ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons hired Scott Pioli as assistant general manager on Wednesday, reuniting him with GM Thomas Dimitro

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons hired Scott Pioli as assistant general manager on Wednesday, reuniting him with GM Thomas Dimitroff. Danny Santana Jersey . Pioli was director of player personnel for the New England Patriots from 2000-08, including six seasons with Dimitroff, who directed college scouting. He was the Kansas City Chiefs general manager for four years before leaving by mutual agreement in January 2013. Pioli, 48, will join the Falcons on Feb. 3, after he completes his contract with NBC Sports and SiriusXM Radio. Pioli began his NFL career in 1992, when he was hired by Bill Belichick as a scouting assistant for the Cleveland Browns. Pioli was made the New York Jets director of pro personnel in 1997 before joining Belichick in New England. Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Dimitroff initiated the push to bring in Pioli. "This move was made as a result of Thomas competitive drive to build the best personnel team in the NFL, and the addition of Scott to his team certainly reflects that," Blank said. Dimitroff said Pioli is "one of the most respected and adept talent evaluators in the NFL." "We have worked together well in the past and been friends for more than 20 years," Dimitroff said. "We have had the opportunity to experience a lot of success together, and I am very pleased that he has agreed to join our personnel team so we can work together again." The Falcons were 4-12 in 2013 after five straight winning seasons. "We have made the commitment to improve every aspect of our organization this off-season, and with the addition of Scott to our personnel department, we have taken an important step to enhance our scouting staff," Dimitroff said. Babe Ruth Jersey . "This isnt really the week you want to lose Chris Greaves," fellow lineman Glenn January said Wednesday after practice. Greaves is expected to miss several weeks after suffering a knee injury in last weeks 36-28 win over the Ottawa Redblacks. Phil Niekro Jersey . -- Theres been so much talk about Mike Moustakas at the plate that the third baseman ignored the conversation Wednesday -- even after doing something positive. http://www.thebravesteamshop.com/Braves-Greg-Maddux-Kids-Jersey/ . PETERSBURG, Fla.NEW YORK -- Not much has gone right for the Edmonton Oilers and Nail Yakupov in a season where much was expected. The first pick in the 2012 draft showed a glimpse Thursday night of why there was optimism in Edmonton before the season. Yakupov scored with 1:38 left in regulation to give the Oilers to a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers. Ryan Smyth also scored for Edmonton, which is 5-5 in its last 10. Ben Scrivens made 35 saves. "Finally we get rewarded," Oilers coach Dallas Eakins said. New Yorks season-high four-game winning streak came to an end. Derick Brassard scored and Cam Talbot made 29 saves. "I dont think it was consistent enough," Rangers right wing Ryan Callahan said of his teams play. "We need to have more of a consistent 60 minutes to get the win. "I dont think we were getting pucks deep quite enough. Theyre a good transition team with a lot of speed. We were a little sloppy through the neutral zone and when you do that against a team like that it will cost you." New Yorks sloppiness came at a most opportune time for the Oilers. Yakupov one-timed a feed from Sam Gagner past Talbot for the game-winning goal. "It was a good play by our guys down low to protect the puck," Yakupov said. "A great change by (Jordan Eberle). All I had to do was find space in the middle because I saw the two guys behind. I just had to find a spot. I think that was our top game this season. We need to do it to have a good time before the break." Yakupovs goal, his 11th of the season, broke a tie that carried over from the second period. After Smyth opened the scoring 2:56 into the game by shoving a rebound of David Perrrons shot past Talbot, Brassard drew the Rangers even at 1-1 with a slap shot that beat Scrivens 22 seconds into the second periood. Kurt Suzuki Jersey. Brassards goal was his 11th of the season, and it was created by Benoit Pouliot intercepting Eberles pass in the Edmonton defensive zone. Pouliot whipped a pass from alongside the left wing boards to Mats Zuccarello, who found Brassard in the right faceoff circle. "All three of us try to work hard (and) play a simple game," Zuccarello said. "It doesnt matter when you lose. Its really disappointing because I thought we had a lot of chances to close out the game." But the Rangers, who finished with more shots on goal (36-31) and more shot attempts (65-51), could not find a way to solve Scrivens. "He was good," Rangers defenceman Marc Staal said. "We didnt have a lot of secondary chances, missed some good shots. I think you (have) to get in front of a guy like that. Hes playing well and I dont think we had enough traffic, causing rebounds and scrambles." Edmonton appeared to take a 2-1 lead on a power play midway through the second, but what would have been a goal by Gagner was waived off by the officiating crew of Dan OHalloran and Chris Lee. Their ruling was upheld by replay review. "(A shot) hit me right in the collarbone and ended up under my jersey," Talbot said. "It just fell down my back and the whistle had already blown." NOTES: Thursday nights game was the 6,000th regular season game in New York Rangers franchise history. ...Before the game, the Oilers announced they would play the Chicago Blackhawks in a preseason game in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on Sept. 28, 2014. The preseason game will be the third the Oilers will have played in Saskatoon. "Its always nice to get to Saskatoon and see the tremendous support the Oilers have throughout Saskatchewan," Oilers General Manager Craig MacTavish said in a statement. Cheap Ducks Jerseys Cheap Coyotes Jerseys Cheap Bruins Jerseys Cheap Sabres Jerseys Cheap Flames Jerseys Cheap Hurricanes Jerseys Cheap Blackhawks Jerseys Cheap Avalanche Jerseys Cheap Blue Jackets Jerseys Cheap Stars Jerseys Cheap Red Wings Jerseys Cheap Oilers Jerseys Cheap Florida Panthers Jerseys Cheap Los Angeles Kings Jerseys Cheap Wild Jerseys ' ' '