TORONTO - Netminders Zach Fucale and Eric Comrie have already locked down spots on the Canadian world junior team.Whats far less certain is who will get the nod when Canada opens tournament play Dec. 26 against Slovakia. Head coach Benoit Groulx said Friday that the starting job is up for grabs.Theyre on the team, but theyve got to compete and theyve got to prove themselves, Groulx said. Theyve got to have the right attitude and so far were very pleased with Eric and Zach because theyre both competitors. You can tell they enjoy the game. They love to compete and they love to be out there.I think thats what we need and its a healthy competition among the two of them.Like team brass did last year, Canada finalized its goalies in advance. A third goalie could always be added during the tournament if needed.That takes a little pressure off the netminders in the buildup to the Dec. 26-Jan. 5 world junior hockey championship in Montreal and Toronto. The other 28 players in camp will battle it out for the remaining 20 roster spots.Fucale appears to be the favourite to land the first starting assignment. The Halifax Mooseheads goalie was on the team at last years tournament in Malmo, Sweden, where Canada settled for a fourth-place finish. Fucale was also drafted in the second round (36th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens and is from Rosemere, Que.So it would seem logical that hed play Canadas opening group stage game, given that it will be at the Bell Centre. However, Groulx said the job is open and the netminders performances in practice and exhibition games over the next two weeks will be key.We believe in both of them and weve been evaluating them for two years, he said. The evaluation process is still an ongoing process every day.The two goaltenders are quite similar. Both are 19 years old, both are six foot one, and both weigh about 180 pounds. They were both drafted in the second round last year, with Comrie taken 59th overall by the Winnipeg Jets.They have posted similar records this season and have been teammates at various tournaments in the past. Theyre also roommates and good friends. So while the battle is underway, there does not appear to be any tension. Theyre both saying the right things and seem very supportive of each other and the team.Im not looking at it as a competition, said Comrie, whos from Edmonton and plays for the Tri-City Americans. Im looking at it as were a team here. Were building towards one single goal.Were not fighting against each other to reach a gold medal. Were fighting with each other to reach a gold medal.Groulx said each goalie will get a start when Canada plays exhibition games against the CIS Toronto Selects this weekend before heading to St. Catharines, Ont., for pre-competition camp.Me and Eric, we have a lot in common, Fucale said. One of those things is were team players and we just want to help the team every time we get out there. Its good that were on the same page and we have the same goal in mind. I think thats very good for the team.Canada is hoping to end a five-year gold medal drought at the tournament. Fucale, one of seven returning players from last years team, said he has made strides over the last 12 months.I have become better mentally, stronger physically and technically everything has got better, he said. I feel very good, I feel great coming into this event. Its a great opportunity once again. Im just looking forward to the whole experience and living in the moment.Groulx put the players through a tough 90-minute workout Friday morning at MasterCard Centre. It was the first full team workout as seven players missed the opening session a night earlier due to travel delays.A timeline for player cuts has not been finalized. There could also be some late additions since NHL clubs have until the Dec. 19 roster freeze to decide whether they will loan players to the team. The goaltending picture is the one area thats clear, even if the starting assignments remain up in the air.Its always good to have internal competition, Fucale said. Coms is a competitor and so am I. For sure, we want to be ready for each game and like I said, we both have the same goal in mind — thats just to help the team win.So whoever is out there, well try our best to help the team and thats all that really matters.———Follow @GregoryStrongCP on Twitter. Garrison Hearst Jersey . With newly minted president of hockey operations Trevor Linden looking on from above one day after being handed the keys to the franchise, it was more of the same on Thursday night. O. J. Simpson Jersey . Although head coach Randy Carlyle jokingly wondered how much actual training Bolland got done while in London. "I dont know how much training goes on when you go back to the junior team that you played for so I wouldnt read too much into that," laughed Carlyle after the Maple Leafs were put through an up-tempo practice that concluded with a 10-minute bag skate on Thursday. http://www.custompatriotsjersey.com/custom-lawyer-milloy-jersey-large-141f.html . Left back Armero opened the scoring in the fifth minute when his deflected shot rolled past Greece goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis. Striker Teofilo Gutierrez poked in Colombias second goal from a deflected corner in the 58th and James Rodriguez capped it off with a low shot in stoppage time after a slick backheel flick from Juan Cuadrado. Rodney Harrison Jersey . -- David Freese is starting to pick up his run production, which is something the Los Angeles Angels have been waiting half a season to see. Rod Woodson Jersey .com) - Tonight will go a long way in determining the two wild card spots in the Eastern Conference.NEW ORLEANS - Something about Terrence Ross in the spotlight still seems unnatural, though he has proven that hes worthy of the attention. On Saturday night hell only take up a third of it when he aims to defend his Slam Dunk title in the new-look contest, taking place at New Orleans Smoothie King Center. A year ago, Ross defeated reigning champion and little-known Jazz forward Jeremy Evans in a fan vote, breathing some new life into a floundering competition. But does he see himself as the defending champ? "I only do that just because thats what everybody calls me or they always ask me if Im going to defend my championship," said the Raptors modest and soft-spoken sophomore, who was reluctant to re-enter the contest this season, though he felt obligated to. "I have to. I just feel like if you win a championship you have to defend it." This year hell share the court with a few more familiar faces. For the first time in 26 years, the Slam Dunk contest will feature three All-Stars, two of which compete on a team with Ross as the event takes on a controversial new format. Teaming up with a couple of Eastern Conference All-Stars in Paul George and John Wall, Ross squad will oppose All-Star Swiss Army knife Damian Lillard and the Wests Harrison Barnes and Ben McLemore. The contests first round, a 90-second freestyle showcase, will force the teams to work together and assist on each others dunks. Ross met with his teammates Thursday evening to rehearse and formulate a strategy. All three say theyre ready to go. "We got our game plan ready," said the Pacers George, an All-Star starter. "Were all going to have fun with it, were all going to be a part of one anothers dunks so itll be a fun game." In the second round the East dunkers will go head-to-head with the competitors from the West until a team of three is crowned champion. Fans will then vote for the "Dunker of the Night" from the winning team. Intended to spice up an event thats lost its luster, the twist is one that may take some getting used to, one that not everyone is on board with. The participants, as you would expect, have high hopes for the new format. "I personally like [the new format]," Ross said. "A lot of people dont like it but after they see whats going to happen, how the dunks are going to turn out everybodys going to like it." "I think it makes it more fun," Lillard agreed. "Its a little bit less pressure on each individual dunker, its a little more of a group thing and a team thing." Howwever, not everyone is so optimistic.dddddddddddd "I just feel like the dunk contest from back in the day has always been pretty simple and thats what made it good," said All-Star forward Blake Griffin, who won the 2011 competition after jumping over the hood of a Kia. "So I dont know how I feel about putting in a lot of extra stuff. I think it should just be get out there and let them dunk. I think theyve made it a little too rigid. Just kind of make it more free and let guys have more fun with it and I think theyll get better results out of it." Whether you love it, hate it, sit somewhere in between or are reserving judgment, the NBA will take another stab at reinventing an event that is still haunted by the memory of Vince Carters iconic performance in 2000. 14 years after that fateful night in Oakland, Carters show-stopping dunks remain a hot topic of conversation at All-Star weekend. At the time it was exactly what the dunk-off needed, problem is Carter set the bar too high. "It was almost like he made it feel like it wasnt a dunk contest," said Ross, who was just nine years old when he watched Carter make history. "It was kind of like a clinic or like a tutorial, how he just went out there and every dunk he did was like first try, done, 50. It was unreal to see because you havent seen anybody shut down a dunk contest since." No one has topped it and perhaps no one ever will. All the format changes in the world wont change that but an infusion of young talent and star power could. With Ross, the defending champ, facing off against three brand-name players, theres more excitement going into this weekends event than there has been in years past. Still, everyone is clamouring to see a certain MVP throw his hat in the ring. "LeBron (James) would make the Dunk Contest so much more exciting," Ross admitted. "He would have people hanging from the ceiling just to try to get in and watch it. The atmosphere would probably be unreal and thats something I would like to experience. If he ever does it I would sign up again for it. Hopefully one day he does it." He has a Dunk Contest trophy on his shelf and a 51-point game on his resume, yet Ross is still getting comfortable with the attention. It took him a little while to allow his excitement to build up and come out but with a new format and fresh competition, the 23-year-old finally has his game face on. Better late than never. "Thats even more incentive for me to go in now and try to do it again," he said. "Its like a new contest." ' ' '