SOCHI, Russia - Martin St.
Marcus Easley Jersey . Louis gets his chance
as Team Canadas 13th forward in the first elimination game of the Olympic
tournament. St. Louis is in and Matt Duchene is out against 11th-seeded Latvia,
which upset Switzerland to reach the quarter-finals. Coach Mike Babcock expects
St. Louis to handle the difficult situation as a veteran player. The 38-year-old
says he is ready for the mental and physical challenge. "Its a situation that
you fully understand its a possibility you might be in, in these tournaments,"
he said. "Youre trying to go out there and earn another shift." Canada did not
do line rushes during Wednesdays morning skate at the Bolshoy Ice Domes practice
rink. If the same lines hold from Tuesday, Sidney Crosby will centre Chris
Kunitz and Patrice Bergeron, Ryan Getzlaf will centre Jamie Benn and Corey
Perry, Jonathan Toews will centre Patrick Marleau and Jeff Carter and John
Tavares will centre Patrick Sharp and Rick Nash with St. Louis rotating in. "The
reality is we dress 13 forwards each game," Babcock said. "One guy hardly gets
on the ice. Its a hard, hard situation for people that play 22 minutes. Thats
the way it is. Youve got to find a way to help out when you get a chance." St.
Louis offers the ability to make a big play at a crucial time, but so do Matt
Duchene and P.K. Subban, who are Canadas health scratches. Dan Hamhuis will be
the seventh defenceman, leaving Subban out of the lineup for the third time in
four games. Babcock said Subban, last years Norris Trophy winner as the NHLs
best defenceman, has been "excellent" in accepting his role. "Hes a proud guy.
And hes here and he doesnt get to dress," Babcock said. "Nobody is probably
thrilled about that. Those are hard decisions that we make, and in the end
theyve got to live it." "That doesnt mean theyve got to like it. But youre here
to be a good pro and a good teammate and as its not about me and its not him,
its about Canada. As long as we all remember that, were fine." Its about Canada
is also this teams approach going into Wednesday nights game against a
largely-unknown Latvian opponent. Sault Ste. Marie native and Buffalo Sabres
coach Ted Nolan is the most known quantity there, perhaps along with 41-year-old
defenceman Sandis Ozolinsh. "I know Sandis Ozolinsh played for me and helped me
get to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final and hes their captain," Babcock said.
"Theyre better as a sum than they are as parts." Latvia beat Switzerland 3-1
Tuesday night to set up this date with Canada. Winger Patrick Marleau said he
noticed from that game that the Latvians were a very "structured" bunch. "Its
not going to be that many breakdowns, so when you do get that opportunity youre
going to have to make the most out of it," Marleau said. Babcock came away from
the Latvia-Switzerland qualification game impressed with how the underdogs held
on. "They had good chances on (Swiss goaltender Jonas) Hiller, but they spent a
lot of time in their own zone," Babcock said. "Ted called a timeout, they were
all bent over and dying. There was a couple more times I thought they might die.
They hung in there, hung in there and battled. "If Im a Latvian Im very, very
proud. They competed. Thats all you can ask. Youve got to maximize what youve
been given." With the exception of Sabres forward Zemgus Girgensons, Latvias
only NHL player, most of the team is able to practise together. Theres a benefit
in that Latvia can perfect defensive systems to frustrate more-skilled teams
like Canada. “Its a team thats similar to the other teams weve played so far, a
team that works extremely hard and a team that packs the slot and gives you as
little space as possible in that area," Bergeron said in French. "So well have
to work very hard and come up with a strategy to get through that system they
use." Canadas system involves defending tough and trying to get to the middle of
the ice. With Babcock supervising, players worked on power-play and
extra-attacker situations during Wednesdays skate. The top power-play unit
features Crosby, Tavares and Carter with Sharp and Duncan Keith at the points.
The second unit had Toews, Getzlaf and Perry with Drew Doughty and Shea Weber at
the points. Through three games, Canada has only four power plays, a point of
some frustration. "Hard to get them, eh? We spent half a week practising them,
You almost wonder why you spend so much time preparing for them when they never
come," Babcock said Tuesday. "I think weve played in the offensive zone for
three straight games. When you have the puck, you draw penalties. It hasnt
happened." Canada is 1-for-4 on the power play so far. "Maybe we can do a better
job of sustaining pressure and wearing them down so it forces the other team to
take some more penalties," Marleau said. Carey Price starts in goal for Team
Canada, as Babcock announced Tuesday. Roberto Luongo will serve as the backup.
"Im just trying to do my job like everybody else," Price said Tuesday. "Im
excited. Im grateful for the opportunity." Projected lineup for Team Canadas
quarter-final game against Latvia: FORWARDS Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby -
Patrice BergeronJamie Benn - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey PerryPatrick Marleau -
Jonathan Toews - Jeff CarterPatrick Sharp - John Tavares - Rick Nash / Martin
St. Louis DEFENCEMEN Duncan Keith - Shea WeberMarc-Edouard Vlasic - Drew
DoughtyJay Bouwmeester - Alex PietrangeloDan Hamhuis GOALIES Carey PriceRoberto
Luongo SCRATCHES Matt Duchene P.K. SubbanMike Smith
Zach Brown Bills Jersey . While talking to
reporters during the first intermission of Game 4 on Wednesday night, Robidas
got emotional when asked about the disappointment of missing the rest of the
playoffs.
Marcus Easley Bills Jersey . -- Nick Bjugstad
snapped out of his scoring slump and spoiled Drew MacIntyres first NHL
start.BANDON, Ore. -- Cheyenne Woods, the niece of Tiger Woods, shot a 2-under
69 on Tuesday to finish first in stroke-play qualifying at the Womens U.S.
Amateur Public Links Championship. Woods, who won the Atlantic Coast Conference
individual championship as a junior for Wake Forest last month, finished 36
holes at minus 1, the only player in the field of 155 to break par. She will be
the top seed when match play begins Wednesday. Emile Burger of Hoschton, Ga.,
finisheed second at 3-over 145 after shooting a 69 on Tuesday.
John Miller Bills Jersey. First-round leader
Kelsey Vines of San Antonio, Texas, followed up her 71 with a 78 to finish at 7
over, tied for eighth. Augusta James of Bath, Ont., shot a 76 to finish above
the projected cutline at 14 over. She was joined by Jennifer Yang of Coquitlam,
B.C., who shot a 79. Renata Young of London, Ont., (80) and Taylor Schmidt of
Brantford, Ont., (87) both missed the cut at 27 over.
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