The National Lacrosse League announced a new and expanded playoff format along with division realignment, both set to begin with the upcoming 2014 NLL season. The league will reduce the number of teams who qualify for the playoffs from eight to six teams, featuring the top three clubs in each divisions standings. The two regular season division champions will earn a first-round bye as top seeds. The second seed will host the third seed in their respective division for the single-game elimination Division Semifinal in the first round. New to the postseason format, the Division Finals and Championship both expand to a two-game series from the previous single-game elimination setup. The top seed from each division will play the winner of the Division Semifinal game between the second and third seeds, with the lower-seeded team hosting the first game and the higher seed hosting the second game of the series. Teams who win both games shall win the two-game series. In the event of a series split with both teams winning one game, a 10-minute tiebreaker game will be played immediately following the conclusion of the second contest to determine the winner of the playoff series. Coinciding with the new postseason format, the leagues divisions will realign this season as the Minnesota Swarm join the Buffalo Bandits, Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks and Toronto Rock in the new five-team East Division. The four-team West Division will be comprised of the Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Edmonton Rush and Vancouver Stealth. The new playoff format was made official when the league recently reached an accord with the Professional Lacrosse Players Association for a new seven-year Collective Bargaining Agreement through the 2020 NLL season. The 2014 NLL regular season begins on Saturday, Dec. 28. Ecco Shoes Australia Factory Outlet . -- Craig Anderson has quite a record against his former team, the Florida Panthers. Ecco Shoes Australia Sale . - Christophe Lalancette scored a third-period goal and added the shootout winner to lead the Drummondville Voltigeurs to a 5-4 win over the Quebec Remparts in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play on Sunday. http://www.wholesaleeccoaustralia.com/ . As if the individual strands of grey hair or the increasing amount of joint pain werent reminders enough, the impending end of Jeters career is a slap-in-the-face indicator of a generations fleeting youth. Ecco Shoes On Sale Australia . According to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, Brodeurs agent Pat Brisson has spoken to six teams so far regarding the veteran goaltender. Ecco Shoes Clearance Australia . Despite 11-1 records, theyre out and Big Ten winner Ohio State is into the national semifinals.SAN ANTONIO -- Annual traditions are everywhere in San Antonio. Theres the way the famed Riverwalk is transformed into a sea of lights at holiday time. Fiesta Noche del Rio, a summerlong outdoor performance of song and dance that dates back more than half a century. A huge rodeo, taking over the city for about three weeks every winter. And of late, theres been the Tim Duncan Watch. Unlike the others, this is one San Antonioians dread. But if he goes out now, hell be going out as a champion -- for the fifth time. San Antonios 104-87 win over the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night gave Duncan his fifth title, all with the Spurs. And throughout this series, speculation has been rampant that if the Spurs ended Miamis reign Duncan might finally feel like the time is right to end what will surely be a Hall of Fame career. "Amazing," Duncan said. "It makes last year OK." His first title was in 1999. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has a longer span between championships. "Its a very emotional time," Duncan said. When the 2011-12 season was threatened by a lockout, it was speculated that Duncan might have already played his last game. Hes certainly doesnt play for money anymore -- hes making about $10 million this season, a giant sum in the real world but well below market value by NBA standards -- and has always seemed to be a reluctant superstar. And then, every fall, Duncan shows up for training camp, the Spurs win a bunch of games, and the legacy just keeps growing. "I know hes got one more year on his contract, and he loves being with us, loves playing basketball," Spurs guard Tony Parker said. "Either way, whatever he decides, Ill support him. But if I have to choose, obviously, I would love him to keep going. I love playing with him." Its hard to find something in San Antonio more revered than the Spurs. "Go Spurs Go" signage hangs from what seems like every other building in the sprawling city. If someone is on the streets of San Antonio on game day and not wearing Spurs gear, chances are they live somewhere else. During the NBA Finals, its not uncommon for residents to strap Spurs flags onto thheir cars, drive through downtown and honk like crazy -- even on off days in the series.dddddddddddd Duncan has never played for money anyplace else. Sunday was his 1,488th NBA game. Every one of them has been in a Spurs uniform. The only other players in NBA history to play that many games and never change teams: Utahs John Stockton and Indianas Reggie Miller. "He feels a responsibility to his teammates," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He enjoys them. He wants to hang around as long as he can while hes useful and while hes having an impact on the game. He takes care of his body. He works out all summer long with a variety of different things, boxing, swimming. Hes very careful about what he puts in his body, so he does everything he can to maintain a level of play. "At some point," Popovich added, "that will stop." But when? Duncan insists he doesnt know. Its something he, Parker and Manu Ginobili -- the Spurs Big 3 -- have been hearing for years, that their demise and breakup is imminent. By now, they almost find it amusing. "Weve been on our last run for the last five or six years from how everyone wants to put it," Duncan said. "We show up every year, and we try to put together the best teams and the best runs possible because what people say doesnt matter to us. As I said, as long as we feel were being effective, were going to stay out here and were going to play. We feel like we can be effective, and we have been." Duncan is the 21st player in NBA history to win five rings with one team. Everyone else on that list played for the Lakers, Celtics or Bulls. That speaks to longevity and sustained greatness, which all factors in to the enormous legacy hell leave behind at some point. Again, though, thats not Duncans thinking. Not now. Not yet. First things first -- theres another parade coming to San Antonio. When the Spurs won the Western Conference title and earned their rematch shot with Miami, which won last years finals in a seven-game classic, Duncan vowed that San Antonio would win this time around. He was right. "This is the only one that counts right now," Duncan said. ' ' '