TORONTO -- Team Russias World Cup of Hockey hopes were on the line in this game against Team North America. In some ways, so too was its reputation as a hockey power. Another early exit during best-on-best play, and Alex Ovechkin, along with his teammates, would have to answer more questions about their place in the world.As one Russian player put it the morning of the game: There were 154 million people back home who wanted a positive outcome, perhaps demanded it.At one point in Russias 4-3 victory Monday night over North America, Connor McDavid had a breakaway on Russian goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, and Bobrovsky made the save.That was the most important shot of my life, said Bobrovsky, the 2013 Vezina Trophy winner.The game meant everything to the Russians.For North America, theres no homeland. No hockey history that strings back decades. No millions of lifelong fans desperate for success.Its just a group of players loaded with talent and clearly playing for each other, a group that seems to be learning lessons in this tournament at breakneck speed. They learned another one Monday.Lose your way against the best teams in the world, even for a few minutes, and games are lost. Entire tournament hopes can be wiped out.North America came out flying. And it finished with an amazing flurry in the third period, providing action at the end of the game that this tournament previously hadnt seen.It was the in-between that was troubling.At the halfway point in the game, we got away from our game plan, said North American defenseman Morgan Rielly. Thats when they hit their stride. Looking back at the game, that was the difference.It doesnt take much in the World Cup for things to turn.But this much we know about the kids on Team North America, which is made up of players from the United States and Canada ages 23 and under. They learn fast. Theyve quickly grasped how the coaching staff wants them to play and for the most part have embraced it.When the game went sideways, with Russia going on a second-period spree of four unanswered goals, the North American coaching staff didnt like how the players responded in the moment. They noticed that for the first time all tournament, players looked unsure of themselves. There wasnt a veteran line to turn to that might settle things down.And they got away from the style of play in which they are most successful.Off the rush, they werent putting the puck on net and creating rebounds as frequently as they had when the offense was clicking.That starts our O-zone play, explained?Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.To get the message across that expectations werent being met, coach Todd McLellan shortened the bench. Forwards Jonathan Drouin and Dylan Larkin were used sparingly as North America mounted its comeback.Theyll learn, just like the rest of the group will learn. And McLellan saw it happening in real time. During the second intermission, with his team trailing 4-2, he didnt like some of the body language he saw in the dressing room. He saw players sitting in their stalls looking down.It didnt last.What could have happened to our belief system is it could have completely crumbled. It didnt, McLellan said. It cracked a little bit. We lost a few little segments of bricks, but we were able to put it back together in the third period.In doing so, we learned just how resilient the North American players are. There was Nathan MacKinnon taking multiple cross-checks to the back in front of the goal and then heading right back to the crease the next moment the opportunity presented itself.It was that willingness to take on a beating that set up a great pass from MacKinnon to Nugent-Hopkins for the third-period goal that pulled North America within 4-3.Earlier in the game, you saw 19-year-old Auston Matthews picking Ovechkins pocket to erase a first-period Russian scoring threat, revealing just how well-rounded his game already is.You saw these extra efforts on both ends of the ice mixed in with glimpses of the otherworldly skill that the next generation of NHL stars possesses.Moments after Matthews poked the puck away from Ovechkin, McDavid blew by Pavel Datsyuk to set up a Matthews goal to give North America a 1-0 lead. You could go years during Datsyuks prime without him looking that bad defensively.He put on the turbos, Matthews said of McDavid. He just absolutely took off.They were making Ovechkin and Datsyuk -- two of the best of their generation -- look mortal.If this version of the World Cup gives us nothing else, it is giving us Matthews and McDavid playing on a line together. It might never happen in another meaningful game again after this wraps up.And it could wrap up soon for the North Americans, now 1-1 in pool play, which would be a shame. Theyve entertained. Theyve battled. And now, with a gutsy loss to the Russians, theyve showed that they wont go down without at least one more swing.They get another chance, perhaps their last, Wednesday afternoon against Sweden, the best team theyll face in group play.We need a little rest, but well be ready for it, McLellan said. Theyre young guys. Theyre going to come and play. Theyre going to have fun doing it. Samuel Umtiti Jersey . The 19-year-old Olsen played 34 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL this season. In that time, hes recorded 17 goals and 17 assists with 36 penalty minutes. Jasper Cillessen Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.fcbarcelonapro.com/Kids-Aleix-Vidal-Jersey/ . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Nelson Semedo Jersey . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. Barcelona Jerseys . LOUIS -- St.Manchester Thunder will host Yorkshire Jets in a feisty season finale on Monday, live on Sky Sports. The Netball Superleague clash will pit the top-of-the-table Thunder against their bottom-of-the-pile rivals from across the Pennines, and you can watch from 7.30pm on Sky Sports 2 HD.Thunder will can tighten their grip on the Superleague title after second-placed Hertfordshire Mavericks slipped up on Saturday with a defeat to Team Bath. Ellie Cardwell and Helen Housby were in red-hot form over the weekend as Thunder powered past Surrey Storm and can now wrap up the league title on the final matchday.Jetts have endured a campaign to forget, waiting until the penultimate game to put their first points on the table.ddddddddddddA victory over second-bottom Celtic Dragons over the weekend will, at the very least, send them to the Manchester Arena with a boost of confidence after 12 straight defeats.Watch Thunder v Jets on Monday, from 7.30pm on Sky Sports 2 HD. 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