TORONTO -- Of all the teams in the World Cup of Hockey, its fair to say that the greatest pressure falls squarely on the collective shoulders of Team USA to hit the ground running.Granted, none of the eight teams can afford to start slowly, given that the tournaments pool will be cut in half after only three preliminary games.But for an American team desperate to prove it was put together correctly, desperate to prove that its style of hockey can trump the best the world has to offer, a matinee matchup against Team Europe on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2) to kick off the 2016 World Cup of Hockey looms large.Is it a must-win?Lets call it what it is. So, yes, its a must-win.Team USA coach John Tortorella was asked Friday whether the mantra for this veteran, hard-nosed team might be, If not now, then when?He replied by refining it to, simply, Its time.That time is Saturday afternoon. Not Tuesday night against Canada, not later on against the Czech Republic.Im sure guys are going to have nerves, Team USA defenseman Jack Johnson?said. You love to get that rush of competing, thats what makes tournaments like this so great. Its the rush of nerves and the emotions and everything that goes into it. But we know how important these games are. I think, going into Saturday, its [about] that game and that game only. Were not thinking ahead because youve got to win that game before you can win the next game.If you figure two wins gets you out of the preliminary round, and if you figure Canada, Team USAs opponent in the second game of the preliminary round Tuesday night (8 p.m., ESPN), represents the biggest challenge, then beating both Team Europe and the Czechs is imperative for the Americans.Team Europe represents something of an unknown. After looking slow and disconnected in pretournament losses to Team North America, the Euros bounced back with a strong effort in their final tuneup match against Sweden, which is considered one of the tournament favorites.Everythings great, but then you play the first two games and the results were definitely not great, said Team Europe captain Anze Kopitar. Then you almost have a little bit of doubt. You dont know exactly how youre going. I think [beating Sweden] was a great confidence booster for us.The pretournament win was huge for Team Europe and serves as a kind of cautionary lesson for Team USA, reminding the Americans not to assume that they can come with anything less than their A-game on Saturday and expect to collect a victory.Finding that emotional balance will be key for Team USA. It must bring the same speed and physicality it showed against Canada in pretournament play, but not provide power-play opportunities to a Team Europe squad that figures to struggle offensively.There really is no easing into it, Team USA veteran?Zach Parise?said. With a three-game round-robin, and only taking two teams, you cant really afford to have a slipup. You cant afford to really have an off-game early or else youll need a little luck [to move on]. But I think were going to be ready to play.Team USA started the pretournament schedule with an emotional, physical effort against Canada. The Americans won that game 4-2, but Canada rebounded to take the rematch the next night in Ottawa 5-2 and outplayed Team USA in both meetings.Team USA looked much better in its final tuneup against Finland, a 3-2 victory, and the feeling among the American players is that they are finding their rhythm under head coach John Tortorella.I think were in a good spot right now, but theres definitely going to be things to clean up, forward T.J. Oshie?said. I think were heading in the right direction.It is hard, because if you get off to a bad start, you might be going home in a week. I think our teams got enough experience, weve got enough veteran guys, to where well probably stay pretty level-headed and not get overanxious or nervous or anything like that. It definitely could get to you, worrying about that. But I think this group is experienced enough to where we wont let it.Longtime NHL analyst and former NHL goalie Darren Pang wouldnt go as far as saying the U.S. absolutely must win Saturday, but he did say its crucial for the Americans to set the right tone.I think its about how they play, said Pang, who is providing analysis for ESPN during the tournament. How they want to play and how they set the tone, because I think they are a tone-setter for this tournament.Pang said he has been impressed with how players have accepted their roles as set out by the coaching staff.Youre starting to see an identity, Pang said. What Ive been impressed with is that it looks like players have checked their egos completely at the door and theyre going to play the way the coach says.Although Tortorella would not reveal his lineup Friday, he confirmed Jonathan Quick would start in goal and line rushes during practice on Friday suggested that Justin Abdelkader would be the extra forward.The coach admitted that some players have rounded into game shape more quickly than others. I looked at some guys early on and said, Theyre just not ready to give here, Tortorella said. You have talks along the way, and you see guys step up. I wont give away names, but I was really worried about a couple of guys, and then they came right to the forefront. Theyre going to be in the lineup.Some other guys have played themselves out of it. Nothing is fair with [only] five days of practice in determining a lineup, but thats the world that we live in this tournament, and thats the way weve gone about it.In other words, its time. 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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Welcome back to the big stage, Jerick McKinnon and Fozzy Whittaker.Oh, and Matt Asiata and Cameron Artis-Payne, get ready to carry the football, too.The Vikings and Panthers will be counting on their backup running backs to have a next man up mentality when they meet Sunday in Charlotte, a city that was placed under a state of emergency due to the violent protests stemming from a police shooting last week.Both teams lost their featured backs last week to injury -- Minnesotas Adrian Peterson underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus, while Jonathan Stewart is dealing with a pulled hamstring. Both players are out indefinitely.While Peterson was the leagues MVP in 2012, a case can be made that Stewart might be just as valuable to the Panthers at this point. Carolina comes in with the leagues top-ranked rushing offense, while the Vikings are last.Whittaker has started three games since coming into the league as an undrafted rookie in 2012, but ran for 100 yards on 16 carries last week in a 47-26 win over the San Francisco 49ers after Stewart went down in the first quarter. Whittaker has primarily been used as a third-down back and could wind up splitting carries with Artis-Payne, a bigger, stronger runner who has more of a straight-ahead style.A lot of it is you prepare for the scheme and then youre aware of the back thats in there, whichever back it ends up being, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said.McKinnon hopes to give the Vikings (2-0) a boost in the running game.The 5-foot-9, 205-pound back has started six games during his three seasons in the league, all of those in 2014 when he ran for 538 yards and averaged 4.8 yards per carry. Asiata is a power back who could see goal-line and short-yardage carries.Things to watch on Sunday:BUMMED BROTHER: Panthers center Ryan Kalil said he is bummed that he wont be facing his brother Matt, the starting left tackle for the Vikings who was placed on injured reserve with a hip injury this week. They have faced each other twice in their careers.We definitely get very competitive during these weeks and we have a 1-1 tally going on, Ryan Kalil said. Im really, really disappointed for my brother and I knew hes really upset.T.J. Clemmings, who started all 16 games at right tackle last season for the Vikings, will be back in a starting role.ddddddddddddWAYNES WORLD: The knee injury that kept Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes out of the first two games thrust Trae Waynes, the teams first-round draft pick last year, into an elevated role.Hes still on his NFL learning curve, as evidenced by the pass interference and defensive holding penalties he picked up on the same drive in the third quarter against Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers targeted him often. But Waynes darted in front of a fourth-quarter pass by Rodgers for a game-sealing interception in the victory, a clear sign of progress for the Michigan State product.Id much rather have him be aggressive and get a couple of those once in a while than play real soft and scared, Zimmer said of the flags thrown on Waynes.Rhodes has returned to practice this week, which could affect Waynes playing time.RECEIVERS ON A MISSION: Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin has been huge since his return from a torn ACL with 13 receptions for 199 yards and three touchdowns in his first two games back.Meanwhile, Stefon Diggs has been tearing it up for Minnesota with 180 yards receiving and a TD in last weeks 17-14 win over the Packers.CLEANING IT UP: The Panthers won last week despite turning over the ball four times. Its something Cam Newton said the team needs to clean up against the Vikings.We just cant keep allowing ourselves to go on those lulls and having those brain farts, the quarterback saidCAPTAIN RETURNS: Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn spent the first five seasons of his career with the Panthers and still keeps a home in Charlotte in the offseason. So it will be a homecoming when he returns as a vital member of one of the leagues top defenses.Its definitely going back home, Munnerlyn said. My emotions are very high. Its going to be a crazy game for me, back in Charlotte where I stay, and playing against my former teammates and my former coach.---AP Sports Writers Jon Krawczynski and Dave Campbell contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '