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ERZURUM, Turkey -- Canada is the lone team to remain unbeaten in its group at the world mixed doubles curling championship. Chantelle Eberle and Dean Hicke of Regina beat China 8-5 on Thursday to improve to 6-0 atop its group. China meanwhile also beat Finland 11-1 and Latvia 8-4 to trail Canada at 5-1. "We watched (China) play a little bit and they are quite defensive," said Hicke. "They would throw guards up early. So we wanted to get a feel for how they would play the game." Canada plays Norway on Friday. There are 27 teams competing at the event. Teams are divided into three round-robin groups -- red, blue and yellow. Round-robin play continues through Saturday. Quarter-finals, semifinals and medal games will be played Sunday.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Lubomir Visnovsky felt a bit like a character in a science-fiction film awakening in a strange, ugly world. The Slovak defenceman returned from a month on the Anaheim Ducks injured reserve to a club with a new coach, a lengthy losing stretch and an unfamiliar spot in last place in the overall NHL standings. Visnovsky and three new teammates immediately showed why the Ducks movie still might have a happy ending. Niklas Hagman scored two goals, Jonas Hiller made 19 saves and Anaheim earned its second win in six games under new coach Bruce Boudreau, 4-1 over the slumping Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday night. Rod Pelley scored in his Anaheim debut and Kyle Palmieri also had a goal for the Ducks, who climbed out of 30th place in the NHL with their fifth victory in 25 games.

KRAKOW, Poland - Even fully fit, the Netherlands defence was always going to be the teams soft spot at the European Championship. Struggling with injury makes it even worse. On Tuesday, central defender Joris Mathijsen only briefly rejoined group training with the team, raising questions about his fitness for Saturdays opening Group B game against Denmark. And his partner at the heart of defence, John Heitinga, reduced himself to cycling on a stationary bike while his teammates had a light training session. The Everton player warned it was just a bit of rest after a long season. Mathijsen was finally back on the field Tuesday after a left hamstring injury kept him sidelined for 10 days of vital championship preparations. He was injured during the 2-1 loss to Bulgaria on May 26.

CHICAGO -- Dale Sveums approach is low-key and universal. Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping. He can converse with the clubhouse attendant, relate to the 25th man on the roster and chat up the multimillionaire-dollar star. Hell demand as much accountability from the Chicago Cubs veterans as he will from the younger ones. Whining will not be tolerated. Ground balls will be run out at full speed. And hell address problems directly -- face-to-face. "We wouldnt have brought him into the interview if he wasnt so well-respected by all the players hes been around," Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said when Sveum was introduced Friday as the teams new manager. Now, of course, the big question: Can he win?

NEW YORK -- Adam LaRoche grabbed a different bat and suddenly solved the enigma of R.A. Dickey. LaRoche hit a tiebreaking homer and the Washington Nationals handed Dickey his first loss in three months, beating the sinking New York Mets 5-2 Tuesday night behind Gio Gonzalezs seven crisp innings. At the suggestion of injured teammate Ian Desmond, LaRoche switched bats in the sixth to a lighter model that belonged to speedy outfielder Roger Bernadina. "Ive been using a heavier bat and obviously it hasnt been working against Dickey, so I figured it was time to try something new," said LaRoche, who was 2 for 14 against the knuckleballer before his long home run.

NEWTON, Iowa -- IndyCar drivers Will Power and Scott Dixon, who rank first and second in the points chase, will face 10-spot starting grid penalties for this weeks race in Milwaukee after blowing their engines testing at Iowa. IndyCar director of engine development Trevor Knowles says Dixon blew an engine Tuesday morning testing on Iowas .875-mile oval, while Powers went out later in the day. IndyCar has mileage minimums before teams can change engines, and neither Power nor Dixon had reached those yet. The setback shouldnt be bad for either driver, though, since there is usually room to pass on Milwaukees oval. Takuma Sato and Josef Newgarden also have to serve penalties this weekend because they didnt refit their Indy practice engines when their racing engines recently expired.

NEW YORK -- Tim Tebow will probably fling a few passes in big moments for the Jets this season. Clay Matthews Jersey. He might also run the ball a little. And hand it off, too. The NFLs most popular backup quarterback could also play some on special teams as the punt protector and throw his body around while clobbering returners. "Whatever Im asked to do," Tebow said during minicamp last month, "Im going to do it." And everyone will be watching. With plenty of scrutiny. Hes New Yorks not-so-secret weapon -- and the teams biggest mystery heading into training camp. Tebow is not a starter and has no defined role yet, but is expected to be a major part of the offence.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- With Josh Hamilton and Yu Darvish regaining their form from the first half of the season, the Texas Rangers are beginning to pull away in the American League West. Wholesale Jerseys. Hamilton hit his 32nd homer and drove in three runs, Darvish struck out eight and the Texas Rangers beat the Detroit Tigers 8-3 Sunday. The Rangers are 10-3 since having their division lead cut down to three games on July 31. After Oakland lost Sunday, the Rangers now top the AL West by 6 1/2 games. "I just hope we can maintain what we have been doing," Hamilton said. Hamilton is a big reason for Texas surge. He was mired in a lengthy slump when manager Ron Washington gave him a mental day off on July 28.

PITTSBURGH - What will the Leafs do with their fifth overall pick? A few options - provided they keep the selection - as the hours count down to the 2012 Draft from the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh. Nail Yakupov - Winger Why it makes sense: Yakupov is the most dynamic, gifted offensive talent available in the draft and would offer the Leafs a future game-breaking piece to pair with Phil Kessel. Probability: Highly unlikely. The Sarnia Sting pivot is certain to be off the board by the time the Leafs pick at five. Alex Galchenyuk - Centre Why it makes sense: Hes the towering, skilled pivot the Leafs have long been after, a potential presence down the middle not seen since Sundin left the organization in 2008.

WIMBLEDON, England - Venus Williams began her bid for a record fourth gold medal in Olympic tennis Monday by beating Sara Errani of Italy, 6-3, 6-1. Cheap NFL Jerseys.It was an impressive showing from Williams, who is unseeded and drew a tough first-round foe. Errani has won four titles this year, was the runner-up at the French Open and is ranked a career-high No. 9.But Williams was in fine form on the Wimbledon grass, where she has won five of her seven Grand Slam titles.Twenty minutes after Williams won on Court 2, younger sister Serena closed out a second-round victory on Court 1, beating Urszula Radwanska of Poland, 6-2, 6-3.