TORONTO -- Getting skated out of two rinks by a group of players age 23 and younger was the best thing to happen to Team Europe.I thank the kids for spanking us so hard because we had adversity early, which brought us together and clarified what we needed to do, coach Ralph Krueger said.Melding together players from eight countries wasnt an easy job, but post-spanking Team Europe shut out the United States 3-0 on Saturday in the World Cup of Hockey opener. The upset, a shocker on paper, gives Europe a very real chance of getting out of Group A and advancing to the semifinals.It set us up for some fun now in the tournament, Krueger said. We didnt just come here to have one nice game. Weve come here to compete and to be around next weekend.Krueger said Saturday afternoon that his players were ready to look America in the eyes. A team thrown together from Slovakia, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Austria, Norway, France and Slovenia didnt look like it could hang with the deep Americans, but Europe was opportunistic and efficient.We realize we cant really run and gun with teams and (our plan is) staying patient and waiting for our chances and help our goalie out and all those things, captain Anze Kopitar said. Its not the flashiest thing. Its actually pretty boring, but it works.Despite self-inflicted mistakes from roster construction and lineup decisions to poor execution and ill-timed turnovers, the U.S. credited Europe for putting together a winning recipe. Slovakias Jaroslav Halak made all the saves in goal while on the wrong side of a 35-17 shot differential, but Europe helped limit the quality scoring chances to almost none.Exhibition play against 23-and-under Team North America and Sweden gave Europe enough time to blend together on and off the ice. Krueger noticed players sitting at separate nation tables for meals early on but began integrating to the point where you dont know whos from where anymore.On the ice, Europe looked like a team in the purest sense of the word.We stayed as a unit of five, and I think the key is staying most of the time out of the (penalty) box, said Halak, who was playing his first meaningful game since March because of a groin injury. For the most part even tonight thats what we did.Gifted a 2-on-0 rush by Patrick Kane on an unacceptable turnover, Germanys Leon Draisaitl and Switzerlands Nino Niederreiter looked like they had been playing together for years. Draisaitl knew to expect a pass back on an uncontested give and go, making the most of a pro hockey rarity.Asked the last time he had a 2-on-0, Draisaitl said: Probably sometime in Pee Wee. I probably missed it, too.Draisaitl didnt miss Saturday, and neither did Slovakias Marian Gaborik or Frances Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. With goal differential a potential tiebreaker, every goal counts, and Europe will try to keep things rolling against the Czech Republic on Monday and Canada on Wednesday.These are going to be tough games, Krueger said. Weve got a lot of work to do.Europe has rightfully welcomed the underdog role at the World Cup, but now its game on with higher expectations.We didnt see ourselves as just a sideshow ever, Krueger said. We have a difficult challenge still ahead of us. We havent accomplished anything yet.---Follow Stephen Whyno on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SWhyno . Cheap Football Egypt Jerseys . On June 12, just as the sun sets on the magnificent historical city of Sao Paulo the inventors, innovators and purveyors of “joga bonitowill” open their campaign. The opponent, Croatia and all its football might and will. As opposites do attract we are set for a corker of an opener. 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HOUSTON -- Dallas Keuchel isnt quite ready to say hes on a roll.However last years AL Cy Young Award winner will acknowledge that hes starting to feel more like himself than he did during his struggles early this season.Luis Valbuena hit a solo homer and Colby Rasmus and rookie A.J. Reed added two-run shots in the fourth inning to back up a solid start by Keuchel and give the Houston Astros a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night.It was definitely a good first start after the halfway mark and I know its a long season so there was no panic, there was nothing to be mad at except me making some bad pitches, Keuchel said. Id rather finish well than start well so its getting there.Keuchel (6-9) allowed five hits and two runs in six innings for his season-high third straight win after dropping eight of his previous nine decisions.The finish on his pitches was good, manager A.J. Hinch said. He was throwing his breaking ball where he wanted to. He got some big strikeouts. When you see him with the combination of getting the ball on the ground and also missing some bats that is pretty vintage Dallas Keuchel.Will Harris, who was named to his first All-Star team on Tuesday, pitched a scoreless ninth for his ninth save.The Astros trailed by one in the fourth inning when Rasmus launched his homer off Taijuan Walker (4-7) to the bullpen in right-center field to make it 3-2. Valbuena drew a walk before, with two outs and two strikes, Reed hit his second career homer to left-center to extend it to 5-2.Walker yielded five hits and five runs before leaving after four innings with discomfort in his right foot. Its his third start that has been shortened because of this problem. He left early on June 14 and June 19 because of his foot.After the second inning, I had no legs. Everything was up, Walker said. Everything was running back to the plate. I just couldnt drive it in there. Its frustrating because I dont know what I can do to make it better yet.Nelson Cruz homered for the Mariners, who dropped their second straight to Houston.The three home runs Walker allowed tieed a career-high and all were by left-handers.dddddddddddd Hes been plagued by homers by lefties this season and 13 of the 18 homers he has allowed have been to them.Dae-Ho Lee singled with one out in the second before a double by Kyle Seager. The Mariners took a 1-0 lead on an RBI groundout by Chris Iannetta.Valbuenas homer, which landed in the second deck in right field, came with two outs in the bottom of the inning to tie it at 1-all.Cruzs 22nd home run gave Seattle a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning.He was shaken up in the sixth inning when he fouled a ball off his left foot and leg. He limped around the plate for a couple of minutes while talking to Mariners manager Scott Servais and a trainer before staying in the game to finish his at-bat.HOT IN HEREThe air conditioning in Minute Maid Park was off for about three innings on Tuesday night because of a power outage outside of the building. It had been off for a bit when the teams official Twitter account announced the problem at about 9 p.m. with the temperature outside the ballpark a balmy 86 degrees. Many people could be seen fanning themselves with their hands or pieces of paper as the temperature in the domed ballpark began to rise. Another tweet came in the eighth inning saying the problem was fixed and the air conditioning was back on.Oh yeah, it was hot. But I didnt mind it, Rasmus said. I needed to get a good sweat in anyway.TRAINERS ROOMMariners: RHP Felix Hernandez will throw a simulated game Wednesday. Servais said Hernandez will throw 45 pitches. Hernandez has been on the DL with a strained right calf since June 1.UP NEXTMariners: Wade LeBlanc (1-0, 1.50) will make his third start of the season on Wednesday. LeBlanc allowed three hits and two runs in six innings of a 5-2 win over Baltimore in his last start.Astros: Mike Fiers (6-3, 4.12) is scheduled to start for Houston on Wednesday. Fiers has won three straight and has pitched 14 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings at home. Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Nike NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys Store Wholesale Jerseys China Jerseys NFL China ' ' '