ALLEN PARK, Mich. - Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley is fired up to prove what hes worth. Fairley told reporters Tuesday the team informed him this off-season that it was not picking up the 2015 option in his contract. "It motivates me," he said. Fairley recalled working out in Houston when Lions general manager Martin Mayhew called him about the decision on the $5.5 million option for the fifth year of his contract. "It kind of surprised me," Fairley recalled. Fairley said after calling his agent and having dinner with him, his mind was changed because he can get a new contract. "We kind of came to agreement that it was good for both sides," he said. Detroit drafted Fairley out of Auburn with the No. 13 overall pick in 2011 and he has struggled to sustain success in part because of his fluctuating weight. Fairley acknowledged playing too heavy last season while weighing as much as 320 pounds. "I didnt feel comfortable with myself, my body, and how I was getting tired," he recalled. "I just felt like if I got down to a lighter weight, I would be leaner, meaner and ready to go." Fairley said he has lost about 30 pounds, getting down to about 290 pounds. He started eating more baked chicken and grilled fish, cutting out his habit of eating fast food three days a week. "He looks good," defensive co-ordinator Teryl Austin said. "Hes lost a lot of weight. I think the key will be when he leaves here and then when he comes back in camp if hes still in that great shape with his weight down. Its going to be great for us." Fairley was limited during Wednesdays practice because he is still recovering from surgery to treat sleep apnea, but expects to be "full go," at next weeks mandatory minicamp. He had career highs with six sacks and two fumble recoveries in 2013 while playing next to Ndamukong Suh, who is also entering the last year of his contract. "Were just hoping that we get a big year out of (Fairley)," Austin said. "I think he wants to have a big year as well." Fairley was up for talking about a lot of topics and shied away from only one question, choosing his words carefully when a reporter asked him asked him about becoming a free agent after next season. "Well just have to wait and see," he said. NOTES: NASCAR driver Joey Logano attended practice to promote next weeks race at Michigan International Speedway. After the practice, he caught passes from and threw to the football to quarterback Matthew Stafford. Logano said drivers are like quarterbacks and a crew chief is like a coach, joking there would be only one place for his 6-foot-3, 175-pound body in football. "Id be on the bench," Logano said. ... The Lions will have a three-day mandatory minicamp next week before taking more than a month off before training camp begins. ___ Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ___ Follow Larry Lage on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/larrylage USA Soccer Pro Shop .ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams. Wholesale USA Soccer Jerseys . According to Yahoo! Sports, the team has reached a five-year deal to play their home games on the roof of the Plaza Hotel and Casino. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/. It was considered unlikely that Rielly would be loaned to Canada for the tournament, which begins Dec. 26 in Malmo, Sweden, though a stretch of three straight games in the press box made it something of a debate. USA Soccer Jerseys 2019 .com) - Ames, IA (SportsNetwork. Cheap USA Soccer Jerseys .J. -- Travis Zajac of the New Jersey Devils took a lot of grief considering his scored the first of his career-best three goals just 12 seconds into a crucial game against the Florida Panthers. MONTREAL -- The Toronto Maple Leafs had many reasons to be upset Saturday night, but it was Max Paciorettys showboating that stood out the most. Pacioretty celebrated his second goal of Montreals 4-2 victory over the Leafs on Saturday night by twirling his stick and pretending to sheathe it like a sword. "The goal stirred our emotions a bit," said Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle. "If they want to hot dog, spin the sword, those kind of things... That was what stirred the pot." "You dont really like to see that kind of stuff," added Toronto forward James van Riemsdyk. Pacioretty put the Canadiens up 4-0 at that point, and coach Carlyle thought the celebration was exactly what his Leafs needed. "Thats when we got involved in the game," said Carlyle. "We got emotionally involved. We were better after that." Toronto answered with two quick goals. Riemsdyk netted the first, lifting the puck from a tight angle into the roof of the net over a crouching Carey Price at 18:10 of the second. And Mason Raymond, who was on the ice for Paciorettys goal and said the celebration ignited him, scored 22 seconds later to make it 4-2. "Normally its a bad break, when you allow a goal at the end of a period," said Pacioretty. "The period ending there helped us. We had time to recuperate, we figured out what we did wrong." The Canadiens kept the Leafs off the score sheet in the third, extending Torontos winless streak away from home to seven games. "We need to find our spark," said Laval-native Jonathan Bernier, who made 35 saves for the Leafs. "We have to be excited to play, and we have to find a way to score goals. Thats what we were doing at the start of the season." The Canadiens wasted no time getting their first past Bernier after the Leafs took a penalty for interference in the games first minute. Pacioretty scored his eighth of the season on the power play at 0:58 after taking a crisp pass from P.K. Subban, who was deep in his own zone. Pacioretty walked in on the breakaway and got off three shots on net before sliding one past Berniers outstretched leg. "The power-play goal put us bback on our heels," said Carlyle.dddddddddddd "They made a stretch pass, we didnt have coverage on Pacioretty, and he got three whacks at it. Thats how far we were behind on the play." Price got an assist on the goal, his first point of the season. Subban added to the lead at 16:13 of the first after a David Desharnais face-off win landed on his stick. Subban took a step towards the goal and beat Bernier with a wrist shot over his blocker. The goal was the first for a Habs defenceman in nine games dating back to Nov. 7, when Andrei Markov scored against the Senators. The Canadiens added to their lead at 15:05 of the second period when Tomas Plekanec fired home his ninth of the year on a two-on-one with Daniel Briere. Pacioretty put the game out of reach two minutes later while playing shorthanded. He followed up with his celebration. "It was a strange shot," said Bernier. "His release surprised me. Its a goal that I would love to get back. I was expecting a wider shot. Thats a stop I need to make." The goal was Paciorettys team-leading ninth of the year. He also finished the game with an assist, and took a career-high 10 shots on net. "His play does his talking for him," said Subban of Pacioretty. "When hes confident, hes one of our best forwards. "He can do it all. Hes big, he can skate, hes physical, he can shoot the puck, probably one of the harder wristers in the league. Its a big boost for our team." Price made 34 saves on the night and is fifth-best in the league among goaltenders with a .937 save percentage. Both the Canadiens (15-9-3) and Maple Leafs (14-10-3) were coming off 3-2 losses in extra time on Friday night. Montreal lost to the Washington Capitals in a shootout, while Buffalo scored 38 seconds into overtime to beat Toronto. Notes: The Leafs and Canadiens entered the game tied in the standings with 31 points. a Montreal rookie Michael Bournival was out of the lineup. a The Leafs were without injured players Dave Bolland (ankle) and Joffrey Lupul (groin). a The Habs and Maple Leafs meet three more times this season. The next matchup is Jan. 18 at the Air Canada Centre. ' ' '