NEW YORK -- The next phase in New York Mets ace Matt Harveys rehabilitation from elbow reconstruction surgery is being pushed back, and the All-Star right-hander is becoming more realistic about his chances of pitching in the major leagues this year. A.J. Brown Jersey . Harvey was supposed to throw off a slope for the first time Tuesday but he was told last week while working out at the Mets complex in Port St. Lucie, Florida, that the plan was being scrapped. "A little surprised," Harvey said before the Mets played the Milwaukee Brewers. "We kind of had that plan written up for quite some time and to hear four or five days before Im making a milestone is a little disappointing." New York general manager Sandy Alderson said there is nothing wrong with Harvey. In fact the 25-year-olds recovery might have been going too well. "I think the realization that as we transition from long tossing to throwing off a slope that we were moving sort of inexorably to a conclusion that we wanted to avoid, which is pitching too soon," Alderson said. "After talking with our doctors it made sense to slow him down a little bit." In a season in which Tommy John surgery has become a near epidemic -- 22 pitchers had the operation so far, according to data provided from STATS via writer Jon Roegele -- the Mets are basing their timetable for Harveys return on a growing amount of data that shows pitchers have more success if they dont return before 11 months from the date of surgery. Harvey had his operation on Oct. 22. "Thats about the last week in September," Alderson said of the target date. "Thats a very narrow window to try to hit from our standpoint." Manager Terry Collins, who was given a vote of confidence from Alderson with the Mets on a six-game skid, said he wouldnt expect Harvey to pitch for New York in the final week of the season unless the team was in contention. Harvey had been set on returning this season but understands the decision is out of his hands. "I think Im coming to realize that I cant write myself in the lineup is becoming more realistic," Harvey said. "Im the one throwing the baseball. I havent had one pinch of pain. I can only express how good I feel and how ready I personally feel." Harvey will continue to long toss from 120 feet -- sometimes 150 -- and throw off flat ground for the time being. Alderson said a new plan has not yet been finalized. Alderson, meanwhile, met with Collins after the team returned from an 11-game road trip a season-high seven games under .500 at 28-35 because he felt there was too much talk about Collins status in the media. "Every time we lose a few games in a row, theres speculation about somebody taking a fall and thats simply not the way to approach a long season," Alderson said. Ryan Tannehill Jersey . Nikolaos Kounenakis has been hired as an assistant coach, the team announced on Monday. Warren Moon Jersey .C. -- Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith has been ruled out for Sundays game against the Atlanta Falcons. http://www.authentictitanspro.com/Steve-mcnair-titans-jersey/ .C. - Nick Merkley and Damon Severson each had a goal and two assists as the Kelowna Rockets downed the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds 6-3 on Saturday in Western Hockey League playoff action. NEW YORK -- Sidney Crosby scored his first goal of these playoffs, and Marc-Andre Fleury earned his second shutout of the New York Rangers in two nights as the Pittsburgh Penguins regained home-ice advantage with a 2-0 victory in Game 3 on Monday night. Crosby snapped a 13-game goal drought in the playoffs to give the Penguins the lead in the second period, and Jussi Jokinen added a breakaway goal. Fleury stopped 35 shots to back up his 22-save effort Sunday in a 3-0 win in Pittsburgh. He has eight career post-season shutouts and 51 wins. The Penguins, who lost the opener in overtime, lead the Eastern Conference second round series 2-1. Game 4 is Wednesday in New York. Henrik Lundqvist made 13 saves for the weary Rangers, who played for the fifth time in seven days. They have consecutive losses in these playoffs for the first time. The tide turned in Pittsburghs favour in the second period for the third straight game. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said earlier Monday that he "hated" the second period in Games 1 and 2, and he couldnt have liked this one, either. New York had 2:15 remaining on a 4-minute power play that began in the first period, but couldnt cash in. To make matters worse for the Rangers, Crosby took a long stretch pass from defenceman Robert Bortuzzo, outraced Marc Staal, and beat Lundqvist between the pads from the left circle just 19 seconds after James Neal left the penalty box. It was Crosbys 41st career playoff goal. Although Crosby didnt score in Game 2, he played a dominant game. "Eventually youre going to see him get a goal," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said before Game 3. "Eventually youre going to see him break out. Theres no question about that." The Penguins struck for their second goal again right after killing a penalty. Jokinen jumped out of the box and got to a loose puck in the neutral zone after Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello failed to connect on a backward pass in the Pittsburgh end. Jokinen came in alone on Lundqvist and scored his fifth of the playoffs with 4:40 left in the second -- 8 seconds after his penalty ended. Steve McNair Youth Jersey. The Rangers were suddenly down 2-0 and had the weight of their anemic power play enveloping them even more. They finished 0 for 5 and have failed on 34 straight advantages overall -- including one in the final minutes. During their last man-advantage in the second period, the Madison Square Garden crowd implored the Rangers to "Shoot the puck!" They did, but to no avail. New York led 26-14 in shots through two periods, yet trailed by two goals. Zuccarello thought earlier in the second that he had tied the game at 1, but his drive struck the crossbar behind Fleury, skittered across the goal line, and stayed out. The Rangers received their first power play of the night 5:16 in when Marcel Goc was called for roughing Dominic Moore after an icing call. Neal later got a 4-minute power play for hitting Jesper Fast in the mouth with a high stick with 1:45 remaining. Benoit Pouliot had the best chance during the first half of the advantage when he fired a drive off the right post with 14 seconds left in the period. Before that, Zuccarello had the best scoring chance when he one-timed a pass from Pouliot during 5-on-5 play from the left circle that Fleury snagged with a stretch of his glove hand with 2:41 left. Lundqvist was sharp early for the second straight night and turned aside Chris Kunitz on a breakaway, for the second time in as many days, during New Yorks first power play. NOTES: Crosby was nominated as a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award, given annually to the "Most Outstanding Player" as voted by fellow members of the NHL Players Association. Crosby won the award last season and in 2007. ... The Rangers replaced rugged forwards Daniel Carcillo and Derek Dorsett in the lineup with Fast and J.T. Miller, and put defenceman Raphael Diaz in for the first time in these playoffs. John Moore sat out. ... Lundqvist made his 77th playoff appearance, the most for a Rangers goalie. ' ' '