Basisphilosophie » he always has a smile on his face

MONTREAL — Curtis Lazar has every reason to be smiling. The always good-humoured Ottawa Senators rookie on Monday was named captain of Canadas junior hockey team for the upcoming world championship in Toronto and Montreal. Im very honoured to have this opportunity, and Im going to take full advantage of it and go out there and play hard for my country, Lazar told reporters at a hockey charity event in Montreal. I know theres a lot of responsibility that comes along with this, but Im just going to try to take it in stride and be myself. Canadas coaching staff gave Lazar the news Monday morning, shortly after the team arrived in Montreal from Ottawa where Canada beat Sweden 5-2 in an exhibition game on Sunday. True to character, the Salmon Arm, B.C., native was grinning from ear to ear when he was told. As usual, I was smiling, said the 19-year-old, who was drafted 17th overall by the Senators in 2013. Its pretty cool. I didnt know it was coming. Anyone could have it. Im very honoured that my peers and my coaching staff think very highly of me. Im a pretty positive guy for the most part. Im always smiling and trying to keep the guys light. I like to lead by example. I really focus on little details, and I think that goes a long way. I want unity within the dressing room. Regardless of where youre from in Canada, were part of a team now. No one is bigger than the team. Lazar, who has a goal and six assists in 27 games with Ottawa this season, was loaned to Canada by the Senators last week. He is one of seven returning players from last years tournament in Malmo, Sweden, where Canada finished fourth. One year later, Lazar is thinking of redemption. I was disappointed with how we played last year and the result we got, he said, looking back on Canadas semifinal loss against Finland, and the defeat to Russia in the bronze-medal game. Second chances dont come around too often. Were fortunate to have this chance. Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters and Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice will serve as alternate captains for the tournament, which officially gets underway on Dec. 26. McDavid and Reinhart also represented Canada at the 2014 junior championship and were teammates at the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship, where the Canadians won the gold medal. The 17-year-old McDavid, who is touted as the best forward in the upcoming 2015 NHL draft, had nothing but praise for his new captain. Hes always positive, and he always has a smile on his face, McDavid said of Lazar. Nothing seems to bring him down. Hes the perfect guy for the job. The ups and downs of this tournament are pretty crazy, but he never seems to go down. Hes going to be a good captain. McDavid, who played for the first time on Sunday since breaking his right hand in November, has a blistering 51 points for the Otters in 18 games this season. Reinhart, meanwhile, played nine games with the Buffalo Sabres at the start of this season before returning to the Western Hockey League in October. To wear a letter is something special, said McDavid. But there are 22 leaders on this team — its not just three guys. The letter is special, but everyone is a leader. Head coach Benoit Groulx knows exactly what kind of player it takes to lead a team to victory. Sam, Curtis and Connor have the same qualities, said Groulx, winner of three Quebec Major Junior Hockey League championships as head coach. Theyre great young men, they want to win, theyre great hockey players, and they want to make a difference. This is what you need in your leadership group. It was an obvious choice. Although hes just 19, Lazar wants to use his world junior and NHL experience to guide some of the younger players on Canadas roster. He says he wants them to pay attention to detail, and to really enjoy the tournament. But overall, Lazar wants to win. He wants to know what it means to wear a gold medal around his neck. It would be very cool, he said. Thats one thing I want to check off my junior resume. Canada plays one more exhibition game versus Switzerland on Tuesday before their tournament opens on Boxing Day with a game against Slovakia at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Notes: The Canadians will also play Germany, Finland and the United States in the group stage. … Canadas junior team gathered at McGill Universitys McConnell Arena in Montreal on Monday to help launch The Big Play program, which aims to get kids across the country in minor hockey. … Lazar also played at the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and with Canadas mens under-18 team. … The world junior gold medal game will be played Jan. 5 in Toronto. http://www.officialraidersgear.com/Raiders-Deandre-Washington-Draft-Jersey/ . The 10-year deal the league and players agreed to that ended the 2011 lockout gave either side the right to opt out after six years. 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Off-Season Game Plan looks at the Capitals possible summer plans, with the understanding that its tough to plot a direction without a general manager or head coach around which to set those expectations.NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Predators are so comfortable at home this season they simply dont bat an eye, even when giving up the tying goal with 36 seconds left in regulation.Craig Smith scored on a breakaway at 2:46 of overtime, and the Predators beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 on Tuesday night. Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg and Colin Wilson also scored for the Predators, who pushed the NHLs best home record to 19-2-1 and tied the franchise record with their eighth straight home win.We like playing in this building, Smith said. We hold a high standard. Its a lot of fun to win in this building. I dont think anybody in here wants to lose right now.Mike Ribeiro had three assists and Shea Weber two as Nashville improved to 9-1-3 in its last 13 games.Carter Hutton made 21 saves in earning his second straight home win in place of injured All-Star goalie Pekka Rinne. In overtime, Hutton stopped a shot by Zach Redmond. Ribeiro then passed to Smith, who beat Semyon Varlamov on the glove side.He got his head up, made a nice saucer pass to the middle, Smith said.Cody McLeod, Jarome Iginla and Nick Holden scored for Colorado, which entered 10th in the Western Conference but only three points out of the final wild-card spot.Holden forced overtime by scoring his fourth this season with 36 seconds left in regulation from in front over Huttons glove. Varlamov had been pulled for an extra skater.It wasnt what Nashville coach Peter Laviolette wanted, but he liked his teams response.Its great to have a good record at home, and we have got to continue to push, Laviolette said.Varlamov made 35 saves, nearly helping Colorado steal more than a point.You want to get that second point, Colorado fforward Alex Tanguay said.dddddddddddd We had our chance and they had theirs, and they scored.The Predators sent Forsberg, Weber and Laviolette to All-Star weekend where Forsberg, the only rookie in the game, scored two goals for Team Toews.This was the first of four games in six nights for Nashville, and these teams meet again Friday night in Denver as part of the Predators three-game road trip.Forsberg gave the Predators a 3-2 lead 32 seconds into the third. When the rebound of his own shot squirted over to him, he scored on a wrister that went off Varlamovs glove for his 16th this season. That was the only shot Nashville got past Varlamov in the third as the Colorado goalie made 13 saves.Colorado scored first when McLeod got his stick in front of a Nashville player to tip the puck past Hutton for a 1-0 lead at 11:52 of the first period. With seconds left in the period, Hutton stopped a shot from McLeod with a pad save.Josi tied it for Nashville with a one-timer that beat Varlamov at 3:33 of the second. Colorado centre Nathan MacKinnon just missed off the post at 11:22 of the second, then the Predators got the man advantage when John Mitchell was caught high-sticking James Neal. Wilson scored on a slap shot at 13:21 for a 2-1 lead.It didnt last long. Iginla scored on his own slap shot off a drop pass from Matt Duchene at 16:05.NOTES: Nashville also won eight straight home games between Jan. 6 and Feb. 8, 2007. ... Ribeiro has 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in his last 24 games, including 11 assists in his last 10 games. ... 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