Not sure who’s responsible for re-jigging the international hockey calendar, but hey, man, thanks. Ricky Rubio Suns Jersey . That is, much gratitude to whomever decided the World Under-17 Challenge should be moved from between Christmas and New Year’s to the first week of November. The eight team World U-17 tourney is one of the underrated gems of international hockey. As long as it was being played in a Canadian venue in late December, while a hockey nation’s gaze was fixed almost exclusively on the annual World Junior (Under-20) Championship going on at the same time, the U-17 was always going to be dwarfed. Selfishly speaking, as someone who covers the WJC and, therefore, is fixated on it and only it over Christmas, I could never begin to give the U-17 tourney the coverage it deserves. I couldn’t even watch it. Until now. The World U-17 Challenge opened Sunday in Sarnia, Ont. It wasn’t a particularly good start for two of the three Canadian teams. Team Canada White lost 5-1 to Finland and Team Canada Black lost by the same score to Russia in Group A round-robin games. Team Canada Red beat Slovakia 6-0 while defending champion Team USA doubled up on Sweden 6-3 in Group B, which is being played in Lambton Shores, Ontario. Today, Team Canada White will play Team Canada Black and Team Canada Red will face Sweden, with Slovakia taking on the U.S. and Russia playing Finland. Each team plays three round-robin games. All eight teams play in cross-over quarter-finals on Thursday, with semi-finals on Friday and the gold- and bronze-medal games on Saturday. TSN will broadcast both semis and both medal games. The World U-17 Challenge is arguably the first big international tournament for many of the world’s best teenage players. Its alumni is a who’s who of NHL superstars. This year, it’s the 1998 birth year, the 16-year-olds who, for Canada anyway, are playing in their first full year in the Western, Ontario and Quebec Leagues. Or those who are likely to be headliners for the 2016 NHL draft or, for those whose birthdate is after Sept. 15, the 2017 draft. The players who star at this U-17 event are the ones who’ll represent their countries in the WJC, as early as the 2016 tourney and beyond. The primary reason for moving the U-17 from late December to early November was simply to get it out from under the shadow of the WJC and allow it to really grow. A secondary factor was that CHL teams who give up their older players to play in the world juniors at Christmas now don’t have to be without their younger stars at the same time. But with this year’s time shift came a major overhaul by Hockey Canada of the U-17 tournament format. Hockey Canada, until this year, iced five regional teams – Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, West, and Pacific – with additional foreign opponents. USA Hockey would send its traditionally powerful U-17 program team that is based out of Ann Arbor, Mich. The Russians would always contribute a team and, depending upon the year, the Swedes, Finns and Czechs would attend as well. This year though, Hockey Canada “contracted,” doing away with the regional designations and going with Team Canada White, Black, and Red; players from all over the country mixing and matching on three national teams, and bringing in five foreign national teams to round out the event. There were a multitude of reasons for the new format. One, to introduce a more “centralized” approach a year sooner than normal. Where the regional teams were originally overseen by the respective regional branches and run more or less autonomously from each other, the new U-17 program was brought entirely under the umbrella of Hockey Canada, including the selection of coaching staffs -- Kelowna’s Dan Lambert is head coach of Team Canada Red; Sault Ste. Marie’s Sheldon Keefe is head coach of Team Canada White; and McGill University head coach Kelly Nobes is head coach of Team Canada Black. The centralized approach never used to happen until the U-18 level. Two, to ensure Canada’s “best” players were being included in the event, the regional distinctions were done away with. Regions with less registered players and ostensibly less elite talent, such as Quebec and Atlantic Canada, weren’t guaranteed to get the same 22 roster spots as Ontario or British Columbia. Instead of having 110 Canadians participate in the tourney, some of them there only because of regional disparities, Hockey Canada invited the top 108 1998-born players in Canada, regardless of their hometowns, to a 10-day summer evaluation and orientation camp in Calgary. From there, based on that summer camp and player performance in their respective leagues this fall, the three balanced national teams of 22 players each were selected. So it’s 66 Canadians in the tourney instead of 110 but, in theory, the best 66 players in Canada regardless of origin. Three, Hockey Canada believes the sooner players from different provinces start playing with each other, as opposed to building up regional rivalries and biases, the more cohesion there will be at both the U-18 and U-20 (WJC) levels. And four, let’s not kid anyone here, the theory is that with three balanced national teams as opposed to five regional squads, the likelihood of one of the three Team Canadas winning the tournament would be greater. As an aside, in the last three World U-17 Challenges, the U.S., Sweden and Russia have won the gold medals, with Canadian entries picking up one silver and one bronze in that time. Whether that plays out remains to be seen. Day One certainly wasn’t encouraging but the format of the tourney suggests the real test will be based on performances on Quarterfinal Thursday. The cohesive, play-all-season-together Americans, as always will be a top contender, but the Russians and Finns also served notice in Sunday’s lopsided wins over Canada Black and White. Team results aside, some incredible and precocious individual talent will be on display all week in Sarnia and Lambton Shores. From a Canadian perspective, there’s a very strong western flavor this year, especially now that the Canadian player perhaps expected to be the best is out of the tournament because of injury. Defenceman Jakob Chychrun of the Sarnia Sting had to withdraw from the tourney because of an injury suffered in the OHL last week. A dual citizen who was born in Florida and started playing minor hockey there before moving to Toronto is the son of former NHL defenceman Jeff Chychrun. He was the first overall pick in the 2014 OHL draft and the 6-foot-2, 194-pound dominating blueliner played in the U-17 tournament last year as an underager. Individually speaking, certainly using recent NHL drafts as a barometer for both quality and quantity of elite prospects, the Ontario Hockey League has been the top power broker of the three CHL loops. But for the 1998 birth year, the power has shifted to the Western Hockey League in a big way. The first eight picks in the 2013 WHL bantam draft – Tyler Benson (Vancouver Giants/Edmonton, Alta.), Sam Steel (Regina Pats/Sherwood Park, Alta.), Josh Anderson (Prince George Cougars/Duncan, B.C.), Nolan Patrick (Brandon Wheat Kings/Winnipeg, Man.), Brett Howden (Moose Jaw Warriors/Oakbank, Man.), Kale Clague (Brandon Wheat Kings/Lloydminster, Alta.), Tyson Jost (Everett Silvertips/Kelowna, B.C.) and Dante Fabbro (Seattle Thunderbirds/Coquitlam, B.C.) – are all in this U-17 event and many of them are expected to figure prominently. Of that group, only Jost and Fabbro, aren’t playing in the WHL. They’re with Penticton of the BCHL. Four in particular are expected to stand out: Benson is a big, strong, two-way forward with above average skill for Team Canada Black; Steel is an undersized but incredibly skilled and smart forward, also on Team Canada Black; Clague is a gifted and dynamic offensive defenceman, also on Team Canada Black; and Patrick who is a big, two-way forward who plays a complete pro-style game, and the son of former NHLer Steve Patrick and nephew of ex NHL defenceman James Patrick, is on Team Canada Red. Incredibly, the three Team Canada captains – Clague on Team Canada Black; Patrick on Team Canada Red and forward Tanner Kaspick on Team Canada White – are all members of the Brandon Wheat Kings. Patrick, by the way, is a late birthdate (after Sept. 15) and that makes him eligible for the 2017 NHL draft. The others are 2016 eligible. That is just a small sampling of some of the Canadian talent on display, but the beauty of this event is that it’s often the place where future NHL stars of all nationalities will first burst onto the international scene and make themselves known to the hockey world at large. And finally, after all these years, I get to go to it. So, thanks. Phoenix Suns Jerseys . Earnshaw, 31, most recently spent time on loan in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv from Welsh club Cardiff City, which plays in Englands second-tier League Championship. Earnshaw began his career with Cardiff Citys youth program and turned professional in 1998. Cheick Diallo Jersey . In fact, with a few improvements, this could very well be a decent team over the next few seasons. I will go into more detail when digging into the Canucks Off-Season Game Plan, which will be coming earlier this year since they are part of the non-playoff contingent, there are some reasons to think this is a favourable situation for President of Hockey Operations Trevor Linden and whomever he selects to be the new general manager. https://www.thesunslockerroom.com/Frank-Kaminsky-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Both moves were announced Tuesday. The Titans had waived Matthews on Saturday when they promoted wide receiver Michael Preston from the practice squad.KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Mike Moustakas had his eye on the ball from the moment it left Adam Joness bat, tracking it against the bright lights of Kauffman Stadium. When it settled into his glove and he tumbled into a dugout suite, a dozen fans were waiting to pick him right back up.Just like Moustakas has picked up his team during its perfect post-season.The third baseman with the four playoff homers dazzled with his glove Tuesday night. And when Billy Butler drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, the long-downtrodden Kansas City Royals were on their way to a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles and a commanding 3-0 lead in their AL Championship Series.It really did fire up the whole stadium, Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said of his teammates circus catch. Hats off to the fans in the dugout suite, pick him up and put him back on the field. That was great. Moose finding ways to get it done.The entire team has found ways to get it done. The wild-card Royals have won 10 straight post-season games, including all seven this year, in their first playoff appearance in 29 years.The only thing thats slowed Kansas City so far was a rainout Monday.Weve got a snowball effect going right now, Butler said. The confidence couldnt be any higher. Thats when you come to the park each day, focus on the next pitch, focus on your job and just not be the guy to end the streak.Fresh off a combined three-hitter, Kansas City will send Jason Vargas to the mound for Game 4 on Wednesday, trying to advance to its first World Series since 1985. Miguel Gonzalez will go to the mound for the Orioles.Its hard to take advantage of mistakes when theyre not making any, Orioles first baseman Steve Pearce said. This is tough, man. Weve got one loss left. Weve got to find a way to start pulling this out. We got to find somebody to get it done.The Orioles are the 34th team to trail 3-0 in a best-of-seven major league post-season series — the only team to come back and win was the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees, STATS said.Its been done before, so that gives you a chance, Jones said. Weve won four games before. Obviously, not in this situation. But weve won four games, four games, four games. So start tomorrow, start in the first inning and get some runs on the board.The Royals Jeremy Guthrie and Orioles Wei-Yin Chen hooked up in a tense pitching duel for five innings Tuesday night, and the game was still 1-all when Chen gave up a leadoff single to Nori Aoki in the sixth. Eric Hosmer followed with a one-out single to put runners on the corners, and Orioles manager Buck Showalter brought in hard-throwing reliever Kevin Gausman.Butler greeted him with a fly ball to left field for the ttiebreaking run — just the latest example of Kansas City doing all the little things right. Leandro Barbosa Jersey. ne of the best bullpens in baseball took care of the rest.Winning pitcher Jason Frasor breezed through the sixth, and Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis nailed down the next two innings. Greg Holland worked a perfect ninth for his third save of the series, setting off a wild celebration in the stands.In all, Kansas City pitchers retired the final 16 batters.It was the 13th game to be decided by one run this post-season, matching the record set in 2011 and tied last year. Six games have gone to extra innings, including the Giants 5-4, 10-inning victory over the Cardinals hours earlier in the NLCS.I wish I didnt have so much stake in it, Showalter said dryly. Id probably enjoy watching both teams play more than I do.After failing to take the lead in the first two games of the series, Baltimore managed to strike first this night, temporarily silencing a frigid, flag-waving capacity crowd.It happened in the second inning, when Pearce and J.J. Hardy hit back-to-back doubles for a 1-0 lead. Guthrie wiggled out of the jam, though, and grinded through five innings against his former team in his first start since Sept. 26.Chen matched him pitch-for-pitch until the fourth, when the Royals put together one of their quintessential innings: a pair of bloop singles, a walk and a tying RBI groundout.The Royals played catch up with their gloves, too.Moustakas made a diving grab to rob Pearce of a single in the fourth. Then in the sixth, he tracked that popup by Jones into foul territory, steadied himself at a railing near the dugout, then extended himself to catch the ball and tumbled into the stands.They were both tremendous plays, Royals manager Ned Yost said.The blue-clad crowd rose to its feet to give Moustakas a rousing cheer, and many fans were still standing when Butler drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom half of the inning.By the time the Royals Big Three of Herrera, Davis and Holland had closed it out, the Royals were on the verge of another post-season sweep.Weve got to zone in on the task at hand, Holland said. Theyre not going to lay down. We understand that.STATS AND STREAKSOrioles DH Nelson Cruz had his streak of six straight multihit playoff games end. He was 0 for 4. ... Pearce had been 0 for 9 in the series before his double in the second inning.UP NEXTOrioles: Gonzalez has not started since his final regular-season outing on Sept. 28. Im going to try as best as possible to give our team a chance, he said.Royals: Vargas has also had a long stretch without a start, last taking the hill against the Angels in Game 1 of AL Division Series on Oct. 2. Ill be ready to go, he said. ' ' '