Stoffel Vandoorne says he is undaunted by the challenge of partnering Fernando Alonso at McLaren next year as it will be a positive learning experience.Reigning GP2 champion Vandoorne has been confirmed alongside Alonso next year, with Jenson Button dropping back into an ambassadorial/reserve driver role. Despite it being ten years since his last world championship Alonso is widely regarded as the most complete driver on the grid -- but Vandoorne is relishing the opportunity to drive with the Spaniard.I think its something positive for me to race alongside Fernando, he said. Everyone obviously knows his qualities, hes a double world champion and a lot of people see him as one of the toughest drivers to beat. So I think its positive for me to come in and be his team-mate.Obviously well try to beat each other, thats normal because were racing drivers. But as well we have to make sure we push the team forward for next year. Were making big progress now and hopefully next year we can make another big step.Now his 2017 seat has been confirmed Vandoorne says he has been seeking out whatever advice he can get from McLaren.Asked if he was getting impatient waiting for 2017, he said: Yeah kind of, but I think also it is a good opportunity for me to have everything prepared very well for next year. The decision came quite early and Ive had a lot of questions for the team in the week after the decision and now every day there are bits I think about and speak to the management, speak to the engineers.Its good for me to spend time here at the weekends as well to make me feel comfortable. Whenever I have a question I can just go up and talk to them. Stitched Blues Jerseys .Y. -- Sabres forward Drew Stafford has witnessed plenty of turmoil during his eight seasons in Buffalo. Blues Jerseys China . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. https://www.cheapblues.com/ . -- Aaron Murray threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns, ran for another score, and led No. Blues Jerseys 2020 .Y. - Rob Manfred was promoted Monday to Major League Baseballs chief operating officer, which may make him a candidate to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner. St.Louis Blues Store . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. NEW ORLEANS -- Clippers forward Blake Griffin praised the way Los Angeles finished off a 10-day trip that closed with games on the shores of lakes Erie and Pontchartrain on back-to-back nights.Griffin had 27 points and 10 rebounds, Chris Paul had 17 points and 13 assists, and the Clippers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 114-96 on Friday night.The dominant effort came one night after an equally convincing 113-94 triumph at Cleveland on Thursday night -- with a flight from the United States northern border to the Gulf Coast in between, touching down in the Big Easy around 2 a.m. local time.Its tough, but the end of a road trip can go one of two ways, Griffin said. You can either be like, `All right, lets finish this out on a good note and get home and get this over with, or you can completely lose focus and come in and not play the way you want, and I thought we did the first.Jamal Crawford scored 21 points and Luc Mbah a Moute had 15 points for Los Angeles.Anthony Davis hurt his right shoulder late in the first quarter but played through it, scoring 21 points for New Orleans. ETwaun Moore scored 15 points and Terrence Jones had 14 for the Pelicans, who have lost three of four and saw their home winning streak snapped at five.The Clippers were making the right plays, Davis said. We were living with Blake and Mbah a Moute taking jumpers and they made them.The Clippers made 10 3-pointers, with Mbah a Moute hitting three, Crawford hitting two and even Griffin hitting one from the left corner. The Pelicans, by contrast, were 5 of 20 from long range.TIP-INSClippers: Los Angeles wound up 3-3 on its road swing that began in Dallas on Nov. 23. ... Coach Doc Rivers gave starting shooting guard J.J. Redick, the teams third-leading scorer (16 points per game), the night off. Rivers has been periodically resting starters this season. Griffin had sat out Tuesday night at Brooklyn. Its kind of a scientific thing were doing, Griffin said. ... Austin Rivers, who was drafted 10th overall by New Orleans in 2012 and traded in January 2015, missed eight of nine shots and finished with two points. ... Paul was called for a Flagrant-1 foul wwhen he grabbed Jones shoulder from behind to stop a breakaway layup.ddddddddddddelicans: Center Alexis Ajinca played 11 minutes, his most in eight games. Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry had not played Ajinca in six of New Orleans previous seven games, and the 7-footer saw only 4 minutes last Sunday at Dallas. Against the Clippers, Ajinca had two points and three rebounds. ... First-round draft choice Buddy Hield played just the final 3 minutes, hitting both shots he attempted for four points.DEFENSIVE EFFORTAfter a Pelicans shot-clock violation, the Clippers bench was on its feet, roaring in approval of their teammates defensive effort.A lot of times you see guys up cheering for big plays on the offensive end, Griffin said. Its nice when your team is excited about those little things.In addition to holding Davis about 10 points below his scoring average, the Clippers combined for to block seven shots, including two each by Griffin, Mbah a Moute and DeAndre Jordan. Los Angeles had seven steals and outrebounded New Orleans 46-41.It started on defense, and I feel like we always say that when we have a big win but its so true, Griffin said.PIVOTAL RUNLos Angeles opened a 15-point lead in the third quarter, when Griffin scored 11 points. Griffin hit three 19-foot jumpers, another from 17 feet and a finger roll during a pivotal 17-5 surge. Paul assisted on three of those baskets.Paul pretty much controlled the whole game after halftime, Gentry said. They were kind of running freely and shooting the ball freely and taking it wherever they wanted to.Paul said he noticed Griffin was in rhythm early, and if hes shooting it like that, the other team is in trouble.Indeed, New Orleans struggled to recover after that, getting no closer than 10 points on Davis short basket as he was fouled by Brandon Bass with 7:14 left. Los Angeles, which shot 51.1 percent (45 of 88), then rebuilt its lead to 20 in the late stages of the game.UP NEXTClippers: Host Indiana on Sunday.Pelicans: Visit Oklahoma City on Sunday. ' ' '