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SOCHI, Russia – When the Canadian management team, headed by executive director Steve Yzerman, gathered in recent months to evaluate the crop of players that would be selected to play for Team Canada at the Sochi Olympics two central attributes emerged above all else. There was the requisite hockey sense demanded from the countrys very best and of equal importance, if not more so, was the ability to burn up and down the ice, the latter of significant consequence on the generally unfamiliar international ice surface. "I think we have a really good mix of players here that bring a lot of elements," said Doug Armstrong, the Blues GM and a member of Team Canadas management team, "but the one element they all have is skating ability." Its likely why someone like 34-year-old Joe Thornton – a member of the gold medal winning squad in 2010 and top point producer again this season, but certainly not the fleetest of foot – was not named to the team this time around, replaced by explosive types such as Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn. In fact, the Canadian roster in Vancouver featured a number of players who were probably never be described as quick – Jarome Iginla, Brendan Morrow, Dany Heatley, Eric Staal – but could get around just fine, at that point in their respective careers, on the NHL-sized ice. "I think you see some players that can play on the North American ice [that are] not quite as fleet of foot, but the space they have to get to they can get to quicker and hold it longer. From the corners to the front of the net the distance isnt as great. I think its a different style," Armstrong said. "A bigger man can have success maybe in the North American game thats a little harder to have here." Absent is a single player on this roster who cant get up and down the ice effectively. Quickly adjusting to the larger international ice surface – 15 additional feet wide – will be among the greater challenges facing the Canadians as they look to become the first back-to-back gold medal winning squad in the NHL era of the Olympics. All of which explains why swiftness on skates – not to mention the ability to move the puck with equal speed and precision – was such a fundamental asset in the selection process. Canada managed to win its first gold in 50 years on the Olympic size ice in Salt Lake City, but fell badly short four years later in Torino – they finished a distant seventh. Though other gold medal hopefuls face a similar challenge – with the vast majority of talent migrating to Russia from the NHL – the Canadians (and Americans certainly) will be required to climb a somewhat higher hill, having only played on the 200 by 100 foot surface sparingly. "Theres no question," said head coach Mike Babcock, "when youve grown up your whole life playing on one surface youre probably pretty comfortable with that surface. I know we are in North America. So theres a little adjustment, well get it worked out." One adjustment Babcock will seek is shorter shift lengths: from the NHL standard of 45 seconds down to 40 seconds with more space to cover and ground potentially to protect. He and the coaching staff, which includes big ice expert and former Swiss National Team coach Ralph Krueger, will also stress the need to attack inside on the offensive end, rather than linger on the perimeter as an opponent would prefer. "As much wider [as] the rink is you still want to play an up and down, north and south game and I think its the strength of our team to be able to play at a high speed, high tempo, all four lines," said John Tavares, who played on the bigger ice in Switzerland during the last lockout. "I think thats where were going to be at our best." Other immediate challenges facing Canada (and just about every country) include the required role alterations demanded of NHL stars and energy-sapping jet lag, an adjustment most countries will face in some way or another. "We can talk about the size of the ice surface," said Yzerman, "but I think its adjusting to playing a lesser role. Youve got forwards that are used to playing 21-22 minutes a game that are going to play 10 and 11 and defencemen that are used to playing 27 playing 18. Thats a huge adjustment for them all." Stars and scoring champs are fighting for even the slightest bit of ice-time. Martin St. Louis was the oldest Art Ross winner in NHL history last season (he was 37) and has kept the Lightning afloat save the injured Steven Stamkos again this season, but he finds himself grinding amongst 14 forwards for an opportunity. He and Duchene, a fellow first-timer were on the outside of the forward lines on the opening day of practice at Bolshoy Ice Dome. "When I talked to St. Louis in Tampa I told him he was one of 14 forwards and that he has to grab his piece," said Babcock. "Thats what weve told everyone; theyve got to find a way to grab their piece." Babcock was flipping through lineups and line combinations from the triumphant experience in Vancouver alongside assistant coach Claude Julien and came to a very simple conclusion: things can change in a hurry. Mike Richards for instance, rose from the 14th forward to a key member of an effective trio which included Jonathan Toews and Rick Nash. "Its a competitive environment and we expect our guys to compete for their ice-time," Babcock said. The Canadian head coach got creative in his attempts to quell the effects of jet lag. Players were given a special package for the plane ride over to Sochi, a kit that included eye covers, ear plugs, melatonin, vitamins, and compression socks to reduce the possibility of swelling in the feet. They were also told to sleep no longer than four hours (some did anyway) and stay up until midnight if possible. All to curtail the effects of the drastic change in time zones. "Keep the players up," Babcock said of his goals for a practice that begin at 8pm local time. "We thought if we got some exercise at this time of night we had a better chance of staying up til midnight." Cris Carter Authentic Jersey . For now, Joe Girardi and the rest of the New York Yankees are just thankful they have the Japanese right-hander pitching like one of the best in baseball. Matt Kalil Jersey . LOUIS -- St. http://www.officialvikings.us.com/Black-Linval-Jos...ersey.h tml . The Formula One circus has arrived in town and on this Thursday afternoon the teams crew members are setting up their equipment in the pit lane ahead of the three day race weekend. Greg Jennings Jersey . Jayson Werth and Denard Span had three hits each for Washington, which had lost 6 of 7. Previously slumping, Washingtons offence has 14 runs and 30 hits in its last two games. Strasburg (4-4) allowed two unearned runs, though his error led to them, and six hits. Harrison Smith Kids . The World Group first round series will now continue Monday with Spain leading 1-0. Earlier Sunday, Czech Klara Zakopalova led the second singles match against Maria Torro-Flor 6-3, 2-0. KVITFJELL, Norway -- Erik Guay has never been a fan of skiing with pain but is showing he can adapt and overcome. The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. And it came on one of his favourite courses as two of his victories and four of his 22 podium finishes have come at Kvitfjell, where theres a super-G scheduled for Sunday. "There are a lot of similarities (between Norway and Quebec)," Guay said during a conference call. "When I left Quebec it was raining and warm and thats pretty much exactly what its here but it can easily be -30 C, again, a lot like Quebec. "I feel comfortable when I come here." Guay finished fourth in a downhill event Friday. The impressive showings came following a respectable 10th-place effort in the downhill at the Sochi Games. But Guay said he battled knee issues in Russia. He had knee surgery in the summer and claimed a World Cup downhill in Val Gardena, Italy, in December but didnt feel anywhere near 100 per cent in Sochi. "It (knee) affected me a lot," he said. "I have a hard time skiing through pain, I have a hard time really finding that courage, that determination to fight through it and push on the ski. "I was trying not to mention it too much in the media because I wanted to put it out of my head completely and sort of pretend and focus that it wasnt even there. You definitely have that on the brain and it was affecting me because I couldnt do a proper preparation for the Games." However, Guay said hes working on improving his mental ability to deal with injury much like teammate Jan Hudec of Calgary, who has overcome numerous ailments to succeed on the world scene. "The ideal situation is to not have that pain and I plan to deal with it in the off-season," Guay said. "Right now Im trying to work through it and I think its an important thing. "If I look at a guy like Jan Hudec, probably one of his biggest strengths is that strength and character he shows when he has those injuries. I know he skiis in a lot of pain so I like to watch those circumstances and try to emulate them. Its not always easy for me. I think when I dont feel 100 per cent its tough for me to go out and attack it but id like to think its getting better." Guay, 32, finished ahead of Frenchman Johan Clarey and Olympic champion Matthias Mayer of Austria. American Travis Ganong, who was third Friday, narrowly missed out on another podium, finishing 0.62 seconds back in fourth.dddddddddddd Bode Miller, a bronze medallist in the super-G at the Sochi Olympics, was eighth. Conditions were overcast and a little foggy but unlike Fridays downhill the rain stayed away. Guay had a time of one minute 22.17 seconds, finishing 0.35 seconds ahead of Clarey -- who secured a third career podium. "Its difficult conditions, soft snow. I think you need a really well-balanced touch," Guay said. "If youre too aggressive or leaning in a little bit, its easy to lose (time)." Jeffrey Frisch of Mont-Tremblant finished 17th while Manuel Osborne-Paradis of North Vancouver, B.C., was 21st. Benjamin Thomsen of Invermere, B.C., was 43rd, finishing one spot ahead of Hudec. Other Canadians included: Conrad Pridy of Whistler, B.C., (50th), Torontos Dustin Cook (59th) and Morgan Pridy of Whistler (60th). Meanwhile, it was the best result of Clareys career. "It shows anything can happen, even late on. Better late than never," Clarey said. "Im not hugely confident at the moment and the Olympics were difficult for me to cope with mentally." Clarey had pondered retirement after the Sochi Games, where he didnt finish the downhill and was 19th in super-G. "This changes my ideas a little bit from a psychological point of view," he said. "Even though my knees still pretty banged up." Despite already having an Olympic gold medal, the 23-year-old Mayer clinched his first career podium in World Cup downhill and only his third overall. "I had a lot of things to do, with celebrating the Olympic victory back home. I hadnt much time for me to be prepared," Mayer said. "I can be happy with this result. Its very difficult to be fast here, with the soft snow its not the best conditions." Ganong finished fifth in the downhill at the Sochi Olympics. "I really thought I could (win), so I pushed a little harder and had a couple mistakes. I was able to make up a lot of time on the bottom and salvage fourth place," he said. "Its really fun skiing right now. Im having a good time and the results are coming." Olympic super-G champion Kjetil Jansrud of Norway, who tied for the win Friday with Austrian Georg Streitberger, placed fifth. "I made a couple of mistakes which I didnt think I would make," Jansrud said. "Fell on my inside ski a couple of times, I had to support myself on my hand." Overall World Cup leader Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway was tied for sixth with Switzerlands Silvan Zurbriggen. ' ' '
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