Flyers outlast Canucks in shootout

Vincent Lecavalier scored the shootout winner as the Philadelphia Flyers came back to beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 in NHL action Monday night.

The Flyers prevailed after trailing 2-1 in the second period and 3-2 late in the third.

Lecavalier scored on a deke on Philadelphia's first attempt and goaltender Steve Mason stopped all three Vancouver shooters as the Flyers (19-16-4) posted their third straight win and sixth in eight games.

The Canucks (23-11-7) suffered only their third loss in the past eight games. But more significantly, Vancouver missed a chance to move into a tie for fifth place in the Western Conference after the Kings lost earlier Monday to Chicago.

The Flyers have not lost in Vancouver in nearly 14 years, with their last setback coming Dec. 31, 1989.

Tom Sestito, Jannik Hansen and Daniel Sedin had Vancouver's goals in regulation time.

Mark Streit, Claude Girioux and Brayden Schen also scored for the Flyers. Giroux also had an assist and further bolstered his chances of playing for Canada's Olympic team as he extended his point streak to nine games.

Brayden Schenn forced overtime and the shootout as he scored in the final minute of the third period after Daniel Sedin had put the Canucks ahead with less than three minutes remaining.

Philadelphia goaltender Mason recorded 42 saves.

Vancouver counterpart Eddie Lack, making his second consecutive start and third appearance in place of injured No. 1 netminder Roberto Luongo, finished with 25 saves.

Vancouver could not score on its four power plays while Philadelphia was blanked on its three.

The Flyers led 1-0 after the first period and the clubs were tied 2-2 following the second.

Streit opened the scoring at 15:24 of the first period, putting in a backhand shot as the puck came to him after Canucks defenceman Dan Hamhuis denied Michael Raffl on a wraparound attempt. The goal capped an opening 20 minutes in which both teams enjoyed decent chances.

Lack was strong early as he stopped Jakub Voracek during a Philly power play in the first two minutes and then made difficult glove saves on Sean Couturier and Braydon Coburn with the clubs playing four on four.

Then Mason stood out as he sprawled to stop Chris Higgins after the Canuck intercepted a pass right in front of the net. Later, Mason made difficult saves on Yannick Weber and Ryan Kesler as the Canucks dominated for the duration of the period but could not turn the red light on.

Vancouver's scoring struggles continued early in the second period as David Booth hit the post on a wrap-around attempt in the first minute. But an unlikely marksman, Sestito, a fourth-liner wanted mostly for his toughness, forged a 1-1 tie at 4:24 as he put in a Hamhuis rebound.

With just under five minutes left in the second, Lack took a Wayne Simmonds shot to the mask. Despite losing his headgear on the play, Lack came up smiling and showed no ill effects.

Less than a minute later, Hansen put the Canucks ahead 2-1 as he completed a nifty give-and-go with Daniel Sedin and tapped the puck into an open net. Hansen's goal rewarded the Canucks after they held a decisive edge in shots.

But Giroux pulled the Flyers even about two minutes later as took a lead pass from Raffl, fought his way up the middle through Hamhuis and Chris Tanev, and flicked the puck behind Lack from in close.

Early in the third period, Mason denied Daniel Sedin on a breakaway. With just under six minutes gone, the Flyers goaltender robbed David Booth on a one-timer on a two-on-one with Zack Kassian.

Philadelphia coach Craig Berube called a timeout with 3:45 left in the third period to help get his team going. But moments later Daniel Sedin scored to give the Canucks a 3-2 lead.

Sedin's long wrist shot from near the blue-line bounced off Flyer goaltender Steve Mason's blocker and back into the net off Philadelphia defenceman Luke Schenn.

However, Brayden Schenn made up for his older brother's error as he put in Scott Hartnell's goalmouth pass with 46.8 seconds left in regulation time.

In overtime, Mason stopped Kesler on two excellent chances in the final minute.

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Canada erases 2-goal deficit to beat Slovakia at world juniors

Nic Petan scored twice, including the winning goal, as Canada fought back from a 3-1 deficit to earn a 5-3 victory over Slovakia at the world junior hockey championship on Monday in Malmo, Sweden.

Slovakia jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second period on two goals from David Griger and another from Martin Reway.

Canada answered on goals from Curtis Lazar, Anthony Mantha, Jonathan Drouin and Petan.

Game notes

Canada is 8-0-1 against Slovakia all-time at the world juniors. … Forward Charles Hudon was helped off with what looked
like a shoulder problem 13 seconds into the third period after a hit into the end boards, but returned later in the period. Canadian head coach Brent Sutter said he is not injured. …Canada will have defenceman Griffin Reinhart back against the Americans after serving the last of his four-game suspension incurred at last year's world juniors.

— The Canadian Press

Zachary Fucale made his first start of the tournament for the Canadians, stopping 19 of 22 shots.

Monday's win left Canada (2-0-1) two points behind the United States (3-0-0) heading into a showdown for first place in the last preliminary round game for both squads on Tuesday (11:30 a.m. ET).

Sutter indicated Fucale would be in net.

It was a breakout game on Monday for Petan and Lazar, who have struggled on the attack.

"Me and Curt were talking about our bad luck a bit," said Petan. "But it's nice to break through.

"It should be good for [Tuesday]. I'm just looking forward to playing a good offensive and defensive game."

Mantha, the runaway scoring leader in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, had a goal and three assists to give him nine points in three games.

Not bad for a big winger who was not certain to make the team out of camp three weeks ago.

"I came to camp and I wanted to make my place, and once I did that, I wanted to show I could play great hockey over here and that's what I'm doing now," the Detroit Red Wings prospect said.

Mantha 'was huge'

"Anthony was huge," added Sutter.

Drouin tied the game at 14:02 of the third period after Mantha beat 16-year-old Erik Cernak behind the Slovak goal and fed it in front.

Canada was on a power play when Petan walked out from the right side and threaded a goal through traffic.

Canada had to battle back from a 3-1 second-period deficit against a Slovak side playing a tight trap and leaning on the power play with the highly skilled unit of Reway, Griger and Milan Kolena for goals.

"It wasn't the start we wanted," said Drouin, the Mooseheads' star who was picked third overall by Tampa bay last June. "They scored on the power play I got and Brent let me know between periods.

For the third straight game Canada gave up the first goal, this time after Drouin got a minor and a misconduct for a hit to the head only 10 seconds in. Griger took Jakub Predajniansky's shot off the end boards and scored into an open side past Zach Fucale, who made his first start in goal.

Drouin did not see the ice again until Canada's power play at 16:49, but it was Lazar who scored on a one-timer of Mantha's pass after extended pressure in the Slovak zone at 18:20.

Diving?

The mostly Canadian crowd of 2,258 at the 5,800-seat Isstadion howled at what they felt was Slovak diving that led to a pair of two-man advantages, both of which produced goals in the second frame.

The first saw Reway score his fourth of the tournament with a quick shot from a Kolena feed, and then Griger get his second of the game into an open side from Reway's pass.

Canada got one back before the third period as Mantha camped on the doorstep and banged in an Aaron Ekblad rebound at 17:00.

Canada, which outshot the Slovaks 49-22, heads into its New Year's Eve clash with the United States on Tuesday (11:30 a.m. ET) with a chance to take first place in Group A.

Slovakia closes out their round-robin phase of the tournament against the Czech Republic. 

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Canada falls to Geneve-Servette in Spengler Cup semifinals

Doug Shedden says Canada played its best game at the Spengler Cup on Monday. Unfortunately for the Canadians, so did opposing goaltender Tobias Stephan.

Stephan made 50 saves and HC Geneve-Servette capitalized on its chances in a 6-5 semifinal win over defending champion Canada.

"To me, you lose this game on two words, and that's Toby Stephan," Canada coach Shedden said after the game. "We threw 55 shots at him, and we were all over him with quality chances, and there's no question he was the difference in the game.

"Unfortunately that's the game of hockey sometimes. A hot goalie can steal a game, especially in a one-game series."

Conversely, Geneva-based Geneve-Servette made the most of their chances, beating the Canadian tandem of Allen York and Matthew Hackett six times on 24 shots.

"Geneva really capitalized on the limited chances they got," Shedden said. "It seems like every shot they had was a seeing-eye shot, like under the bar or five-hole ... they were a sharp-shooting team today.

"I'm not blaming the goalies one bit. It just seems that every chance they got they made the best of it."

Alexandre Giroux, Travis Roche and Jacob Micflikier, Darren Haydar and Jason Williams scored for Canada.

Former NHL veteran Matthew Lombardi led Geneva with two goals and two assists.

Denis Hollenstein, Intio Pestoni, Arnaud Jacquement and Daniel Vukovic scored for Geneva.

Canada was trailing 6-3 midway through the third period, but they poured on the pressure and goals at 16:10 from Haydar and 18:18 from Williams made it a one-goal game with time winding down.

Stephan, who made 21 of his 50 saves in the third, would not be beaten a sixth time

"I thought we had our best game by a mile," Shedden said. "Unfortunately like a hot pitcher in baseball (goaltenders) can beat you some nights."

Geneva will play CSKA Moscow in Tuesday's final. Moscow edged host HC Davos 5-4 earlier Monday.

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Kyle Turris gives Senators win over Capitals

Nothing heals quite like a win streak.

Erik Karlsson and the Ottawa Senators felt good after their 3-1 defeat of the Washington Capitals on Monday, their first back-to-back victory in 51 days and their first three-game winning streak at the Canadian Tire Centre this season.

"It feels really good I think," said Karlsson, who was on the ice for nearly 30 minutes. "We really wanted to win this game and they came out pretty hard in the first and had us at the backs for a while, but I think we stuck to it and we were confident that if we just did the things we needed to do we would come out successful." 

'I liked our fight and I liked our work ethic and that went a long way to getting us two points.'- Senators goalie Craig Anderson

Once again the Senators gave up the first goal, but a couple of highlight-reel goals and strong goaltending was enough to earn the victory.

Craig Anderson, now riding a three-game winning streak, was at his best on this night stopping 34 shots.

"We battled all night," said Anderson. "We made some mistakes, but it's what happened after that. We battled hard; we back-checked hard; we found ways to keep guys from getting to the net. That's the difference in the game.

"I liked our fight and I liked our work ethic and that went a long way to getting us two points."

Kyle Turris, Mika Zibanejad and Clarke MacArthur, with an empty-net goal, scored for Ottawa (17-18-7).

Joel Ward scored the lone goal for the Capitals (20-15-5), who have now lost back-to-back games. Phillip Grubauer, making his fourth straight start, faced 38 shots.

Ottawa took a 2-1 lead on Turris's tenth goal of the season. He cut through the Washington defence and deked Grubauer for a wide open left side, leaving the 20,193 on hand stunned.

"I knew I got hooked, but I think it helped me fake the goalie out," said Turris. "I don't think (Grubauer) thought I would be able to get it to my forehand so it kind of faked him at the same time delaying it."

Anderson was solid stopping all 14 shots he faced in the second as the Capitals did all they could to tie things up.

Ottawa held on to its 2-1 lead with solid play in the third period. With just over two minutes remaining Anderson made a great glove save on Eric Fehr to preserve the lead.

"We had great chances to score goals, but we didn't," said Washington's Alexander Ovechkin, who is now pointless in his last four games. "We hit crossbars, posts and he makes a good save and of course when you make a goalie hot he's going to play hot."

This was easily one of Anderson's better performances of the season, but he was quick to point out the play of his teammates as a factor in his success.

Anderson talked about the team's penalty kill, shot blocking and play along the boards as keys to the victory.

"It's stuff that doesn't always show up on the scoresheet like goals and assists do," said Anderson. "It's those little things that make a difference in a game and a lot of people don't realize that, but we definitely recognize it in the room here."

MacArthur added an empty-net goal with 34 seconds remaining after Erik Karlsson gave him the wide open net to put an end to a 10-game scoring drought.

"I saw he was there and he hasn't scored in a couple games so I knew it was the right thing to do," said Karlsson of the passing play.

The Senators got off to a rough start in the first period as Ward opened the scoring on Washington's second shot of the game 2:11 into the game. Ward put a shot on net and — unfortunately for Anderson — the puck went off the goaltender's stick and in.

It was the only downside to an otherwise outstanding performance by Anderson.

Ottawa lost Chris Neil midway through the first after a collision with Ovechkin. The play looked innocent enough, but left Neil with a lower body injury.

Senators head coach Paul MacLean said the injury appears to be something more serious than day-to-day, but Neil will need to undergo further evaluation before a timeline can be set.

Ovechkin felt he took the worst of the collision and feels the league should review the incident. He was disappointed that nothing was called on the play.

"I think four guys out there didn't do their job. I think they started celebrating New Year's too early, right before the game," said Ovechkin. "They didn't see headshots on Neil against me.

"I felt like he going to hit me shoulder to shoulder. I was ready for it, but he hit right in my head, right in chin.

Ottawa tied the game 1-1 at the 13-minute mark of the first as Zibanejad and Cory Conacher put together a passing play. The two broke in on a 2-on-1 and had a give-and-go before Zibanejad had the easy tap in.

Zibanejad has played at centre as Jason Spezza has been sidelined the last two games with a lower body injury and the 20-year-old is making the most of the opportunity.

"Mika has come in and played centre and given us some big minutes and played very well," said Senators coach Paul MacLean.

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Ex-F1 champ Schumacher shows 'surprising' improvement

Michael Schumacher underwent a second surgery after a brain scan showed small, "surprising" signs of improvement, but grim doctors said Tuesday they could offer no insight into the prognosis for the Formula 1 champion.

Schumacher, who turns 45 on Friday, suffered critical head injuries when he fell and struck a rock Sunday while skiing on a family vacation in the French Alps. His manager confirmed that the accident cracked his helmet, which doctors credited for giving him a chance at survival.

Schumacher's condition stabilized somewhat after the second surgery, but he remains in a medically induced coma — and doctors gave no prediction on how long that would last.

"We cannot tell you any more about the future," said Gerard Saillant, a surgeon and friend of the family who is in Grenoble. Saillant said it would be "stupid" to make any predictions about Schumacher's recovery.

Schumacher and his 14-year-old son were skiing in the French Alpine resort of Meribel, where the family has a chalet, when he fell and hit the right side of his head on a rock. He was taken first to a local hospital, then to Grenoble University Hospital, which is recognized as having one of France's best neurology teams.

Dr. Emmanuel Gay, the hospital's chief neurosurgeon, said a brain scan performed late Monday showed bruising "a little bit everywhere" in Schumacher's brain — but also an unexpected easing of pressure.

"The brain scan was, I must say, surprising," he said.

But he and other doctors cautioned that Schumacher's condition was still grave after the successful surgery to eliminate the largest and most accessible bruise, on the left side of his brain.

"We cannot say he is out of danger," said Dr. Jean-Francois Payen, head of the hospital's intensive care unit. Payen said any neurological evaluation was "out of the question" for now.

Schumacher earned universal acclaim for his uncommon and sometimes ruthless driving talent, which led to a record 91 race wins. He retired from Formula 1 last year after garnering an unmatched seven world titles.

Schumi, as his fans affectionately call him, was famously aggressive on the track and no less intense off-hours. In retirement, he remained an avid skier, skydiver and horseback rider.

Schumacher's manager, Sabine Kehm, offered more details on the accident, confirming that his helmet cracked on impact.

"It looks like probably that initiating a corner, he was hitting a stone which he had not seen and was catapulted down on a rock," Kehm said in English. "That is extremely and very unfortunate ... really very, very bad luck. Michael was not at high speed."

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Hansen, Lack shine as Canucks blank Flames

Eddie Lack continues to impress as the latest understudy to Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo.

Lack made 18 saves for his fifth straight win and second shutout of the season Sunday night as the Vancouver Canucks continued a sensational month of December with a 2-0 victory over the Calgary Flames.

"It was a pretty easy night for me," said Lack, making his third consecutive start with Luongo (lower body) on injured reserve. "I had to be sharp a couple times but overall, I felt that our D-men boxed them out really good." 

'It was a pretty easy night for me. I had to be sharp a couple times but overall, I felt that our D-men boxed them out really good.'- Canucks goalie Eddie Lack

Lack improves to 7-2-0 on the season and moves into third in the league with a 1.74 goals-against average. His .933 save percentage is sixth best.

"The guys are playing awesome in front of me. I can't really complain about anything. I just want to keep it going," said Lack.

Vancouver got the only goal it would need in the final minute of the first period on a terrific breakaway pass from Henrik Sedin and an even better finish from the speedy Jannik Hansen.

After Mark Giordano's shot was blocked, Sedin corralled the puck and spotted Hansen darting up the ice. Looking like a quarterback waiting for his receiver to get open, Sedin paused before hitting him with a perfect pass.

"I saw an opportunity for us to turn the puck over in our end so took a chance that we were going to get it and fortunately enough it ends up on Hank's tape and he's able to feather it through," said Hansen. "It jumped on me and I think that fooled the goalie a little bit too and I maybe caught him a little bit out of position and leaving a little more room than he would have liked to."

It was Giordano who Hansen got behind before whipping a shot into the top corner on Reto Berra.

"I thought I could have stopped the pass but he made a pretty good pass in the air and landed it right on the guy's stick, said the Flames captain. "In hindsight, I maybe should have turned around and got back but even if I did that, I don't know if I would have been able to get back in time."

Mike Santorelli also scored for Vancouver (23-11-6). Playing for the first time in a week, the Canucks improve to 10-1-1 in its last 12. They are right back in action Monday night when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers at Rogers Arena.

"If you look at the standings, it's extremely tight," Hansen said. "If you're not stringing wins together, you're not going anywhere. We've played a tremendous December and we're still fourth in our division."

Calgary (14-19-6) falls to 1-2-0 with two games remaining on a five-game homestand. The Flames next opponent is also Philadelphia, hosting them on New Year's Eve.

"Goal scoring, that's the toughest part of this league," said Flames coach Bob Hartley. "Right now, we have a few guys that are squeezing the sticks."

Coming off a 2-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, Calgary has been shut out at the Scotiabank Saddledome since before Christmas, a span of 125 minutes and 5 seconds.

"We have to keep going, we have lots of youngsters that are facing adversity right now and we have a few veterans who are facing adversity. The number one priority we have is to stick together," Hartley said. "We knew that we would have some bumps on the road and right now, we're there. Coming back from the break, it seems like we can't buy a goal."

With some spectacular saves, Berra kept the game 1-0 until 18:44 of the third period when Santorelli converted a two-on-one on Vancouver's 30th shot of the night.

The Flames first-year Swiss goaltender falls to 5-10-2.

"In the second period, we spent so much time in our zone. Vancouver played like we wanted to play," said Flames defenceman Chris Butler, the Flames ice-time lead with 24:16. "By the time we got the puck and were skating out of the zone, everybody was dog tired so you have to dump it in and go for a change. It's tough to get sustained pressure that way."

Trailing 1-0 after two periods despite being outshot 24-8, the Flames came out flying in the third pouring on early pressure on Lack but couldn't solve the Swede.

The game got off to a rousing start when rugged Flames fourth liner Brian McGrattan got his arm up high on a heavy hit along the side boards in the Canucks end that caught defenceman Andrew Alberts in the head and flattened him.

While Alberts remained down, McGrattan squared off in a fight with giant Canucks enforcer Tom Sestito.

Alberts did not return.

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Former F1 champ Michael Schumacher in coma after ski accident

Seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher was in critical condition after undergoing brain surgery following a skiing accident in the French Alps on Sunday, doctors said.

The Grenoble University Hospital Center said the retired racing driver arrived at the clinic in a coma and underwent immediate surgery for a serious head trauma.

It was not clear whether the 44-year-old Schumacher was still in a coma but the hospital statement, which was signed by a neurosurgeon, an anesthesiologist and Marc Penaud, the hospital's deputy director, said "he remains in a critical condition."

Schumacher fell while skiing off-piste in Meribel earlier Sunday and hit his head on a rock, according to a statement from the resort. Resort managers said he had been wearing a helmet and was conscious when rescuers first responded to the scene.

Earlier in the day, the Meribel resort said Schumacher had been taken to Grenoble for tests and authorities said his life was not in danger.

But the situation began to appear more serious when the resort said that orthopedic and trauma surgeon Gerard Saillant had travelled from Paris to the hospital in Grenoble to examine Schumacher. German news agency dpa said it was Saillant who operated on Schumacher when he broke his leg during a crash at the Silverstone race course in 1999.

In an email to The Associated Press, Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm said the champion German driver was on a private skiing trip and "fell on his head."

"We ask for understanding that we cannot give running updates on his condition. He wore a helmet and was not alone," Kehm said. Schumacher's 14-year-old son was skiing with his father when the accident happened, the resort said.

As news of the accident spread, Formula One drivers used social media to wish Schumacher a quick recovery.

His former Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa, who recovered from life-threatening injuries sustained at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2009, wrote on Instagram: "I am praying for you my brother!! I hope you have a quick recovery!! God bless you Michael."

The Twitter feed of Germany's Adrian Sutil, who drives for Sauber, read: "I hope Michael Schumacher will get well soon! All my best to him and his family." Romain Grosjean of Lotus tweeted: "All our thoughts to Schumi and his family! Hope you will recover soon .legend .Schumi."

Support also came from leading German sports personalities, ranging from the NBA to soccer. Dallas Mavericks power forward Dirk Nowitzki said his thoughts were with Schumacher, while Lukas Podolski, who plays for Arsenal in the English Premier League, tweeted: "Bad news from Switzerland: please get well soon, Michael Schumacher. All the best for you, my friend! .getwellsoon .MichaelSchumacher."

In addition to the crash at Silverstone, Schumacher was hurt seriously in a motorcycling accident in February 2009 in Spain when he suffered neck and spine injuries. He recovered sufficiently from those injuries to make a comeback in F1.

Schumacher initially retired from F1 in 2006 after winning five straight titles with Ferrari following two earlier ones with Benetton. He returned to the sport in 2010 and drove for three seasons for Mercedes without much success before retiring again last year.

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Erik Guay makes history with World Cup downhill bronze

Canada's Erik Guay was heavily influenced by the "Crazy Canucks" during his formative years on the slopes. Now he's breaking their records.

Guay won World Cup bronze in the downhill Sunday in Bormio, Italy for his 21st career podium appearance, breaking the Canadian record previously held by Steve Podborski.

"Those are the racers I grew up watching and admiring," Guay said. "It's special." Podborski and fellow Crazy Canucks Ken Read, Dave Irwin, Dave Murray and Jim Hunter produced historic results for Canada in the 1970s and 1980s. Podborski's 20 World Cup podium appearances came between 1979 and 1984 — all in the downhill.

Guay won his first World Cup medal 10 years ago with a downhill silver at Lake Louise. He has won 15 World Cup medals in the downhill — including gold a week earlier — and six in the super-G.

"Honestly I think tying Steve was more important," Guay said. "I knew that it was kind of over and at least I had that. To break it is obviously great, especially the weekend after. But it wasn't really my ambition right now. I was just focusing on the race at hand.

"But to get that record is incredible and to be part of that group of elite athletes with Steve Podborski is really special."

Overall World Cup leader Aksel Lund Svindal mastered the fresh snow conditions on the Stelvio course on Sunday for his fourth victory of the Olympic season.

The Norwegian clocked one minute 54.08 seconds to finish 0.39 seconds ahead of Hannes Reichelt of Austria. Guay was 0.51 seconds back in third, for a strong follow-up to his victory in Val Gardena.

"On the top it was difficult to be precise because it was soft and you can't push too hard with the edges," Svindal said. "So I just tried to ski the top part really well and then from the San Pietro jump down that's usually where Bormio is decided and that was to my advantage down there."

Guay strong early

Svindal trailed Guay at every checkpoint but then gained 0.65 seconds over the last few gates. Guay, from Mont-Tremblant, Que., made a slight but costly error, lifting up his left ski to regain
his balance after cutting off a turn too sharply.

"Maybe I got a little bit greedy on the bottom section trying to cut line and I paid for it," Guay said.
Still, Guay has become Svindal's top challenger in the speed events.

"I'm really excited about my skiing at the moment," said Guay, who has had knee surgeries the past two off-seasons. "For the first time I know why I'm fast. It's not like it was a lucky shot in Val Gardena."

Guay, 32, won the super-G Crystal Globe in 2010 and took the world downhill title a year later. He's on track to challenge for his first Olympic medal at the Sochi Games — the only major honour that has eluded him.

Podium at Bormio

It was the first time Guay had reached the podium at Bormio. He remains second in the downhill standings and is seventh in the overall World Cup rankings.

"It was important to finish the year strong and we're totally happy with the situation we find ourselves in with Erik," said Canadian men's team head coach Martin Rufener. "We all know he
returned to snow in October [following knee surgery]. Sometimes when  you get back from an injury and a longer rest it gives your body another kick.

"When you get results like this it helps with the mental strength and confidence. It's so important to have Erik as the team leader, showing that he's on top of the world. It helps the other
guys and shows the next group what they have to do."

Calgary's Jan Hudec was 14th, Manuel Osborne-Paradis of North Vancouver, B.C., was 21st and Conrad Pridy of Whistler, B.C., was 29th. Robbie Dixon of Whistler was 32nd, Benjamin Thomsen of
Invermere, B.C., was 37th and Jeffrey Frisch of Mont-Tremblant was 41st.

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Peyton Manning breaks more records, Broncos clinch AFC: NFL

OAKLAND, Calif. — Peyton Manning leads the Denver Broncos into the playoffs with another record, home-field advantage and some rest after doing all his work in one half against the reeling Oakland Raiders.

Manning set the NFL single-season record for yards passing and threw four first-half touchdown passes to clinch the top seed in the AFC playoffs for the Broncos with a 34-14 victory over Oakland on Sunday.

Manning needed just one half to add the yards record to the touchdown mark he set last week and assure that the Broncos (13-3) won't have to leave home again until the Super Bowl if they make it that far.

He threw touchdown passes to Eric Decker and Knowshon Moreno in the first quarter and added two to Demaryius Thomas in the second quarter. He broke Drew Brees' record of 5,476 yards set in 2011 with a 5-yard pass to Thomas with 13 seconds left in the half to make it 31-0.

That ended Manning's day having completed 25 of 28 passes for 266 yards. He finished the season with 5,477 yards and 55 touchdown passes.

The Raiders (4-12) ended their 11th straight non-winning season with six straight losses and big questions about the future of second-year coach Dennis Allen. Oakland has won eight games in Allen's two seasons but after showing signs of progress early this season, regressed down the stretch to put his job in jeopardy.

CHICAGO — Aaron Rodgers fired a 48-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb in the final minute, and the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears 33-28 to capture the NFC North championship.

Back after missing seven games with a broken left collarbone, Rodgers found a wide open Cobb on fourth-and-8 at the 48 to wipe out a one-point deficit with 38 seconds left.

Green Bay will host San Francisco next weekend.

The Bears had one final drive, but Jay Cutler's deep pass to Alshon Jeffery was intercepted by Sam Shields on the final play.

That gave the Packers (8-7-1) their third straight division title and fifth post-season appearance in a row. It also kept the Bears (8-8) out of the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years.

NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees passed for four touchdowns and ran for another score, and New Orleans clinched a wild card spot with a 42-17 victory over Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Three of Brees' scoring strikes were longer than 40 yards — 76 to Kenny Stills, 44 to Lance Moore and 41 to Robert Meachem. Brees passed for 381 yards, eclipsing 5,000 yards in a season for an unprecedented fourth time. He finished the season with 5,162 yards to go with 39 touchdowns.

Brees' other TD was a 10-yard pass to tight end Jimmy Graham, and the Saints (11-5) finished 8-0 in the Superdome.

Mike Glennon passed for 219 yards and two TDs for Tampa Bay (4-12). With doubts swirling about the future of second-year Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano, the Bucs closed the season with losses in their last three games, and four of their last five.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — LeGarrette Blount ran for a career-high 189 yards and two touchdowns and had two long kickoff returns as the New England Patriots clinched a first-round AFC bye with a 34-20 win over the Buffalo Bills on a rainy Sunday.

Tom Brady was content to hand the ball off during a steady downpour against a team first in the NFL in sacks and second in interceptions. And Blount responded, leading the charge into the playoffs.

Stephen Gostkowski helped make sure the Patriots (12-4) wouldn't have a game next weekend with four field goals.

While the Patriots earned their eighth bye in Bill Belichick's 14 seasons as coach, the Bills (6-10) missed the playoffs for the 14th straight year, the league's longest current streak.

SAN DIEGO — Nick Novak kicked a 36-yard field goal with 5:30 left in overtime and the San Diego Chargers, who trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter, beat the Kansas Chiefs 27-24 to claim the AFC's final playoff spot.

The Chargers (9-7) ended a three-year post-season drought. The winning drive was kept alive by a 2-yard gain by Pro Bowl safety Eric Weddle on a fake punt on fourth-and-2 from the Chargers 28. The game ended when Kansas City couldn't convert on fourth-and-15 from the San Diego 41 with 3:16 left.

With the Chargers on the verge of an embarrassing collapse against a team resting 20 of 22 starters, Philip Rivers threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Eddie Royal early in the fourth quarter and Novak kicked a 22-yard field goal to tie it.

Kansas City kicker Ryan Succop was wide right on a potential game-winning, 41-yard field goal try with 4 seconds left in regulation.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Phil Dawson kicked a 40-yard field goal as the game ended to lift San Francisco to a 23-20 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, giving the 49ers the NFC's No. 5 playoff seed.

Dawson had matched his career best with a 56-yarder to put San Francisco (12-4) up 20-17 with 1:45 to go. Jay Feely's 43-yard field goal then tied it for Arizona with 34 seconds left.

LaMichael James' 45-yard kickoff return and two quick completions by Collin Kaepernick set up Dawson's game winner.

Arizona (10-6) rallied from a 17-0 first-quarter deficit to tie it on Carson Palmer's 34-yard touchdown pass to Andre Roberts with 3:20 remaining.

Anquan Boldin caught nine passes for 149 yards and a TD in his first game back since Arizona traded him to Baltimore after the 2009 season.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Nick Foles threw two touchdown passes, NFL rushing champion LeSean McCoy had 120 yards and a receiving score and the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Dallas Cowboys 24-22 in a win-or-go-home game for the NFC East title Sunday night.

The Cowboys (8-8), with Kyle Orton filling in two days after Tony Romo had back surgery, lost to a division rival with a playoff berth on the line for the third straight year.

The Eagles (10-6) will host New Orleans a wild-card game Saturday night.

Dallas trailed 24-16 when Orton threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Dez Bryant. Orton went back to Bryant for the 2-point conversion, but the ball fell incomplete.

The Cowboys got another chance with a stop from their beleaguered defence, but Orton's pass was intercepted by Brandon Boykin on the first play to seal the win.

McCoy finished with 1,596 yards.

PITTSBURGH — Le'Veon Bell ran for 90 yards and a touchdown and Pittsburgh defeated the lifeless Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Ben Roethlisberger passed for 179 yards and a touchdown against two interceptions as the Steelers (8-8) won their third straight to avoid the franchise's first losing season since 2003. The victory also continued a furious second-half rally by the Steelers, who went 6-2 over the season's final eight weeks. However, Pittsburgh could not make it into the playoffs after San Diego defeated Kansas City to claim the AFC's final playoff spot.

Jason Campbell completed 23 of 40 passes for 240 yards with a touchdown, but the Browns (4-12) lost their seventh straight, fueling speculation first-year coach Rob Chudzinski's job could be in jeopardy.

SEATTLE — Malcolm Smith returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown, Marshawn Lynch added a 2-yard scoring run and the Seattle Seahawks clinched the NFC West title and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a 27-9 win over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

Seattle (13-3) matched the franchise record for wins in a season and finally wrapped up the No. 1 seed after failing in two previous attempts, including last week's loss to Arizona that snapped a 14-game home winning streak.

Smith's interception was the start of a dominant performance by the Seahawks defence that held St. Louis under 100 yards of total offence into the fourth quarter.

The defensive effort and a lack of discipline from the Rams (7-9) helped Seattle's offence do just enough. Russell Wilson threw a 47-yard TD pass to Golden Tate, and Lynch finished with 97 yards rushing.

CINCINNATI — Andy Dalton threw for two touchdowns, ran for another and set a pair of Bengals passing records, leading Cincinnati to a victory that eliminated the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.

It was an erratic performance by the third-year quarterback, who threw four interceptions as well. The Bengals (11-5) head into the playoffs as AFC North champions.

The Ravens (8-8) lost their last two games, becoming the 15th Super Bowl champ that failed to reach the playoffs the following season and the sixth in the last 12 years.

In Cincinnati, there's only one thing in mind: finally win a playoff game. The Bengals haven't done that since the 1990 season, tied for the seventh-longest streak of futility in NFL history.

Most of the focus will be on Dalton, who broke Carson Palmer's club records for touchdown passes and yards passing.

ATLANTA — Cam Newton threw two touchdown passes, Greg Hardy had a team- record four sacks and the Carolina Panthers clinched the NFC South title by beating the Atlanta Falcons.

The Panthers (12-4) clinched a first-round bye and home-field advantage for at least one game as the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Carolina could move up to the No. 1 seed with losses by Seattle and Arizona in late games.

Carolina set a team record by sacking Matt Ryan nine times. The defence also produced a touchdown on Melvin White's 7-yard interception return in the second quarter.

Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez had four catches for 56 yards and was honoured at halftime in his final regular-season game. He has announced plans for retirement.

INDIANAPOLIS — Andrew Luck threw for 282 yards and one touchdown, Robert Mathis reclaimed the NFL sacks lead and Adam Vinatieri joined the 2,000-point club as the Colts routed Jacksonville.

The AFC South champs have now won three straight, matching their longest streak of the season. Indy (11-5) finished with a 6-0 mark against division foes and has outscored its last three opponents 78-20.

Jacksonville (4-12) lost its third straight.

Luck was 26 of 37 and became the first player in league history to top 8,000 yards in his first two NFL seasons. Mathis retook the sacks lead in the first half and added another in the second half, giving him 19 ½, and Vinatieri moved into fifth on the career scoring list with 2,006 points, passing George Blanda and Matt Stover.

It was never close. Indy built a 17-0 lead and never let the Jags get close.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins were eliminated from the scramble for the AFC's final wild-card berth by the New York Jets, who thrived in the role of spoilers against their archrivals and won.

Geno Smith led three long scoring drives, ran for a touchdown and threw for 190 yards, while two interceptions by rookie Dee Milliner and one by 35-year-old Ed Reed prevented a Miami comeback.

The Dolphins (8-8) squandered a shot at their first playoff berth since 2008 by losing their final two games. It was a dismal end to a roller-coaster season that included a four-game losing streak, a bullying scandal that drew national scrutiny, and a December surge that briefly left the Dolphins in control of their playoff destiny.

The Jets (8-8) will sit out the postseason themselves for the third year in a row under Rex Ryan, whose future is in doubt.

NASHVILLE — Chris Johnson ran for 127 yards and a touchdown in what might be his last game with the Titans, who beat the Houston Texans for a win that may help coach Mike Munchak's argument to stay on the job in 2014.

With their 14th straight loss, the Texans (2-14) clinched the No. 1 selection in next May's draft for the next head coach owner Bob McNair hires.

The Titans (7-9) scored 16 straight points in snapping a five-game home skid that was their longest since leaving Houston for Tennessee in 1997. They also won a second straight game for the first time since September, when they started 3-1.

Rob Bironas kicked three field goals, including a season-long 55-yarder. Linebacker Akeem Ayers intercepted a pass and forced a fumble as the Titans got four turnovers they turned into 10 points.

MINNEAPOLIS — Rookie Cordarrelle Patterson scored two more touchdowns, including the go-ahead catch in the end zone in the fourth quarter, and the Minnesota Vikings beat the Detroit Lions in the final game at the Metrodome after 32 seasons.

With both the Vikings (5-10-1) and the Lions (7-9) out of the playoffs, both coaches also faced the possibility of their last full day with their teams. Jim Schwartz fell to 29-52 in five years with the Lions. Leslie Frazier raised his record with the Vikings in three-plus years to 21-33-1. Each of them has reached the playoffs once.

The building will be torn down next month to make room for a new domed stadium on the same site.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Jerrel Jerigan caught a 24-yard touchdown pass and ran 49 yards for another to lead the New York Giants to a victory over Washington in what might be Mike Shanahan's final game as the Redskins' coach.

Shanahan has not only seen the Redskins (3-13) finish the season with an eight-game losing streak just a year after winning the NFC East, but his future is uncertain because of his shaky relationship with oft-injured franchise quarterback Robert Griffin III.

The Giants (7-9) also aren't going to the playoffs, but they closed the season with a 7-3 record after losing their first six games. It's a finish that probably will have two-time Super Bowl winning coach Tom Coughlin back next season, unless the 67-year-old decides he has had enough.

The game was the final one at MetLife Stadium until the Super Bowl on Feb. 2.

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Blake Wheeler's late OT goal gives Jets edge over Avs

Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele are becoming Winnipeg's go-to tandem in crunch time.

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.

Al Montoya stopped 33 shots and Andrew Ladd also scored for Winnipeg.

It was the second time this month that Wheeler and Scheifele combined to give the Jets an overtime win. Three weeks ago, Wheeler scored on a pass from Scheifele to beat Tampa Bay.

"The last time I put them together they ended up scoring the overtime goal," coach Claude Noel said. "You kind of go with it."

Wheeler won Sunday's game for the Jets when he shoved the puck past Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov with time ticking down in the extra period.

"Scheifele was looking shot the whole way, but I could see out of the corner of his eye he was motioning to me to see if anyone was coming," said Wheeler, who also assisted on Ladd's goal. "I was able to get by my guy and just called for it at the last second. I had no idea of the time left. I knew it was toward the end."

Wheeler leads the team with 14 points (10 goals, four assists) in December. He has three multigoal games this month.

Varlamov made 35 saves and Nathan MacKinnon scored for Colorado, which has lost four straight — three after regulation.

"I'm not happy because we need those two points. It's all about the points," Varlamov said. "I can't lose that game, not like that."

The Avalanche are in their first extended slump since starting the season 14-2-0. They have salvaged three points during their four-game losing streak to stay in third place in the Central Division and seventh in the Western Conference.

"I'm very happy because we had 19 games against our conference and we were 9-6-4," coach Patrick Roy said. "It was a tough stretch, it was an important stretch, and we picked up 22 points."

Ladd gave the Jets a 1-0 lead with 8:18 remaining in the third period. It was his 10th goal of the season.

"Wheels did a great job of beating the guy off the boards to get into an area where he could make a pass and make a good play," Ladd said. "I was able to get a good shot off."

MacKinnon answered 29 seconds later when his shot went off defenceman Zach Bogosian's skate and past Montoya.

"I tried to tell our guys, 'Don't look for perfect plays. Just put it on net and see what happens,"' Roy said. "And that's how we scored our goal."

Avalanche forward P.A. Parenteau went down with a left knee injury late in the second period. Parenteau's right skate got tangled with the skate of Winnipeg defenceman Jeff Trouba near centre ice, and Parenteau's left knee buckled.

Parenteau was helped off the ice and into the locker room. He didn't return.

"He'll have an MRI tomorrow and we'll know better and know exactly what it is," Roy said.

Parenteau tied for the team lead in points last season with 43. He is fourth on the Avalanche this season with 24 points in 37 games.

The goalies dominated through the first two periods. Varlamov had a big save on Evander Kane's wrister from the right circle with 4:57 left the second to deny the Jets their best scoring chance in the first 40 minutes.

Colorado had a few opportunities, with the best coming late in the second, but Montoya kept the game scoreless with a couple of late saves.

"It was a grind. It was tight, not a lot of scoring chances either way, but we hung in there," Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog said. "Offensively in the first period we were doing a great job of protecting that puck, cycling that puck and getting some momentum."

Trouba had a chance with 12:25 left in the third but was slashed by Landeskog. The Jets had four shots on the ensuing power play but couldn't beat Varlamov.

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Blake Wheeler leads Jets past Wild

After a frantic first period Blake Wheeler might have been forgotten if not for what he did in the third.

Wheeler scored two goals, including the winner, as the Winnipeg Jets beat the Minnesota Wild 6-4 on Friday in a game that featured a seven-goal first period.

Wheeler ended a scramble in front of the Minnesota net when he poked the puck under a prone Niklas Backstrom with 9:20 remaining in the third period for his 14th goal of the season, giving the Jets a 5-4 lead.

It was the ninth goal in December for Wheeler, who started the season with just five goals in his first 28 games.

"I think confidence plays into it," he said of his recent success. "When the puck starts going in the net you find yourself getting into the scoring areas a little bit more. The puck seems to bounce your way a little bit more."

Evander Kane, Olli Jokinen, Dustin Byfuglien and Toby Enstrom added goals for Winnipeg. Dany Heatley, Justin Fontaine, Stephane Veilleux and Mikko Koivu were the goal scorers for Minnesota.

The Jets (17-18-5), who were coming off a humbling loss in Edmonton on Monday, finally managed to beat the Wild after losing each of the first three meetings between the teams.

It was a fourth straight loss for the Wild (20-14-5), who have now dropped six of their last eight games.

Neither team seemed interested in playing defence after the three-day Christmas break.

The Jets led 4-3 after a first period that saw seven goals scored in the first 7:04, and featured three lead changes.

"We don't have the luxury of finding reasons for things not being OK," said Wild coach Mike Yeo, who said the first period was clearly a by-product of the extended break. "We're in a position where we have to make things right."

Minnesota struck first when Heatley scored on a wide-open net after a pass from Jason Pominville 2:13 into the game. But the Jets grabbed the lead before the game was six minutes old thanks to a short-handed goal by Kane and a one-timer in the low slot by Jokinen.

"When they scored we responded, which was good to see," Kane said.

It only took another 67 seconds for the Wild to go ahead 3-2, on goals by Fontaine and Veilleux. That ended Ondrej Pavelec's outing. The Jets' starting goalie smashed his stick en route to the dressing room after allowing three goals on six shots, giving way to backup Al Montoya.

Jets coach Claude Noel said the quick hook had more to do with his team's sluggish play in its own zone than anything.

"I think our team needed a jolt," he said.

Jets captain Andrew Ladd echoed the coach, saying that the team felt sympathy for the lack of support they provided for their goalkeeper.

"I thought Monty did a great job once he got in there," Ladd said. "The first three goals, there was nothing Pav could've done about them, so it was more about trying to get some momentum for our group on the bench."

After nearly eight scoreless minutes, the Jets once again claimed the lead on late-period goals from Wheeler and Byfuglien. Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom allowed four goals on 11 first-period shots, and finished with 32 saves on 37 total shots.

The lone goal in the second period came on a Wild power play, as a perfect passing sequence ended with an easy goal for Koivu to tie the game at 4-4.

That was the only blemish for Montoya, who stopped the other 22 shots he faced.

Enstrom added an empty-net goal from 175 feet with four seconds remaining.

The Wild won each of the three previous meetings by one goal, including a shootout victory on Nov. 23.

Both clubs return to action on Sunday, with the Jets travelling to Denver while the Wild head home to face the New York Islanders.

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Tuukka Rask shines as Bruins rout Senators

Reilly Smith is opening a lot of eyes and scoring a lot of goals.

Smith scored two goals, and Tuukka Rask made 33 saves for his fourth shutout of the season to lift the Boston Bruins to a 5-0 rout of the Ottawa Senators on Friday night.

"He's a very talented player and he gets in front of the net. It's paying off for him right now," Bruins forward Brad Marchand said.

When the Bruins traded Tyler Seguin in the off-season, they received Loui Eriksson, Smith, and two other prospects. Eriksson was the marquee player in the deal, but Smith has yielded the real return thus far. Eriksson has missed time because of two concussions.

"I don't think he was looked upon as a throw-in," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "It is the first time he has been given the opportunity to play on a regular basis, and he is finally showcasing his skills. It's no fluke."

Smith scored twice in the third period, giving him a team-leading 14 goals. He has five goals and two assists in the last three games.

"He's really taken that opportunity that he's been given, and is on a streak right now," Rask said. "When you're hot, you're hot, just keep shooting."

Eriksson's injuries opened the door for Smith to move from the third line to the second line, alongside Patrice Bergeron and Marchand, and find his groove. Smith also has 16 assists and is second on the team in points.

'We were really bad. End of story. Twenty good minutes and 40 bad ones. Teams are picking us apart when we aren't working hard and when we aren't playing hard.'- Senators goalie Robin Lehner

The Bruins are 13-0-2 in their last 15 home games and have won eight straight in Boston. They haven't lost there in regulation since Oct. 26.

Rask (20-8-2) has allowed one goal or fewer in 15 of his 30 starts this season. After earning only 19 wins last season, he is now the third goalie with 20 NHL wins this season.

Boston tied a club record, set in 1929, by having a player score two goals for the seventh straight game. Smith has done it three times.

Robin Lehner made 36 saves for Ottawa, which has dropped four of five.

"We were really bad. End of story," Lehner said. "Twenty good minutes and 40 bad ones. Teams are picking us apart when we aren't working hard and when we aren't playing hard."

Jarome Iginla beat Lehner with 3:31 remaining in the second when he slammed in a rebound of Torey Krug's slap shot during a power play to make it 1-0.

Ottawa dominated the first period, holding a 15-5 shot advantage, but Boston turned the tables in the second with a 20-8 edge. In addition to the 19 saves in the second period, Lehner was stung by Johnny Boychuk's slap shot, but stayed in the game.

"We hung Robin out to dry," Senators captain Jason Spezza said. "One step forward and one step back. We need to start playing better hockey or they aren't going to let us play much longer."

David Krejci put Boston ahead 2-0 with a shot from the right circle 38 seconds into the third period.

"In the third, getting that early goal by Krejci was a big momentum shift," Iginla said.

Marchand capped the scoring with a short-handed goal with 27 seconds remaining.

The teams will complete the home-and-home series on Saturday at Ottawa.

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Eugenie Bouchard named Canadian female athlete of year

A stunning climb in the world rankings and taking a set off the best female tennis player on the planet was reward enough for Eugenie Bouchard's hard work in 2013.

Now the native of Westmount, Que., is shooting for silverware.

"I want to win a title [in 2014], that's for sure," said Bouchard, who surged to No. 32 in the WTA rankings this year from 144th.

"I'll be happy with any title but the bigger the tournament is the better it will be. And my ultimate objective is a Grand Slam."

Besides her lofty rise in the WTA standings, Bouchard defeated Ana Ivanovic — then ranked world No. 12 — in the second round of Wimbledon, forced Serena Williams to three sets in Cincinnati and was named WTA Newcomer of the Year.

These accomplishments have earned Bouchard, who turns 20 in February, the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as The Canadian Press female athlete of 2013.

"It just shows how much hard work I've put in this year that I've had good results. It makes me more proud of my year."- Eugenie Bouchard

Bouchard received 45 per cent of ballots cast, finishing well ahead of snowboarder Dominique Maltais and speedskater Christine Nesbitt, who each had 11 per cent.

"It's special," Bouchard said of the award, which is determined through balloting among sports editors and broadcasters across the country.

"It just shows how much hard work I've put in this year that I've had good results. It makes me more proud of my year."

Bouchard said her first full year on the tour allowed her to appreciate the differences from the junior circuit, where she starred in 2012 while winning the Wimbledon junior championship.

"I feel like I've had a lot of good experiences this year that will help me in the future," she said. "I got to play a lot of big matches on centre courts at Grand Slams like at the French Open and Wimbledon."

Fellow tennis player Milos Raonic was voted The Canadian Press male athlete of the year on Thursday. Canada's team of the year will be revealed Saturday.

A number of women's tennis players have won the Canadian Press honour over the years. Aleksandra Wozniak was the last to do so, taking the honour in 2009. Helen Kelesi and Carling Bassett are also former winners.

Praise poured in for Bouchard from those who selected her for the Rosenfeld Award, originally awarded in 1933 and named for the Olympic champion and all-round athlete who was voted Canada's top female athlete for the first half of the 20th century.

"Eugenie Bouchard is a name I think we're going to be hearing a lot of in the future," said Montreal Gazette sports editor Stu Cowan.

"She's only going to get better and seems to have the game — and the strength — to make it into the top 10. Her name could be at the top of this list for years to come. A real breakout year from her."

Pierre Champoux, news director at Radio-Canada.ca, suggested there doesn't seem to be much that can stop her from continuing her dramatic rise in the rankings.

"How far will she go?" Champoux said. "Eugenie Bouchard opened the eyes of all Canadians with her dazzling progress among the best tennis players in the world."

The expectations are high, but Bouchard says she's not going to let that get to her.

"I put enough pressure on myself, so I'm just going to focus on that and not worry about what other people think because that's out of my control," she said. "I really just want to focus on my tennis and, if I play well, if I perform well, then the results will come."

Moses Woldu, sports director at Newcap TV (CKSA, CITL) in Lloydminster, Alta., put it succinctly for why he selected Bouchard.

"Moving 100 spots in the tennis world rankings speaks for itself."

Maltais, of Petite-Riviere-Saint-Francois, Que., enjoyed a stellar year of her own, winning the overall World Cup snowboard cross title and a world silver medal.

That was enough for Bob Addison, sports anchor for Vancouver radio station CKNW.

"Tough choice, but Maltais takes it as the overall World Cup champ," he said.

Others who received votes included heptathlete Brianne Theisen-Eaton, paralympic swimmer Valerie Grand'Maison, gymnast Rosie MacLennan, snowboarder Maelle Ricker, mixed martial artist Alexis Davis, freestyle skier Chloe Dufour-Lapointe, snowboarder Spencer O'Brien and bobsledder Kaillie Humphries.

Bouchard becomes the fourth tennis player to win the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award. Carling Bassett took it in 1983 and 1985, Helen Kelesi in 1989 and 1990 and Aleksandra Wozniak in 2009.

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Leafs squeak past Sabres in shootout

Seemingly unable to play their game for a full 60 — or 65 — minutes, the Toronto Maple Leafs have found themselves turning to the shootout.

And this season, it has been working for them.

Jonathan Bernier stopped all three Sabres in the shootout to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 4-3 win over Buffalo on Friday. It was a Toronto-record fourth straight shootout — the Leafs split the four — and improved its shootout record to 6-4 this season.

Toronto is tied with Los Angeles with six shootout victories, behind only Washington's 10. Five of those shootout wins have come at home.

Prior to this season, Toronto's career record was 29-45 in the shootout.

'We were like two different hockey clubs.'- Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle

Matt Moulson, Tyler Ennis and Zemgus Girgensons all failed to beat Bernier in the shootout Friday.

Ryan Miller stopped Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk in the shootout. But Joffrey Lupul beat him on a nifty backhand.

Sabres captain Steve Ott had scored with 25 seconds left in regulation with the Leafs trying to kill off a six-on-four after Dion Phaneuf was called for hooking with 51 seconds remaining and Miller out of the Buffalo goal.

Ott, who had been flying in the third period, pounced on a Bernier rebound during a scramble and fired it into the net for his fifth of the season.

"That hurt," said Toronto coach Randy Carlyle, whose crossed arms body language on the bench looked like he was suffering from a severe stomach ache.

Jake Gardiner, Peter Holland and Kessel had scored second-period goals to put Toronto ahead 3-2 as the Leafs rallied from an ugly start.

It appeared that would be enough for only the Leafs' second regulation win in their last 19 outings. Toronto (19-16-5) was coming off shootout losses to the Rangers and Red Wings and early on looked like it was headed for disaster against the league's worst team.

The Leafs fell behind 2-0 in the first period but owned Buffalo for almost all of the final 40 minutes. Outshot 15-10 in the first period, the Leafs roared back in the second when they outshot Buffalo 17-5.

"We were like two different hockey clubs," said Carlyle, who added most of the first-period woes were self-inflicted.

"The stress level goes up in games like this," he added. "We don't dwell on the negative (although) we'll touch base with it. But the positive is we found a way to regroup and get ourselves back on track. But we have to play 60 minutes like we played the last two periods, as closer to it as we possibly can.

"It's not easy winning in the NHL. It's proved night in, night out. There's a lot of shootouts taking place. We're four in a row now."

Despite Toronto's shootout success, Carlyle is no fan.

"Do we like shootouts? No."

After the morning skate, he had said he would take three-on-three, even two-on-two over the shootout to decide games.

Moulson and John Scott also scored for Buffalo (10-24-4) as the NHL re-opened for business after the Christmas break.

"I thought we started off real well, but the second period shows you how you can get yourself in trouble when you keep turning the puck over," said interim Buffalo coach Ted Nolan. "We turned it over a number of times."

"If there's any merit to what we deserved tonight, it's what we got," he added. "It's one of those things where we played as bad as we could play and still get a point. We got what we deserved tonight."

For Scott, a six-foot-eight, 259-pound tough guy, the score ended a 164-game goal drought. But he was in the penalty box for Toronto's go-ahead goal in the second period by Kessel.

Both teams had chances in overtime with the Leafs dominating the final minutes. Miller made huge saves on both Van Riemsdyk and Phaneuf.

Bernier made 32 saves for the Leafs, who outshot Buffalo 42-35 including overtime. Bernier was shaken up early in the third when Ott, diving after a puck, plowed into him but the goalie stayed in.

Miller deserved a better fate in the Buffalo goal.

The Sabres arrived on a mini-streak, having won three of their last four and gone 4-4-2 in their last 10 games. That included a 2-1 overtime win over Phoenix on Monday in a game where Buffalo was only able to dress 16 because of a flu bug.

Toronto was 3-5-2 over the same period.

Buffalo has been woeful on the road this season, compiling a 3-13-1 record. No one else has less than six wins away from home.

Toronto opened with some jump, outshooting the Sabres 6-2 with the second line of Lupul, Holland and Mason Raymond threatening. But Buffalo then ran off eight straight shots and two goals, with members of the Lupul-Holland-Raymond line on the ice for both of them.

The two goals were just 52 seconds apart, drawing loud boos from the crowd of 19,405.

Moulson scored the opening goal — something the Sabres have only done eight times this season — after Girgensons, coming out of the corner, fended off Holland like he was his kid brother. Girgensons then sent the puck to the crease where it appeared to hit Moulson and then Phaneuf. Moulson got credit for his 13th of the season at 7:01.

'OH. MY. GOD! John Scott has given Buffalo a 2-0 lead!'- Post by the Buffalo Sabres' authorized Twitter account

Things got uglier when the Leafs turned the puck over and Bernier misplayed the ensuing shoot-in on goal and shot. There were rebounds galore before the puck bounced back to Scott in the slot and the big man fired it into a gaping goal at 7:53.

Playing in his 200th career NHL game, Scott had doubled his goals total to two. Even Buffalo's official Twitter feed was taken aback.

"OH. MY. GOD! John Scott has given Buffalo a 2-0 lead!" read the Sabres tweet.

Scott's only other goal was in November 2009.

The Leafs looked in disarray and Carlyle couldn't get to the dressing room quick enough as the period ended to more boos.

Things changed in the second period with the Sabres back on their heels seemingly trying to protect a rare lead.

Toronto had an early power play but Miller hung tough in the face of prolonged pressure. Then the Leafs' top line of Kessel, Nazem Kadri and Van Riemsdyk began to turn the screw.

Gardiner finally beat Miller from the blue-line at 11:38 with Van Riemsdyk standing in front of goal and the Leafs dominating as if they had a man-advantage. It was Gardiner's second of the season.

Holland tied it up after Jamie McBain coughed the puck up in the Sabres corner and a falling Raymond managed to send it over to his centre, who beat Miller in-close for his sixth of the season at 16:25.

That led to a mocking chant of "Miller, Miller" from the crowd. In truth, the goalie was all that was keeping the Sabres together in the period.

A Scott penalty led a third Leaf goal from Kessel, who benefited from a nifty pass from Van Riemsdyk after a howitzer from Phaneuf at the blue-line. Kessel's goal at 19:43 was his 18th of the season.

The ice continued to tilt in Toronto's favour in the third but it was slightly less so and the sandpaper-like Ott made things interesting by throwing himself into the fray.

Bernier had to be sharp a couple of times when the Leafs defence sagged late. And Moulson mistimed a puck that went flying through the crease.

Toronto defenceman Morgan Rielly hit the post at the other end seconds later.

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Ryan Smyth scores pair as Oilers blank Flames

Ryan Smyth didn't need a stick to score the goal that mattered to Edmonton.

The Oilers used a 27-save save shutout by Devan Dubnyk and a pair of goals by Smyth to beat the Calgary Flames 2-0 on Friday.

Smyth, who also scored into an empty net with six seconds left, had a fortunate bounce to open the scoring in the first period.

With Smyth stationed at the top of the goal crease, Ales Hemsky fired puck from the corner that hit Smyth in the chest and bounced past Calgary's Reto Berra.

There was a lengthy video review but the goal was upheld.

"When you get a goal like that, light the light and keep them at zero," said Dubnyk. "We did a good job, especially toward the end of game when they were pushing to get one, we didn't give them much."

It was Smyth's first goals in 14 games.

"Smitty battled throughout the game tonight, I thought he was really working," said Edmonton coach Dallas Eakins.

Less than three minutes before Smyth's goal, it appeared Calgary had taken the first lead when Mark Giordano fired a shot through the pads of Dubnyk.

However, as the Flames celebrated the goal, the cheers from the sell-out crowd of 19,289 quickly turned to boos when the goal was being waved off for incident contact with the goalie by Flames six-foot-five centre Joe Colborne.

"It's a great call," said Dubnyk. "I know, obviously being here, nobody likes it, but it would have been an easy one for him to let go because it wasn't too noticeable, but he comes through the crease and spins me sideways on the original play.

"If he hadn't of done that, then I wouldn't have been sprawling and stretching, and it wouldn't have gone under my arm."

Colborne didn't see the play unfold in quite the same way.

"To tell you the truth, I didn't even notice touching the goalie. I thought Gio made a really nice fake and because Dubynk was screened, he bit on it then needed to reset himself so he was kind of scrambling and Gio got off a good shot," Colborne said.

"To get that first goal of the game was pretty big and we're coming back to celebrate with the rest of our team and then you see them waving it off. It's frustrating but regardless, you have to score more than one goal usually anyway so even if that one counted, we still have to go out and play the rest of the game."

Dubnyk recorded his second shutout of the season and eighth of his career.

"It's always fun to play here," said Dubnyk, who played his minor hockey in Calgary. "I've lived a lot of years here and it's always fun to win. This is the first shutout here, so it's extra special."

Edmonton (13-24-3), which won consecutive games for the first time in over a month, will go for three victories in a row Saturday night when they host the Philadelphia Flyers.

Calgary (14-18-6) has split the first two games in its five-game home stand. Next up is the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.

"The bottom line is we didn't play a very good game. We didn't give ourselves a chance to win. Here's one game that I didn't think we had our usual jump," Flames coach Bob Hartley said.

Edmonton moves to within five points of the Flames in the Western Conference standings.

"You have to give them credit, they are a hard-working team, but by no means are we going to lay down and be pushed over," Smyth said. "We're a team that's going to fight and claw and try and get ourselves bumping up in the standings, one game at a time and we did it tonight."

It was the third meeting between the two provincial rivals and the third straight goaltending duel between Dubnyk and Berra. They had split the first two.

Six minutes into the third period, Giordano nearly tied the game but had his shot from the point go off Dubnyk's glove and then hit the crossbar.

"We didn't get the bounces tonight but we weren't good enough. We have to generate more and find ways to score," said Giordano. "For too long of periods of time, we were standing around and not moving our feet enough."

Berra had 26 saves to fall to 5-9-2. All five of his wins have come in overtime or a shootout.

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Canada opens Spengler Cup with win over Vitkovice

Glen Metropolit hasn't played an NHL game since 2010, but on Thursday, the oldest player on Canada's Spengler Cup roster showed why he's the captain of the Canadian squad.

After nearly scoring on his first shift of the game, the 39-year-old Metropolit — who's played for Lugano in the Swiss league the past two seasons — picked up a goal in the first period and assisted on Derek Walser's game winner in the third as Canada opened up the Spengler Cup with a 5-4 victory over the HC Vitkovice Steel of the Czech Republic.

"Even at his age, on the blue-line and in the offensive zone, he's still one of the best players in the game in Switzerland so that's where he's going to be really good for us," head coach Doug Sheddan said. "He's played for me before and that's why I made him captain. This could be his last Spengler Cup and his children are here visiting from Florida.

"It's just something that gets him excited about playing."

Byron Ritchie, Micki DuPont, and Alexandre Bolduc also scored for Canada in a back-and-forth offensive game that saw leads slip away between both teams four times.

Rudolf Huna, Peter Huzeka, Roman Szturic and Lukas Kucsera scored for Vitkovice.

Vitkovice's Filip Sindelar was the busier of the two goaltenders, stopping 37 of 42 shots in the losing effort. Canada's Chris Mason made 18 saves.

"We were outshooting them pretty good all night," Sheddan said. "We really carried the play against them."

Ritchie's goal tied the game at 4-4 at 7:58 of the third period, and Walser beat Sindelar off passes from Anthony Stewart and Metropolit at 13:47 to pull Canada ahead for good.

Bolduc opened the scoring with an unassisted goal at 2:30 of the first period, but Kucsera responded with a goal for the Czech club team less than two minutes later.

Canada took the lead again on Metropolit's goal, and Vitkovice replied to take a 2-2 tie into the first intermission.

The second period proved costly for Canada when a turnover gave Vitkovice a 4-3 lead 11 seconds after DuPont tied the game 3-3 on a power play.

Sheddan said the mistake could be chalked up to unfamiliarity between his players, who've had just one practice and one morning skate together before their first game.

"The problem was we gave up some easy scoring chances off some miscues and that's going to happen with guys who haven't played together, and it happens every night anyway if you have played together." Sheddan said. "I thought their goalie really kept them in it because we really crashed the net all night, and it showed the heart of the Canadians.

"We were down going into the third period and we thought we were playing well enough, we just had to keep at it and we did that. You work hard enough eventually you're going get rewarded with a couple goals."

Canada plays host HC Davos on Saturday.

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Mantha helps Canada rout Germany at world juniors

Anthony Mantha looked more relieved than jubilant after his three goals helped Canada start the world junior championship with a victory.

It may be because there had been doubts the Longueuil, Que., native would make the team — despite lighting up the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this season — because of his questionable defensive play.

No one doubted his ability to put the puck in the net, as Mantha demonstrated with a hat trick in Canada's 7-2 win over Germany on Thursday.

"It's a great feeling," the lanky, six-foot-four right winger said. "For me, personally, I had to get a big game going and I think that's what I did."

It helped that Mantha was on a line with perhaps Canada's most dynamic playmaker in Jonathan Drouin, who assisted on all three of his goals — two on power plays and one at even strength. 

'It's a great feeling. For me, personally, I had to get a big game going and I think that's what I did.'- Canada's Anthony Mantha

But Mantha, the grandson of former NHL forward Andre Pronovost, scores wherever he plays.

He had 35 goals in only 32 games with the Val d'Or Foreurs before joining Team Canada two weeks ago for the run-up to the world juniors. He has 85 goals in 99 games over the last season and a half.

Coach Brent Sutter said what clinched his spot was that ability to put the puck in the net, which there is not a lot of on this squad compared to past world junior teams. Sutter hopes a crash course in 200-foot hockey will make the Detroit Red Wings prospect a more complete player as the tournament goes on.

"He can score goals, but there are other aspects of his game he needs to continue to work on," said Sutter. "Things I've talked to him about one on one.

"It's simple. It's being a competitor in all three zones and making sure he's responsible in all three zones. Not just for this tournament, but for him to be a good pro. Especially with the organization he'll go to in Detroit. That's what they expect there. You can't just play the offensive side of the puck."

Sutter said Mantha wants to learn and feels he is already "a better player now than when he joined the team 11 days ago. That comes from our conversations. He understands that he's not going to get on the ice if he's only going to be a power-play guy."

He got a passing grade in two-way play against the Germans, who were overmatched but took advantage of some early Canadian sloppiness to keep the score close through the first 15 minutes of play.

Vital asset

Mantha has a remarkably quick release for a big man, and having the clever Drouin laying passes on his stick could be a vital asset as the tournament moves on and the competition gets tougher.

He said his grandfather, who scored 109 goals in 556 NHL games from 1957 to 1968 for Montreal, Boston, Detroit and the Minnesota North Stars, was a key influence in his hockey development. He said Pronovost taught him "three key points" to success, but won't reveal them all.

"One is work," he offered.

But he still went into the team's selection camp two weeks ago in Toronto looking to prove he can do more than score.

"For sure I had to make an impression," he said. "Not every player was guaranteed a spot and I had to battle through it. I got great news and now I'm trying to carry it on."

Drouin has played with Mantha before in an exhibition series and feels that chemistry is developing.

"Anthony's a big guy," said the third overall pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning. "He's hard to play against in the corners and everything. I try to use my hands and speed and I think we complement each other pretty well."

The Canadian team got a rousing welcome from the crowd of 1,831 — nearly all wearing Hockey Canada jerseys — at the 5,800-seat Isstadion, but still looked nervous as the game began.

The Germans got the opening goal off a faceoff in the Canada zone as Dorian Saeftel put a shot through traffic that fooled goalie Jake Paterson only 1:35 into the game.

Canada takes over

After Josh Anderson and Mantha gave Canada a lead, Janik Moser tied it for Germany after defenceman Adam Pelech whiffed on a clearing attempt.

Then Canada took over as Mantha and Bo Horvat got goals before the intermission, Sam Reinhart and Mantha added goals in the second period and Nic Petan finished a play engineered by 16-year-old Conner McDavid in the third.

McDavid had two assists, while his linemate Reinhart also had two points. Their line with Horvat could have had several if not for some fine saves by Shawinigan Cataractes goalie Marvin Cupper.

"I think I played pretty well," said McDavid. "I missed a whole bunch of chances that I'm pretty embarrassed about, but I thought I played an all right game.

"That shift where Bo and Reino set me up for a couple of breakaways and the goalie made a couple of good saves — I was beating myself up pretty good about it, but they laid off me. They were good about it."

The shots were 30-24 for Canada, but the game was not nearly that close.

A tougher test comes Saturday when Canada plays its second group stage game against the Czech Republic.

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Top Canadian sports moments of 2013

This was a big year for Canadian sports.

Among the highlights from 2013: The national pastime returned to NHL arenas after a lengthy hiatus, the Canadian track and field team went toe-to-toe with the world's best, and a CFL player was named the nation's top athlete for the first time in nearly a half-century.

Relive the best of Canadian sports in 2013 with our gallery of 12 memorable events, one for each month.

From the highlights to the lowlights and the simply spectacular, these are stories we'll remember from the last calendar year. 

21.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Milos Raonic voted Canada's male athlete of the year

Milos Raonic entered uncharted territory for a Canadian men's tennis player this year, reaching the top 10 in the world singles rankings and leading the Davis Cup team to unprecedented heights.

He also won two tournaments in 2013 and thrilled Canadian fans by reaching the final of the Rogers Cup last summer. He capped his impressive year Thursday by winning the Lionel Conacher Award as the 2013 Canadian Press male athlete of the year.

Raonic made some big strides this year despite going through some early-season struggles and a coaching change.

"The fact that I was performing under those circumstances when things weren't the best leading into those events, it's really great for me," he said. "It's what I'm most proud of."

The Conacher award is named after the multi-sport athlete who was chosen Canada's athlete of the first half-century. The winner of the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canada's female athlete of the year will be announced Friday and the team of the year will be named Saturday.

Raonic finished with 45 per cent of the vote in balloting of sports editors and broadcasters across the country. Calgary Stampeders running back Jon Cornish was well back at 22 per cent, followed by golfer Graham DeLaet (13 per cent) and figure skater Patrick Chan (eight per cent). 

'To have them vote [for] me and tell my story back home and being so positive about it, it's really great to see. To [be] recognized through an award like this means a lot to me.'- Canada's Milos Raonic

"Raonic had the most successful year in the history of Canadian tennis and his outstanding performance in the Davis Cup played a leading role in the country's semifinal appearance," said Yahoo Canada's Steve McAllister. "Raonic's climb up the ATP Tour rankings happens in an era that features more depth than ever before."

Raonic finished second in last year's voting behind cyclist Ryder Hesjedal. He's the first men's tennis player to win the award, which dates back to 1932.

"To have them vote [for] me and tell my story back home and being so positive about it, it's really great to see," Raonic said when reached after a training session in Monte Carlo. "To [be] recognized through an award like this means a lot to me."

A number of women's tennis players have won the Rosenfeld Award over the years. Aleksandra Wozniak was the last to do so, taking the honour in 2009.

Raonic won indoor hardcourt tournaments in Bangkok and San Jose and finished with a 45-21 singles record this season, picking up more than $1.72 million US in prize money along the way.

Known for his booming serve, the six-foot-five Raonic showed improvement in other facets of his game in 2013. His ground strokes, backhand and net play were stronger and that helped him to some big victories.

Raonic was ranked 15th at the start of the year and hovered in the teens for most of the season. He rose to a career-high No. 10 in early August before falling to No. 11, where he has remained since.

He won the San Jose title for the third straight year last February after beating Tommy Haas in the final. Raonic also helped the Davis Cup team to wins over Spain and Italy as he endured a stretch of middling results on tour.

The Canadian's power game has always been most effective on hardcourts but Raonic enjoyed some success on clay this season as well, reaching the semifinals at Barcelona in April before falling to Rafael Nadal. However, he struggled on the grass courts and made a second-round exit at Wimbledon.

Raonic managed an injury-free season for the first time since joining the tour and was able to fight through that early-season inconsistency.

"I learned for the first time in the first three years of my career how to deal with the tough moments," he said. "Not any moments disrupted by injury or anything, just like a little bit of a slump, let's say. It gave me a lot of experience and it's helped me grow a lot.

"It's great from the educational side, but then also the way I turned around the second half of the year and really gave myself an opportunity to achieve my goal."

Raonic made a coaching change in the spring with Ivan Ljubicic replacing Galo Blanco, who spent more than two years in the position. An adjustment phase followed before Raonic really got the country's attention with an impressive performance at the Rogers Cup.

With Ljubicic pushing him to play a more aggressive, higher-risk game, Raonic responded with wins over Juan Martin del Potro and Davis Cup teammate Vasek Pospisil before losing to Nadal in the final.

It was a rare run of homegrown success at the country's biggest tennis event as Raonic became the first Canadian to reach the championship match in more than 50 years. He lists qualifying for the final in Montreal — his first Masters 1000 final appearance — and reaching the Davis Cup semifinal as his standout moments.

"The fact that I was able to execute and bring my level up in those moments and to do well, it's important to me," Raonic said.

The Canadian made it to the fourth round of the U.S. Open in September and pushed Richard Gasquet the distance before falling in a four-hour 40-minute marathon.

A trip to Serbia soon followed as Canada continued its historic run in the Davis Cup World Group with its first-ever semifinal appearance. Raonic, who was 5-1 at the international team event in 2013, got by Janko Tipsarevic before losing to top-ranked Novak Djokovic, and the host side later won the deciding match.

"It's really been great what we put together this year," Raonic said. "Doing it in tight moments, doing it at home in Canada and playing well. So really it's special for us to share this moment as a team considering how individual of a sport we are.

"To see four, five, six Canadians doing well, it's a lot more motivating for a country than just to see one."

After the Serbia loss, Raonic came out gunning at his next tour event in Bangkok. He avenged the Gasquet loss and then beat Tomas Berdych for his second tournament win of the year.

Raonic is still trying to break through against the sport's elite. He has won two of three career meetings against Andy Murray but is a combined 0-13 against Nadal, Djokovic, David Ferrer and Roger Federer.

However, Raonic — who turns 23 on Friday — has age on his side. He's the first player born in the 1990s and the first Canadian to crack the top 10 in the men's singles world rankings.

"He's one of the most focused guys on tour," said Davis Cup teammate Daniel Nestor. "Someone who is [turning] 23, I think his maturity is far beyond his years.

"He's really impressive with his positive attitude and real focus and drive to be a champion."

Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., has spent the last few weeks training for warmup events ahead of the Australian Open next month. He also has his eye on Canada's Davis Cup tie against Japan in late January.

"I think it's just about development," he said of the upcoming season. "Getting better day in and day out and picking up experience through matches, making sure that I'm making the progress and that I'm pushing myself every day, which I do already.

"I think it's just about time and I've got to keep working away."

Raonic wants to crack the top six in the world rankings next year, go deeper in the Grand Slam events and qualify for the eight-man ATP World Tour Finals.

"Even as a junior, he was just aiming high," said Davis Cup coach Martin Laurendeau. "He wanted to be a top-10 player and even beyond that and he just believed it. It was just a matter of giving him the time and opportunities to be able to do that.

"His dream is coming true. I know that he's not happy or satisfied with No. 10 or No. 11 — he wants to go higher and I think he will."

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Packers' Aaron Rodgers to start vs. Bears for NFC North title

Aaron Rodgers has been cleared to return from a left collarbone injury, just in time to start Sunday for the Packers against the Chicago Bears in a game to decide the NFC North title.

With no advance warning and little fanfare, the franchise quarterback received the long-awaited good news at the same time as the rest of his teammates Thursday.

"This is a fun day for me, but I think the focus needs to be on this game and the opportunity we have to win the division," Rodgers said.

Soon enough. But the spotlight for now is squarely on the return of one of the NFL's most irreplaceable players. 

'This is a fun day for me, but I think the focus needs to be on this game and the opportunity we have to win the division.'- Packers QB Aaron Rodgers

Green Bay (7-7-1) is 2-5-1 since Rodgers went down during the first series of a 27-20 loss Nov. 4 to Chicago. The Packers have managed to hang on, with a shot to win a third straight division title with a victory Sunday at Soldier Field.

"I'll start with the announcement that we're preparing for the Chicago Bears with Aaron Rodgers as our starting quarterback," coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Thursday after practice.

Win and Green Bay returns to Lambeau Field the following weekend to host a wild-card team in the first round of the playoffs.

"We're in it. You know we have a chance against our rivals, and what a better way than to go down there and get some redemption and host a home playoff game," Rodgers said.

The last two months have been filled with angst for Packers fans. Discussions about whether Rodgers should risk future injury or return to bolster Green Bay's playoff chances have filled sports talk radio shows and holiday office parties.

Now imagine what it was like for the Packers' brass and team doctor. The organization made a big investment in Rodgers this past off-season, signing him to a five-year contract extension through the 2019 season worth as much as $110 million US.

"Every football player that plays in this game Sunday will have risk. I think we all understand that," McCarthy said. "So we've done our due diligence. We've gone through all the evaluations and we feel it is time. Aaron is ready to play."

Finally at 8:05 a.m. Thursday, McCarthy gave the official word at a team meeting. No rousing speeches or rounds of applause.

"The scene? We were sitting in the team room and he told us," Rodgers said matter-of-factly. "That was the scene."

Rodgers is returning just when pass-rushing linebacker Clay Matthews is leaving the lineup again with a right thumb injury. Green Bay has also gone the majority of the season without tight end Jermichael Finley (neck). Projected starting left tackle Bryan Bulaga went down in training camp. Defensive end Johnny Jolly (shoulder/neck) was the latest Packer to get knocked out for the year last week.

Still, the Packers managed to start 5-2 despite the injuries with Rodgers leading the offence.

Things changed drastically after the 2011 NFL MVP got hurt on a sack while scrambling out of the pocket in the Week 9 loss to Chicago at Lambeau Field. The Packers went on a five-game winless skid, shuffling through three more starting quarterbacks.

Green Bay then won two straight with backup Matt Flynn before falling 38-31 last week to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Losses by Chicago and the Detroit Lions set up the winner-take-all finale Sunday with the Bears for the division.

Rodgers' impending return wasn't the only good injury news Thursday in Titletown.

Rookie running back Eddie Lacy was held out of practice with a lingering ankle injury, though McCarthy expects his 1,100-yard rusher to play Sunday. Playmaking receiver Randall Cobb, out since Week 6 with a leg injury, is moving well in practice and appears to be getting closer to returning.

And now with Rodgers back, positive vibes are reverberating through the locker room.

"It's still going to be a tough game, we realize that. But having him back definitely helps us out as a team," guard T.J. Lang said.

Rodgers has gained added perspective from having to watch from the sideline with a headset. He's been there to help Flynn. He understands that every move he makes in Chicago will be dissected by armchair quarterbacks.

"It's easy to talk about it with you guys and understand the risks," he said. "But when you're out on the field, it's about performing and playing and not worrying about it."

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Top Canadian sports moments of 2013

This was a big year for Canadian sports.

Among the highlights from 2013: The national pastime returned to NHL arenas after a lengthy hiatus, the Canadian track and field team went toe-to-toe with the world's best, and a CFL player was named the nation's top athlete for the first time in nearly a half-century.

Relive the best of Canadian sports in 2013 with our gallery of 12 memorable events, one for each month.

From the highlights to the lowlights and the simply spectacular, these are stories we'll remember from the last calendar year. 

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jake Paterson to start for Canada in world juniors opener

Jake Paterson will be in goal when Canada opens the world junior hockey championship against Germany.

The Saginaw Spirit goalie was expected to be named the starter after playing in the team's final two exhibition games against Sweden and Switzerland.

"Paterson will start Game 1 and we'll make a determination after that game's over who will start in Game 2," coach Brent Sutter said after a one-hour practice Wednesday morning.

Canada opens the 10-country tournament against the Germans on Thursday.

Zach Fucale of the Halifax Mooseheads will serve as back-up, but may get to play later in the tournament.

"Let's see how Game 1 goes," said Sutter. "You've got to assume when you're playing a lot of games in a short period of time that you'll need both goalies, but we'll start with Patty and make a determination after that who will play in Game 2."

The 19-year-old Paterson was thrilled.

He was at last year's world juniors in Ufa, Russia as the third goalie, but never got to dress for a game. Now he will finally wear a Team Canada jersey on the ice.

"It's really exciting," the Mississauga, Ont. native said. "[Goalie coach] Fred Braithwaite came up and told me I was going in and then Brent came up after practice and said I was playing. It was really exciting to hear the news."

Canada will likely have to play an extra game this year. In the past, a team that finished first in its opening-round group got a bye to the semifinals. Now the top four in each group all have to play in the quarter-finals.

The prospect of playing seven games instead of six makes it more likely that both goalies will see action.

Canada faces the Czech Republic on Saturday and Slovakia on Dec. 30 before closing out group stage play Dec. 31 against the United States.

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Canada looks to end 4-year world junior gold medal drought

Ending a four-year run without a gold medal won't be easy for Canada at the world junior hockey championship.

The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments.

"You've got to expect they'll be structured and hard working," coach Brent Sutter said Wednesday after a one-hour skate at the cosy Isstadion, where they face the Germans on Thursday (7:30 a.m. ET). "They'll be ready to play.

"That game is the biggest game to date we have. It doesn't matter our opponent, it's how we have to play. Let's make sure we're responsible."

Pre-tournament exhibition games against Finland, Sweden and Switzerland showed that while the Canadian squad — led by Halifax Mooseheads star Jonathan Drouin — will be among the better teams in the 10-team event, it doesn't have the speed and offensive flash of some of the 15 Canadian teams that won gold in the past.

The host team Sweden, with at least 10 players returning from a squad that won silver last year in Ufa, Russia, looks like the team to beat, especially after the 3-0 beating they put on Canada in an exhibition game last week. The Swedes are in the opposite first-round group and will play at the newer, much larger Malmo Arena.

Canada has only three players back from the 2013 tournament. They include Drouin, Jake Paterson (who didn't dress for any games in Ufa as the third goalie), and defenceman Griffin Reinhart, who is suspended for the first three games this year from a slashing incident in last year's semifinals.

The loss in Ufa ended Canada's 14-year run of top-three finishes at the tournament officially called the IIHF world under-20 championship.

Youthful squad

This year's squad is younger than most, and should be a showcase for three players not even eligible to be drafted by the NHL yet.

First among them is Connor McDavid, the dazzling 16-year-old playmaker and scoring star of the Erie Otters who will not be eligible for the draft until 2015.

There is also forward Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice, the younger brother of Griffin Reinhart, along with big defenceman Aaron Ekblad of the Barrie Colts. They may go one-two in the 2014 draft.

Sutter has McDavid and Reinhart on the wings with centre Bo Horvat, an imposing Vancouver Canucks prospect from the London Knights. They were the only line to stay together through the team's three pre-tournament games.

Reinhart turned 18 in November and is not a true "underage" junior, and Sutter uses him as he would a seasoned veteran. In exhibition play, he played the power play and on the penalty kill. In one instance when Canada was short-handed two men, he was the lone forward on the ice.

"He's an all-purpose player," said Sutter. "He just knows how to play the game.

"He's an intelligent player and his paying attention to details in all sorts of situations is very high. As a coach, you're very comfortable playing him in whatever situation that occurs."

Reinhart is used to the ice time with Kootenay and was a captain on Canadian under-18 teams, so he likes the responsibility Sutter has given him.

"It gives you confidence for opening night," he said. "We took some games to find our mentality and what we'll bring to the first one.

"We feel confident in our game right now. The focus has turned onto the first game against Germany and we're looking forward to it."

The exhibition games were a test for Drouin, the third overall pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning last June.

Sutter blasted him for a weak showing against Sweden, even though it was Drouin's first game since suffering a concussion in a league game with Halifax on Dec. 8. He was moved from left wing to centre for the final exhibition against the Swiss and played better.

"Brent said some stuff," said Drouin, who will likely centre big winger Anthony Mantha and the defensively solid Taylor Leier of the Portland Winterhawks. "I know I played bad and didn't help the team.

"I had to step up my game against the Swiss and I think I did. I feel better. The first game was a little rough. It's been three weeks [since he played] and it's different from major junior. It's way more fast, but I think the second game was better."

Likely lineup

Another question to be settled was in goal, and Sutter believes he's found his man in Paterson of the Saginaw Spirit, who will start against Germany. The Mooseheads' Zach Fucale will start the tournament as the backup, but Sutter expects both will see action in the tournament.

Other lines are likely to have Nic Petan of Portland between Curtis Lazar of the Edmonton Oil Kings and Kerby Rychel of the Gueph Storm; and captain Scott Laughton of the Oshawa Generals with Frederik Gauthier of the Rimouski Oceanic and Josh Anderson of the Knights. Charles Hudon of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens may slot in the Drouin line.

The defence will likely be rearranged when Griffin Reinhart returns Dec. 31 against the Americans. Sutter has been trying various combinations for a group that includes Ekblad, Matt Dumba of the Minnesota Wild, Chris Bigras of the Owen Sound Attack, McDavid's Erie teammate Adam Pelech, Josh Morrissey of the Prince Albert Raiders and Derrick Pouliot of Portland.

Without a high-powered attack, there has been much talk of playing "Boston Bruins hockey," which despite popular perception does not mean hammering everyone who moves, but rather working the puck up the ice in tight, five-man units and playing a controlled two-way game.

"It is the makeup of our team," said Sutter, who won gold with a similar group in 2006. "We have to support each other.

"We can't be a spread-out team that's playing one zone and two zones ahead. We have to be coming out of zones together and using each other. When one guy has the puck, the other four have to be options and be available for plays. And we have to be smart when we're hitting the red line. We can't have turnovers."

The game against Germany is a chance to see flashy forward Leon Draisaitl, who is Morrissey's teammate in Prince Albert. Draisaitl is a projected top-10 pick in 2014.

They played against one another at the under-18 championship, and Morrissey said they have been joking about meeting again at the world juniors.

"He's a really skilled player," the Calgary native said. "We've become almost best friends on our team.

"He's got phenomenal vision. I think he plays like [Anze] Kopitar. He likes [Pavel] Datsyuk a lot. All I can say is he's an unreal player."

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