SOCHI, Russia -- Martin St. Louis is going to get a chance to represent his country at the Winter Olympics after all. Hockey Canada announced today that the 38-year-old Tampa Bay forward will replace injured Lightning teammate Steven Stamkos on Canadas mens hockey team at the Sochi Olympics. "I heard from Stammer that he wasnt going to go, so I knew it was a possibility," St. Louis told reporters in Tampa on Thursday. "So I guess I was prepared for it." St. Louis said he felt bad for Stamkos, who tried hard to come back from a broken right tibia he suffered in a Nov. 11 NHL game before being ruled out of Olympic competition by the Lightnings medical staff on Wednesday. "I think weve got to understand how hard hes tried and worked to put himself in the position hes in and give himself a chance," St. Louis said. "Obviously hes disappointed and Im disappointed for him. Stammers a true professional and hes done everything he can this past month to get back to the lightning first and hopefully to Team Canada." St. Louis was considered one of Canadas most surprising snubs when Canadas team was first announced, along with Philadelphia forward Claude Giroux and Pittsburgh forward James Neal. The Laval, Que., native led the league in points in the 2012-13 shortened season with 17 goals and 43 assists in 48 games. He is having another strong campaign in 2013-14 with 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) in 56 games, good for 11th in the league. "I dont see this as Marty replacing me, I see it as Marty deserving a spot on this team and going over and hopefully bringing back a gold medal," said Stamkos in the same news conference. St. Louis has won two World Championship silver medals for Canada over his career. He played in the 2006 Turin Olympics, scoring two goals and an assist in Canadas disappointing seventh-place finish. St. Louis went on a 10-game point streak (eight goals, six assists) for the Lightning after first being left off Canadas team, announced on Jan. 7. He said the snub had nothing to do with his increased production, but his play of late might have given him the edge over Giroux and Neal. "I dont think its motivation. Ive been motivated the past four years ... the past 10 years. If youre not motivated, youre not even considered for these things. His speed could be a benefit to Canada, which has struggled in the Olympics when playing on the larger international ice surface. Canada won gold in Salt Lake City in 2002 and in Vancouver in 2010 playing in NHL-style arenas, but was left off the podium in Nagano, Japan in 1998 and Turin, Italy in 2006. "Obviously its a bigger ice surface. It think my quickness, my speed ... thats what Im going to rely on," St. Louis said. "Its a different game, but I think whatever game plan we come up with, its going to be well thought-out." Stamkos is confident that his teammate can fill any position on Team Canada. "Hes going to go over there and play whatever role possible. I personally think hes going to play a big role," said Stamkos. "The character that he has, the way hes played in big-game situations in the past. I mean, hes won individual awards, hes won the team championships, hes been in those situations. "Its not like its a young guy thats never been in these situations before filling in for someone. This is a guy who can step in and play any role asked." Mike Zunino Mariners Jersey . "Last year we were in a ton of situations, late-game situations we couldnt pull out. Wed kind of fold under the pressure, get frustrated or let a big shot frustrate us," guard DeMar DeRozan said. Taylor Guilbeau Jersey . According to a report from ESPN, sources said Manuels college coach Jimbo Fisher told teams he didnt think Manuel had the tools to be an NFL starter. https://www.cheapmariners.com/305k-omar-...y-mariners.html. - Aroldis Chapman, with two black eyes, has returned to the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse four days after being hit in the face by a line drive. Al Cowens Jersey . -- Darrelle Revis says at least 26 teams called after he was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mike Zunino Jersey . After two months of mediocrity, perhaps the Washington Nationals have turned the page. Strasburg struck out 11 in seven innings Wednesday night and the Nationals kept the Philadelphia Phillies bats quiet yet again in an 8-4, rain-interrupted win.Patrick Roy will no doubt get a positive reception from the Bell Centre crowd on Tuesday night ahead of the Colorado Avalanches game versus the hosting Montreal Canadiens. It will then be back to business once the puck drops as the two clubs battle for key points in their respective playoff races. Watch the game live on TSN Canadiens and listen on TSN Radio 690 starting at 7:30pm et. Roy, of course, was a third-round pick by the Canadiens franchise in the 1984 draft and spent his first 10-plus seasons with Montreal before his infamous trade to Colorado in December of 1995 after a fallout with then head coach Mario Tremblay. During his time with the Habs, Roy won a pair of Conn Smythe Trophies and Stanley Cup titles in 1986 and 1993. He also won two Cups and another Conn Smythe award with the Avalanche. Roy has since had his No. 33 jersey retired by the Canadiens and faced Montreal for the first time as a coach when the Avalanche picked up a 4-1 victory at home on Nov. 2. It was Colorados fourth straight win over the Habs and it has also won its past two in Montreal. Roy admitted after Sundays win over the Ottawa Senators that he hadnt been looking ahead to this matchup. "Now Im going to think about it, but before that I was not really focusing on this," said Roy. "Ive been talking to our players that I want a partnership with them. I want us to focus on what we have to do every night and take it one day at a time. I have to do the same thing as them. "I have a lot of respect for the Montreal organization and I have a lot of respect for the fans in Montreal. They were a big part of my career, my 10 years there (were) outstanding, and now that were going to play them Im just going to try and approach it as a hockey game." The big storyline for both clubs isnt the reunion as much as the chase for playoff positioning. Colorado is second in the Central Division with 93 points, one ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks and eight back of the St. Louis Blues. Montreal, meanwhile, is tied for second in the Atlantic Division with the Tampa Bay Lightning, a distant 16 points behind the Boston Bruins. However, the Canadiens also are only one point ahead of the fourth-place Toronto Maple Leafs. Habs goaltender Carey Price said on Monday that the club needs to focus on the game and not the return of Roy.dddddddddddd "(He) is obviously a special player, when it comes to this franchise. But at the end of the day its not about that. Its about our team versus theirs on the ice and right now were in desperation mode trying to pick up points," said Price, though he did admit that Roy was one of his favorite goaltenders. "He was the favorite among many in my generation. Its pretty exciting to have the opportunity to play against him, indirectly I guess." Price missed Montreals first eight games after the Winter Olympic break having suffered a lower-body injury while helping lead Canada to a second straight gold medal. He finally returned to action on Saturday in a 5-4 overtime win against the Ottawa Senators, then did not make his clubs trip to Buffalo to get extra rest. Instead, Dustin Tokarski played in his 10th NHL game and notched a 29-save shutout, the first of his career, in a 2-0 win over the Sabres. He helped Montreal to its second straight win following a three-game slide. "The main thing is the two points," Tokarski said. "It was just a little icing on the cake with the shutout." Dale Weise and Brendan Gallagher scored the goals for the Habs. Price will get the start tonight and is 0-2-1 with a 3.61 goals against average versus the Avalanche. Backup netminder Jean- Sebastien Giguere will get the start for the Avs in what may be his last game played in his home town. The Montreal-born Giguere is 8-3-1 against the Canadiens with a 2.49 GAA. Colorado has won seven of its last nine and notched a 3-1 triumph over Ottawa on Sunday. Andre Benoit, Nick Holden and John Mitchell supplied the goals and Semyon Varlamov made 38 saves. Varlamov came within six seconds of a shutout before getting beat on a one- time blast from the point by Ottawas Mika Zibanejad. "He played so well ... The guys wanted to get the shutout for (Varlamov), but they made a great play," said Roy. Forward Matt Duchene collected two assists as Colorado played a fourth game in a row without Paul Stastny due to a back issue. ' ' '