SAKHIR, Bahrain -- Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg set the fastest times in Fridays opening practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix, making them once again the team to beat in Sundays race. Hamilton set a best time of 1 minute, 37.502 seconds around the Bahrain International Circuit, a quarter of a second ahead of Rosberg. Fernando Alonso was third fastest in his Ferrari, half a second off Hamiltons time. Mercedes has won the opening two races of the Formula One season and could make it three straight in Bahrain, where the race will be held at night for the first time. Four-time defending world champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull was 10th, 1.8 seconds off the pace, with the Renault-powered team a long way behind Mercedes in straight-line speed. Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg was fourth fastest, while McLaren driver Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen were fifth and seventh, respectively. Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen separated them. Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat, a 19-year-old rookie, was eighth quickest and Force India driver Sergio Perez was ninth. The session was held in warm and sunny conditions in the afternoon, but the race will start at sunset in cooler ambient conditions. Fridays second practice session is expected to be closer to race simulation. Cal Clutterbuck Islanders Jersey . While plenty of statistics illustrate Torontos turnaround in the second year of manager Ryan Nelsens tenure, stopping goals is not one of them. Mike Bossy Jersey . A receiver doesnt make the catch on a passing play and instantly motions to the ref – and everybody else – for a pass interference flag. http://www.islanderssale.com/authentic-jordan-eberle-islanders-jersey/ . Charlottetown scored four times in the third period en route to a 5-2 win over the defending champion Halifax Mooseheads on Friday. Matt Martin Islanders Jersey . Zdeno Chara scored with 13 seconds left in regulation after David Krejci tied it late, lifting the Bruins to a 3-2 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday night in a game that saw Orpik taken from the ice on a stretcher. Leo Komarov Jersey . -- Antoine Bibeau bought the Val-dOr Foreurs valuable time at the Memorial Cup with his 51-save shutout Friday.BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona and Atletico Madrid both stumbled to draws on Sunday, tightening the Spanish league title race with Real Madrid now only one point behind the co-leaders. Barcelonas potent attack led by Lionel Messi was held 1-1 at Levante, leaving the door open for Atletico to later claim sole possession of the league lead. But Atletico conceded a second-half penalty at home against Sevilla to also finish 1-1 and squander its chance to rise to the sole lead in the standings for the first time since September 2010. "We had a good opportunity, but this is a long race," said Atletico defender Filipe Luis. "Its very difficult to compete with Real Madrid and Barcelona." Madrid trailed the co-leaders by five points two rounds ago, but while it has kept on winning-- most recently with a 5-0 rout of bottom-side Real Betis on Saturday-- Barcelona and Atletico drew with one another last round and have slipped again just past the seasons midway mark. Levante went ahead through Loukas Vyntras 10th-minute header, and its staunch defence did enough to take a measure of vengeance for the 7-0 thrashing Barcelona dealt the team in the season opener. Gerard Pique levelled for Barcelona in the 19th, but Levante defender Juanfran Garcia saved the visitors two best chances in the second half. "We were unlucky because we created scoring chances," Messi said. "We did everything possible to win." Elsewhere, striker Ikechukwu Uche scored his sixth goal in his last three league games to help Villarreal beat Almeria 2-0, while Getafe erased a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw at home with Real Sociedad. Far from the side that Barcelona humiliated in August, Levante lived up to its reputation as one of the leagues best defences by packing its area and largely limiting the visitors to long strikes that either crashed into bodies or sailed harmlessly wide. Joaquin Caparros side claimed the early lead when Vyntra rose up over Pique to head Andreas Ivanschitzs corner kick down and beyond the diving goalkeeper Victor Valdes. Pique made up for his slack marking by scoring an almost exact replica of the opener, jumping higher than a pair of defenders to redireect Xavi Hernandezs corner inside the far post.dddddddddddd. Messi, in his fourth game back after a long injury layoff, worked a one-two passing combination in close quarters with Cesc Fabregas to manufacture Barcelonas best chance in the 59th, but goalkeeper Keylor Navas saved Messis shot. Garcia was well positioned to block Xavis follow-up attempt, and three minutes later the centre back used his foot to turn away Messis goal-bound strike. Barcelonas frustrating night was summed up when Fabregas violently struck the dugout cover after coach Gerardo Martino replaced him with Sergio Roberto in the 73rd. With Neymar and Andres Iniesta both unavailable due to injury, Martino turned to Cristian Tello and B-team forward Jean Dongou as late substitutes. But Navas palmed Tellos late attempt wide to protect the point. "In our first meeting (with Barcelona) it felt like a tribute game to Neymar in his debut," Caparros said. "My team has changed a lot because you cant make a team in a day, not even in two or four months." Atletico started brightly when David Villa rifled in a clearance by Sevilla goalkeeper Antonio "Beto" Bastos in the 18th at Vicente Calderon Stadium. But Atletico didnt seriously threaten to extend its advantage and it was undone when defender Juanfran Torres pulled Sevilla striker Carlos Bacca down by his shirt in the area. Ivan Rakitic fired the spot kick into the corner of the net, just out of the reach of goalie Thibaut Courtois for the 73rd-minute equalizer. Sevilla finished with 10 men when Alberto Moreno was sent off with a straight red card for a low tackle in the 89th. "The draw is a pity," Courtois said. "We knew Barcelonas result before the game. Its too bad. When you go up 1-0 you hope to keep a clean sheet and win the match. Its tough, but thats the way it is." Uches strike against lowly Almeria was his 12th league goal this season, tying him with Sociedads Antoine Griezmann as the competitions third-leading scorers. Villarreal provisionally moved into fourth place with its third straight victory. Athletic Bilbao can reclaim Spains last Champions League spot when it plays Valladolid on Monday. ' ' '