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MALMO, SWEDEN – Canada has been searching for its identity at the World Junior Hockey Championship and they may have found it: underdogs. Consensus among Canadian players is that they enter Tuesdays first-place showdown with the Americans as the clear underdogs following a shootout loss to the Czech Republic on Saturday and a white-knuckle, come-from-behind win against Slovakia on Monday. "Its probably one of this first times were the underdogs in this and theyre really good," said defenceman Mathew Dumba, loaned to Team Canada by the Minnesota Wild. "Theyre a great team and weve got to be ready for them." "Oh for sure, I think were definitely the underdogs," agreed forward Bo Horvat. "Theyve been playing well all tournament and won all of their games so far. It should be a good test." "I think, maybe, were a little bit of the underdogs," said Jonathan Drouin, Canadas top-line centre. "They won last year, theyre 3-0 so we have to get off to a good start and play our own game and not watch them play.” The message from Canadian players was remarkably consistent. You almost got the sense they were happy to enter the New Years Eve clash considered the weaker team and Nic Petan, who scored the winner in Mondays 5-3 victory over Slovakia, admitted as much. "Yeah, definitely, it makes us work harder," he said. Canada as an underdog in hockey? A rare occurrence, especially at the World Juniors, but considering the sky-high expectations facing these teenagers, who can really blame them for trying to shift the pressure to the Americans? Only 16-year-old Connor McDavid, Canadas youngest player, balked at the idea that his group was an underdog. "I dont know," the Erie Otters sensation said. "I think a lot of people are viewing us the underdogs. Im not necessarily sure thats how we feel. Were confident in our abilities." The defending champion Americans tried to brand themselves as underdogs entering the event. Head coach Don Lucia noted theyd need big-time goaltending from Jon Gillies every night and would rely on a grind-it-out style to win some close, low-scoring games. Of course, the United States promptly cruised through the first three games of the tournament outscoring the Germans, Czechs and Slovaks 19-4. "Were not a star-studded team," insists Lucia. "I think the bottom line is our guys understand what our identity is and keep with that identity." That blue-collar identity that values hard work as much as skill is the same one Canadian head coach Brent Sutter has sought to install with his group. But the Americans, who have had 12 different players score, seem to have had an easier time adapting to the brand. "Anybody who asks about this team I tell them I dont think we really have any superstars," said forward Adam Erne. "Were a group that works really hard and really wants to win and I think thats what it takes in this tournament: different guys every game." DROUIN FACES ERNE FOR FIRST TIME SINCE CONCUSSION Erne is at the heart of this years rivalry game, because of what happened earlier this month in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Erne, who plays for the Quebec Remparts, leveled Halifaxs Drouin with a hit from behind. Drouin sustained the first concussion of his career on the play. Afterwards, Erne suggested the third overall pick in last Junes NHL draft may have made matters worse by trying to draw a penalty on the play and embellishing what happened. "It happened so long ago. Its not a big deal right now. Im not focused on that. Im focused on the upcoming game," said Erne, who reached out to Drouin after the game via text. "Everybody knows that hes a good player and we were drafted by the same team [Tampa Bay] so were going to have to get along so thats just how its going to have to be. Its in the past. It happened. Its hockey so lets move on from there." Erne wasnt suspended for the hit and Drouin refused to comment on that decision. But the 18-year-old said winning on Tuesday would be the best revenge. "Yeah, for sure," Drouin said, "I dont think Im going to go for a cheap-shot on Adam. Its not the Q here. We have to win and its going to be a team game." MCDAVID vs. EICHEL IN 2015 NHL DRAFT PREVIEW Erne against Drouin is not the only juicy subplot in the Canada-USA rivalry these days. Tuesdays game will also feature two of hockeys brightest young stars going head-to-head, specifically: McDavid against American Jack Eichel. Both are expected to go very high in the 2015 NHL draft with the Canadian considered the odds-on favourite to go No. 1. "Yeah, you know, its nice to play against him, but I dont really think about playing against him," said Eichel, a Boston University recruit. "Its not a one-on-one battle were going to be playing in. Its a team game where the United States is going to be playing Team Canada. Im not going to be playing Connor." McDavid echoed that sentiment. "Its not really about me and him. Its about Canada versus the Americans. Thats it. I know hes on the team. Hes a big part of their team. Hes a good player and hell be a big part of the game." McDavid has struggled to make his mark on the tournament. He was benched after taking two penalties against the Czech Republic and started the next game against Slovakia as Canadas 13th forward before earning more ice time in the third period. Eichel, meanwhile, has been a solid presence in the American top-six forward group notching a goal and three assists. "I couldnt believe how young he actually is," said Team USA captain Riley Barber. "Hes a big player, strong and doesnt really look his age." "His all-around game is quick, so fast," said line-mate Ryan Hartman. "Ive been lucky enough to be playing with him the last couple games now. He knows where he is out on the ice and where all the players are at." Gillies, Barber and Hartman are the three returning players on the American roster. Drouin, defenceman Griffin Reinhart and goalie Jake Paterson are the veterans on the Canadian side. Paterson will be Zach Fucales backup on Tuesday while Reinhart will make his 2014 tournament debut after missing the first three games with a suspension. RIVALRY IS SOMETHING SPECIAL Last years semifinal showdown remains very much on the minds of the players. "Its a motivation," said Drouin. "We lost 5-1. It was a hard loss for me. This year, I want to battle back and make sure I dont lose again against the Americans." "It was one of the worst feelings Ive had in hockey for sure," admitted Reinhart. "Whether they played in it or not everyone on both teams was watching," said Hartman. "Everyones going to be riled up and ready to go." Indeed, Canada versus the United States is always an emotional encounter. When you add in all the subplots listed above and the fact the game will decide who wins Group A, well, its easy to get pumped up. "Its something special," said Erne with a smile. "I mean, Ive been watching since I can remember so its going to be a real honour to play in it and Im real excited." "Ive played in a few U.S.-Canada games and theyre always intense," said Eichel. "I know our teams looking forward to it and I imagine they are as well." "Its unbelievable," said McDavid, "especially this New Years Eve game. It has been quite a tradition for the past couple years and I usually never missed watching so it will be a lot of fun for sure." "I expect a lot of compete out of them," said Barber, whos tied for the team lead with three goals. "It should be a really, really fun game to watch." wholesale jerseys . Edwin Encarnacion hit two of Torontos season-high five home runs as the Blue Jays capped a two-game mini-sweep of Philadelphia by outscoring the Phillies 12-6 on Thursday at Rogers Centre. nfl jerseys china . The Spurs announced on Monday that they have re-signed Matt Bonner. http://www.chinajerseyscheap.us.com/ . "Its huge," Casey said of Torontos matchup with the fifth-place Hawks, who sit 1.5 games behind the Raptors for third place in the Eastern Conference. "Its not like in the past where games dont matter. In the past we were building, getting guys experience. jerseys from china . Virtue, from London, Ont., and Moir, from Ilderton, Ont., gave Canada nine points in the multi-stage event with a score of 72.98. Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the United States finished first with 75. wholesale nfl jerseys . Louis Blues remain at the top spot of the TSN.HOUSTON -- Houston Texans owner Bob McNair has received a clean bill of health after a 10-month battle with two forms of cancer. The 77-year-old McNair opened up about his ordeal on Thursday at a news conference attended by family members and his treating physicians at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. "In the past, if you mentioned cancer, people thought its a death sentence," McNair said. "Thats just not nearly the case." McNair says hes dealt with skin cancer for about 20 years. He traces the condition to his youth, when he incurred severe sunburns working as a life guard on a beach in the time before protective sunscreen. Hes been seeing a dermatologist regularly for two decades and says hes had a handful of minor procedures to remove non-cancerous growths on his skin. About six years ago, McNair was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a form of the disease that originates in white blood cells in the bone marrow. Last fall, McNair noticed another tiny growth behind his left ear and visited his dermatologist again. This time, the growth was cancerous -- a squamous cell carcinoma. McNair underwent surgery on the left side of his head, but the cancer soon returned and in an aggressive form. Dr. Michael Keating, one of McNairs doctors at M.D. Anderson and a CLL specialist, said the CLL helped the cancers progression by weakening McNairs immune system. The Texans went 2-14 in 2013, prompting the firing of coach Gary Kubiak. McNair discovered the severity of his diagnosis about the time he hired Bill OBrien in January. The doctors recommended radiation and chemotherapy and McNair endured 33 rounds of radiation over six weeks and chemotherapy for four. McNair underwent proton therapy, a cutting-edge form of radiation in which cancerous cells are directly targeted, reducing the impact on surrounding cells. Dr. David Rosenthal, a professor of radiation oncology at M.D. Anderson, said the FDA-approved therapy reduces the toxicity and other risks of radiation and is becoming a standard of care for children. "The good news is these things can be dealt with," McNair said. With his immune system compromised more during treatments, McNair was told to avoid public contact. While undergoing treatments, McNair kept in frequent touch with the team by phone with general manager Rick Smith and his son, Cal, the teams chief operating officer. McNair told his players about his situation before organized team activities in May. "Hes always about the team," star receiver Andre Johnson said.dddddddddddd "When he sat down and talked to us as a team, all he could talk about is how much he loves football and its something that he loves being a part of and he wants to win." McNair started feeling the effects of radiation and chemotherapy after four weeks. But McNair said he never really suffered severe symptoms, managing them with medication and the herb turmeric on the advice of former Texans trainer Roberta Anding. "I was fortunate because everybody said youre really going to feel so bad from that," McNair said. "That was not the case." In April, a CT scan showed that the skin cancer was virtually gone. Another test on Monday showed similar results. He first publicly talked about his situation with the Houston Chronicle. "At this point in time, its history," McNair said of the skin cancer. McNair said maintaining a positive outlook was a factor in his recovery. A billionaire who made his fortune in the energy business, McNair pointed out that his treatment has been covered by regular health insurance and available to most cancer patients. "I think, with some people, it (cancer) frightens them and they dont seek treatment," McNair said. "The message is, there is treatment. Weve got great facilities here (in Houston), we have people who will take care of you and deal with these illnesses with great success." McNair has relayed that message to David Quessenberry, an offensive lineman diagnosed with lymphoma in June. The team has launched a T-shirt campaign in an effort to raise $100,000 for the Lymphoma Research Foundation. While his skin cancer is in remission, McNair is not cancer-free. The CLL remains, although he said his white-blood cell count is near normal range. But McNair is easily optimistic, pointing out that his father lived to be 102. But now, hes forced to take a lesser role in the football operation, turning over more responsibility to Cal. "Were in terrific shape," McNair said. "Ill continue being the CEO and continue doing everything I can to put together a winning football team, thats what were all about. Weve won this other battle and now weve got to win the battle of football. "I go to all the games and Ill plan on continuing doing that," McNair said. "I think I will enjoy it more and leave it to other people in the organization to worry more. Ill skip the worrying and take the enjoyment." ' ' '
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| Beitrag vom 18.10.2014 - 12:26 |
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