TORONTO – He hasnt played since breaking a bone in his right hand in a fight on Nov. Asics Shoes Sale Online . 11, but Connor McDavid showed up for Hockey Canadas World Junior selection camp with his game face on. You dont reach the level hes at (16 goals, 35 assists in 18 games with the Erie Otters this season) at the age hes at (17) without being intense. That intensity was evident early in the camps first on-ice workout Thursday evening at the MasterCard Centre. McDavid, taking part in a full practice for the first time since having his cast removed Tuesday, mishandled the puck on consecutive plays in the same drill. He was clearly frustrated. He apologized, said Guelph Storm right winger Robby Fabbri, who was on McDavid’s line during much of the practice. Everyone makes mistakes, but he doesnt make too many of them. I just gave him a pat and told him to relax. You apologize to your teammates when you make a mistake, McDavid said. I messed up there and twice in a row with Robby so I felt bad about it. Hes a good friend of mine and he came over and told me not to worry about it. A little later in the practice the team was put through a shot-blocking drill. The assistant coaches fired foam pucks at players from a few feet away. McDavid, who has not yet been cleared for contact, wanted to be part of it. But after McDavid blocked his first shot head coach Benoit Groulx intervened asking the favourite to go first in the next NHL Draft to sit out the drill. I told him, You know what? I dont want my face on TV tomorrow [because you got hurt] for this reason so get out of there! Groulx said with a chuckle. I just went once, so I guess 1-for-1 so that makes me 100 per cent, McDavid said with a wry grin. Earlier in the practice, McDavid wired a slap shot past Jets goalie prospect Eric Comrie high on the glove side. It was a thing of beauty. McDavid was, of course, nonplussed when asked about it afterwards. I was taking slap-shots with my cast on so I think you guys are making too big of a deal about it. I’ve been skating for three weeks. Ive been skating fully for three weeks so this is kind of just another day. McDavid suggested his recent layoff from game action may actually be a blessing when it comes to the World Juniors, because hell be fresher than others. My legs have felt probably better than they did before I got hurt, he noted. There is a reason McDavids every move was and will continue to be under the microscope. Hes seen as the next big star in hockey: a generational talent, who can change a franchises fortunes. And for Canada he is someone, who will figure prominently in the quest to end a five-year gold medal drought. You can tell the legs are there, no problem, said Groulx. It was good to see him. Just having him on the ice was good for everyone. The Canadian bench boss, an assistant on Brent Sutters staff a year ago, says Hockey Canada is going to be very cautious when it comes to the emerging superstar. We want to be patient with him in order to have him at 100 per cent. We don’t want to put Connor McDavid on the ice at 75 per cent. We are going to have to wait and see to how he reacts to practicing. The hope is that McDavid will be able to play in at least one of the teams three pre-tournament games: Dec. 19 against Russia in Toronto, Dec. 21 against Sweden in Ottawa or on Dec. 23 against Switzerland in Montreal. McDavid, for his part, seemed supremely confident that he will be ready for the tournament opener on Boxing Day. Playing mostly on the wing, McDavid, a natural centre, had just four points in seven games last year when he became just the sixth 16-year-old to crack Canadas World Junior roster. This year hes poised to be a leader on the squad. It’s a big opportunity and perhaps the final one on this stage for a player, who appears destined to make the NHL early in his career. And the fact the event will take place on home soil makes it all the more special. Everyones excited, McDavid said when asked specifically about the added pressure of playing in Montreal and Toronto. Were not feeling too much pressure now. Being at home, its a blessing, honestly, its an opportunity that not a whole lot of people get to do. On Wednesday, Scott Salmond, Hockey Canadas vice-president of hockey operations, declared that he felt like Canada was an underdog at the event during an interview with QMI News Agency. But McDavid has high expectations. I dont see any reason why we cant [win] it all, he said. Cheap Asics Shoes Uk . The veteran NFL receiver received his work permit and is in Montreal for the start of the Alouettes rookie camp. Johnson even took in the Montreal Canadiens Game 5 win over the New York Rangers at the Bell Centre Tuesday night. Asics Wholesale Uk . It all would have been for naught, however, had it not been for some clutch shooting in the fourth quarter by Kobe Bryant and a couple of equally critical hustle plays by Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol in the final minutes. http://www.asicsuksale.com/ . The Tinkoff-Saxo rider was still dealing with the right shin he broke in a crash which ended his Tour de France on Stage 10. He hoped to defy his doctors and race in the home Grand Tour he won in 2008 and 2012, but he says there have been complications in his recovery. HOUSTON -- After scoring six runs in the last four games, Houstons offence went on a homer spree. Chris Carter, Jason Castro, Marc Krauss and Matt Dominguez each hit a home run as the Houston Astros snapped a five-game skid with a 7-3 win over the Oakland Athletics on Monday night. Carter hit a monstrous three-run shot to centre field in the third to give the Astros a lead, and Castro and Krauss went back-to-back in the sixth, with Castros homer a two-run shot. Krauss homer found the upper deck in right field and chased As starter Jesse Chavez (8-7). Two batters later, Dominguez sent a drive onto the railroad tracks in left field off reliever Dan Otero. "Weve been going through our offensive woes and, again, to see the middle of the lineup swing the bat the way they swung it tonight was exciting," Houston manager Bo Porter said. The last time Houston hit three home runs in an inning was June 5, 2013, against Baltimore. The Astros were coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of Miami. "Its just nice to see that after we struggled against the Marlins to score runs," Carter said. "Its nice to see the offence come around like that." Houston starter Brett Oberholtzer (3-7) won for the first time since May 30, giving up three runs and eight hits with two strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings. "For me and Castro, it was the same game plan," Oberholtzer said. "Just attack them, throw the ball in and stay away from the big innings." Chavez allowed a season-high six runs and five hits with five strikeouts in 5 1-3 innings. "I thought he was throwing the ball really well, real similar to how he did last time out," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "I think the Carter at-bat affected the way things went from there." The three home runs allowed were a career high. Chavez had allowed three home runs in his last 11 starts combined. "To sum up the whole day, it was three pitches and one walk,"t; Chavez said. Asics Shoes Uk Sale. "That cant happen when you have the lead, and its something that has been my Achilles heel, giving back the runs they get for me and not being able to get through six." Stephen Vogt had two hits, including a solo home run in the third into the upper deck in right to give the As a 2-0 lead. Jed Lowrie and Josh Donaldson each added two hits for Oakland. Derek Norris gave the As a 1-0 lead in the second with an RBI single, and Yoenis Cespedes tied it at 3 with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. ON DECK Athletics: Right-hander Jeff Samardzija, who is 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA in four starts since being acquired July 5 from the Cubs, will start Tuesday against the Astros in the second game of the three-game series. Astros: Right-hander Scott Feldman, who is 4-8 with a 4.60 ERA, will try to bounce back Tuesday after one of his worst starts of the season, giving up six runs in 5 1-3 innings in a 13-1 loss at Oakland Thursday. TRAINERS ROOM Athletics: Outfielder Craig Gentry was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday with a broken right hand, and the As promoted OF Billy Burns from Double-A Midland. Gentry was injured Sunday at Texas after being hit by a pitch. Astros: Right-hander Josh Zeid, who is on the disabled list with swelling near the left big toe, is going to see a specialist Tuesday and hopes to avoid surgery. ALTUVE IS STREAKING Houston second baseman Jose Altuve extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the third inning. Altuve, who leads the Majors with 149 hits, had a season-high hitting streak of 12 games from May 8-21. REDDICK SHOWS OFF GLOVE Josh Reddick flashed the leather twice in the seventh. Enrique Hernandez led off with a sharp liner to right, but Reddick ran it down in the corner, keeping the ball from hitting the top of the fence. Altuve followed with another hard-hit ball that was about to fall in. Reddick dived forward to make another highlight-reel play. ' ' '