CLEVELAND -- John Axford had other choices where he could pitch next season. Fake Jerseys Outlet . The Indians closed the deal. Axford, who had 46 saves for Milwaukee in 2011 but lost his closers job last season and was traded to St. Louis, finalized a $4.5 million, one-year contract Thursday and will close for Cleveland in 2014. The 30-year-old Axford had other teams interested in signing him, but he decided to join the Indians because of their turnaround in 2013, a strong clubhouse and manager Terry Francona, who sold Axford with his typical straightforward approach. "He was very, very up front with me about the team, the organization, the city," Axford said. "It just sounded to me like a situation I want to be a part of." Axford replaces two-time All-Star closer Chris Perez, who was released in October after Cleveland made its first playoff appearance since 2007. Axford agreed to the contract with Cleveland earlier this week, and completed the deal after taking a physical on Wednesday. The right-hander can earn another $1.75 million in performance bonuses based on games finished: $250,000 for 38 and $300,000 apiece for 43, 48, 53, 58 and 63. The Indians initially considered filling the closers role within the organization -- right-handers Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen were the top candidates -- and pursued several veteran free agents before working out a deal with Axford. The Indians werent scared off despite Axford struggles last season, when he started horribly and was demoted by the Brewers before eventually being traded to St. Louis in August. "We thought he was the right guy to take a chance on," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. "We feel like we added an experienced, power arm to the back of our bullpen." Antonetti said the team wasnt reluctant to give the job to Shaw or Allen, its just that Axford was a better option and the club feels he can "bounce back" and be an elite stopper again. Axford attributed some of his early problems last season to pitching in the World Baseball Classic. He was throwing hard from the get-go and went through a "dead arm" period when his velocity dropped following the WBC. But after making some adjustments, Axford settled in and posted a 2.92 ERA in his final 71 appearances with the Brewers and Cardinals. "I dont like to make excuses," Axford said. "I really enjoyed pitching for my country, but I really dont think my arm was ever ready for the start of the regular season. I had a dead arm and my velocity was down in those first few games of the regular season. But when you give up four home runs and have an ERA of 22 after four games, you cant be surprised that youre not the closer anymore." Axford has a 22-19 career record with a 3.29 ERA and 106 saves in 281 relief appearances. He said being a free agent "was fun, but it was difficult." Ultimately, he thought the Indians were the best fit for him because they provided a chance to close again and Cleveland is just a 4 1-2 hour drive from his home in Ontario. It also helped the Indians are on the rise after earning a wild-card spot in 2013. "There were certainly other teams in the mix," Axford said. "They had a great season last year. It seemed like a team I would want to pitch for." Fake Jerseys Online . "Rob brings a wealth of coaching experience, having worked both in Canada and overseas in player development," Canada Soccer technical director Tony Fonseca said in a release. Fake Jerseys Website . I wondered how NHL coaches would feel about a playoff schedule that allowed them to open a best-of-seven series on the road, which many claim to favour, yet still gave them the precious home-ice edge for a seventh game. https://www.fakejersey.com/ . The star receiver certainly isnt celebrating it with the Texans mired in a franchise-record 13-game skid.BOSTON -- Boston winger Milan Lucic didnt hide the thoughts many of his teammates may have had in the Bruins locker room following a fairly easy win over Carolina. "I just hope were not peaking right now and keep wanting more," Lucic said after the Eastern Conference-leading Bruins beat the Hurricanes 5-1 on Saturday afternoon for their eighth straight victory. "Weve done a good job of staying focused and keeping on the task at hand," he said. "It seems like were playing at our highest level of the season so far. It seems to have gotten better since the start of February and Olympic break." Jarome Iginla scored a pair of goals and backup goaltender Chad Johnson made 29 saves, helping extend the Bruins longest winning streak since a 10-game stretch in November 2011. Lucic had a goal and two assists, Torey Krug and Chris Kelly each scored a goal and David Krejci added three assists, his first coming as he was falling to the ice on Lucics score. Bruins coach Claude Julien wasnt about to say his team is playing its best. "If he thinks were peaking too soon I can show him areas where we can play better," he said, breaking into a grin. "Were playing well and working hard." Alexander Semin had the goal and Cam Ward made 36 saves for the Hurricanes, who lost for the eighth time in 11 games. Johnson, playing with regular goalie Tuukka Rask getting the day off, is 8-0-1 in his past nine starts. Bruins defenceman Johnny Boychuk had to be helped off the ice favouring his right leg after going off-balance into the boards midway into the third period. He was back about a minute later and ended up blocking a shot before limping off on his next shift. Boston grabbed a 1-0 lead on Lucics goal 15:28 into the opening period. Krejci was falling after being tripped on what would have been a penalty on Eric Staal, but he pushed the puck ahead to Lucic. The winger then snapped off a quick shot inside the right post into a wide-open area with Ward over near the other post. "Its funny. I was talking to him after the play," Lucic said, smiling. "He said he was going to shoot it. Its a bit of a lucky play to come back to me. Again, youve gotta be lucky to be good sometimes. Thats what happened there. Thats how it goes sometimes. You can be working hard and playing well and things dont go your way. Cheap Fake Jerseys. quot; Lucic then set up Iginla to make it 2-0 at 17:24 of the second. The Bruins rugged winger outworked defenceman Jay Harrison for the puck in the corner, hustled to it behind the net and sent a pass out front to Iginla, who fired a wrist shot inside the far post over Wards glove. Semin ended Johnsons shutout bid 3:53 into the third when his shot caromed off the stick of Boychuk and bounced into the net. Boston broke it open with two goals later in the period before Krug scored in the final seconds. "Yeah, you know what, theyre a good hockey team, theyre physical," Carolina coach Kirk Muller said. "It was disappointing for us because weve been playing pretty good hockey recently. Usually, as the game goes on we get stronger and stronger, but I dont think we pushed back well enough tonight after they came out hard in the first. They set the tone and I dont think we really responded -- even though the game was a 2-1 game for the most part." Kellys score made it 3-1 at 12:49 and Iginla scored his team-leading 23rd goal 13 seconds later, firing a wrister past Ward from the slot. Johnson had a key save late in the second after Boston made it 2-0 when he made a right pad stop on Staal at the end of a 2-on-1 break. "I thought we didnt capitalize on opportunities, and that always hurts us obviously early in the game, and then they just kept coming," Hurricanes forward Nathan Gerbe said. NOTES: Bruins C Matt Lindblad played his first NHL game and Krug was back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch in the previous game. ... The Hurricanes entered the game with the leagues 29th ranked power play and went 0 for 3. ... Playing a Carolina team not known for physical play, Julien elected to make enforcer Shawn Thornton a healthy scratch. ... Iginla played his 1,300th career game. ... Boston swept the three games against Carolina this season. ... Boston F Gregory Campbell impressed the crowd and drew some loud oohs when he tipped a shot between his legs with his back to Ward in the second period. ... Boston C Patrice Bergeron was whistled for three minor penalties. ... The Hurricanes host Edmonton on Sunday. ... Boston D Dougie Hamilton sent Jeff Skinner flying to the ice with a hard check in the third. ' ' '