SAN DIEGO -- Nick Hardwicks 11th NFL season ended after only 15 plays. His career might be over, too, after the San Diego Chargers put the veteran centre on injured reserve Wednesday with a recurring neck stinger. "For me, personally, with all the time Ive had with him, what makes it so sad for me is that he may not ever put a helmet on again," said quarterback Philip Rivers, who came into the league with Hardwick in 2004. Rivers knows that decision is down the road. But Hardwick is 33 and in the final year of his contract. He contemplated retiring in the off-season before deciding to come back. Hardwick will be replaced by Rich Ohrnberger, whos in his sixth NFL season and second with the Chargers. "I was so sorry to hear it," said Ohrnberger, who will make his sixth career start Sunday when the Chargers (0-1) play their home opener against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks (1-0). "He talked to me last night about it. While Im excited for the opportunity, I would love to have him out there and be playing with him. Its a tough loss for the room, its a tough loss for the team. But thats football. Weve got to move forward." By comparison, Hardwick had been the starter since his rookie season of 2004. Hardwick started all 136 games he has played in, including the last 67 straight. Ohrnberger stepped in for Hardwick after he was hurt Monday night in an 18-17 loss at Arizona. Ohrnberger also replaced Hardwick early in a wild-card playoff victory at Cincinnati in January. "Its the next-man up philosophy," Ohrnberger said. "What a boon to have a successful season learning from a guy like Nick. Ive relied on him this past year and all through the off-season and Ill be using him as a source of advice this year, too." "Were all upset," Ohrnberger said. "We wish it would have worked out differently. Thats football. Its a great game. Its the people you fall in love with. You have guys like that show up and take over a program for a long time and become an important part of the community and the driving force of a team. This season is over, unfortunately." Hardwick came out of Monday nights game with what was announced as an ankle injury. "We had to make a decision yesterday. He had the ankle injury during the game and then he informed us of the stinger after the game was over and we came off the field," coach Mike McCoy said. "When I came in the locker room thats when I found that out. Were looking at the best interests of him and moving forward." Rivers said it was tough losing Hardwick so early. "Were just starting the season, youre so fired up, and obviously he and I, shoot, from a personal standpoint have been through so much, and were looking forward to a heck of a year. Its always tough getting that news, about any of your teammates, but especially him because of how close we worked together and, shoot, how many games weve been out there together. "I even told Rich, You know now how I feel about Nick and what Im going to say about Nick and were going to miss him. Its tough when you lose a guy thats been playing the way hes played centre here for so long and how awesome he is in the preparation and protection. But I wanted Rich to know at the same time I believe in him and I think our team does, too. We believe Rich can do it." Rivers and Ohrnberger do have some work to do. Rivers couldnt handle a shotgun snap from Ohrnberger on third-and-8 from the Arizona 29 with seven minutes left, forcing San Diego to punt on fourth-and-22 from the 43 while leading 17-12. That set up a drive capped by John Browns winning 13-yard touchdown reception from Carson Palmer with 2:25 left. Brent Honeywell Rays Jersey . The Philadelphia Eagles acquired running back Darren Sproles from the New Orleans Saints for a fifth-round draft pick on Tuesday. Michael Perez Rays Jersey . -- Phil Hughes ended a personal losing streak that dated to last July, pitching into the seventh inning Sunday and helping the Twins top the Kansas City Royals 8-3 to avoid a three-game sweep. https://www.cheapraysonline.com/1216i-ni...ersey-rays.html. Off-Season Game Plan looks at a Wild team that has a nice mix of proven veterans along with young, inexpensive talent on the rise. When the Wild signed Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, making a big splash in the summer of 2012, it set the franchise on a path to being more competitive, but a big reason that they have been so competitive is the contributions of young players who still have more to give. Tampa Bay Rays Gear . 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. Hoby Milner Jersey . -- Alex Anthopoulos spoke volumes with what he didnt say on right-hander Ervin Santana. EDMONTON -- The Portland Winterhawks were down, but they were able to keep from going out. Keegan Iverson scored the overtime winner as the Winterhawks erased a three-goal, third-period deficit to snap a three-game losing skid and defeat the Edmonton Oil Kings 6-5 on Sunday, sending the Western Hockey League championship to a seventh game. Portland trailed 5-2, but battled back to tie the game. The Winterhawks completed the comeback when Iverson tipped a Dominic Turgeon shot past Edmonton goalie Tristan Jarry 7:23 into overtime. "Thats definitely the biggest goal of my life," Iverson said. "I was just in shock when I scored. "Its been such an unbelievable series. Its been crazy. Its going to be quite the final game." The seventh and deciding game of the WHL final will take place Monday in Portland. Mathew Dumba had a pair of goals and Anton Cederholm, Keoni Texeira and Derrick Pouliot also scored for the Winterhawks, who had dropped three straight after owning a 2-0 advantage to start the best-of-seven finals. Prior to the three losses in the finals, the Winterhawks had only lost three games in their previous 45 outings. "We knew we just had to stick with it," said Portland head coach Mike Johnston. "We have the ability to score and have built that confidence throughout the year. Our guys were great. They played through it. It was a great character win. Its unusual to look at a scoresheet and see five defencemen scoring like we had tonight." Dumba credited goalie Corbin Boes, who was pulled after the first period, for firing the team up before the comeback. "He gave one of the most inspiring speeches I have ever heard," Dumba said. "He stood up like a 20-year-old should and made a great speech. He said he had never been on a team that is so tightly-knit like this and he wanted to keep it going. He believed in all of us and he got really emotional and I think it hit home with all of us. Just talking about it now gives me chills." Henrik Samuelsson and Edgars Kulda each had two-goal games and Curtis Lazar also scored for the Oil Kings, who lost for the first time at home in the playoffs, dropping to 10-1. "Its the old story, you have to play 60 minutes and we played about 35 before we sat back a bit," said Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal. "It is what it is. We are headed to a Game 7. It didnt look very good for us coming back from being down 2-0 in the series and our mindset has to be that we will take another chance to win this tomorrow." Edmonton captain Griffin Reinhart agreed that his team missed out on an opportunity, but can take solace in having one more chance. "We got the lead and were maybe a llittle bit too comfortable," he said.dddddddddddd "We played not to lose rather than to win. It is a tough loss, but tomorrow is a new day and we have to bounce back. "I think our adrenaline is going to be big tomorrow. Its a seven-game series for a reason." Ten WHL finals have gone to a seventh game, and not one has been captured by the visiting team. Edmonton carried over the momentum from their previous three wins to get off to a great start in front of a WHL playoff-high crowd of 11,902 at Rexall Place. The Oil Kings took a 1-0 lead five minutes into the first period with a power-play goal. A Dysin Mayo shot hit Mitch Moroz on the way to the net and Samuelsson was able to poke his seventh of the playoffs past Boes. Samuelsson notched his second goal of the game 1:26 later as Moroz forced a turnover deep in Portland territory and sent it across the ice. Samuelsson blasted the puck off of Boes glove and in to put the Oil Kings up 2-0. Edmonton took a three-goal advantage with 51 seconds remaining in the first period as Kuldas shot found its way through a maze of players and into the Portland net. Brendan Burke came in to replace Boes in the Portland net to start the second period. Portland got on the board less than four minutes into the second as Dumbas point blast beat Jarry on a 5-on-3 man advantage. The Winterhawks made it 3-2 with seven minutes left in the second as Cederholm came down the left side and picked the top corner with a wrist shot. Just 45 seconds after Portlands goal, Edmontons Reid Petryk picked off a pass and sent a backhander to Lazar, and the Ottawa Senators prospect scored his ninth of the playoffs. Less than a minute later, Edmonton made it 5-2 as Mayo made a long lead pass to give Kulda a breakaway, and he beat Burke stick side for his second of the game. The Winterhawks cut Edmontons lead to two goals again with Dumbas second goal, also on the power play goal three minutes into the third. Portland made it 5-4 with 14 minutes remaining as De Leo put a puck on net and Texeira got it under Jarry and into the net. The Hawks tied the game with just under nine minutes left as Pouliot blew the puck past Jarry to eventually send the game to overtime. Notes: Its the third consecutive season that the Oil Kings and Winterhawks have met in the WHL Championship Series. Edmonton defeated Portland in seven games to win in 2012, while Portland won in six games last year. a It is just the second time in league history that two teams have met in the WHL final three years in a row. The last time was when the original Edmonton Oil Kings (who ended up moving to Portland to become the Winterhawks) played the Flin Flon Bombers three times from 1969-71. ' ' '