LONDON -- Swedish hockey star Nicklas Backstrom will receive an Olympic silver medal even though he was suspended from the final in Sochi after a positive drug test. Buy Air Max Plus . The International Olympic Committee ruled Friday that Backstrom had not intended to enhance his performance, laying the blame for his positive test for pseudoephedrine on the Swedish team doctor. The Washington Capitals centre was suspended and pulled from the team just hours before the Feb. 23 gold-medal game, which Sweden lost 3-0 to Canada. The Swedes were outraged by the timing of the decision and said it affected the teams performance. The IOC defended the suspension, saying it was "fully justified" because of the positive test and noting that Backstrom conceded also taking the allergy medication on the day of the final. But the IOC ruled that the player should not be kicked out of the Sochi Games altogether, citing "mitigating circumstances." "There was no indication of any intent of the athlete to improve his performance by taking a prohibited substance," the IOCs three-person disciplinary commission said. "As a consequence, the athlete is entitled to receive the silver medal and diploma awarded in respect of the mens ice hockey event." Backstrom tested positive for excess levels of pseudoephedrine after Swedens win over Slovenia in the quarter-finals on Feb. 19. He said the stimulant was contained in "Zytec-D," a medication he had been taking for allergies. The IOC said the positive result in the "A" sample was confirmed on the morning of Feb. 23. A hearing with Backstrom and Swedish team officials was quickly assembled. Among those attending was Bjorn Waldeback, the Swedish hockey team doctor and chief medical officer of the Swedish Olympic Committee. The IOC said Backstrom had "nothing to hide" and explained he had been taking the allergy medication regularly for seven years on the advice of a doctor and had never produced a positive test. He said he had taken the medication earlier that day. The IOC said Backstrom told the panel he knew the medication contained pseudoephedrine but relied on Waldebacks advice that the dosage would not trigger a positive test. Waldeback said he was "at fault" for that advice. Backstroms backup "B" sample was tested later on Feb. 23 and also came back positive. The IOC ruled that Backstrom committed an anti-doping violation by having the banned substance in his system. But the panel said he had been "open and co-operative," had disclosed the medication on his doping control form and had relied on Waldebacks advice. The IOC ruled that Waldeback "made a serious error" by telling Backstrom his use of the medication would not result in a positive test. If the doctor applies for Olympic accreditation in the future, the IOC should "seriously consider" his role in the case, the panel said. The IOC said the decision "should in no way" be seen as taking away from the responsibility of athletes to be vigilant and ensure that no prohibited substances enter their body. Air Max Plus Wholesale China .C. -- Eric Staal kept his focus after his apparent breakaway goal was waived off early in the third period. Cheap Air Max Plus Shoes . The San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders are giving it a try, too.NEW YORK, N.Y. - The New York Rangers were running out of time to make anything out of the longest homestand in team history. The first seven games of the nine-game Madison Square Garden stay produced one win and only four of a possible 14 points for the Rangers, who seemingly lost their way in front of goalie Henrik Lundqvist. Enter backup Cam Talbot, who got the rare start and kept all but one puck out. Carl Hagelin and Mats Zuccarello scored second-period goals, and Talbot made 24 saves in the Rangers 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday night. Talbot allowed the first goal but was steady the rest of the way in relief of the struggling Lundqvist, who started the previous eight games and allowed at least three goals in the last seven outings. "We owed the fans this one," Talbot said. "Theyve been supporting us quite a bit lately, and we havent really produced for them." Benoit Pouliot tied it in the first period, Chris Kreider added a goal in the third, and Derick Brassard had two assists. Kreider made it 4-1 with 7:14 remaining. "Probably our best game all year when it comes to playing a full 60 minutes and everyone contributing," Hagelin said. "We definitely needed one of these just to feel good about ourselves." New York improved to 2-4-2 on the homestand that concludes Monday against Toronto. "There is not a whole lot of time to think about it," Talbot said. "Just go out there and try to carry this game into tomorrow." Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said he decided on his starting goalie for Monday, but didnt reveal his choice. "Hes a young kid thats learning the NHL game," Vigneault said of the 26-year-old rookie Talbot. "He came in here and did what we expect of our goalies and gave us a chance to win." Jason Pominville scored for Minnesota, and Niklas Backstrom stopped 32 shots. He made his second straight start in place of Josh Harding, who is out while adjustments are made to medication for multiple sclerosis. Minnesota, which has lost four of six, has netted only 13 goals in eight games. "When you put yourself in a hole, its hard to get out of it when goals have been tough to come by and overall youre just not feeling good about the way weve been playying," forward Zach Parise said. Cheap Air Max Plus Wholesale. "Its just been a frustrating stretch for us. "Weve got to find a way to score. Thats the bottom line. Were not scoring. Were not giving ourselves a chance." New York took control during a dominant second period in which the Rangers outscored the Wild 2-0 and outshot them 17-5 to take a 3-1 lead and a 29-16 edge in shots. "Our compete level, especially in the second period, was probably our best four-line, six-defence pairing in a long time," Vigneault said. Hagelin gave the Rangers the lead when he took a pass from Derek Dorsett in the right circle and snapped a drive that beat Backstrom at 11:26 for his third goal in four games. The Rangers made it 3-1 with 1:25 left in the second when Brassard skated the length of the ice, curled behind the net, and flung a backhanded pass into the slot to the charging Zuccarello. New York fell behind 4:08 in on Pominvilles team-leading 17th goal. Mikael Granlund, who returned after a long absence, won a faceoff in the New York zone. The puck came to Pominville, who moved it back to Ryan Suter at the left point and then cut to the front. Suter sent him a quick pass for a deflection past Talbot. It marked the first time in 11 road games that Minnesota scored first. "We felt pretty good about the way we played in the first period," Parise said. "We got the first goal and that was it." New York cashed in on its second power play when Pouliot finished a crisp passing sequence started by Brad Richards. Brassard moved the puck to Ryan McDonagh, who sent a floating drive toward the net that Pouliot deflected in with 3:52 left. Pouliot, who has five goals, has scored in three of his last six games and has a point in four straight and five of six. NOTES: The Rangers improved to 3-16-1 after allowing the first goal. The Wild fell to 14-2-2 after scoring first. ... Suter has a six-game assist streak, his longest since another six-game run in December 2011 with Nashville. ... The 21-year-old Granlund had missed 11 games with a head injury. He was hurt on his first shift against Phoenix on Nov. 27. ... Wild defencemen Jared Spurgeon and Clayton Stoner played in their 200th NHL game. ... 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