ZURICH, Switzerland -- Latvian hockey player Vitalijs Pavlovs has been banned for 18 months after testing positive for a banned stimulant at the Sochi Olympics. Jamie Vardy Jersey . The International Ice Hockey Federation says Pavlovs avoided a two-year sanction because he acted "without significant negligence in failing to verify the safety of the supplements he was taking." The 24-year-old forward with KHL team Dinamo Riga is suspended through Oct. 30, 2015. The IIHF says another Latvian player, Ralf Freibergs, is provisionally suspended and excluded from next months world championships in Belarus while his doping case is heard. The 22-year-old Freibergs tested positive for a steroid in Sochi. Both players were caught after Latvias 2-1 loss to Canada in the quarterfinals on Feb. 19. Both were disqualified by the International Olympic Committee. Fabian Delph Jersey . But unfortunately for the Niagara Falls, Ont., native, a pulled muscle wouldnt allow him to go past the second set. Japan sealed its victory over Canada in the first-round Davis Cup tie after Nishikori downed an ailing Dancevic 6-2, 1-0. Fabian Delph England Jersey . The Earthquakes (6-9-7) were coming off a 5-0 loss at home last Saturday to FC Dallas. Even with the draw, the Sounders (13-7-3) climbed back into a tie for both the Western Conference and overall top spot in MLS. Seattle, West co-leader Real Salt Lake and East leader Sporting Kansas City all have 42 points. http://www.englandsoccerpro.com/Ruben-Loftus-Cheek-England-Jersey/ . The former Edmonton Oilers defenceman was with the St. Louis Blues in training camp on a professional tryout. Whitney, 30, had four goals and 13 points in 34 games with the Oilers last season. ELKHART LAKE, Wis. -- An accomplished veteran in open-wheel racing, Alex Tagliani probably could find a full-time ride in the IndyCar series if he wanted it badly enough. So whats he doing driving stock cars? Having the time of his life, apparently. "You need to throw some challenges into your life, into your career," Tagliani said. "If not, it gets boring. For me, when I drive a stock car, it doesnt come natural. It takes a lot of control. So when I get out of the car, I feel like I want more. Maybe thats what keeps the spark in you to be in love with what you do." Tagliani, a 40-year-old native of Montreal who made his name in Indy-style racing -- he won the pole position for the 2011 Indianapolis 500 -- is driving two road courses for Team Penske in the NASCAR Nationwide series this season. He dominated much of a rain-soaked race at Road America last weekend, only to run out of gas near the end; he refuelled and made a mad charge to a second-place finish in a green-white-checker overtime. Hell drive again for Penske at Mid-Ohio in August. Beyond that, Tagliani is racing in the relative obscurity of the Canadian Tire series, NASCARs humble attempt to establish a foothold for stock car racing north of the border. Hes also doing some sports car racing. He did drive in the Indianapolis 500 in May, finishing 13th, but he has very little desire to pursue a full-time IndyCar ride at this point in his career. Backing away from IndyCar has largely freed him from the money-fueled politics that frustrated him. "The Indianapolis 500 is a huge event," Tagliani said. "But running an Indy car for a full season, theres a price to pay, and I was not willing to continue to pay that price this year." When Tagliani says theres a price to pay, hes being literal; unlike other sports, where teams draft and sign the best players they can, talent is only one factor in deetermining who gets hired by a particular team in auto racing. Jamie Vardy England Jersey. All teams expect a driver to be a good spokesman they can sell to a corporate sponsor -- but some teams take it one step further, actually expecting the driver to come to the table with sponsorship deals already in hand. "Youre actually funding, or helping, a team to survive, and youre helping their business, but theyre not helping you back," Tagliani said. "Youre helping them with your energy and your money and your work, and they use that, and theres always the grass is greener somewhere else, right? Youre never able to build something for the long term. To the point where it frustrates you, and I didnt want to drive frustrated. I just wanted to enjoy driving, you know? "And thats where I am now. Every step you make in your career has some consequences, and Im still glad I did them because I ended up in a Penske car. I cant ask for more." The move to the Canadian Tire series was actually a plus to his main sponsor, the Canadian division of drug manufacturing giant Pfizer. The company wants to promote its EpiPen allergy treatment -- a natural fit for Tagliani, who has a nut allergy -- in Canada. "They wanted a Canadian presence," Tagliani said. "So at some point, you can push and push and push, but theyre going to say you either race more in Canada and you give us a Canadian program, or we cut the money out. So I kind of revamped my program, and made sure it was beneficial to me." Now Tagliani doesnt plan on slowing down anytime soon. "Ill replicate this 2014 season again for the next five," Tagliani said. "Because Im having a lot of fun, Im able to do IndyCar at the speedway, that I like. Im able to please my sponsor in Canada and also race the 22 car for Team Penske and run prototypes when Im free. What else could a driver ask for?" ' ' '