SOCHI, Russia - Martin St. Louis gets his chance as Team Canadas 13th forward in the first elimination game of the Olympic tournament. St. Louis is in and Matt Duchene is out against 11th-seeded Latvia, which upset Switzerland to reach the quarter-finals. Coach Mike Babcock expects St. Louis to handle the difficult situation as a veteran player. The 38-year-old says he is ready for the mental and physical challenge. "Its a situation that you fully understand its a possibility you might be in, in these tournaments," he said. "Youre trying to go out there and earn another shift." Canada did not do line rushes during Wednesdays morning skate at the Bolshoy Ice Domes practice rink. If the same lines hold from Tuesday, Sidney Crosby will centre Chris Kunitz and Patrice Bergeron, Ryan Getzlaf will centre Jamie Benn and Corey Perry, Jonathan Toews will centre Patrick Marleau and Jeff Carter and John Tavares will centre Patrick Sharp and Rick Nash with St. Louis rotating in. "The reality is we dress 13 forwards each game," Babcock said. "One guy hardly gets on the ice. Its a hard, hard situation for people that play 22 minutes. Thats the way it is. Youve got to find a way to help out when you get a chance." St. Louis offers the ability to make a big play at a crucial time, but so do Matt Duchene and P.K. Subban, who are Canadas health scratches. Dan Hamhuis will be the seventh defenceman, leaving Subban out of the lineup for the third time in four games. Babcock said Subban, last years Norris Trophy winner as the NHLs best defenceman, has been "excellent" in accepting his role. "Hes a proud guy. And hes here and he doesnt get to dress," Babcock said. "Nobody is probably thrilled about that. Those are hard decisions that we make, and in the end theyve got to live it." "That doesnt mean theyve got to like it. But youre here to be a good pro and a good teammate and as its not about me and its not him, its about Canada. As long as we all remember that, were fine." Its about Canada is also this teams approach going into Wednesday nights game against a largely-unknown Latvian opponent. Sault Ste. Marie native and Buffalo Sabres coach Ted Nolan is the most known quantity there, perhaps along with 41-year-old defenceman Sandis Ozolinsh. "I know Sandis Ozolinsh played for me and helped me get to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final and hes their captain," Babcock said. "Theyre better as a sum than they are as parts." Latvia beat Switzerland 3-1 Tuesday night to set up this date with Canada. Winger Patrick Marleau said he noticed from that game that the Latvians were a very "structured" bunch. "Its not going to be that many breakdowns, so when you do get that opportunity youre going to have to make the most out of it," Marleau said. Babcock came away from the Latvia-Switzerland qualification game impressed with how the underdogs held on. "They had good chances on (Swiss goaltender Jonas) Hiller, but they spent a lot of time in their own zone," Babcock said. "Ted called a timeout, they were all bent over and dying. There was a couple more times I thought they might die. They hung in there, hung in there and battled. "If Im a Latvian Im very, very proud. They competed. Thats all you can ask. Youve got to maximize what youve been given." With the exception of Sabres forward Zemgus Girgensons, Latvias only NHL player, most of the team is able to practise together. Theres a benefit in that Latvia can perfect defensive systems to frustrate more-skilled teams like Canada. “Its a team thats similar to the other teams weve played so far, a team that works extremely hard and a team that packs the slot and gives you as little space as possible in that area," Bergeron said in French. "So well have to work very hard and come up with a strategy to get through that system they use." Canadas system involves defending tough and trying to get to the middle of the ice. With Babcock supervising, players worked on power-play and extra-attacker situations during Wednesdays skate. The top power-play unit features Crosby, Tavares and Carter with Sharp and Duncan Keith at the points. The second unit had Toews, Getzlaf and Perry with Drew Doughty and Shea Weber at the points. Through three games, Canada has only four power plays, a point of some frustration. "Hard to get them, eh? We spent half a week practising them, You almost wonder why you spend so much time preparing for them when they never come," Babcock said Tuesday. "I think weve played in the offensive zone for three straight games. When you have the puck, you draw penalties. It hasnt happened." Canada is 1-for-4 on the power play so far. "Maybe we can do a better job of sustaining pressure and wearing them down so it forces the other team to take some more penalties," Marleau said. Carey Price starts in goal for Team Canada, as Babcock announced Tuesday. Roberto Luongo will serve as the backup. "Im just trying to do my job like everybody else," Price said Tuesday. "Im excited. Im grateful for the opportunity." Projected lineup for Team Canadas quarter-final game against Latvia: FORWARDS Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby - Patrice BergeronJamie Benn - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey PerryPatrick Marleau - Jonathan Toews - Jeff CarterPatrick Sharp - John Tavares - Rick Nash / Martin St. Louis DEFENCEMEN Duncan Keith - Shea WeberMarc-Edouard Vlasic - Drew DoughtyJay Bouwmeester - Alex PietrangeloDan Hamhuis GOALIES Carey PriceRoberto Luongo SCRATCHES Matt Duchene P.K. SubbanMike Smith Cheap Soccer Jerseys .J. -- All those records, all for naught. Fake Soccer Jerseys . After Andrew Romine served up two monster home runs in the inning, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he thought Romine was one of the bright spots on the night, showing just how bad the series opener against the last-place Minnesota Twins went for the Tigers. https://www.fakesoccerjerseys.com/ . According to a report from ESPN, Lynch wants a new contract from the Seahawks, and will likely skip all off-season workouts until he can renegotiate his deal with the Seahawks. Authentic Soccer Jerseys .NYCFC confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday that this week Lampard signed a contract to start in July — midway through the new teams first season in MLS. Stitched Soccer Jerseys . The rest of the team was already on the field stretching before batting practice while Puig was getting dressed in the clubhouse. He had been slated to start in right field for the afternoon game against the San Francisco Giants, who beat the Dodgers 8-4.Five Quick Thoughts for a Monday: 1. NORRIS COLE (Heat): Its funny, you watch a guy play and now really produce and it just jumps off the page at you - why? You put a young player with potential in a winning environment where there is veteran leadership, outstanding coaching and management and a way that things are done and its a wonderful environment for growth, improvement in a climate of constant accountability and expectation of achievement/production. When he was drafted out of Cleveland State this was a young man who could go either way as a pro but the professionalism of the team that drafted him has been a wonderful place for him to be nurtured and educated on how to be a good pro. Hes really impressed me with his play off the bench and has made a significant difference against Indiana in key moments. Proper environment truly does effect outcomes. 2. INDY DEFENCE: Im sorry but the Pacers have NO chance of winning this series if they continue to allow the Heat to shoot 50 per cent plus as theyve done in all of the first three games. The Pacers have been an outstanding defensive team the past few years and thats their "calling card" - it sure aint their offence! To think that youre going to run up and down with the Heat and match buckets - good luck with that. The small/skilled lineups that the Heat throw out there are making Roy Hibbert and David West ineffective to say the least. Its easy to say but hard to do, but the Pacers have to start mucking it up and make this a much more physical and hotly contested defensive style of play. Miami is a flow team and if you allow them to get in rhythm and swing the ball with minimal resistance you might as well set up tee times for next week. The D had better be drastically better on Monday night or this series will wind down quickly. 3. SERGE IBAKA and REGGIE JACKSON (Thunder): A combined 30 points from two starters vs. minimal production from Nick Collison and Thabo Sefolosha - what a difference! Add another playmaker in Jackson (five assists) to the mix and suddenly the ball moves with a purpose and they look like a "team" instead of an "iso show" and then Ibaka was brilliant coming back from the injury with seven boards and four blocks - talk about impact performance. Suddenly the rim/paint was being protected and the Thunder played with some force and swagger defensively and on the boards. Good players used properly and healthy enough to play changes how things go drastically. Winning is really hard and you need your top guys there or you are overwhelmed at times. Now that looked like the OKC Thunder on Sunday night. If theyy can continue to play that way weve got a series that will go seven games.dddddddddddd 4. NBA DRAFT: You watch the Playoffs so far and the thing that continues to jump out at me is how the NBA has changed over the years. How that reflects on this years Draft is that if youre the Cavs and the Bucks with the first two picks youve really got to think long and hard about how Joel Embiids game fits in the league today versus the upside over a 10-12 year period of guys like Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker. This has become a perimeter-based league with skilled guys who can do it all versus the traditional brand of power basketball which still has its place in the game...yet at what price? Always a terrific philosophical discussion for GMs, executives and coaches to hash out. 5. POTENTIAL VS. PRODUCTION (Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas, Raptors): You can talk about the No. 20, 37 and 59 picks in this years Draft that the Raptors have and the free agent decisions and possible moves that GM Masai Ujiri can make this off-season. But for the Raptors to continue to improve and take nice gradual building steps over the next few years the significant improvement in every respect from these two youngsters is paramount. Players are made in the off-season and teams are developed in-season. Will these two young men pay the price between now and early October and come back stronger, more skilled, more knowledgeable and ready to be consistent winning pieces that take an organization from respectable to another gear? Only time will tell. "To whom much is given (major minutes and starting opportunities as sophomores), much is expected." Cant wait to see what both young men come back like in the Fall. Their improvement/development will define the next step for the Raptors. Lots of attention will be focused on the role of head coach Dwane Casey and his staff along with the support staff in the further growth of both guys but in my opinion its a whole lot more now on these two guys personally of how bad do they want to be next level players? When you reach your third year as a pro its time for you to be able to "figure it out" on your own and the coaches are there to guide you on the proper path - yet its on YOU. Its time to be consistent producers in every respect. How these young men (I really like both of them) take personal ownership of their professional careers will set the stage for the long-term direction of the Raptors and the moves Ujiri needs to make accordingly to fill in the blanks. The proper environment exists for both to improve significantly - now its on them to seize the opportunity given to them. ' ' '
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