Zach Parise of the Minnesota Wild will be the captain of the U.S. mens hockey team at the Sochi Olympics. Minnesota defenceman Ryan Suter and centre Dustin Brown of the Los Angeles Kings will be the alternate captains, U.S. general manager David Poile announced Friday. The 29-year-old Parise was an alternate captain at the Vancouver Olympics four years ago, scoring the goal that sent the gold-medal game into overtime. He has experience on U.S. national teams going back to 2002, and he welcomed the chance to take a leadership role in his second Olympics. "Its a special thing to be named captain of any team, but when its a national team, an Olympic team, its extra special," Parise said. "Weve got a lot of players who are great leaders. Im going to get a lot of help. Im going to need a lot of help. Its very humbling." U.S. coach Dan Bylsma said Parises work ethic and no-nonsense playing style are exemplary of the attitude he wants for his team. The Americans arent considered a gold-medal favourite, but a roster packed with NHL star power is expected to keep them in contention. "Were a team thats got a blue-collar mentality, and Zach embodies that," said Bylsma, also the coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins. "Every time we play against Zach Parise, there has been a work ethic, a never-quit, a determination, an abrasiveness about a hard-to-play-against type of player. And its every time regardless of the score (or) the situation our respective teams might be in. That is exactly how we want our team to play." Parises alternate captains have extensive leadership experience as well. Brown and Suter were both alternate captains to Jamie Langenbrunner on the U.S. team at the Vancouver Olympics. Brown is the longtime captain of the Kings and an international veteran, while Suter and Parise are both alternate captains of the Wild. Suters father, Bob, won a gold medal with the "Miracle on Ice" team in 1980. "Theres plenty of guys that wear letters with their own teams, so I dont think our team is going to be lacking in leadership at all," Parise said. "There are plenty of guys that are capable of doing that." The American team will hold its first practice in Sochi late on Feb. 10. Most players wont arrive until a few hours earlier, after the NHL begins its schedule break. Parise acknowledged the unique challenges of the Sochi Olympics, including the players adjustment to a hefty time change in just a few days before their first game against Slovakia on Feb. 13. He also recognized security concerns around the Olympics, calling it "unfortunate" that security "has dominated a lot of the conversation." "You have to put your trust in the Russian police and the security were sending over there as well," Parise said. "Were going to be in good hands. We can just relax, focus and concentrate on playing hockey."
Fernando Rodney Jersey . But the young forward is more than willing to shed a little blood if thats what it takes to make the team this season. "It caught me pretty good, dazed me for that shift, but I didnt want to be off the ice for too long," he said after practice, his lip still bleeding a little despite the plastic stitches holding it together.
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Ervin Santana Jersey . Hes had three top-10 results this season and feels ready to put it all together and finally hoist a trophy at the top level.MINNEAPOLIS -- Anthony Swarzak, for an afternoon at least, was a starter again. He pitched like he didnt want to go back to the bullpen. The rest of the Minnesota relievers picked him up with a strong performance in his honour. Swarzak pitched five sharp innings in a short-notice start, Oswaldo Arcia homered and the Twins beat the Cleveland Indians 3-1 Wednesday. "I missed that. That was fun," Swarzak said. Danny Santana scored after two of his three hits for the Twins, and five relief pitchers totalled six strikeouts over four scoreless innings. Glen Perkins finished up in the ninth for his 24th save in 27 tries. When Kyle Gibson developed a sore back the day before, Swarzak (2-0) was summoned from the bullpen to fill in. He threw 75 pitches, 15 over the limit the Twins had in mind, but the right-hander allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out three. He was only in trouble once. The Twins were worried about his stamina, but he still hit 93 mph on the radar in the fifth. "When youre in as good a shape as him, and the hard work that he does in that training room and everywhere else in running and throwing, he can handle those things," manager Ron Gardenhire said. Swarzak has made 29 career starts dating back to 2009, but this was his first since Oct. 2, 2012. Such a surprise assignment can be a challenge for a pitcher, less than 14 hours after finding out, but that can also work against an opponent that hasnt fully prepared to face him. "Our hope would be to get the pitch counts up, give him a couple long innings and make them use their bullpen. We couldnt," Indians manager Terry Francona said. Four of Swarzazks five innings were perfect. "I felt like I mightve had a little bit more in the tank," Swarzak said. "Ive always been a guy when Ive started to get stronger as the outing goes forward and have the best stuff in the last inning Ive thrown. In the third, Jose Ramirez poked a perfectly placed double down the third base line to drive in a run. Shortstop Eduardo Nunez made a slick diving stab of Michael Branntleys sharp line drive up the middle, ending the inning with runners at second and third.dddddddddddd "Play of the game, hands down. Thats why we won," Swarzak said. How the Twins needed this performance by Swarzak. They gave up 14 runs over the first three innings combined during the first five games of his homestand, losing four of those. After a recent return to respectability, the rotation has begun to backslide toward the level of those rough last three seasons. Trevor Bauer (4-5) struck out seven in six innings, but he lost for the first time in five July starts. Bauer gave up a triple to Santana in the third, followed by an RBI single to Sam Fuld. In the fifth, Brian Dozier drove in Santana with double. Then in the sixth, Arcia hit his two-out solo shot into the right field seats. "It was a fastball, exactly where I wanted to put it," Bauer said. That was Arcias second homer in his last 35 games. The Indians have only one error over their last 10 games. Their hitting with runners in scoring position has been productive lately. Their starting pitching has, too. But they still lost two of three to the Twins, after winning a four-game series at division-leading Detroit to close in on the Tigers in the AL Central race. NOTES: The Twins plan to slide Gibson back into the rotation Saturday if hes ready. "Thats just a hope. You never know with a back," manager Ron Gardenhire said. ... The Indians move on to Kansas City Thursday for a four-game series, with RH Corey Kluber (10-6, 2.95 ERA) starting opposite LH Danny Duffy (5-10, 2.66 ERA) of the Royals. Kluber has allowed only 10 earned runs over his last six turns, totalling 44 strikeouts and only seven walks in 43-plus innings. ... The Twins begin a four-game series here Thursday against Chicago, with RH Phil Hughes (10-6, 4.05 ERA) pitching and RH Hector Noesi (4-7, 5.21 ERA) taking the mound for the White Sox. Hughes and Kevin Correia are the only Twins who have made every start this season. ... Bauer finished six innings for the 11th time in 14 starts this season. ' ' '
