The Original Game » to be here right now, Danish and Detroit Red W

TORONTO -- When the World Cup of Hockey started, Team Europe was not picked as a team to beat. Cheap Shoes Australia .In fact, the unique team made up of eight nations outside of the continents traditional hockey powers was expected to be out of the best-on-best tournament.Team Europe had other plans.The blended group of players opened the tournament with a 3-0 win over the U.S. and then beat the Czech Republic in overtime to seal a spot in the semifinals before losing to Canada.I know nobody really expected us to be here right now, Danish and Detroit Red Wings forward Frans Nielsen said Saturday. But when you look in the room and go over the team, theres not a lot of players better than (Anze) Kopitar in this tournament. We got (Marian) Hossa. We got some good guys on the backend and good goaltending.The Europeans will face Sweden on Sunday for a spot in the best-of-three finals against Canada.When Team Europe players have faced Sweden for their countries -- Switzerland, Denmark, Slovakia, France, Germany, Slovenia, Austria and Norway -- in previous, they didnt have a legitimate chance to win.They do now.A veteran group of skaters and a star in Kopitar along with Slovak and New York Islanders goaltender Jaroslav Halak give them a shot on any sheet of ice.Hes the kind of goalie that almost every night, he gives you a chance to win, said Nielsen, who played with Halak in New York. And, hell make that save when you need it.Team Europe coach Ralph Krueger said hell likely save his rah-rah speeches for another team because this one simply doesnt need it.Krueger began to sense something special was in store for Team Europe nearly a year ago when several candidates to be on the team met when Boston and the New York Islanders played. When the entire group gathered nearly three weeks ago in Quebec, Krueger got even more excited about the natural chemistry the team already had from their shared experiences.We didnt have to do a lot of extra team-building, Krueger said. It just happened with a combination of leadership and personalities and character and will -- of pure will -- of these eight nations that are forever underdogs, forever going home when the final four is staged, forever watching other teams play in finals of best of best. That opportunity has fueled the fire that taken us here.---Follow Larry Lage at www.twitter.com/larrylage and follow his work at www.bigstory.ap.org/content/larry-lage Wholesale Shoes Australia . On June 12, just as the sun sets on the magnificent historical city of Sao Paulo the inventors, innovators and purveyors of “joga bonitowill” open their campaign. The opponent, Croatia and all its football might and will. As opposites do attract we are set for a corker of an opener. Cheap Shoes Australia Onine . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. http://www.australiashoescheap.com/ . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete. MINNEAPOLIS -- Seimone Augustus had 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting in her return from a knee injury, and Maya Moore added 15 to help the Minnesota Lynx cruise to an 88-70 victory over the New York Liberty on Friday night.Augustus, who missed the last three games because of a sore left knee, grabbed a season-high seven rebounds and had four assists. Janel McCarville scored a season-best 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting for Minnesota (18-4).Back-to-back baskets by Shavonte Zellous pulled the Liberty (16-7) within four with 2:35 left in the first half, but Lindsay Whalen hit a jumper and haad two assists during a 9-2 run that pushed the Lynxs lead into double figures early in the third quarter. Online Shoes Australia Cheap. Minnesota, ranked second in the AP WNBA power poll, made 10 of 15 from the field in the period and led the rest of the way.Tina Charles had 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Zellous added 11 points for the third-ranked Liberty. New York had its four-game winning streak snapped.The Lynx have won three games in a row and five of their last six. ' ' '