CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Colin Kaepernick raced into the end zone, then pretended to rip open his shirt with both hands imitating Cam Newtons Superman touchdown celebration. Three years of frustration had come to a head. "Just a little shoutout," Kaepernick said. To whom? "I think you know the answer," Kaepernick said with a grin. Kaepernick said he "will never forget" that he was selected in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft, 35 spots behind Newton, the Heisman Trophy winner and the top pick that season. On Sunday, he outplayed his quarterback counterpart, throwing one touchdown pass and running for another score as the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Carolina Panthers 23-10 to advance to the NFC title game for the third straight season. Kaepernick completed 15 of 28 passes for 196 yards in the divisional playoff win, avenging his worst statistical performance of the season two months ago against the Panthers. "Thats not the first, nor will it be the last time somebody does that," Newton said of Kaepernicks copycat display before leaving the postgame podium. Anquan Boldin had eight catches for 136 yards and Frank Gore ran for 84 yards on 17 carries for the 49ers (14-4), who will visit Seattle next Sunday looking for a return trip to the Super Bowl. "I think were the two teams that everybody was looking at from the beginning," Kaepernick said. "Its going to be a knockdown, drag-out game." The 49ers will have their hands full. San Francisco (14-4) split two games with the Seahawks this season, but lost 29-3 at CenturyLink Field in September. The 49ers were missing receiver Michael Crabtree in that lopsided loss. Crabtree only had three catches for 26 yards against Carolina, but Boldin said he drew plenty of double teams that allowed him to get open. "Thats the great thing about our team -- we have weapons all around," Boldin said. "You try to take one guy out and you still have two or three guys left who can make big plays." The 49ers held Newton in check, intercepting him twice and sacking him five times while stopping the Panthers (12-5) twice on the 1-yard line in the first half. Newton finished with 267 yards passing and had 54 yards on 10 carries, but the Panthers only found the end zone once -- on a 31-yard TD strike to Steve Smith. It was a rough playoff debut for Newton. Linebacker Ahmad Brooks stopped Newton on a fourth-down sneak early in the second. Later, Brooks vaulted over the line and past Newton -- he was called for offsides, but the 49ers showed the Panthers it wouldnt be easy. "Terrible ending to a great season," Newton said. Almost fittingly, he misfired into the end zone on the final play of the game. Kaepernick was held to 91 yards passing, 16 yards rushing and sacked six times in the first meeting with Carolina, a 10-9 loss at Candlestick Park. But he played efficient football Sunday. "We had to get settled down," Kaepernick said. "We came out, they did some unorthodox things against us. We settled down, we got into our rhythm, we started making plays." San Francisco led 13-10 at the half when Kaepernick scored midway through in the third quarter on a 4-yard touchdown run off a read option. The Panthers couldnt answer, failing to score in the second half. The 49ers took a 13-10 lead into the locker room after Vernon Davis caught a 1-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone from Kaepernick with 5 seconds left in the first half. Davis was initially ruled out of the end zone on a play where 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh raced on to the field, drawing a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. Harbaugh said he wasnt disputing the catch, but rather that the play clock continued to run after the play. All turned out fine for the 49ers though, as officials overturned the call ruling Davis dragged his left foot and scored. Television replays showed the 49ers had 12 men in the huddle with backup tight end Vance McDonald racing to the sidelines before the ball was snapped. Referee Carl Cheffers defended the call telling a pool reporter the ball hadnt been spotted -- although Fox television replays seem to indicate otherwise. Carolina spotted San Francisco a 6-0 lead with two defensive penalties -- an unnecessary roughness on safety Mike Mitchell and a headbutt on cornerback Captain Munnerlyn -- leading to field goals. NOTES: Its the second time since 2008 the Panthers lost at home in the divisional playoffs after winning the NFC South and claiming a first-round bye with the No. 2 seed. ... 49ers FB Will Tukuafu left with a leg injury in the first half and didnt return. Bill Dickey Jersey . Jacob Jacques, Andrew Ryan and Jonathan Drouin also scored for Halifax (37-18-3), who outshot the Islanders 40-26. Kevin Darveau stopped 25 shots. Bradley Kennedy had the lone goal for Charlottetown (18-33-5), which has nine losses in its last 10 games. Aaron Hicks Jersey . Wheeler scored at 4:58 of overtime, with Scheifele getting an assist, and the Jets beat the slumping Colorado Avalanche 2-1 on Sunday night. https://www.cheapyankees.com/901g-raul-m...ey-yankees.html. The 18-time champions, who havent won the title since 1990, moved two points behind Arsenal after the leaders were stunned 6-3 at Manchester City on Saturday. Defending champion Manchester United trails Arsenal by 10 points after winning 3-0 at Aston Villa to avoid a third successive league loss. Stephen Tarpley Yankees Jersey . -- The Toronto Maple Leafs are tightening the race for second place in the Atlantic Division. Johnny Damon Yankees Jersey . Leave it to Matt Niskanen, the newly proclaimed Eddie Haskell of the Washington Capitals. Finally, in his last at bat -- and with the game long decided -- Arenado laced a double that landed squarely on the white left-field line. Thats the way its been going lately for one of the Colorado Rockies hottest hitters. Arenado ran his hitting streak to 26 games and Carlos Gonzalez had five of Colorados season-high 21 hits as the Rockies routed the Texas Rangers 12-1 on Tuesday night. "Just nice to get that," Arenado said of his RBI double in the seventh. His streak is one away from tying the team record of 27 set by Michael Cuddyer last season. Its also the longest for anyone 23 years or younger since Albert Pujols hit in 30 straight games in 2003. "It was a little dramatic, but he finally did it," Gonzalez said. "It was a great night for him -- a very important night for him." For Gonzalez, too. Hes been struggling all season with finger and knee ailments that have hampered his swing. And yet the Rockies still lead the majors in most offensive categories. "Just imagine when Cargo starts swinging it the way he should," Arenado said. The first four hitters in Colorados lineup -- Charlie Blackmon, Drew Stubbs, Troy Tulowitzki and Gonzalez -- went a combined 13-for-20 with two homers and seven RBIs to help the Rockies take two games from Texas at Coors Field. Colorado now travels to Arlington, Texas, for two more in a home-and-home situation. Blackmon led off with a homer. Stubbs added another in the seventh. "We got guys up and down the order and on the bench that can really swing it," Arenado said. Juan Nicasio (4-1) got through five innings without his best command, giving up two hits and one run. He also walked a season-high five. Robbie Ross Jr. (1-3) had a rough outing as he allowed six runs and 12 hits in 5 1-3 innings. The Rangers most effective pitcher on this night was actually an outfielder. Given the lopsided score, and to save his bullpen, manager Ron Washington sent Mitch Moreland to the mound for the eighth. He set the Rockies down in order as he became only the sixth position player to pitch in Rangers history. Its the first time hes pitched since 2008 and that was in a minor league game. Morelandd was hitting around 94 mph, too.dddddddddddd "I tried to let a couple go, especially early in the count, just to have some fun," Moreland said. "Its tough in a game like that to have some fun, but its always been a dream of mine." Leading 4-1, the Rockies broke open the game with a six-run sixth in which they sent 12 batters to the plate. Pinch hitter Brandon Barnes even got up twice, hitting singles both times. "They put the ball in play and found holes. There was nothing we could do about it," Washington said. Arenados glove set the stage for the run eruption. He robbed Adrian Beltre of two hits and, along with it, potentially big innings for the Rangers. He felt a little bad, too. "Beltres my favourite player," Arenado said. "Hes one of the last players Id want to rob." In the third, Arenado, the reigning Gold Glove winner at the hot corner, gobbled up a hot grounder from Beltre and threw him out at first. Beltre playfully looked at Arenado and raised hands as if to say, "Did that just happen?" Arenado has been stealing hits all season. So much so that before the game Washington said of Arenado: "That kid over there is a highlight reel." In the fifth, Arenado got Beltre again as he snared a two-out slow roller with his bare hand and made a strong throw that barely beat Beltre. "Ive got to do what Ive got to do," Arenado said. Nicasio struggled to find the strike zone, with catcher Jordan Pacheco and pitching coach Jim Wright making frequent visits to settle him down. It worked as Nicasio improved to 3-0 at home this season. Ross nearly had his first major league hit as he beat out a grounder to second. But Rockies manager Walt Weiss challenged the play and it was reversed upon review. "I think hell get another one," Weiss said, laughing. "I think he will." NOTES: Beltre hit his first homer of the season, a solo shot in the first. ... RHP Colby Lewis (2-1) will pitch Wednesday as the Rangers return from a five-game road swing. The Rockies counter with LHP Jorge De La Rosa (3-3). ... Tulowitzki is hitting .608 with six homers and 22 RBIs at home this season. ' ' '