ERST LESEN! » lowlights of my career, and said he understood Harvicks fr

SOCHI, Russia – The Canadians had to hurl nearly 60 shots at the Latvian goal to scratch their way into a semifinal matchup with the Americans, but by the time it was over head coach Mike Babcock was convinced the experience would be beneficial, much as it was four years earlier. "Did I want to win 7-1? Absolutely,” said Babcock after a nervous 2-1 win in the quarter-finals against Latvia. “Do I think its better for my team that we won the way we did? For sure." It took every bit of mustard his team could find to finally get past the unlikely challengers from Latvia – a team they had never lost to in either the Olympics or World Championships – and avert disaster. Kristers Gudlevskis, an unheralded 21-year-old draft pick in executive director Steve Yzermans Tampa Bay Lightning organization, stopped 55 shots and held the Canadians to just a single goal for the first 53 minutes of regulation. Patience was tested and tested again and again with every chance, opportunity and flurry squashed by the apparent back-up Latvian netminder, starting with a Sidney Crosby breakaway in the opening moments and continuing right on through the rest of the night. "Obviously when youre talking about 10 minutes left in the third and you look up and youve got 50-some-odd shots you dont want it to be one of those nights," said Crosby after the win. "I think that you just try to trust that eventually those chances will go in, stick with it." Patrick Sharp became just the fourth Canadian forward to score, his first goal in the middle frame matched minutes later on a mildly shocking Lauris Darzins breakaway. From there the Gudlevkis show rolled on in ever-surprising fashion, some of the most gifted offensive talents on the planet stonewalled by a goaltender who was starting for the American Hockey Leagues Syracuse Crunch as recently as Feb. 5. There was the stop on Jeff Carter in alone in the second period, a blocker save on Rick Nash in the third, a jam attempt by Chris Kunitz just a few minutes later. For a forward contingent struggling to score these were familiar troubles building in a game that Canada had no business not winning. "If you look at tonight besides picking the puck up and throwing it in the net what could you tell someone to do in those situations," said Crosby, who still has yet to score in this tournament. "We had some great chances. Youre getting chances like that theres not a lot you would change. Its not like you were going in there adjusting and trying to figure something out. I think its just the ultimate test of your patience when youre getting chances like that and you need to find a way to score." Its ultimately that persistence and push through the wall of a hot goaltender that Babcock believes will benefit his team moving into a 2010 gold medal game re-match with the Americans on Friday. Though they had only mild difficulties against Norway and Austria, the Canadians really only faced a stiff test from Finland in the final game of the preliminary round, a tilt they scratched out in overtime on the second of two goals from Drew Doughty. On this night it was another defenceman proving the hero. Shea Weber fired a cannon past Gudlevskis with less than seven minutes remaining in regulation, easing the nerves of a tense nation on the other side of the globe. "We just talked about the hockey gods," Babcock said. "You just keep doing things right, youre going to be rewarded. We had some chances. So we just thought if we kept doing it, wed get our chances, wed get a break, wed score a goal." Though they inched closer to it in the close win over Latvia, Canada has yet to truly resemble the powerhouse it was expected to be here in Sochi. But they have, true to Babcocks word, gotten better with each day gone by. They enter the semifinal, however, as an unlikely underdog, squaring off against an American squad thats stomped all of its competition here in Sochi. With the hottest player on the planet in Phil Kessel – who has nearly as many goals here in Russia (five) as the entire Canadian forward group (six) – and a battle-tested Jonathan Quick between the pipes, the U.S. has the look of a favourite in what should be an enticing rematch of the gold medal game in Vancouver. "Its what its all about," said Jonathan Toews of the matchup. "Canada-USA, I think has become a bigger rivalry than Canada-Russia. Theres a lot of animosity, lot of feelings like theres something to prove between both teams. Its for the chance to go play for a gold medal. It doesnt get any better than that." It took a few bumps and a similar crescendo for Canada to top the U.S. in Vancouver in 2010. There were familiar stumbles along the way – including a preliminary round loss to the U.S. – but ultimately, the Canadians got their game together as the tournament stretched on, dominating the Russians in the quarter-final before edging the Slovaks and Americans en route to gold. Babcock is mindful of that path when he looks at the winding road thus far in 2014. "The Olympic Games isnt supposed to be easy,” he said. “They dont just give the medals out. You earn the medals. Now wed like to put ourselves in a situation to compete for one and we have another day to prepare [on Thursday]." Scarpe Adidas Ingrosso . Bradley is one of eight players selected to the team who also played in this years World Cup in Brazil. The MLS all-stars will compete against German giants Bayern Munich in Portland on Aug. Yeezy 350 V2 Outlet . 22 because of a bruised foot and have added forward Sean Collins to the roster on emergency recall from Springfield of the AHL. http://www.scarpenmdscontate.it/ . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. Scarpe Adidas Springblade Offerta . The teams all-time leading scorer, DeRo has won everything there is to win in MLS. Yeezy Boost 350 v2 Scontate . But San Diego had even more trouble against right-hander Tanner Roark, who pitched a three-hitter for the first complete game of his career as the Nationals shut out the Padres 4-0. The 27-year-old set down the first 16 batters before San Diego catcher Rene Rivera, an .MARTINSVILLE, Va. - Dale Earnhardt Jr. recognized the emotional impact his win at Martinsville Speedway had on Rick Hendrick when he met his boss in Victory Lane.The team owner embraced the driver who delivered the win at the track that has caused so much heartbreak and joy. Martinsville was Hendricks home track as a child growing up in Virginia, the place where Hendrick Motorsports had it first career victory.But it was 10 years ago this weekend that an HMS plane on its way to the race crashed, killing all 10 on board. Lost on that day were Hendricks son, brother, twin nieces, the team general manger, head engine builder, a key sponsor representative, two Hendrick pilots and a pilot for Tony Stewart.His four drivers try desperately to win at Martinsville for Hendrick, for the organization, for those who died that October day.I could feel how important it was to him and his embrace when he hugged me, Earnhardt said. Theres a genuine hug and theres a hug. His was the real deal. This is the 10th anniversary. Its more difficult. The 10th anniversary sort of has you reflecting and remembering.It was fitting that it was Earnhardt who carried the Hendrick banner on this difficult day. He lost his father, Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt, in a fatal accident on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.All of NASCAR mourned for an entire season, on every anniversary and Earnhardt Jr. had to grieve with a rabid fan base watching his every move.Losing my dad was difficult. I cant even imagine that loss that he went through, his family went through, the whole organization, all those people at one time, Earnhardt said. I was so proud to be able ... win this race on this challenging weekend for the company. Theyre very hurt and its a heavy heart that they carry all weekend, but they want to win the race.It was Earnhardts fourth win of the season and the first of his career at Martinsville, and came a week after he was eliminated from NASCARs championship race.No longer a participant in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, he had nothing on the line when he raced hard in the closing laps with teammate Jeff Gordon.Gordon, who is still in the Chase, settled for second in a 1-2 finish for Hendrick. But it was the win that he wanted: A victory would have earned him an automatic berth into the finale.I will say that it makes me feel a little bit better about finishing second that it was second to somebody thats not in the Chase, Gordon said. Had that been somebody in the Chase, it would have been hard to swallow.Gordon was the highest finishingg Chase driver.dddddddddddd.Chase driver Ryan Newman was third, and Stewart finished fourth. Chase drivers Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth were fifth and sixth.Running fifth, Stewart gambled and stayed on the track after the race was red-flagged with 10 laps left. Earnhardt and Gordon pitted for fresh tires, and that one final stop was just enough for the successful finish.If we had to do that 100 times over, wed do the same thing, Stewart said. We didnt have anything to lose. It was worth the gamble.This is as good as a win to me.Other Chase driver results included: Denny Hamlin eighth, Carl Edwards 20th, Brad Keselowski 31st and Kevin Harvick 33rd.Harvick crashed just past the halfway point when he had contact with Kenseth following a restart. It made for a mixed day for Stewart-Haas Racing: Team co-owner Stewart scored his first top-five finish since March, but Harvicks championship chances took a huge hit.Harvick had to take his car to the garage, where crew members from all of SHRs teams worked furiously to repair the damage and get him back on the track. Even competition director Greg Zipadelli was working on the Chevrolet, which received significant repairs before Harvick returned to the race, down 40 laps.Yeah, he wont win this championship, Harvick said about Kenseth. If we dont, he wont.Added Harvick crew chief Rodney Childers: He just flat-out wrecked us. Its a bad decision on his part, for sure.Kenseth called the race one of the lowlights of my career, and said he understood Harvicks frustration.I dont blame him for feeling like that, to be honest with you. It was a mistake, Kenseth said. He was an innocent bystander, at the wrong place at the wrong time. I totally understand how he feels, I totally understand why he would say that, I totally get it.He knows its a mistake, too, but that doesnt really help him. I dont blame him. He got taken out of the race for being at the wrong place at the wrong time.Harvick likely needs to win at either Texas Motor Speedway next week or Phoenix International Raceway — where hes a five-time winner — to advance to the finale.Same for Keselowski, who overcame an early speeding penalty to be in the hunt until a mechanical problem in his Ford caused a multi-car crash that involved Edwards with 64 laps left and forced a red flag.Keselowski just climbed out of a similar hole a week ago — he had to win at Talladega to advance into this round of the Chase.Its been tough but it builds character and makes us stronger, Keselowski said. With this format, were by no means out. ' ' '