MALMO, Sweden -- Anthony Mantha looked more relieved than jubilant after his three goals helped Canada start the world junior championship with a victory. It may be because there had been doubts the Longueuil, Que., native would make the team -- despite lighting up the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this season -- because of his questionable defensive play. No one doubted his ability to put the puck in the net, as Mantha demonstrated with a hat trick in Canadas 7-2 win over Germany on Thursday. "Its a great feeling," the lanky, six-foot-four right winger said. "For me, personally, I had to get a big game going and I think thats what I did." It helped that Mantha was on a line with perhaps Canadas most dynamic playmaker in Jonathan Drouin, who assisted on all three of his goals -- two on power plays and one at even strength. But Mantha, the grandson of former NHL forward Andre Pronovost, scores wherever he plays. He had 35 goals in only 32 games with the Val dOr Foreurs before joining Team Canada two weeks ago for the run-up to the world juniors. He has 85 goals in 99 games over the last season and a half. Coach Brent Sutter said what clinched his spot was that ability to put the puck in the net, which there is not a lot of on this squad compared to past world junior teams. Sutter hopes a crash course in 200-foot hockey will make the Detroit Red Wings prospect a more complete player as the tournament goes on. "He can score goals, but there are other aspects of his game he needs to continue to work on," said Sutter. "Things Ive talked to him about one on one. "Its simple. Its being a competitor in all three zones and making sure hes responsible in all three zones. Not just for this tournament, but for him to be a good pro. Especially with the organization hell go to in Detroit. Thats what they expect there. You cant just play the offensive side of the puck." Sutter said Mantha wants to learn and feels he is already "a better player now than when he joined the team 11 days ago. That comes from our conversations. He understands that hes not going to get on the ice if hes only going to be a power-play guy." He got a passing grade in two-way play against the Germans, who were overmatched but took advantage of some early Canadian sloppiness to keep the score close through the first 15 minutes of play. Mantha has a remarkably quick release for a big man, and having the clever Drouin laying passes on his stick could be a vital asset as the tournament moves on and the competition gets tougher. He said his grandfather, who scored 109 goals in 556 NHL games from 1957 to 1968 for Montreal, Boston, Detroit and the Minnesota North Stars, was a key influence in his hockey development. He said Pronovost taught him "three key points" to success, but wont reveal them all. "One is work," he offered. But he still went into the teams selection camp two weeks ago in Toronto looking to prove he can do more than score. "For sure I had to make an impression," he said. "Not every player was guaranteed a spot and I had to battle through it. I got great news and now Im trying to carry it on." Drouin has played with Mantha before in an exhibition series and feels that chemistry is developing. "Anthonys a big guy," said the third overall pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning. "Hes hard to play against in the corners and everything. I try to use my hands and speed and I think we complement each other pretty well." The Canadian team got a rousing welcome from the crowd of 1,831 -- nearly all wearing Hockey Canada jerseys -- at the 5,800-seat Isstadion, but still looked nervous as the game began. The Germans got the opening goal off a faceoff in the Canada zone as Dorian Saeftel put a shot through traffic that fooled goalie Jake Paterson only 1:35 into the game. After Josh Anderson and Mantha gave Canada a lead, Janik Moser tied it for Germany after defenceman Adam Pelech whiffed on a clearing attempt. Then Canada took over as Mantha and Bo Horvat got goals before the intermission, Sam Reinhart and Mantha added goals in the second period and Nic Petan finished a play engineered by 16-year-old Conner McDavid in the third. McDavid had two assists, while his linemate Reinhart also had two points. Their line with Horvat could have had several if not for some fine saves by Shawinigan Cataractes goalie Marvin Cupper. "I think I played pretty well," said McDavid. "I missed a whole bunch of chances that Im pretty embarrassed about, but I thought I played an all right game. "That shift where Bo and Reino set me up for a couple of breakaways and the goalie made a couple of good saves -- I was beating myself up pretty good about it, but they laid off me. They were good about it." The shots were 30-24 for Canada, but the game was not nearly that close. A tougher test comes Saturday when Canada plays its second group stage game against the Czech Republic. Notes: Defenceman Griffin Reinhart sat out the first of three games he will miss due to a suspension incurred at last years world juniors. . . Germany has six players from Canadian junior teams, including Prince Albert star Leon Draisaitl who had a mostly quiet game, and another six who play in the U.S. . . Canada has its second youngest team ever at 18 years 10 months 25 days. Only the 1987 team that was disqualified after a brawl with the Soviets was younger. Javier Hernandez Jersey .Leicester won 25-21 in a heated European Rugby Champions Cup group match on Sunday.Toulon said on its website on Wednesday that it decided to open an investigation after Leicester complained about the behaviour of prop Martin Castrogiovanni and fullback Delon Armitage. Hirving Lozano Mexico Jersey . Coetzees finish, with six birdies and no bogeys, took him to 19-under 268 overall and past South African compatriots Thomas Aiken and Justin Walters, the overnight co-leaders. Coetzee was flawless on the East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club to clinch his maiden title after 24 top 10 finishes. http://www.nationalsoccermexico.com/hirving-lozano-mexico-jersey/ .J. Hardy to avoid a three-game sweep after blowing a big early lead. Odour had a leadoff single in the seventh and scored the tiebreaking run with the help of two errors by Hardy as the Rangers went on to beat the Orioles 8-6 on Thursday night. Carlos Salcedo Jersey . Joel Embiid was nearly unstoppable in the paint in the second half, and Naadir Tharpe seemingly couldnt miss. Andres Guardado Jersey .J. -- Patrick Sharp is on one of those streaks.NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball sent a memo to teams and umpires clarifying this years experimental rule intended to limit collisions at home plate, saying runners should not be called safe if the ball clearly beats them. The rule, announced in February, says a catcher cant block the plate if he doesnt have the ball. There have been several disputed calls, including a pair of decisions in the last 5 1/2 weeks that led to runners being called safe after video review. The guidelines sent to teams Tuesday say the catchers positioning shouldnt change the call when the throw clearly arrives ahead of the runner. They also say if the catcher is entirely in fair territory, he should not be considered to have blocked the plate. Photo examples were included. "Its basically the same thing, but the officials in New York got to use a little bit of common sense," Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "If youre out by 40 feet ... lets not call that guy safe because of that." The new guidelines were tested immediately when Tampa Bay left fielder Matt Joyce threw out the New York Yankees Stephen Drew trying to score in the fifth inning Tuesday night. Ryan Hanigan gave Drew no lane to the plate as the Rays catcher waited for the throw, which arrived in plenty of time. Hanigan tagged the sliding runner and Drew was called out by plate umpire Vic Carapazza. The ruling was upheld following a replay review, leaving the Rays with a 4-3 lead. Overturned calls led to tying runs for the home team in the late innings at Cincinnati on July 31 and at San Francisco on Aug. 13. In both cases, the hosts went on to score more runs in the inning and win. "Theres been a few plays this year where it looks like the guys been out by 10 feet and they call him safe because he felt like the catcher -- he took the plate away," Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. "Youve got to add some common sense to the rule." On July 31 at Cincinnati, Miami led 1-0 in the eighth when Todd Frazier flied out to right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, who thrrew home as Zack Cozart tried to score from third.dddddddddddd Catcher Jeff Mathis tagged Cozart, who trotted in without a slide, and the runner was called out by umpire Mike Winters. After a 6-minute, 10-second review, the call was overturned, and Ryan Ludwick followed with a two-run single that sent the Reds to a 3-1 win. Marlins manager Mike Redmond was ejected after throwing his hat to the ground and arguing with umpires. Then he kicked his hat on his way back to the dugout. San Francisco trailed the visiting White Sox 1-0 in the seventh inning on Aug. 13 when Chicago first baseman Jose Abreu fielded Joe Paniks broken-bat grounder and threw out a sliding Gregor Blanco by about 10 feet. The runner was called out by plate umpire Chris Segal, but after a video review that lasted 4 minutes, 55 seconds, replay umpires in New York ruled Blanco safe, citing catcher Tyler Flowers for blocking the plate with his left leg in violation of the new rule. Chicago manager Robin Ventura ran onto the field, was ejected and repeatedly kicked home plate. The Giants went on to a seven-run inning and won 7-1. "If a guy, you can tell hes going to be out, he should be out," Ventura said Tuesday. "I understand protecting the catchers. I think most of their injuries probably come from foul tips, not actual plays at the plate. You dont want guys charging the catchers coming into the plate. In the end when you get a guy out, you make the play, everythings done effectively, you want the guy to be out." The new rule followed debate that intensified following May 2011, when San Francisco slugger Buster Posey was injured as the Marlins Scott Cousins crashed into him at the plate. Posey, an All-Star catcher, sustained a broken bone in his lower left leg and three torn ligaments in his ankle, an injury that ended his season. In Game 5 of last years AL championship series, Detroit backstop Alex Avila was pulled a couple of innings after being run over at the plate by Bostons David Ross, a fellow catcher. Blackhawks Jerseys StoreCheap Wild JerseysCheap Red Wings JerseysCheap Maple Leafs JerseysPenguins Jerseys StoreCapitals Jerseys For SaleBlues Jerseys StoreCheap Kings JerseysAdidas Lightning JerseysStars Jerseys For SaleCheap Predators JerseysDucks StoreSharks Jerseys For SaleCheap Sabres JerseysRangers Jerseys For Sale ' ' '