TORONTO - Olli Maatta skated with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday for the first time since having surgery to remove a tumour in his thyroid gland that turned out to be cancerous. Maatta, a 20-year-old defenceman from Finland, insisted he felt normal and believes he could be back on the ice sooner rather than later. I want to come back tomorrow, Maatta said after practice. But Ive got to take it easy first. I have to make sure Im 100 per cent and can help the team when I come back. Maatta was able to continue playing hockey until his Nov. 4 surgery. The team said he would return within four weeks of the operation, which was performed by head and neck surgeon Dr. Robert Ferris at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Coach Mike Johnston said Maatta was ahead of schedule to return to game action. The way it looks right now, hell definitely be back before the four-week window, Johnston said. I would expect if he reacts positively to the skate today and the doctors take a look at him over the next day or so, he can be back any time in the next five, six days. Maatta brushed off concern about the tumour and its removal, saying there was nothing but a scar as a result. I look at it as a bump on the road, the 2012 first-round pick said. Its really good that we found it early. It hasnt really bothered me before. Its not going to bother me again. Its just another bump in the road. I got over it. I can start playing hockey again. Maatta skated on his own following the Penguins morning skate at Madison Square Garden in New York on Tuesday. This was another step in his road back. He took part in most of the drills, hes starting to build up, Johnston said. Well see how he reacts after this skate. I know they want to be cautious just for a few days just to make sure everythings fine with him. Nemanja Bjelica Kings Jersey . Duhamel, from Lively, Ont., and Radford, from Balmertown, Ont., were third with 210.84 points. Teammates Kirsten Moore-Towers of St. Catharines, Ont., and Dylan Moscovitch of Toronto were fourth. Duhamel and Radford, who were seventh at the Sochi Olympics, also won bronze at last years world championships in London, Ont. Buddy Hield Jersey .C. -- The Bobcats announced theyve signed centre Justin Hamilton to a 10-day contract. http://www.nbakingsonline.com/Authentic-...s-Kings-Jersey/. - Florida State has suspended Jameis Winston for the entire game against Clemson on Saturday, extending its initial punishment of one half after the quarterback made offensive and vulgar comments about female anatomy earlier this week. Oscar Robertson Kings Jersey . Paul George and Darren Collison each scored 17 points and Roy Hibbert added 11 points and nine rebounds for the Pacers (9-3), who won their third straight. Mike Bibby Kings Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins (5) – He was locked in all night, made huge stops on Benoit Pouliot, Raphael Diaz, Ryan Mcdonagh, Carl Hagelin, Rick Nash (twice) but none better than the three saves on Mats Zuccarello. SOCHI, Russia -- The amazing ride for Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse didnt end at the Sanki Sliding Center. Canadas Olympic bobsled champions received one of the Games highest honours, chosen to carry Canadas flag into Sundays closing ceremony. "Wow. Its truly an honour to represent what our Canadian athletes are all about," Moyse said. "If we look back to the Canadian teams performance back in Vancouver (in 2010) we can see that a new culture of winning has truly emerged. "The fight that Kaillie and I demonstrated here reflects the fight of all of our Canadian athletes. We are strong. We are winter. We have the strength of a nation behind us. We were raised on ice and in snow. "And as we said in our note to the Canadian hockey team, we also fight to the bitter end." Only twice before has Canada had two people share flag duties: pairs figure skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier in 2002, and rowers Marnie McBean and Kathleen Heddle in 1996. Womens hockey star Hayley Wickenheiser carried the flag into the opening ceremony in Sochi. Humphries, from Calgary, and Moyse, from Summerside, P.E.I., displayed steely nerves in their come-from-behind victory. The Canada 1 sled had a gap of 11-100ths of a second to close entering the final run. Moyse delivered with a strong push at the start, then Humphries took over from there. In the end the USA-1 sled came up short on its final run, giving Canada the win by a tenth of a second. "We were able to show the world that were fierce, were proud, were determined, were not going to settle for anything less than being the very best, and were going to do it in our own way," Humphries said. "Heather and I in our race. . . neither of us gave up and we knew we had a nation behind us, pushing us, and not giving up either, and that gave us the strength to really go all in and never let up." Humphries and Moyse were underdogs when they won at the Vancouver Games four years ago but were favourites this time around. The Canadians had at least silver locked up after their final run at the Sanki Sliding Center, and then had a nervous two-minute wait in the finish area while Americans Elana Meyers and Lauryn Williams completed their run. The pressure seemed to get to the Americans, who came up one-10tth of a second short with a wobbly run, meaning Canadas women were golden once again.dddddddddddd Humphries and Moyse received the flag news very early Sunday morning. Theyd been at the bobsled track late watching the Canadian men race. When the 28-year-old Humphries got the call from Canadian chef de mission Steve Podborski, she thought shed pocket-dialled him. "He was like No, I called you," Humphries said. "To get that phone call to be told that you get to walk into a ceremonies with your countrymen behind you, your teammates, your family, and to know that youve been chosen as one to represent. . . goes beyond just words." As the women pointed out, they represent Canada almost from coast to coast. After the Vancouver Games, there were references about the two being meat and potatoes -- Alberta beef and P.E.I. potatoes. "That steak and potatoes, that gold-medal meal," Humphries said. "We tie in everywhere from coast to coast, and its not just (an honour) to represent our country, but to represent the athletes who are here, the best of the best who already represent our country so well." Podborski said the bobsledders embody the values the Canadian Olympic team set for the Sochi Games -- stoked, proud, inspired, fierce and unstoppable. "By defending their Olympic championship in a four-run come-from-behind battle that was clinched in literally the last few seconds, the last few metres," he said. The Canadian Olympic Committee had "an embarrassment of riches," to choose from as well, he added. Among other likely candidates: womens and mens curling champions Jennifer Jones and Brad Jacobs, moguls champion Alex Bilodeau, and sisters Justine and Chloe Dufour-Lapointe sisters, gold and silver medallists in womens moguls. Hours before they were to march into Fisht Olympic stadium, Humphries was hoping to control her nerves while Moyse was worried about crying. "Im so nervous and so excited for it and I was not even close to this nervous competing by any means," Humphries said, laughing. "For me the nerves will probably be to try to get through it without sobbing," Moyse added. "Its an extremely emotional feeling, so if I get through it without crying, that will be a huge step." ' ' '