NEWARK, N. Vans Shoes Discount .J. -- The NHL reduced its penalty against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday for signing Ilya Kovalchuk in 2010. The Devils will keep the first-round draft pick they were scheduled to forfeit this year, and the league will reduce the $3 million fine assessed against the team for circumventing the NHL-NHLPA collective bargaining agreement The Devils recently applied to the league for reconsideration and relief from a portion of the original penalty, citing primarily changes in circumstances which, in the clubs view, changed the appropriateness of the sanctions. The NHL did not spell out what changed, but Kovalchuk retired after last season and returned to Russia to play there. Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said the franchises new ownership asked the league to reconsider the penalty, and a hearing was held this year. "Were pleased," said Lamoriello, who said several factors other than Kovalchuks retirement went into the leagues decision, without elaborating. Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur felt the original NHL penalty was harsh. "I thought it was a bad judgment by them when they penalized with a first-round pick and all the money," Brodeur said. "I thought they hit our organization pretty hard at the time. It will be nice for the future to count on an extra No. 1 pick." The league said the Devils will be entitled to the 30th selection overall -- the last pick in the first round -- in the 2014 draft. They will not be permitted to trade or transfer its right to that pick. Kovalchuk, who had been acquired by the Devils in February 2010, became a free agent at the end of that season. New Jersey signed him to a 17-year, $102 million deal but the league ruled what would have been the longest contract in NHL circumvented the salary cap and rejected it. Arbitrator Richard Bloch heard the unions appeal and nullified the deal. The Devils eventually signed the Russian to a 15-year, $100 million contract deal. However, the NHL ruled the original contact tried to get around the salary cap and penalized the three-time Stanley Cup champions. The Devils had already forfeited a third-round draft pick in 2011. The team also had a first-round draft pick taken from them in the ruling handed down by an independent arbiter, but they had the right to defer until 2014. The Devils kept deferring the loss of the first-round pick, which they were due to lose in June. The NHL said it would not comment further on the decision. Vans Sk8 Hi Clearance . Freddie Roach said if the Rios fight "does not go well, we will seriously talk about his retirement," but that Pacquiao was training as well as ever for the Nov. Vans Shoes Sale . -- The Phoenix Coyotes have won three in a row for the first time in 4 1/2 months, and theyve done it just in time for the stretch run to the playoffs. http://www.vanssalestore.com/vans-old-skool-clearance.html . The 2010 batting champ showed what he can do when hes mostly healthy. Gonzalez homered, doubled and singled in his return to the lineup, and the Colorado Rockies snapped a five-game losing streak with a 13-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - Ryan Reaves and Dmitrij Jaskin scored in a 1:45 span late in the second period to snap a tie and send St. Louis to a 3-2 decision over Chicago in a Central Division clash at Scottrade Center. Jaden Schwartz also lit the lamp and Alex Pietrangelo added a pair of assists for the Blues, who put a two-game skid to rest. Brian Elliott made 22 saves for the hosts. Patrick Sharp registered a goal and assist for the Blackhawks, who have dropped back-to-back one-goal games on the road. Kris Versteeg scored, but Antti Raanta took the loss despite 28 stops. The Blues took the lead for good thanks to one controversial and one conventional tally. First, Maxim Lapierre rushed the Blackhawks crease, with the puck caroming back into the slot where Reaves pushed it forward. Play was blown dead without a definitive call being made, but a lengthy review revealed the puck barely crossing the goal line inside the left post and among a mass of bodies in the crease with 1:51 left in the second. Then, Jaskin followed a loose puck in the high slot from a Pietrangelo offering and ripped it homee for his second career goal at 19:54. Vans Shoes Wholesale Store. Versteeg pulled Chicago to 3-2 at 2:37 of the third, left alone up the middle to accept a Sharp feed and wrist it past Elliott. That was the only shot of 10 that eluded the Blues netminder in the final period. Chicago went with an extra attacker for the final 1:13 of regulation but failed to net an equalizer. Sharp opened the scoring just 62 seconds after the opening faceoff, during a two-man advantage, when he slammed home a Patrick Kane dish from the left post. Schwartz equalized for the hosts at 12:15, when his harmless poke from the slot managed to slip between Raantas pads. Game Notes The Blues have won nine of 15 meetings at home against Chicago since 2009 ... Blackhawks forward Dan Carcillo left the game with an apparent right leg injury and did not return. Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville said after the game that Carcillo will likely miss 1-to-2 weeks with a right knee issue ... Pietrangelo led all skaters with 25:52 of ice time ... Jaskins only other NHL goal happened against Chicago, on Dec. 28, 2013. ' ' '