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CLEVELAND - The Browns moved a step closer to swiping a player from one of their AFC North rivals. Cleveland signed Bengals slot receiver Andrew Hawkins to a contract offer sheet on Thursday, a Browns spokesman said. Cincinnati will have five days — until next Tuesday — to match the reported four-year, $13.6 million deal, which includes a $3.8 million signing bonus, or theyll lose the speedy and elusive Hawkins. The Browns are in the market to fill the slot position after releasing troubled wide receiver Davone Bess last week. The Bengals have not said what they intend to do with Hawkins, who caught just 12 passes last season and missed four games with a high ankle sprain. In 2012, Hawkins had 51 catches for 533 yards and four touchdowns. The 28-year-old Hawkins was in Clevelands rookie minicamp in 2007, but wasnt signed. He played in the Canadian Football League before signing with the Bengals. If he joins the Browns, the 5-foot-7 Hawkins would provide a nice complement for Pro Bowl wide receiver Josh Gordon and another option for quarterback Brian Hoyer, who at this point is the favourite to begin next season as Clevelands starter. As they await Cincinnatis decision on Hawkins, the Browns are exploring other options and are believed to have interest in New Englands Julian Edelman, a free agent who caught 105 passes last season as Tom Bradys primary target. Edelman took over the role once held by Wes Welker and finished with 1,056 yards receiving and six touchdowns. The former Kent State quarterback also handled punt return duties for the Patriots. He has another local connection because he was a teammate on the Patriots with Hoyer, who backed up Brady for three seasons. On Thursday night, the Browns hosted Houston free agent running back Ben Tate, who could fill a major hole for Cleveland. Tate was supposed to meet with the team on Wednesday but his visit had to be postponed because of a severe winter storm. Tate rushed for 771 yards and four touchdowns last season, his third with the Texans. He has been on Clevelands radar for months, starting soon after the club traded Trent Richardson to Indianapolis for a first-round draft pick. Tate has averaged 4.7 yards per carry and hes rushed for 1,992 yards and 10 TDs. The Browns didnt adequately replace Richardson and their rushing game was almost nonexistent. Earlier in the day, the Browns signed tight end Jim Dray to a three-year, $5.62 million contract, with $2.25 million in the first season. The 6-foot-5, 255-pounder spent the past four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, setting career highs with 26 catches for 215 yards and two touchdowns last season. Primarily a blocker, Dray gives the Browns depth at tight end behind Pro Bowl Jordan Cameron and Gary Barnidge. Dray was impressed that the Browns showed early interest in him. "Just hearing from my agent that the Browns were pretty aggressive from the start of free agency," said Dray, drafted out of Stanford in the seventh round in 2010. "I thought that theyd be a great fit for me, so the feeling was mutual and Im really excited to be here. Ive been watching (offensive co-ordinator) coach (Kyle) Shanahans offence for Washington the past couple years, and the way they used their tight ends seemed like a good fit." The Browns also are waiting for what happens with Pro Bowl centre Alex Mack. They placed their transition tag — worth $10.039 million for one year — on him last week and will have five days to match any offer if he signs with another team. Mack has until July 22 to sign his transition tag and its possible his situation could drag on. Kyle Barraclough Jersey . 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CINCINNATI - Bengals cornerback Leon Hall is happy with his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon and expects to be ready for the start of training camp in July. Miami Marlins Jerseys . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a course-record 10-under 62 on Wednesday to take the first-round lead in the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament.For the ninth time in the storied history of their rivalry, the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens will face off in a decisive Game 7, as the clubs battle for a berth in the conference finals Wednesday at TD Garden. Listen to all-day coverage followed by the game live on TSN Radio 690 and TSN.ca/Montreal. Also, TSN.ca will provide live streaming from the Bell Centre in Montreal during the game. The Original Six foes are deadlocked at 3-3 in the Eastern Conference semifinals and this evenings game in Boston will decide who gets to face the New York Rangers in the third round. The Rangers earned a spot in the East finals after beating Pittsburgh, 2-1, in Game 7 on Tuesday night. No rivalry in major professional sports has featured as many Game 7 battles as the one between the Bruins and Habs. Montreal is 5-3 in Game 7s against Boston, but the Bs claimed the last one with a 4-3 overtime victory at TD Garden on April 27, 2011. The Bruins, of course, went on to win their first Stanley Cup title since 1972 after surviving that opening-round series with Montreal. This marks the seventh straight season Boston will play a Game 7, setting a new NHL record. The Bruins were tied with Colorado (1998-2003) for that distinction. All told, Boston is 13-11 in Game 7s but has won four of its last five. The Canadiens are 13-9 all-time in decisive seventh games and had won four straight Game 7s before losing the 2011 clash against Boston. After losing Games 4 and 5 to fall behind 3-2 in the series, the Canadiens forced tonights contest by posting a 4-0 home win on Monday. In order to advance to the conference finals for the first time since 2010, Montreal will have to win in Boston for the first time since posting a double-overtime victory in Game 1 of this set. The Bruins, who are the top seed in the East and the defending conference champions, are 4-2 at TD Garden in this postseason. The club rallied for a 5-3 win in Game 2 and recorded a 4-2 win in Saturdays Game 5. "Go home, and get the job done," said Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron about tonights decisive battle. "We have to -- its about using (the fans) to our advantage in Game 7. Thats why you work for the home ice. Youve got to go home and be ready." Carey Price stopped 26 shots for his first shutout of the playoffs in Mondays Game 6 at the Bell Centre. Thomas Vanek scored twice, Max Pacioretty had a goal and an assist, and Lars Eller scored the other goal for the Canadiens. "At the end, we came out hard," said Vanek. "They played hard too, had some push-backs, but Price played great, as he has for all the series. We found some ways to score tonight." Montreals Nathan Beaulieu recorded an assist while making his NHL posttseason debut in Game 6.dddddddddddd Beaulieu, a 21-year-old defenseman, replaced Douglas Murray in the lineup and made a big impact when he sprung Pacioretty on a breakaway early in the second period. Pacioretty scored on Bostons Tuukka Rask to record his second goal of the playoffs and first since getting the game-winner in Game 4 of an opening-round sweep over Tampa Bay. "There were no passengers in this room tonight," said Pacioretty. "I got a bounce and waited for my chance. There was a bounce there and it landed on my stick." Rask gave up all four goals on 28 shots for the Bruins, who were blanked for the second time in these playoffs. Boston also was shut out 1-0 by Detroit in the opener of the conference quarterfinals before winning the next four games to take the series. "We should have had the momentum in this game," said Rask. "I dont think it carries over from the last game, as long as you regroup after a loss. How we handle it is how we prepare for the next one. We cant forget about what happened tonight. At the end of the day, I thought we played a pretty solid game, but we gave them some gifts." Boston holds a definite edge in terms of Game 7 experience, as Bruins captain Zdeno Chara leads all players in this series with 10 appearances. Bergeron and fellow Bruins forward Milan Lucic are next with eight Game 7s apiece. Brian Gionta leads Montreal with six Game 7s and the Habs captain is confident the less experienced Habs can pull off the series upset with a road win on Wednesday. "Weve felt confident all series against these guys," Gionta said. "We know we can bring it to them when theres no tomorrow. Theres nothing to be afraid of." Montreal forward Danny Briere was back on the ice after being a health scratch for Game 5. He played just over 10 minutes in Game 6 and didnt record a shot. Briere, however, has played in four Game 7s and has two goals and three assists in those tilts. Bergeron and Lucic lead all players in this matchup in Game 7 scoring. They each have four goals and two assists, while Bostons Brad Marchand has two goals and three helpers over five Game 7s. Price and Rask are each 1-1 in Game 7s. Montreals netminder has a 1.91 goals against average and .932 save percentage in those outings while Rask has a 3.87 GAA and .855 save percentage. This is the 34th playoff meeting between these teams, and while Montreal has won 24, Boston has won the past two series, which includes the seven-game battle in 2011. Note: Alex Galchenyuk (lower body) took part in todays optional morning skate in a non-contact jersey. If the Canadiens advance, a return in the Eastern Conference Final would be anticipated. ' ' '