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METAIRIE, La. -- Finally, Saints coach Sean Payton gets to do what he loves the most. Nearly 19 months after he coached his last game, Payton will be back on the sideline when New Orleans plays the Kansas City Chiefs in an exhibition opener Friday night at the Superdome. It wont come close to matching the intensity of his last game, a pulsating, excruciating 36-32 loss at San Francisco in the divisional round of the 2011 playoffs. But the dome should be rocking for his return from an unprecedented year-long suspension for his role in the bounty scandal. "Just getting back to being out on the field in practice and having a chance to coach in a regular game, that part of it is exciting," Payton said. "The fans have been great. They get excited about our team, especially at the start of the season after everything that went on a year ago. I know our players are excited to play." Much has changed since Payton walked off the field at Candlestick Park on Jan. 14, 2012, ruing a heartbreaking end to the Saints season. In a game with four lead changes in the last 4:02, the 49ers won on a 14-yard touchdown reception with 9 seconds left. New Orleans, which was 9-0 at home, would have played host to the New York Giants in the NFC championship game the following week. Without Payton, the Saints slipped to 7-9 last year, losing their first four games en route to their first sub-.500 season since 2007. After setting an NFL record for most yards gained in 2011, New Orleans shattered the mark for most yards allowed in 2012. Then-defensive co-ordinator Steve Spagnuolo, hired by Payton before his suspension, was fired and replaced by Rob Ryan. The Saints have changed to a 3-4 alignment from a 4-3. Drew Brees, who threw for an NFL-record 5,476 yards in 2011, tied the NFL high with 19 interceptions in 2012. Chiefs quarterback Chase Daniel, slated to play the second quarter after spending the last three years with the Saints as Brees backup, had an inside view of the New Orleans locker room without Payton. "It was one of the toughest years professionally in my short career that Ive been through," Daniel said. "Its hard when you lose your rock and your head coach like Sean Payton is down there. I think Drew put a little extra pressure on himself to fill the player and the head coach void. " Daniel knows it will not be the normal preseason atmosphere at the dome. "Well, I talked to the ticket guy a couple days ago, and its sold out," he said. "Its Sean Paytons first game really in like two years. The New Orleans fans love their football and it doesnt matter if its preseason, off-season, Super Bowl, regular season. Theyre going to be out in full force, and its going to be loud." Paytons last game in the Superdome was a 45-28 win against Detroit on Jan. 7, 2012 in the NFC wild-card round. He will call plays for the first time since Nov. 6, 2011, when he tore his left MCL and broke his leg in a sideline collision during a game at Tampa Bay. He gave up the play calling to offensive co-ordinator Pete Carmichael for the rest of 2011, but has reclaimed that duty. Payton played down his emotions a bit Thursday, but his players anticipate a raucous atmosphere. "Its going to be live," safety Malcolm Jenkins said. "Its loud every time we go into the dome, and with Seans return and just the anticipation that seems to be buzzing around this season, everyone is going to be very excited." NOTES: Payton said the starters would play 14 to 16 snaps. After Brees leaves, Luke McCown will replace him, with undrafted rookie Ryan Griffin following McCown. Payton said Seneca Wallace, the other quarterback competing for the backup spot, likely would not play to rest a pulled groin. Adidas Nmd Ireland . Burke is expected to miss two to three months after breaking a finger in the teams third preseason game. Tinsley, a 10-year veteran, spent the last two seasons in Utah, where the point guard averaged 3. Adidas Nmd Cheap Ireland . Jeff Green scored 13 points and Kris Humphries 12 for the Celtics, who nearly blew an 18-point, second-half lead. Sullingers 20-20 was the first by a Celtics player since Kevin Garnetts first game in Boston in 2007. Garnett was dealt -- along with Paul Pierce -- to Brooklyn during the off-season. http://www.cheapnmdsneakersireland.com/ . -- Adam Snyder returned to the San Francisco 49ers this season because the offensive lineman thought it was his best opportunity to win a championship. Cheapest Adidas Basketball Shoes .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Adidas Basketball Shoes Ireland . The veteran safety was a starter for the Bengals from 2008-2012. He totaled 41 tackles and three interceptions while starting all but four of the 13 games he played last season. DALLAS -- It had been so long since the Dallas Stars won a game in overtime that coach Lindy Ruff conducted a brief lesson on the bench after the third period on Monday night.The tutorial took hold. Jamie Benn flicked in a goal 1:23 into overtime, lifting Dallas over the Minnesota Wild 3-2.The Stars had lost five straight overtime games and nine in a row going back to last season. Their last overtime win at home was on Nov. 14, 2015 -- also 3-2 against the Wild.Going into overtime, Ruff was thinking first about defense.I even went through a quick review before the overtime started again, just on the defensive side, he said. Just to emphasize the points in case we were stuck in our end.The reminder worked, as Tyler Seguin won a puck battle in his own end to spring the play the other way. Benn took a cross-ice pass from Seguin in the left faceoff circle and shot over goalie Darcy Kuempers right shoulder.Kuemper said he was distracted by Jordie Benn on the goal.The pass came across, its on his one-time and there was a guy coming on the back door that just backed me off a little bit. He made a great shot, put it upstairs short side.Dallas twice took one-goal leads, but the Wild answered each time.The Stars Jamie Oleksiak scored his first in more than two years on a rebound at 7:19 of the second period. Nino Niederreiter tied the game on the power play at 17:22 of the second.Brett Ritchie gave Dallas a 2-1 lead at 1:01 of the third, but 3 minutes later, Erik Haula scored for Minnesota.We did fight back twice, something we havent done a lot of, Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. Its a hard-earned point in here. The points are going to be very valuable to come by because its going to be tight.Kuemper made 29 saves. Antti Niemi had 27 for the Stars.In front of Niemi was a revamped defense.Julius Honka, Dallas first-round draft pick in 2014, made his NHL debut and assisted on Ritchies goal.ddddddddddddEsa Lindell was recalled from Texas of the AHL with Honka, and Oleksiak was playing in only his sixth game this season.John Klingberg, who had played in every game this season, and Stephen Johns were healthy scratches. Johnny Oduya went on injured reserve before the game with a lower-body injury.Our puck movement last game (a 5-2 loss to Edmonton), things we did with the puck, Ruff said in explaining the changes.The unit was up against a Minnesota team averaging less than two goals per game. The Wild have scored more than two goals only once in the last nine games, six of them losses.After a scoreless first period, Dallas applied pressure early in the second.Patrick Sharp, Patrick Eaves and Jason Spezza skated in ahead of the defense. Trailing the play, defenseman Oleksiak put his stick on the rebound of Spezzas shot and backhanded the puck into the net.Oleksiaks goal was his second in 84 career games. He had not scored in 55 games since his first on Oct. 28, 2014.Game notes Wild LW Zach Parise returned after missing Saturdays game because of strep throat. ... Oleksiak and Minnesota RW Chris Stewart received major penalties for fighting at 6:34 of the first period. ... Ritchie has four points (two goals, two assists) in four career games against the Wild. In 12 games in November, Eaves has 12 points (eight goals, four assists). ... Mikko Koivus assist on Niederreiters goal was the 400th of his career. He has a team-high 28 points against the Stars in 36 games. ... Haula has five points (two goals, three assists) in his last five games vs. Dallas.UP NEXTWild: Return home to play Winnipeg on Wednesday night.Stars: Travel to Nashville to play on Wednesday night. ' ' '