RIO DE JANEIRO -- Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya smiled as he crossed the finish line and later directed cheering fans from the podium. The one color of Olympic medal he lacked in his illustrious career finally is his.Kipchoge grabbed the lead in the marathon Sunday around the 21-mile (35 kilometer) mark and finished off his first Olympic victory in this event in a time of 2 hours, 8 minutes and 44 seconds.Ive won my Olympic gold medal, Kipchoge said. It was the Olympic gold medal thats not (around) my neck.Kipchoges golden moment came was overshadowed by the silver medalist, Feyisa Lilesa, taking his opportunity to support protests back in his native Ethiopia. He crossed his wrists at the finish line, during the gift ceremony and again during the news conference in the symbol for the anti-government protests in EthiopiaThe nation has been marred by violence in recent weeks as government security forces have killed dozens of people amid protests over the nations decision to take over lands in the Oromia region. Protesters are calling for more freedom and an end of government brutality.Having relatives in prison meant Lilesa could not stay quiet on the Olympic stage, no matter the consequences.If I go back to Ethiopia, maybe they will kill me, Lilesa said. If not kill me, they will put me in prison. I have not decided yet, but maybe I will move to another country.American Galen Rupp, running only his second marathon, added bronze to the silver he won in the 10,000 meters in London.Meb Keflezighi of the U.S. did some push-ups at the finish line after slipping, having a little fun to celebrate his final Olympic marathon. He finished fourth.It wasnt like over excessive celebration, Keflezighi said. Theres nothing to celebrate about. Im happy to finish my fourth Olympic games here, and Im OK with it.For Kipchoge, this is the victory that he missed in 2008 at the Beijing Games when he finished second and also in the 2004 Athens Games where he took bronze.The elusive gold medal came with a field of 155 runners -- the largest ever in an Olympic marathon -- starting in the rain from the Sambodromo stadium. The wet conditions meant spectators on the course were sparse in spots and caused several runners to re-tie shoelaces.At the 9-mile (15 kilometer) mark, 58 runners were within 10 seconds of the lead. Then runners started breaking away with Kipchoge, Rupp and Lilesa turned the marathon into a three-man race. Kipchoge later took charge with a kick that allowed him to finish 70 seconds ahead of Lilesa.Rupp finished in 2:10:05 -- 11 seconds behind Lilesa -- for a bronze that is the first American medal in this event since Keflezighi won silver in 2004. This also was the 32nd medal for the U.S. in track and field at the Rio Olympics.Rupp said the marathon is a special event that he didnt really understand until this year. His first was at the Olympic trials in Los Angeles.I definitely fought it a while, Rupp said. I was still stubborn, wanted to be a track runner and thought I could do both. I was just happy I was able to close it out the way I did.Yonas Kinde finished 90th in the marathon as a member of the refugee team. He fled Ethiopia fearing for his safety and now lives in Luxembourg.---Online:AP Summer Games website: http://summergames.ap.org/ Custom Panthers T-shirts . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. Brian Burns Jersey Large . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week. http://www.custompanthersjersey.com/ . Fernandez, coached in Toronto by former two-time Olympic silver medallist Brian Orser, scored 267.11 points and is the first champion to successfully defend since Russias Evgeny Plushenko in 2005 and 2006. Cheap Panthers Jerseys .875,000, avoiding arbitration. Clippards deal Monday means all eight Nationals players who filed for arbitration wound up settling before a hearing. Custom Panthers Jersey China . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. TORONTO -- Connor Brown is having fun playing for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs.On Thursday night, the 22-year-old rookie came through with the best game of his career in from of the home fans.Brown had two goals and two assists for a career-high four points to lead the Maple Leafs to a 6-1 victory over the Florida Panthers for their seventh win in nine home games.It really is a dream come true playing in your home city, Brown said. I was a Toronto Maple Leaf fan my whole life. Its a pretty awesome experience.Mitch Marner had another impressive goal, and Leo Komarov, James van Riemsdyk and Jake Gardiner also scored for the Maple Leafs. Nazem Kadri had two assists and Frederik Andersen stopped 27 shots.All but one of Torontos eight wins this season have come at home.I think every time you step on home ice you still cant believe it, said Marner, who grew up in nearby Thornhill, Ontario. A hundred years of this team and luckily enough were part of that now.The win spoiled Florida goalie James Reimers first start in Toronto since leaving the Maple Leafs in the offseason. Reimer finished with 24 saves an d Aaron Ekblad scored the lone goal for the Panthers.The Maple Leafs got to their former goalie quickly, scoring three times in the first period -- including two by Brown.Brown deflected Morgan Riellys point shot past a surprised Reimer nearly six minutes in. The goal was initially ruled off for a high stick, but was later overturned on video review.After Ekblad evened the score at 1-1 with only his fourth point of the season -- all goals -- Brown scored again. This time, he eluded a check along the boards by Ekblad, continued a hard drive down the right side of the ice and then flung a shot on goal as he avoided a diving Jason Demers.Brown crashed into the boards and popped up with a visor full of snow after the shot beat Reimer, who was taken aback by the goal once more.Signed to a five-year, $17 million deal in the summer, Reimer is 2-3-1 record in his first seven games with Florida.ddddddddddddarner padded the lead to two as he gained control of the puck just inside the Florida blue line, took a step on defenseman Michael Matheson and then made a series of dekes to beat Reimer.He was still fighting off the advances of Matheson prior to scoring, waiting until the last possible moment to slide the puck from backhand to forehand, tucking it just around the left pad of the goalie.I was really committed on going to the backhand, Marner said. Last second, I kind of just wanted to try and make a move and see what happens.Marner now has six goals and 10 points in his last seven games, trailing only Winnipeg winger Patrik Laine in rookie scoring (16 points).Brown added his third point when he lofted a pass to Komarov on a Toronto rush, the Finnish winger flipping a shot past Reimer for the 4-1 lead. He notched his fourth point on Gardiners third of the year late in the third.The line of Brown, Komarov and Kadri not only managed to score a bunch but shut down the Panthers top unit, which features Aleksander Barkov and 44-year-old Jaromir Jagr.We can play him against real good players, which is positive, Leafs coach Mike Babcock said of Brown, who was playing in only his 24th game.Van Riemsdyk, coming off his first hat trick as a Leaf on Tuesday, got the Leafs fifth goal late in the second. He picked off a flubbed pass by Dylan McIlrath in the Florida zone and beat Reimer.Game notes Van Riemsdyk has a team-leading eight goals and 17 points. ... Toronto rookie sensation Auston Matthews remained without a goal for the 11th consecutive game. The 19-year-old has only two assists in that span. ... Browns previous career high of three points also came against Florida late last season. ...UP NEXTPanthers: At Ottawa on Saturday night.Maple Leafs: At Montreal on Saturday night. ' ' '