CINCINNATI -- Tight end Tyler Eifert cant help but think the Bengals would be scoring more if he were on the field. The way its going, that could be in a couple of weeks.Eifert returned to practice this week, though on a limited basis. He was sidelined for offseason workouts and training camp while recovering from surgery for a torn ligament in his left ankle.The Bengals (1-1) have struggled close to the goal line, settling for field goals on five of their six trips inside the opponents 20-yard line. Last season, Eifert set a club record for a tight end with 13 touchdown catches.I like to think they need me back, Eifert said. I think theyve played pretty well these last two weeks, and I just want to get back out there and help.Its easy during the week when you are sitting in meetings and youre looking at the game plan and youre not missing much, but once the game starts, all you want to do is be out there. So its definitely exciting to take another step in that direction and move closer to getting back out there.Eifert partially tore an ankle ligament during the Pro Bowl. He got enough strength and range of motion back to start running pass routes during his workouts last week.He likely will miss Sundays game against Denver (2-0) at Paul Brown Stadium but could return the following Thursday against Miami if there are no problems.Ive been pretty confident for a while now just because everything is kind of going according to plan and I continue to feel better each and every week, Eifert said. Sometimes youll hit a plateau, where you are getting better and then you kind of just hit that wall. I havent experienced that at all. Pretty soon, Ill be back on the field.His backups have gotten mixed results. C.J. Uzomah has five catches for 68 yards. Tyler Kroft has three catches for 35 yards. Neither has scored a touchdown. Uzomah missed practice Wednesday with sore ribs but fully practiced Thursday.H-back Ryan Hewitt has been used for only 16 plays in the first two games as the Bengals got away from their struggling run game and threw to their receivers more than usual.Weve ended up in a lot of three wide receiver sets and that doesnt involve him quite as much as some of the other things, which is unfortunate, offensive coordinator Ken Zampese said. Well find ways to get him on the field more than he has in these first two weeks, thats for sure.Game notes WR A.J. Green missed Wednesdays practice to be with his wife when she gave birth to their son, Easton Ace. He was back at Paul Brown Stadium on Thursday though hed hardly slept the last couple of days. I cant even describe the feeling, but it was awesome, Green said. It was very emotional, just how blessed we are. I dont even know what to say. ... QB Andy Dalton had a second straight full practice despite a sore hip. ... WR James Wright (knee) and OT Eric Winston (back) missed practice.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Fake Hurricanes Jerseys . Breaking three of his own world records on his way to winning in Paris, Chan silenced the critics and left the audiences standing in appreciation and awe. Carolina Hurricanes Gear .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. https://www.cheaphurricanes.com/ . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Carolina Hurricanes Pro Shop . The 29-year-old Baines has established himself as one of the top attacking full backs in the country and was the subject of two bids from United during the last off-season. Everton manager Roberto Martinez says that keeping Baines at the club is a "massive boost and exciting for the future" because he brings "maturity and football knowledge in a very specialized position on the pitch" and an "infectious and positive influence to the rest of the squad. Hurricanes Jerseys 2020 . Brandon Morrow allowed five runs on six hits over three innings. He struck out two, walked one and hit a batter. Edwin Encarnacion had a two-out, bases loaded two-RBI double in the third inning. TORONTO -- One guy has more points over the past five seasons combined than any player in the NHL -- more than Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane or Alex Ovechkin over that span. The other guy tied the all-time single-season record for wins last season en route to a Vezina Trophy. The third has a Stanley Cup ring and was second only to Drew Doughty as a minutes-eater on his NHL club last season.There they were Wednesday afternoon at Air Canada Centre, Claude Giroux, Braden Holtby and Jake Muzzin?-- representing a combined?$20 million in NHL salaries for the upcoming season -- getting in a skate on a day when the rest of Team Canadas lineup stayed off the ice on the eve of Game 2 of the World Cup of Hockey finals.It is testimony, of course, to Team Canadas mind-blowing depth of talent that it can romp through this event without making those three guys regular members of the lineup.Just as important, though, is how these star players have accepted their situation. Of course, it kills them not to play. Theyre born competitors.But theyre also cognizant of the need to put Team Canada first, and so they have.Obviously we all want to play, Giroux said Wednesday. Thats just in our blood. And we just want to see Team Canada win.Having just missed out on being picked for Canadas 2014 Sochi Olympic team, Giroux was absolutely jacked when he got the call this time around. During the teams pre-tournament camp in Ottawa you could practically see his eyes glow with excitement at the prospect of finally getting his shot.The experience has still been positive, but appearing in just one tournament game isnt exactly what he had hoped for at the start.You dream of playing for Team Canada when youre a kid, Giroux said. You must want to help your country win. Obviously you want to play. Everyone on this team has the attitude that they want to make a difference. They want to be out there to help the team win. Its tough. But Im learning a lot and having a lot of fun here.Both Giroux and Muzzin were original roster members but have since been passed over for playing time by late-replacement additions in Ryan OReilly and Jay Bouwmeester, respectively.But that again speaks to the remarkable depth and plethora of choices with which Team Canada head coach Mike Babcock is blessed.Obviously, you want to be out there. every guy wants to be out there, Muzzin said. But when youre a scratch on one of the best teams in the world, I mean, its an honor just to be here. Its a privilege to be here. You cant really be too angry. Yeah, I want to play and I want to show what I can do and play at this elite level and prove myself at this level, but at the same time our team is full of really, really good hockey players. Thats just how it is.Holtby feels it might have been a little tougher on Giroux and Muzzin because, as he says, there are more moving parts in the lineup with forwards and defensemen. But as one of the teams three goalies, he had a pretty good sense going in that Carey Price would be the starter.It waas probably easier for me because I was a little more prepared for it, Holtby said.dddddddddddd Its been good. Its been a challenge in some ways, but its been fun.That Corey Crawford has been the backup ahead of Holtby was a mild surprise, just because of the Washington Capitals goalies standout 2015-16 season. But then again, when you consider Crawfords Stanley Cup experience with the Chicago Blackhawks, its kind of a toss-up.Its a pretty big honor just to be named to this team, Holtby said. Its pretty much an all-star team. Its pretty cool that way. I think youre just proud to represent your country. You dont really question it. But you definitely gain a new perspective of guys back on your (NHL) team that are struggling to get into the lineup. Its a tough spot.Giroux, the Philadelphia Flyers captain, echoed the sentiment of having a better appreciation for the players who vie for a lineup spot back home.It helps you understand what guys go through when theyre healthy scratches, Giroux said. Its not the most fun thing. You just got to grind it out and hope for your chance. But being part of this team has been a blast.Giroux is a victim of being on a team loaded with star centers, some of which are Olympic holdovers. Still, this July 17 tweet on NHL point leaders from ESPN NHL analytics guru Rob Vollman underscores Girouxs accomplishment the past half-decade: Its amazing that Giroux can be cast aside, but at the same time, its not all that shocking when you look at the names on the lineup.The talent thats here is pretty surreal, Giroux said. You can see every line is playing well right now -- how Canada finds a way to play a team game even when theres a lot of talent. A lot of guys that can take over a game. Everybody buys in, and its one of the reasons Canada has been successful.Muzzin has just tried to soak in as much as he can from this dressing room of full of leaders and superstars.Seeing the guys in here and how they prepare and seeing the different things that they do, I mean, you learn so much from different guys, said the?Los Angeles Kings?blueliner. And they learn things from you, it goes vice versa. You pick a coachs brain a little bit, you get a different view, you learn a lot. How can you not learn from this experience??A tough task for the three of them is trying to get as ready as possible for the NHL season which is just around the corner.Thats kind of been the challenge, right? Muzzin said.Its strange, because weve been playing hockey for longer, but were almost behind when we get back just because of the situation were in, Holtby said. But in preseason, its not like you play every game. Its a new challenge, but theres still enough time to get ready for the season.All three will go home with memories nonetheless.The whole experience has been great, just being around the guys has been fun, Giroux said.Only on Team Canada. ' ' '