barry Carroll (4,010) for eight place on Golden States care

TORONTO -- Team Russias World Cup of Hockey hopes were on the line in this game against Team North America. In some ways, so too was its reputation as a hockey power. Another early exit during best-on-best play, and Alex Ovechkin, along with his teammates, would have to answer more questions about their place in the world.As one Russian player put it the morning of the game: There were 154 million people back home who wanted a positive outcome, perhaps demanded it.At one point in Russias 4-3 victory Monday night over North America, Connor McDavid had a breakaway on Russian goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, and Bobrovsky made the save.That was the most important shot of my life, said Bobrovsky, the 2013 Vezina Trophy winner.The game meant everything to the Russians.For North America, theres no homeland. No hockey history that strings back decades. No millions of lifelong fans desperate for success.Its just a group of players loaded with talent and clearly playing for each other, a group that seems to be learning lessons in this tournament at breakneck speed. They learned another one Monday.Lose your way against the best teams in the world, even for a few minutes, and games are lost. Entire tournament hopes can be wiped out.North America came out flying. And it finished with an amazing flurry in the third period, providing action at the end of the game that this tournament previously hadnt seen.It was the in-between that was troubling.At the halfway point in the game, we got away from our game plan, said North American defenseman Morgan Rielly. Thats when they hit their stride. Looking back at the game, that was the difference.It doesnt take much in the World Cup for things to turn.But this much we know about the kids on Team North America, which is made up of players from the United States and Canada ages 23 and under. They learn fast. Theyve quickly grasped how the coaching staff wants them to play and for the most part have embraced it.When the game went sideways, with Russia going on a second-period spree of four unanswered goals, the North American coaching staff didnt like how the players responded in the moment. They noticed that for the first time all tournament, players looked unsure of themselves. There wasnt a veteran line to turn to that might settle things down.And they got away from the style of play in which they are most successful.Off the rush, they werent putting the puck on net and creating rebounds as frequently as they had when the offense was clicking.That starts our O-zone play, explained?Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.To get the message across that expectations werent being met, coach Todd McLellan shortened the bench. Forwards Jonathan Drouin and Dylan Larkin were used sparingly as North America mounted its comeback.Theyll learn, just like the rest of the group will learn. And McLellan saw it happening in real time. During the second intermission, with his team trailing 4-2, he didnt like some of the body language he saw in the dressing room. He saw players sitting in their stalls looking down.It didnt last.What could have happened to our belief system is it could have completely crumbled. It didnt, McLellan said. It cracked a little bit. We lost a few little segments of bricks, but we were able to put it back together in the third period.In doing so, we learned just how resilient the North American players are. There was Nathan MacKinnon taking multiple cross-checks to the back in front of the goal and then heading right back to the crease the next moment the opportunity presented itself.It was that willingness to take on a beating that set up a great pass from MacKinnon to Nugent-Hopkins for the third-period goal that pulled North America within 4-3.Earlier in the game, you saw 19-year-old Auston Matthews picking Ovechkins pocket to erase a first-period Russian scoring threat, revealing just how well-rounded his game already is.You saw these extra efforts on both ends of the ice mixed in with glimpses of the otherworldly skill that the next generation of NHL stars possesses.Moments after Matthews poked the puck away from Ovechkin, McDavid blew by Pavel Datsyuk to set up a Matthews goal to give North America a 1-0 lead. You could go years during Datsyuks prime without him looking that bad defensively.He put on the turbos, Matthews said of McDavid. He just absolutely took off.They were making Ovechkin and Datsyuk -- two of the best of their generation -- look mortal.If this version of the World Cup gives us nothing else, it is giving us Matthews and McDavid playing on a line together. It might never happen in another meaningful game again after this wraps up.And it could wrap up soon for the North Americans, now 1-1 in pool play, which would be a shame. Theyve entertained. Theyve battled. And now, with a gutsy loss to the Russians, theyve showed that they wont go down without at least one more swing.They get another chance, perhaps their last, Wednesday afternoon against Sweden, the best team theyll face in group play.We need a little rest, but well be ready for it, McLellan said. Theyre young guys. Theyre going to come and play. Theyre going to have fun doing it. Miami Marlins Pro Shop .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. Marlins Jerseys 2019 . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise. https://www.cheapmarlinsjerseys.us/ .C. -- Charlotte Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said after all of these years in the NBA hes still amazed at some of the things LeBron James does. Fake Marlins Jerseys . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. Cheap Marlins Jerseys .H. -- Matt Kenseth made it 2 for 2 in the Chase, holding off teammate Kyle Busch to win Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. TORONTO -- Drake Night or not, the Golden State Warriors pushed aside the Toronto Raptors.Though the Canadian rapper and Toronto Raptors global ambassador had never had to witness his hometown team losing on his special night the first three years it had been held, he was powerless to stop the star-studded Warriors leaving town with a 127-121 victory Wednesday night.It didnt stop him chirping the Golden State bench at various points, particularly in the first quarter when the Raptors were up by 10 points.Hes been talking junk for a couple weeks now, talking about they were going to beat us and that its Drake night, Draymond Green. He may be a little disappointed.Stephen Curry had 35 points and Kevin Durant added 30 in the victory, the Warriors fifth straight overall as well as their fifth consecutive win over Toronto.While Golden State coach Steve Kerr was a little upset at how the first quarter unfolded, giving up 38 points to the Raptors, he termed the second quarter, one of the best quarters weve played.Case in point, the Warriors restricted the Raptors to 5-for-24 shooting, outscoring them 32-15 and ending the half on a 21-4 run to seize a 66-53 lead at the break. The 66 points were the most the Raptors have given up in a first half at home since surrendering 71 to the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 25, 2014.While incorporating Durant into the offense remains a work in progress, the team continued to share the ball around the likes of former most valuable players Curry and Durant, with the team finishing with 33 assists on 44 baskets. It was the seventh time this season that the team has had 30-plus assists.Offensively were moving the ball, no one is in each others way and were making shots, Durant said. We could have had 40 assists tonight.DeMar DeRozan had a team-high 34 points for the Raptors, while Kyle Lowry added 24 as Toronto lost back-to-back games for the first time this year. Toronto lost 121-117 in Cleveland against the NBA-champion Cavvaliers Tuesday night.ddddddddddddDeRozan, who was 17 for 17 from the free-throw line, is the first NBA player with nine 30-point games in his teams first 11 games since former Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan in 1987-88.It was scant consolation for the NBAs leading scorer, who is averaging 33.3 points per game.We played both of the best teams in the NBA, he said. We were right there with them and had a couple stretches where we could put it away. We gave it away.TIP INS:Warriors: Kerr is one win away from the 150th coaching victory of his career. With 33 assists and a 50.6 success rate from the field, the Warriors set a franchise record with a fifth straight game with at least 30 assists and shooting over 50 percent. ... With 10 field goals made, Curry moved past Joe Barry Carroll (4,010) for eight place on Golden States career list.Raptors: Along with Brooklyn, Toronto is the only team to face Cleveland and Golden State in back-to-back games. ... The Raptors out-rebounded Golden State 46-35. The Raptors dropped to 5-2 this season when DeRozan and Lowry combine to score 50 or more points.ENJOYING THE VIEWS:Drake wore a shirt bearing the likeness of ESPNs Doris Burke as well as the words Woman Crush Everyday, Drake explained that hes a big fan of Burke. He then sat courtside as the Raptors wore their Drake-inspired black-and-gold uniforms.ITS GOTTA BE THE SHOES:The shirt was really nice but his boots were so bad and I was a little disappointed in his outfit overall. Its Drake Night; youve got to bring better boots that that. -- Green on the all-black clothing and footwear Drake chose to wear on his special night.UP NEXT:Warriors: Continue four-game trip in Boston on Friday night, where they have won three straight against the Celtics.Raptors: Visit Denver on Friday night to wrap up the season series with the Nuggets. ' ' '