ARLINGTON, Va. -- Alex Ovechkin apologized for Russias hockey performance at the Olympics, a sentiment put in perspective by the encouraging news that his father was on the way home after heart surgery. Far more upset was Nicklas Backstrom, who remains clearly miffed that an allergy medication hes taken for years cost him a chance to play for a gold medal. The Washington Capitals held their first post-Olympics practice Tuesday, a session overshadowed by residue from the Winter Games even as they tried to focus on the resumption of their NHL schedule. Ovechkin was one of the faces of Sochi, bent on winning the gold on home ice. Instead, the Russians were eliminated in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive Olympics. "First of all, I want to say sorry to the fans," Ovechkin said. "Because its once in a lifetime opportunity to represent your country in the Olympics, and you didnt get the results, you didnt get any medal. Of course the fans, the media and the people who support Russia, family, was upset, but life goes on." Ovechkin took the Olympic disappointment especially hard four years ago, but this time he had to immediately turn his attention to his family. His father, who has a history of heart problems, became ill following one of his sons games and required surgery. Ovechkin wasnt told until three days later, after Russia had been eliminated. "Soon as I found out that hes in hospital and hes feeling not that good and he could be dying, I just forget the game that we lose against Finland. ... Just go there and spend time with him and saw him," Ovechkin said. "It was great feelings to see whats happening and how hes feeling. Thats most important thing." Ovechkin said his father, mother and brother were flying home to Moscow on Tuesday. Ovechkin said he understands the criticism he received for his play during the Olympics -- "I didnt score lots of goals out there" -- but the 28-year-old three-time league MVP appears ready to refocus on the Capitals, who resume play Thursday at Florida. "This is a very tough loss for me and for Russia, but Im almost 30," Ovechkin said. "I have to handle it. I have to fight through it." The lingering Olympic sting was more evident on the face of Backstrom, who helped lead Sweden to the gold medal game but was pulled from the lineup shortly before faceoff because he had failed a doping test. Without one of its top players, Sweden lost 3-0 to Canada. "Ive had allergies for seven years, since I got here," Backstrom said. "Everyone that lives in the Washington area knows how bad it is here. Ive been taking Zyrtec-D for the last seven years and I havent been doing anything differently. Ive been playing internationally, in the world championships (and) Olympics before, and so I havent done anything differently." An ingredient in the allergy medicine is on the list of banned substances for Olympic competition, but Backstrom said he was told by the Sweden team doctor that he could take one pill a day without triggering a positive test. "Who do I blame?" Backstrom said. "Well, I followed the doctors recommendation." Backstrom said he expects a two-week wait to find out whether he will be awarded his silver medal, which is being held at the International Ice Hockey Federation offices in Zurich. "Obviously, its not fun to deal with," Backstrom said. "I dont wish no one to have to go through this, if Im going to be honest with you. Its not fun. But Ive got to look forward to play next game on Thursday. Ive got to focus on Washington right now." Backstroms teammates, much like the international hockey community in general, were shocked at how his situation was handled. "Its just ridiculous that it can happen at a big tournament like this," forward Martin Erat said, "at the Olympics just before the finals when everybody is ready to go and you just want to enjoy the sport. It just happened because of some stupidity, and its just unbelievable that this can happen in the Olympics." The Capitals sent five players to Sochi, and four of them have dealt with some sort of unexpected life event that has derailed an attempt to return to normalcy after the Olympics. Ovechkin had the health scare with his father, Backstrom has the fallout from the doping test, Swedish forward Marcus Johansson is stuck in Stockholm because of an visa issue -- the Capitals expect him to join them in Florida for Thursdays game -- and Erat returned to his family in Nashville, Tenn., as soon as he could after the Czech Republic was eliminated. "We just finished our quarterfinal game, and I went for my phone, and our friend had called me and said your baby girl, Victoria Bella, is born," Erat said. "First we lost in the quarterfinal, it was hard to swallow, and when I got the news, it brought back a smile on my face." Riyad Mahrez Jersey . He scored two highlight-reel goals in a three-minute span -- the second on a sideways bicycle kick in the 78th minute -- to give the Whitecaps a 2-2 draw with the Portland Timbers before a crowd of 20,303 at B. Ederson Moraes Jersey .J. - The New York Jets have signed former Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Graham Harrell, giving them some added depth at the position. http://www.authenticmanchestercityshop.c...er-City-Jersey/. -- Jane Kish stopped all 25 shots she faced as the Weyburn Gold Wings blanked the Sudbury Lady Wolves 3-0 on Friday to advance to the gold-medal game at the Esso Cup. Aymeric Laporte Jersey . Manager Ryan Nelsen has confirmed Brazilian No. 1 Julio Cesar will be rested for Wednesdays first leg of the semifinal. That opens the door for Bendik, who started 33 games for Toronto last season. Brahim Diaz Jersey . Make that, almost always subjective. Saturday at Carrow Road, the spirit of fair play trumped the rulebook, costing Norwich City three points.PITTSBURGH -- Considering everything the resilient Miami Dolphins have put themselves through over the last two months, a couple of snowflakes were hardly going to be a problem. Not with Ryan Tannehill throwing and running like a guy who enjoys the white stuff. Not with Charles Clay muscling through the arm tackle of a likely Hall of Famer for the winning score. Not even with a Keystone Kops finale that ever so briefly appeared to be for real. Clay bulled through Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu and cornerback Cortez Allen to score a 12-yard touchdown with 2:53 remaining to put the Dolphins in front to stay and Miami survived a wild finish to edge the Steelers 34-28 on Sunday. "I think I need some blood pressure medicine or something," Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake said. "Thats December football." Daniel Thomas ran for 105 yards and a score for Miami, including a zig-zag 55-yard burst to set up Clays winner. Clay had seven receptions for 97 yards and two touchdowns. Tannehill, playing in wintry conditions for the first time in his life, completed 20 of 33 passes for 201 yards and three scores and also ripped off a career-long 48 yard run for the Dolphins (7-6). Miami blew a pair of second-half leads but improved to 3-1 in its last four games. Heady territory for an organization reeling a month ago after a bullying accusation against offensive lineman Richie Incognito by Jonathan Martin that threatened to rip the locker room apart. "Big win of us," Thomas said. "We have a do or die mentality." One the Dolphins nearly saw both sides of in the final three minutes. Caleb Sturgis drilled a short field goal after Clays second touchdown to put Miami up six. The Steelers got the ball back with 1:08 left but no timeouts. Three plays went nowhere and on fourth-and-4 from the Pittsburgh 26 Ben Roethlisberger took the snap just before the clock hit all zeroes. Emmanuel Sanders caught the pass and made it 20 yards before things went haywire. Sanders flipped it to Jerricho Cotchery, who handed it to LeVeon Bell, who then tossed it to 330-pound tackle Marcus Gilbert. Gilbert flipped it to Roethlisberger, who ran to the Pittsburgh 33 before throwing what appeared to be an illegal forward pass to Brown. No flags were thrown, however, as Brown raced down the sideline. As the Dolphins gave chase, Brown crossed the goal lline.dddddddddddd. While he celebrated, an official pointed at the turf and ruled Browns left foot stepped out of bounds at the Miami 12. That sent the resurgent Dolphins spilling onto the field after the franchises first win in Pittsburgh in 23 years, one that came in the unlikeliest of settings. "I thought I had it clean," Brown said. "I thought I separated really good getting to the sideline, but it didnt seem quite enough." It never has been this year for Pittsburgh (5-8), which lost its second straight to all but end any outside shot of making the playoffs. Roethlisberger passed for 349 yards and three scores, but could do little but trudge to the locker room in disgust with his team assured of a second straight non-winning season. "There isnt going to be any quit from anybody," Roethlisberger said. The defeated capped a distracting 10 days for the Steelers. Head coach Mike Tomlin was fined $100,000 for interfering with Baltimore kickoff returner Jacoby Jones during a loss to Baltimore on Thanksgiving night. The kind of furor overshadowed the fact what little margin for error the Steelers had heading into December was gone. Now its vanished completely. "Weve still got games to play," Pittsburgh cornerback Ike Taylor said. "Weve got no time to be whining pouting, thinking about the season." Neither do the Dolphins. Then again, they have something considerably more tangible to play for after showing theyre not afraid to get a little snow on their pristine white-and-teal jerseys. Miami settled itself as the snow tapered off, taking a 17-7 lead early in the third quarter then continually responding whenever the Steelers appeared ready to take control in a game that featured four lead changes in the last 23 minutes. NOTES: Miami WR Mike Wallace had two catches for 19 yards in his return to Pittsburgh, where he played from 2009-12. ... Miami RB Lamar Miller left in the third quarter with a concussion and did not return. ... Roethlisbergers first-quarter touchdown pass to Sanders gave him 213 in his career, breaking a tie with Terry Bradshaw for the most in team history ... Polamalu returned an interception 19 yards for a score in the third quarter, the fifth touchdown of his career. ... Brown became the second Steeler to reach 90 receptions in a season. Hines Ward did it four times. ' ' '