SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- For anyone figuring Vernon Davis has some catching up to do during training camp, quarterback Colin Kaepernick has no concerns. The star tight end joined the San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday after sitting out the off-season program and mandatory minicamp hoping for a new contract. "It feels great!" Davis said in a text message. "I miss these guys." Teammate C.J. Spillman first posted video of Davis arrival in the locker room. "Always great to have Vernon on the field. He looks good, excited to have him back out here," Kaepernick said. "Vernons a Pro Bowl tight end. Hes one of the best in the league. Theres not going to be too much of a fall off for him. I dont think anyones concerned about that. Were just happy hes here." Right guard Alex Boone was still a no-show as expected while he also seeks a deal with two years remaining on his contract, just like Davis. The 49ers, who lost in the NFC championship game to Seattle, hold their first full practice Thursday. The 30-year-old Davis, who had 52 catches last season and matched his career high with 13 touchdowns, typically takes about a month off following the season before he starts training again full time. He said he worked out on his own, running hills in the area. Kaepernick figured Davis would arrive on time because "Vernon is not the type of person that is going to walk out on his team like that." Boones arrival, however, could take longer. That could provide more reps on the offensive line for newcomer Jonathan Martin, who might see more time at the guard spot as he transitions in his first year with the Niners. Martin was acquired in a mid-March trade from Miami, providing him with a fresh start after his departure last October following a scandal in which he accused teammate Richie Incognito of bullying. Martin, fellow offensive lineman Adam Snyder and several others were among the first in the ice baths following their workouts Wednesday. Boone has played a key part in a vastly improved, close-knit offensive line. "Love to have him here but not going to speak on another mans business," Kaepernick said. "Thats his personal decision." As the 49ers begin another season after coming so close, defensive lineman Justin Smith acknowledged the motivation of chasing another championship in a division featuring two meetings with the Seahawks -- including on Thanksgiving night in new Levis Stadium. "You know what they do, you know the team they are," Smith said. "Theyre good, theyre the defending champs." Smith revealed he played all of last year with a shoulder injury sustained in training camp that eventually needed a clean-up procedure in the off-season. He will evaluate after the season how many years he might keep playing. "Im playing this year, thats all Im focused on," he said. "I feel healthy compared to last year. This is it. This is the one Im thinking about. This is the one our teams thinking about." Now, everybody is ready to begin again and do big things. "Its always motivation when you dont finish the season the way you want to," Kaepernick said. "I think this team has the talent, we have the coaching staff to win a Super Bowl, and now its just time to go out and do it." NOTES: In a procedural move, San Francisco placed LB NaVorro Bowman on the active/physically unable to perform list as he works back from torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee and underwent surgery. He is expected to be out at least half the season. ... RB Frank Gore said isnt thinking of his 10th year in the NFL as a farewell season at age 31. "No, Im coming in to get ready to try to have a great year, try to do whatever it takes to help my team get to the Super Bowl and win a trophy," said Gore, coming off his seventh 1,000-yard season and third straight. "Thats how I approach it every year." Sneakers Canada Sale . Ryu (8-3) allowed a run and three hits in six innings and struck out six in his 13th start. In his first 13 starts last season -- his first in the major leagues -- the left-hander was 8-5 with a 2.85 ERA. This was the ninth time this year that Ryu has allowed fewer than three earned runs, and he is 7-0 in those games. Sneakers Clearance Canada . - The Raiders have released guard Mike Brisiel after two disappointing seasons in Oakland. http://www.sneakersclearancecanada.com/.com) - A pair of Eastern Conference rivals will meet on Saturday as D. Best Sneakers Store Canada . -- Valentin Zykov scored in overtime as the Baie-Comeau Drakkar rallied to a 3-2 victory over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Sunday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff action. Discount Sneakers Canada .Y. -- A month ago, Syracuse was unbeaten, ranked No. NEWARK, N.J. -- During the course of a season, New Jersey Devils coach Pete DeBoer draws up hundreds of faceoff plays in practice or on the bench. "Rarely do they work," DeBoer said. "Either you lose the draw or you dont get a bounce." The unexpected happened Saturday night. Marek Zidlicky scored with 2.1 seconds showing on the overtime clock after a late timeout by DeBoer and a faceoff win by Travis Zajac to lift the Devils to a stirring 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers. Jaromir Jagr also played a big part in the win, nudging the faceoff win with just over three seconds to play to Zidlicky at the top of the right circle for a shot into the top corner of the net past Tim Thomas. "Pete drew it up, that if I can get it to Jags, he was going to slide it to Zid for a one-timer," Zajac said. "What you saw was what he wanted us to do. Everyone executed their part. It was the perfect setup, really. I was lucky." Zidlicky was perfect with his shot for his eighth goal of the season, the one that helped New Jersey avoid a shootout. The Devils have lost their last 10 shootouts, one shy of the NHL record recently set by Detroit. "That was a great draw, and a great pass. Thats where it all started ... and I just took the shot," Zidlicky said after the Devils finished a 2-0-1 homestand. "That was the perfect setup for us. We try it all the time, and a lot of times it doesnt work. Tonight, it did." Jagr joked that he never got a chance to congratulate Zidlicky because his Czech countryman skated away to hog the glory. The play was good, though. "Just go take a look at the board over there," Jagr said. "It happened just the way we drew it up. Itll probably never happen that way again. It happened exactly the way we wanted to do it. The key was the faceoff. It started with Travis." Jagr earned his 1,724th NHL point, moving him ahead of former Pittsburgh Penguins teammate Mario Lemieux and into seventh place on the leagues career scoring list. Panthers coach Peter Horaceck was more disappointed with his team for its overall play in the game rather than the late goal, which he said was a great shot. "It wasnt very good," he said. "We didnt deserve anything, and we got a point for something we didnt deserve. We didnt play very well.dddddddddddd They outplayed us most of the game." Still, the late goal was tough on a night in which Thomas was outstanding in making 34 saves. "This is about as bad as it gets," Panthers goal scorer Nick Bjugstad said. "Five seconds. That puck had eyes and went in. What are you going to do? I saw out there I had to block that shot." Michael Ryder extended his goal streak to four games, and Cory Schneider made 29 saves in giving New Jersey its second straight win. With both teams in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference and needing points, the third period was wide open despite the 1-1 tie. Both teams had great chances, but Thomas and Schneider stopped them on the doorstep. Thomas best saves in the period came on a deflection by Reid Boucher and a stuff attempt by Ryane Clowe in the final two minutes. Schneider denied a power-play chance early in the period by Tomas Kopecky, and a shot by Sean Bergenheim with 9.2 seconds left in regulation. Ryder gave the Devils a 1-0 lead with his team-high 16th goal late in the first period. Thomas made a couple of good stops but the Panthers had trouble clearing their zone. Defenceman Erik Gudbranson tried to carry the puck around the net, but Clowe stripped him of the puck and found Ryder alone in front. Florida tied it about a minute after Thomas robbed Adam Henrique on a rebound attempt that prevented New Jersey from taking a two-goal lead. A Panthers counterattack produced the tying goal. Scottie Upshall carried the puck up the right boards and gave it to Bjugstad. He found Tomas Fleischmannn, who sent a pass in front that Bjugstad redirected into the upper corner of the net past Schneider. Schneider stopped breakaways by Upshall and Kopecky in the first two periods. Thomas had at least a half dozen good saves, including stopping a short-handed breakaway by Ryan Carter early in the third. Schneider also got a break when a shot by Brian Campbell hit of the post during a power play. NOTES: Former NBA great Shaquille ONeal dropped the puck during a ceremonial opening faceoff. ... The Panthers three lineup scratches, C Scott Gomez, D Mike Mottau and F Krys Barch, are all former Devils. ... Clowe has assists in three straight games. ... Florida went 1-1-1 on its three-game road trip. ' ' '