Canada versus Team USA, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)United States: It is painfully simple for Team USA: Win, and its hope of advancing in the World Cup of Hockey lives for another day or two. Lose in any fashion to powerful Canada, and Thursdays preliminary-round game against the Czech Republic will be meaningless, a painful reminder of the failure of this team to come together in any fashion when it mattered most. Derek Stepan of the New York Rangers likened the situation to a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup playoffs.For some of these players the faceoff against their historic rivals to the north may be the last chance internationally to establish a meaningful legacy in the face of a new generation of talented young American players -- several of whom are playing in this tournament for Team North America. Already dogged by skepticism about the makeup of their team, the U.S. players must now confront a Canadian squad that has won the past two Olympic gold medals and is a heavy favorite to win this tournament for a second consecutive time, dating back to 2004. Although the Americans did split two pre-tournament games with Canada, they will have to exponentially ramp up their intensity after a curiously dispassionate 3-0 loss to Team Europe on Saturday, but they must do so without losing their cool, which may be difficult given the stakes.Its a great spot for the Americans to be in, that type of situation, in that type of atmosphere, Team USA head coach John Tortorella insisted. If you cant get motivated to do your best in this type of situation, with the environment thats going to be there Tuesday night, theres something the matter with you. Then weve got the wrong guy. But I dont think weve got the wrong guys.One game into this highly anticipated tournament, the evidence suggests otherwise. But thats the beauty of what awaits this American team: a chance, in the space of 60 minutes on Tuesday night, to rewrite the story of this tournament and maybe their own legacy.?-- Scott BurnsideCanada:?His teams 6-0 opening win over the Czech Republic was pretty darn impressive, but not perfect, said Canada head coach Mike Babcock on Monday. He knows that his players can still pick things up a notch. For sure another level, he said. They had five looks at our net in the first six minutes. Four of them were on specialty teams, and one was on the line change. So weve got to fix that up, for sure. Other than that, I thought we played well; we played with some pace. We didnt have pace early in the exhibition, but were starting to get a little more comfortable.The question is whether Team Canada can manufacture the same kind of desperation level that Team USA will naturally have on Tuesday in a do-or-die situation. The natural rivalry that exists between both teams, on display in two meaningless-yet-feisty pre-tournament games, should ensure Canadas emotional investment. After all, you know that the Canadians would relish that chance to inflict the knockout punch to their rivals, even if they insist thats not their focus.[Were] just playing our game, veteran center Ryan Getzlaf?said. Were trying to build something here. I think we have to make this whole focus about us and not really buy into the whole do-or-die thing for them. Its a matter of us just going out and playing our game and continuing to get better throughout this tournament.Look for Team Canada to try to create turnovers in the U.S. zone with an aggressive forecheck, as tight, five-man units give Team USAs blueliners little room for transition. Its what worked so well against the Czechs in the opener. There were no lineup changes for Canada at practice on Tuesday, which likely means that?Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux will sit out again. The forward lines and defense pairings were also the same, meaning the U.S. has to brace for that Brad Marchand-Sidney Crosby-Patrice Bergeron unit, which brought the Czechs to their knees in the opener. -- Pierre LeBrunFinland versus Sweden, 3 p.m. ET (ESPN)Finland: North America, the team loaded with talented players 23-and-younger, completely dismantled Finland 4-1 in its first World Cup game on Sunday. Meanwhile, Sweden defeated Russia 2-1. Finland needs to muster a major response against the Swedes on Tuesday. Both teams practiced on Monday, but the Finns worked on every aspect of their game in an attempts to figure out why theyre playing so poorly. The biggest issue for Finland to fix is its compete level. It was not there against the kids on Sunday, and now that its biggest rival is on deck, Finland needs to play a 200-foot game. Defensively, the Finns were brutal in front of their own net, so that was a point of emphasis during practice. Finlands defensive-zone coverage needs to improve, especially against a potent Swedish offense.Sweden: For the Swedes, its much of the same. Their depth was key against Russia. Sweden has the ability to roll all four lines, and its defensive core stifled Russias dangerous attack. Sweden was able to exploit Russias weak defense. In order to have success against Finland, it has to follow the same game plan.Line watch:?This game wont be won by one single line or power-play unit. It will come down to goaltending. Both teams were in a bit of a pickle after Mondays practices because of their respective goaltending situations. Swedens Henrik Lundqvist missed Sundays game with the flu. He participated in the teams full practice and showed no ill effects on Monday. While Lundqvist was optimistic after practice about his chances to play against Finland, it was a bit strange when he reiterated numerous times that it would be a coachs decision. Its possible that this could be Lundqvists final tournament for Swedens national team, so if hes healthy I cant imagine a scenario in which he wouldnt play against Finland. At the other end of the ice, its unclear whether Finland will stick with?Pekka Rinne?or switch and go with Tuukka Rask. During practice, it appeared Rask would be the starter. --?Joe McDonald Wholesale Hockey Jerseys . 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He has three goals and five assists through 36 games with the Leafs this season. LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- With Maryland playing shaky and facing a possible first loss, freshmen Destiny Slocum and Kaila Charles steadied matters with poised contributions that got the fifth-ranked Terrapins past Louisville.Charles scored the go-ahead basket with 2:20 remaining, and Slocum followed with seven points to help Maryland beat Louisville 78-72 on Thursday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.The Terrapins (7-0) seemed in control with a 62-53 lead entering the fourth quarter before Louisville rallied to lead twice, including 67-65 with 3:15 left. Charles followed Brionna Jones game-tying layup with another before Slocums three-point play provided a 72-67 edge that she added to with four more free throws in finishing with 13 points. Charles scored all eight points after halftime.You know, its just playing basketball, said Slocum, who made six of her final seven free throws after missing her first two. I mean, Ive been in this moment before. I have two veteran players on our team that really led us. We knew what to do because they told us what to do. ... And in that moment we needed to lock in, play defense, have good offense, and I think thats what we did.Indeed, those newcomers followed good examples set by Marylands upperclassmen.Senior guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (26 points) made two free throws with 4 seconds left to seal Marylands victory in the first regular-season meeting between the schools. Jones, another senior, added 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Terps, who made 23 of 28 from the foul line.I thought our vets, Shatori and Bri, really led us in the first half so we could settle in and see all these new players from game to game, Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. Kaila Charles took until about the third quarter to be able to step up. Kristen Confroy (six points) gave us great minutes, her boards. ... Youre going to see that with our depth all season where different players (are) ready when their number is called.Asia Durr scored 20 points and Myisha Hines-Allen 16 for Louisville (6-2), which lost its second game in five days against a Top 5 team. They also fell for the third time in four games against Maryland.The sad thing about it is we came up with like six stops, seven stops in a row, starting the fourth quarter, said Louisville coach Jeff Walz, a former Maryland aassistant.dddddddddddd But then when it becomes crunch time, you take a two-point lead and God forbid, thats when you have to get one. And we just refuse. Its our upperclassmen, unfortunately.THE BIG PICTUREMaryland: The Terrapins shot at least 50 percent in the first three quarters before cooling off to 31 percent in the fourth and allowing Louisville to rally. They still finished at 48 percent. Walker-Kimbrough and Brionna Jones combined for 10 unanswered points during a game-changing run in the second quarter and led by as many as 10 twice in the second half. The Terps offset 18 turnovers by owning the boards 48-35 and keeping their main players in the game despite foul trouble.Louisville: The Cardinals stayed close by forcing 10 Maryland turnovers in the first half, but fouls were a concern with four having at least two at the break. Mariya Moore eventually fouled out after scoring 13 points. The Cardinals shot 39 percent overall and just 36 percent in the final quarter. Their lone bright spots were a 44-32 edge in the paint and 20 points off turnovers.POLL IMPLICATIONSMaryland figures to stay near the top five, while Louisville could take a tumble out of the top 10. The Cardinals still have to face No. 17 Kentucky on Sunday.MORE TO SAYWalzs postgame comments about his players resolve evolved into a rant in which he blasted what he considers an entitled culture.Right now, the generation of kids that are coming through, everybody gets a damn trophy, OK? Walz said. You finish last? You come home with a trophy. You kidding me? Whats that teaching kids? ... Its OK to lose. And, unfortunately, its our society. Its what were building. And its not just in basketball; its in life.Everybody thinks they should get a job. Everybody thinks they should get a good job. Thats not the way it works. But unfortunately, thats what we are preparing for.UP NEXTMaryland: Returns home from its four-game road swing for an intrastate meeting against UMBC on Sunday.Louisville: The Cardinals challenging stretch continues Sunday at home against in-state rival and No. 17 Kentucky, which has won the last five in the series.---More AP College Basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org China NFL Jerseys White Wholesale Jerseys 2019 Cheap NFL Jerseys Throwback Wholesale NFL Hoodies Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Wholesale NFL Camo Jerseys Wholesale Stitched Jerseys Wholesale NFL T-shirts Disocunt Football Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Youth NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Wholesale NFL T-shirts Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Black China NFL Jerseys ' ' '