Camping World Truck Series race Saturday at Gateway Motor

MONTREAL -- Coach Brent Sutter likes the idea of facing real competition at the Canadian junior hockey teams summer camp. Hell get that this year as players vying for spots on Canadas world junior championship team skate together for two days at the Montreal Canadiens practice rink and then head to Lake Placid, N.Y. for exhibition games against Finland, Sweden and the United States. Sutter says that easily beats holding intra-squad match-ups. "Change is good," Sutter said Saturday as the players arrived at the team hotel from across the country. "Talking to some players about it, theyre excited. "Its different from going through an evaluation, with red-white games. Now youre playing Sweden, Finland and the Americans and theyre bringing their best. Well get a better sense of where were at. And, as a coaching staff, its new for us too." The camp, which opens with practices Sunday and Monday in Brossard, Que., is the first step in selecting the team that will play at the world junior championship Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Malmo, Sweden. The players returning from the team that finished fourth in Ufa, Russia last year -- forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin and defencemen Morgan Rielly and Griffin Reinhart -- will skate the first two days but will not travel to Lake Placid. Those four have already shown what they can do, and leaving them behind will give more ice time to those the coaches know less about. "Were taking 32 guys and its a lot of bodies," said Sutter. "Youve got to get everybody in at least one game. "It gives us a better feel for everybody else." Jake Paterson was on last years team as the third goalie, but didnt play. He will go to Lake Placid. Sutter also likes that there are fewer players than the usual 45 or so at summer camp, so he has only what he called "the cream of the crop" to evaluate. The group includes Erie Otters star Connor McDavid, who has a good shot at becoming a rare 16-year-old to make the squad. The gifted winger is already the favourite to go first overall in the 2015 NHL draft. Sutter said hes watched McDavid on video, and is looking forward to seeing what he can do against the worlds top juniors. He said he wouldnt be shocked if he ends up on the roster when the team is picked in December. "Hes obviously an elite player," he sad. "A top player on his club team. "He dominated at the under-18s, so were actually thrilled that hes part of this and hes certainly going to get an opportunity to show us what he can do. When you have special players, there are special circumstances and hes certainly in one of those situations. "Well see how it all unfolds. Theres no guarantee of anything come Christmas time, but the fact is, he has a opportunity here to compete against the best players and play with the best players and well see how he manages that." Sutter has had special talent on his teams before. Sidney Crosby played as a 17-year-old at the 2005 world juniors. Another "underage" player in camp is 17-year-old Kootenay Ice forward Sam Reinhart, who is expected to go high in the 2014 draft. Before becoming an NHL head coach, Sutter coached the national junior squad for three years, winning gold in 2005 and 2006 and leading Canada to a 7-0-1 record in an eight-game Super-series against Russia in 2007. His record in those events was 19-0-1. Hes aware that some of the players in camp wont be available in December because theyll be playing for NHL clubs. MacKinnon and Drouin, linemates on the Memorial Cup champion Halifax Mooseheads, were top draft picks, with MacKinnon going first overall to Colorado and Drouin third overall to Tampa Bay. Both have a good shot of staying in the NHL. Drouin said the camp may be the last time he and MacKinnon will skate together. "Me and Nate have played together so long," he said. "I think well enjoy it. "I dont know what Im going to be doing next year, playing in the NHL or in junior, but I dont choose that. Its up to Tampa. But its not a bad thing to come back and play in Sweden for Team Canada." Sutter said he has about a dozen players in camp with a chance to at least start the 2013-14 campaign with NHL clubs. But they still need to meet their teammates and learn the playing system in case they end up going to Malmo. "Youve got to accept that theres a chance you wont have them for Christmas, but you never know," said Sutter. "So when they leave here they need to know what this is. "They have to have that in the back of their heads so that if they come back, its not an unknown to them." The camp invitees include Winnipeg Jets prospects goalie Eric Comrie, defenceman Josh Morrissey and forward Nicolas Petan. The Toronto Maple Leafs have four -- blue-liners Rielly and Matthew Finn and forwards Frederic Gauthier and Ryan Rupert. "I played in (the under 18s) in Sochi in April and I wanted to get invited to this," said Gauthier. "Its a big tournament and you always hope to be there one day and to live that moment. I want to give my best." The Calgary Flames have three forwards in camp, Mark Jankowski, Sean Monahan and Emile Poirier, while the Montreal Canadiens have goalie Zachary Fucale and forward Charles Hudon. The Vancouver Canucks have forwards Hunter Shinkaruk and Brendan Gaunce. The Edmonton Oilers have defenceman Darnell Nurse and forward Curtis Lazar. Darius Miller Jersey . White came in fourth place in the event. He was the two-time defending gold medallist. The gold medal went to Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov. Nicolo Melli Pelicans Jersey . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. https://www.pelicanslockerroom.com/Josh-Gray-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat. ETwaun Moore Pelicans Jersey . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. Kenrich Williams Jersey . 10 VCU 85-67 on Thursday night at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The Seminoles (4-0) have scored at least 80 points in each of their games. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. --?John Wes Townley apologized Friday for his role in a fight during the Camping World Truck Series race Saturday at Gateway Motorsports Park.Townley and Spencer Gallagher were involved in two on-track incidents, and after the second one, Townley got out of his truck and charged Gallagher. The two wrestled before Townley got in some punches.NASCAR fined Townley $15,000 and Gallagher $12,500 while putting both on probation for the rest of the season. Gallagher issued an apology Monday, and Townley followed with his Friday.I want to apologize to NASCAR and my fans, Townley said in a statement. Thats not the way I want to represent myself, [sponnsors] Zaxbys or Jive Communications.dddddddddddd. Ill try my best to make sure it never happens again.I was amazed at the comments from so many drivers who were supportive, most notably Tony Stewart.Stewart had said that Townley was among his heroes for standing up for himself.Townley had been scheduled to compete Friday in the Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway but withdrew earlier this week. He said his family-owned team dropped out so it could focus on his Truck and ARCA races next weekend at Kentucky and Iowa. ' ' '