BND/NAP Anfragen » -season games played, tying Phil Simms for

MALMO, Sweden - Ending a four-year run without a gold medal wont be easy for Canada at the world junior hockey championship. The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. "Youve got to expect theyll be structured and hard working," coach Brent Sutter said Wednesday after a one-hour skate at the cosy Isstadion, where they face the Germans on Thursday. "Theyll be ready to play. "That game is the biggest game to date we have. It doesnt matter our opponent, its how we have to play. Lets make sure were responsible." You can watch all the action live on TSN beginning at 7am et/4am pt. Pre-tournament exhibition games against Finland, Sweden and Switzerland showed that while the Canadian squad — led by Halifax Mooseheads star Jonathan Drouin — will be among the better teams in the 10-team event, it doesnt have the speed and offensive flash of some of the 15 Canadian teams that won gold in the past. The host team Sweden, with at least 10 players returning from a squad that won silver last year in Ufa, Russia, looks like the team to beat, especially after the 3-0 beating they put on Canada in an exhibition game last week. The Swedes are in the opposite first-round group and will play at the newer, much larger Malmo Arena. Canada has only three players back from the 2013 tournament. They include Drouin, Jake Paterson (who didnt dress for any games in Ufa as the third goalie), and defenceman Griffin Reinhart, who is suspended for the first three games this year from a slashing incident in last years semifinals. The loss in Ufa ended Canadas 14-year run of top-three finishes at the tournament officially called the IIHF world under-20 championship. This years squad is younger than most, and should be a showcase for three players not even eligible to be drafted by the NHL yet. First among them is Connor McDavid, the dazzling 16-year-old playmaker and scoring star of the Erie Otters who will not be eligible for the draft until 2015. There is also forward Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice, the younger brother of Griffin Reinhart, along with big defenceman Aaron Ekblad of the Barrie Colts. They may go one-two in the 2014 draft. Sutter has McDavid and Reinhart on the wings with centre Bo Horvat, an imposing Vancouver Canucks prospect from the London Knights. They were the only line to stay together through the teams three pre-tournament games. Reinhart turned 18 in November and is not a true "underage" junior, and Sutter uses him as he would a seasoned veteran. In exhibition play, he played the power play and on the penalty kill. In one instance when Canada was short-handed two men, he was the lone forward on the ice. "Hes an all-purpose player," said Sutter. "He just knows how to play the game. "Hes an intelligent player and his paying attention to details in all sorts of situations is very high. As a coach, youre very comfortable playing him in whatever situation that occurs." Reinhart is used to the ice time with Kootenay and was a captain on Canadian under-18 teams, so he likes the responsibility Sutter has given him. "It gives you confidence for opening night," he said. "We took some games to find our mentality and what well bring to the first one. "We feel confident in our game right now. The focus has turned onto the first game against Germany and were looking forward to it." The exhibition games were a test for Drouin, the third overall pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning last June. Sutter blasted him for a weak showing against Sweden, even though it was Drouins first game since suffering a concussion in a league game with Halifax on Dec. 8. He was moved from left wing to centre for the final exhibition against the Swiss and played better. "Brent said some stuff," said Drouin, who will likely centre big winger Anthony Mantha and the defensively solid Taylor Leier of the Portland Winterhawks. "I know I played bad and didnt help the team. "I had to step up my game against the Swiss and I think I did. I feel better. The first game was a little rough. Its been three weeks (since he played) and its different from major junior. Its way more fast, but I think the second game was better." Another question to be settled was in goal, and Sutter believes hes found his man in Paterson of the Saginaw Spirit, who will start against Germany. The Mooseheads Zach Fucale will start the tournament as the backup, but Sutter expects both will see action in the tournament. Other lines are likely to have Nic Petan of Portland between Curtis Lazar of the Edmonton Oil Kings and Kerby Rychel of the Gueph Storm; and captain Scott Laughton of the Oshawa Generals with Frederik Gauthier of the Rimouski Oceanic and Josh Anderson of the Knights. Charles Hudon of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens may slot in the Drouin line. The defence will likely be rearranged when Griffin Reinhart returns Dec. 31 against the Americans. Sutter has been trying various combinations for a group that includes Ekblad, Matt Dumba of the Minnesota Wild, Chris Bigras of the Owen Sound Attack, McDavids Erie teammate Adam Pelech, Josh Morrissey of the Prince Albert Raiders and Derrick Pouliot of Portland. Without a high-powered attack, there has been much talk of playing "Boston Bruins hockey," which despite popular perception does not mean hammering everyone who moves, but rather working the puck up the ice in tight, five-man units and playing a controlled two-way game. "It is the makeup of our team," said Sutter, who won gold with a similar group in 2006. "We have to support each other. "We cant be a spread-out team thats playing one zone and two zones ahead. We have to be coming out of zones together and using each other. When one guy has the puck, the other four have to be options and be available for plays. And we have to be smart when were hitting the red line. We cant have turnovers." The game against Germany is a chance to see flashy forward Leon Draisaitl, who is Morrisseys teammate in Prince Albert. Draisaitl is a projected top-10 pick in 2014. They played against one another at the under-18 championship, and Morrissey said they have been joking about meeting again at the world juniors. "Hes a really skilled player," the Calgary native said. "Weve become almost best friends on our team. "Hes got phenomenal vision. I think he plays like (Anze) Kopitar. He likes (Pavel) Datsyuk a lot. All I can say is hes an unreal player." 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Week 2s biggest games include Florida facing Miami and Notre Dame travelling to the Big House to conclude their rivalry against Michigan in primetime on TSN2 and TSN 1050.EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- After getting permission from his 7-year-old daughter, New York Giants offensive lineman David Diehl has retired after an 11-year career that included two Super Bowl championships. The fifth-round draft pick became a cornerstone of tough offensive lines. Diehl missed only 12 games in his career, starting at every position on the line but centre. Addison Diehl accompanied him to the training centre Friday and told team president John Mara that she had "allowed" her dad to retire. "Its not very easy for my daughter to talk about me retiring and not playing football," Diehl said. "The Giants are just as much family to her as they are to me. Shes been going to the games and at 7 years old, she understands everything. She understands the game and the players and how important it is to play in the NFL. "For her, my stepping away from something she loves as much as I do is not an easy thing." Diehl was selected to the 2009 Pro Bowl. Diehl was the only Giants player whose arrival predated coach Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning. With his retirement, the longest-tenured Giants are guard Chris Snee and Manning. "When I think of David Diehl what comes to mind is his indomitable spirit," Coughlin said. "He got the most out of his God-given ability and thats the best way that you can judge any individuall.dddddddddddd" Diehl started the first 120 regular-season games and seven post-season games in his career, the longest such streak by a Giant since the introduction of the 16-game schedule in 1978. The streak ended on Nov. 14, 2010 against Dallas because of hip and hamstring injuries. He ends his career with 164 regular-season games played, tying Phil Simms for 12th on the franchises all-time list. "I love football," he said. "I love being in the game, I love watching film, I love doing all of that and Im going to miss that aspect of it. But I know Im ready to start the new and next chapter of my life. Im ready to not only be a bigger part of my daughters life, but Im ready to spread my knowledge and help other people with the game and continue to do stuff throughout our community and charity work and be involved with the New York Giants in any way possible." In the regular season, Diehl started 65 games at left tackle, 42 at left guard, 26 at right tackle and 27 at right guard. In the post-season, Diehl has 10 starts at left tackle and one at left guard. "He took the talent that he had and he used it to the extreme, to the utmost of his ability," Coughlin said. "What more can you ask of the guy? And he gave great effort. He always gave great effort, there was no doubt about that. You knew exactly what you were getting." ' ' '