The Detroit Lions have designated defensive end Ziggy Ansah as their franchise player.

The Lions announced the decision Tuesday. Ansah [link=http://www.steelerscheapshops.com]Steelers Cheap Jerseys[/link] , a first-round draft pick in 2013, has 44 sacks in five years with Detroit, including 12 this past season.

Ansah hasn't played a full 16 games since the 2015 season, but while his health has been an issue, he can still be an elite pass rusher. He had three sacks in a game three times last season, against the Giants, Bengals and Packers.

The franchise tag buys the Lions and Ansah until mid-July to reach agreement on a long-term contract. Otherwise, he'll play on a one-year deal and make the average of the top five players at his position in 2018.
Captain Steven Stamkos and high-scoring Nikita Kucherov garner lots of attention. However, the Tampa Bay Lightning are hardly a two-man show.

The top seed in the Eastern Conference got early goals from four players – none of them named Stamkos or Kucherov – before holding off the New Jersey Devils for a 5-2 victory Thursday night in Game 1 of the first-round series.

Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson and Yanni Gourde scored, helping the Lightning build a 3-0 lead that New Jersey trimmed to one goal before Alex Killorn and Kucherov [link=http://www.officialsenators.com/authentic-adidas-mike-condon-jersey]Mike Condon Jersey[/link] , who added an empty-netter with 1:12 remaining, finished off the win before a crowd of 19,092.

”Not the outcome we wanted,” Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid said ”That’s why it’s a series and not a game.”

Taylor Hall scored an unassisted goal off a turnover in the second period, then assisted on Travis Zajac’s power-play goal that trimmed the Devils’ deficit to 3-2 midway through third against Andrei Vasilevskiy, who had 29 saves for Tampa Bay, which held off Boston in the final week of the season for the best record in the East.

For the Devils, a shaky opening period was too much to overcome.

”I don’t know what happened. That’s the way hockey goes sometimes. Starting on time is a big part of hockey, and especially playoff hockey,” Hall said. ”We have to be a team that’s ready to battle right off the bat and just be aware that they have more than one line; more than Stamkos and Kucherov. They have a lot of dangerous guys and we have to be aware.”

The line of Palat, Johnson and Brayden Point [link=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/jk-scott-jersey-cheap]JK Scott Jersey[/link] , matched up against New Jersey’s top line, produced a pair of first-period goals and finished with six points.

Killorn’s shot over Kincaid’s glove restored a two-goal lead before Kucherov, who led the Lightning with 100 points this season, ensured there would be no comeback.

”I thought we played really well. I thought we played within our structure,” said Johnson, who also had an assist on Palat’s goal. ”You’ve got to give Jersey credit. They pushed in that second period. That third period, I thought we took it back over. `If we continue to play like that, I like our chances this series.”

Game 2 is Saturday at Amalie Arena.

Tampa Bay beat the Devils for the first time this year. The Devils won all three meetings between the teams during the regular season, with each game decided by one goal.

Kinkaid entered his first career playoff game as one of the hottest goalies in the league, going 7-0-1 over his last eight starts to help New Jersey grab its first playoff berth since the Devils reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012.

The Lightning, on the other hand [link=http://www.washingtonredskinsteamonline.com/charley-taylor-jersey]Charley Taylor Jersey[/link] , have been driven all season by failing to make the playoffs last spring after making deep runs previous two years.

With Kucherov and Stamkos leading the way, Tampa Bay paced the NHL in scoring and Vasilevskiy set a franchise record and tied for the league lead with 44 victories in his first season as a No. 1 goaltender.

But after reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in 2015 and coming within one victory of a return trip two years ago, this season ultimately will be judged on whether the Lightning can put together another strong bid to win it all.

”Last year was the first year that I missed the playoffs in any league. I’ve never had a long summer like that and that summer felt like forever,” said Johnson, who has 22 goals in 48 career playoff games.

”So I’m glad where we’re at right now. I’m excited to be back at this time,” Johnson added. ”It’s the best hockey. It’s the most fun you can play in.”

While the Devils did a nice job of containing the high-scoring Kucherov and Stamkos, Palat, Johnson, Killorn and Gourde, who set a Lightning rook