LONDON -- A three-man independent panel will investigate cyclings doping past, including allegations the sports governing body colluded with Lance Armstrong. NMD China . UCI President Brian Cookson said Wednesday the commission will investigate allegations "that the UCI has been involved in wrongdoing in the past -- allegations which have done so much to hurt the credibility of the UCI and our sport." The probe is expected to centre on the UCIs handling of doping in the late 1990s and early 2000s, especially its links with Armstrong. Much could hinge on whether Armstrong and former UCI presidents Hein Verbrugggen and Pat McQuaid agree to testify. The UCI and Verbruggen have been accused of protecting Armstrong and helping cover up his doping. The American was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from Olympic sports for life after admitting to doping. The investigative panel will be based in Lausanne, Switzerland, and will be called the Cycling Independent Reform Commission. Cookson said he wants the investigation completed this year. The commission will be chaired by Dick Marty, a Swiss politician and former Swiss state prosecutor. The other members are German anti-doping expert Ulrich Haas and Peter Nicholson, a former Australian military officer and war crimes investigator. "Their work will also be focused on understanding what went so wrong in our sport and they will make recommendations for change so that as far as possible those mistakes are not repeated," Cookson said in a statement. In an interview published by Britains Daily Mail in November, Armstrong said Verbruggen helped him cover up doping at the 1999 Tour de France. Verbruggen dismissed it as a "ridiculous story." Armstrong said Verbruggen insisted "weve got to come up with something" to explain his positive tests for a banned corticosteroid. The UCI accepted Armstrongs backdated prescription for a cream to treat saddle sores, allowing him to stay in the race. He went on to win the first of his seven Tours. The UCI panel is also expected to investigate whether $125,000 donated by Armstrong was paid to cover up suspicious doping tests. Creation of the panel was one of the main campaign pledges of Cookson, a Briton who unseated Irelands McQuaid in the UCI presidential election in October. Cookson said the panel will have complete access to UCI files and electronic data that was seized by investigators within minutes of his election. The panel will seek testimony from current and past riders and officials. The UCI is working with the World Anti-Doping Agency on what type of incentives to offer witnesses in exchange for their co-operation. Cookson has said Armstrong would be among those invited to testify before the UCI panel, as well as Verbruggen and McQuaid. Armstrong has said he would co-operate with any international commission on cyclings doping past. He is seeking a reduction in his life ban. Armstrong has so far refused to provide sworn testimony to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. It was USADAs detailed report in 2012 of drug use by Armstrongs U.S. Postal Service team that led to him being stripped of the Tour championships he won from 1999 to 2005. USADA has said the only chance to lessen the penalty is to answer questions under oath. Armstrong said on Twitter on Tuesday that "my position remains unchanged" and he plans on "co-operating openly & honestly" with any UCI commission that contacts him. He tweeted that "I can also confirm that neither myself nor anyone on my team has been contacted by the UCI or the independent commission." Cookson said the UCI will cover the full budget of the commission, which will operate "completely independently of the UCI" and receive no instructions from the body. Haas, a German professor of law at the University of Zurich, is an experienced judge at the Court of Arbitration for Sport who has been involved in prominent cycling cases. Haas was the chosen arbitrator of Alberto Contadors legal team on the three-man panel which eventually stripped the Spanish rider of his 2010 Tour de France victory and banned him for two years. The panel decided that Contadors positive test for clenbuterol was caused by a contaminated supplement. NMD Discount . -- Jerome Williams glanced at Philadelphias schedule and realized he would be facing the Oakland Athletics yet again, with another new team. NMD Outlet . The Canadiens captain, who underwent surgery on his injured biceps in the off-season, had been skating with the team in a non-contact capacity since last week. https://www.cheapnmdoutlet.com/ . - The infectious smile was missing from Nam Nguyen last week.BOSTON -- The Bruins pelted Carey Price with 51 shots. An overtime bid by Bostons Carl Soderberg slid across the crease behind the goalie but didnt go in. The team with the NHLs best regular-season record had plenty of chances. So coach Claude Julien says the Bruins are feeling positive after the Montreal Canadiens 4-3, double-overtime victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Thursday night. "Of course it is," he said Friday. "There was no panic after the game. It was only Game 1 and its a long series." And Canadiens coach Michel Therrien didnt sound overconfident going into Game 2 on Saturday. "The Bruins," he said, "were the best team in the league all season long and they had a good first round and they played a solid game (Thursday)." But after having nine days off after Montreals sweep of Tampa Bay, Therrien thinks his team can improve. Price was outstanding, but the Canadiens know they cant let 51 shots get through to him again. "He stole that game for us," forward Brian Gionta said. The Bruins helped. Sloppy play led to 13 takeaways by Montreal, while Boston had just three. The Bruins also allowed two goals on the three power plays after the Canadiens had just two in 13 opportunities in the four games against the Lightning. The Bruins, after five days off, started slowly and trailed 2-0 after the second period on goals by P.K. Subban on a power play and Rene Bourque. Boston tied it in the first seven minutes of the third on goals by Reilly Smith and Torey Krug. "We had some great chances there in the second half of the second. It just took us a while to get our game going," Julien said. "I thought from midway through the second period on, thats where we were at our best." Francis Bouillon gave Montreal the lead midway through the third period before Johnny Boychuk tied it with 1:58 left in regulation. The Bruins took 14 shots in the first overtime then lost on Subbans power-play goal 4:17 into the second overtime. "We need to do a better job boxing out, bllocking shots, and disturbing their entries" on power plays, Boston centre Patrice Bergeron said, "doing a better job on our forecheck. NMD Online. Thats all." But Bergeron, one of the NHLs top faceoff players, lost the draw and Subban scored just seven seconds after a penalty to Bostons Matt Bartkowski. Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara didnt have enough time to get in front of Subbans blast from the blue line. "Its tough for him to come out and block that shot," Subban said. "I think he did all he could to get in my lane, but by the time he already did, I had already let it go." So now the Bruins are in the same spot where they were after Game 1 of the opening round. They lost 1-0 to Detroit then won the next four games to advance. Three years ago, they lost the first two games of the first round at home against Montreal then won it in seven games and went on to capture the Stanley Cup. "I dont think we can even think about winning the series," Subban said. "When there is success you have to take it and get better." The Bruins had plenty of success putting shots on Price. Boychuk had six and Bartkowski, David Krejci and Smith had five each. "Those games are going to happen. You just hope they dont happen in the playoffs," Smith said. "They have a good goaltender on the other side, and its something we really have to focus on, making life a little bit more difficult on him." After a close game in which they outplayed the Canadiens in several aspects, the Bruins expect to show resiliency, just as they did after falling behind 2-0 and 3-2 on Thursday. "We didnt get the first one," Boston right wing Jarome Iginla said, "but, at the same time, we did a lot of things that we feel are a part of our game and were effective, and we stay with that." But the Canadiens wont be satisfied with gaining a split in Boston. "The Bruins played a really solid game," Therrien said. "The thing I know and I believe is that our team is going to be better next game." ' ' '