MALMO, Sweden - Ending a four-year run without a gold medal wont be easy for Canada at the world junior hockey championship. [ur

MALMO, Sweden - Ending a four-year run without a gold medal wont be easy for Canada at the world junior hockey championship. Nike Shoes Cheap Wholesale . 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. "Youve got to expect theyll 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. "Theyll be ready to play. "That game is the biggest game to date we have. It doesnt matter our opponent, its how we have to play. Lets make sure were responsible." You can watch all the action live on TSN beginning at 7am et/4am pt. 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 doesnt 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 didnt 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 years semifinals. The loss in Ufa ended Canadas 14-year run of top-three finishes at the tournament officially called the IIHF world under-20 championship. This years 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 teams 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. "Hes an all-purpose player," said Sutter. "He just knows how to play the game. "Hes an intelligent player and his paying attention to details in all sorts of situations is very high. As a coach, youre 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 well bring to the first one. "We feel confident in our game right now. The focus has turned onto the first game against Germany and were 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 Drouins 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 didnt 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. Its been three weeks (since he played) and its different from major junior. Its way more fast, but I think the second game was better." Another question to be settled was in goal, and Sutter believes hes 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, McDavids 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 cant be a spread-out team thats 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 were hitting the red line. We cant have turnovers." The game against Germany is a chance to see flashy forward Leon Draisaitl, who is Morrisseys 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. "Hes a really skilled player," the Calgary native said. "Weve become almost best friends on our team. "Hes got phenomenal vision. I think he plays like (Anze) Kopitar. He likes (Pavel) Datsyuk a lot. All I can say is hes an unreal player." Authentic Wholesale Nike Shoes . Gustafsson controlled the first round after getting top position on a throw, and came out much more forcefully in the second, buckling Manuwa with a Muay Thai knee, and finishing him off with strikes on the ground. Nike Shoes Wholesale Free Shipping . Thaddeus Young scored seven of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, Evan Turner added 22 points, and the 76ers hung on for their first road win since Nov. 1, beating the depleted Los Angeles Lakers 111-104 on Sunday night. http://www.shoesnikecheap.com/ . Behind the talents of rookie Johnny Gaudreau, the Flames will look to keep pace Thursday night when they face the Minnesota Wild in the second of a six-game homestand.Each week, well take a look at some top performers from the CFL, with an eye to looking ahead to some matchups that could be favourable for TSN Fantasy Football, CFL Edition, presented by Joseph Abboud. Here are some of the best from Week 10 and players to watch for Week 11: TOP PERFORMERS Zach Collaros, QB, Hamilton (27-for-38, 317 YDS, 1 TD vs. Toronto) - Welcome back, Zach! In his first game since July 4, Collaros delivered a strong performance against his former team, posting the third 300-yard passing game of his career. With Collaros back, the TiCats might have a little more working in their favour offensively. Jon Cornish, RB, Calgary (163 YS, 1 TD, 17 rushes vs. Edmonton) - In Cornishs second game back from his early-season concussion, the reigning MOP gashed the Eskimos defence for 9.6 yards per carry. Can he, in half a season, make up the 253 yards that he is behind league-leading rusher Nic Grigsby? Wallace Miles, WR, Ottawa (7 REC, 101 YDS, 1 TD at Montreal) - There hasnt been a lot of consistency from the Redblacks receiving crew, with different guys emerging from week to week, but Miles has gone for 100-plus yards with a touchdown twice in the past four games, so he counts as the hot target for Henry Burris. PLAYERS TO WATCH IN WEEK 11 Emmanuel Arceneaux, WR, B.C. - The leagues fourth-leading receiver, with 481 yards this season, despite two catches for nine yards against the Riders a couple weekks ago, Arceneaux should be able to get back on the horse this week, facing Ottawas league-worst pass defence and with Travis Lulay expected back under centre. Nike Shoes Cheap Sale. No one with at least 20 catches is averaging more than Arceneauxs 16.6 yards per reception this season, so hes the prime big-play threat for the Lions. Jonathan Crompton, QB, Montreal - There has been a revolving door at quarterback for the struggling Alouettes, and the latest to start is Crompton, a second-year CFLer who played for Tennessee in college. Crompton hasnt thrown a touchdown pass yet this season, but has completed better than 60% of his passes for 511 yards in the past couple games, good enough to think that he can move the ball against a Hamilton team allowing more than 260 passing yards per game. Rory Kohlert, SB, Winnipeg - With Nick Moore sidelined due to a high ankle sprain (and Aaron Kelly already out), the Bombers need some lesser-knowns to take on a bigger role in the passing game. Kohlert, a Saskatchewan native, tied a season high with four catches against the Riders last week and while he hasnt been a deep threat, he does have 139 receiving yards over the past four games and could be in for a bump with a few more looks from QB Drew Willy. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' '