decided to continue. Walker and Sanchez connected again off Hoover for a 7-6 lead in the sixth. It was only the second time that two Pirates went back-to-back twice in a game, according to STATS. Toby Atwell and Jerry Lynch also did it against the Reds on April 27, 1954. Devin Mesoracos solo shot off Bryan Morris tied it at 7 in the bottom of the sixth. It was the first time since June 18, 2006, that two major league teams combined for 10 homers in a game -- the Tigers hit eight and the Cubs three at Wrigley Field that day. Something about Great American turns the Pirates into power hitters. They also hit six homers in Cincinnati last Sept. 28 during an 8-3 win that clinched home-field advantage for the NL wild-card game. Then they beat the Reds at PNC Park in the one-game playoff. Pittsburgh has 14 homers in its last three games at Great American, four of them by Walker. NOTES: Several hundred dogs were in the stands with their owners as part of an annual pet promotion. ... Hurdle said C Chris Stewart felt good after catching consecutive games in the minors as part of a rehab stint. Stewart had surgery on his right knee March 19. ... Reds closer Aroldis Chapman threw 25 pitches in the bullpen before the game, the first time hes thrown off a mound since he was hit in the face by a line drive on March 19. The Reds hope to have him back next month. ' ' ' power play, while Calgary went 1-for-5. ' ' '