ns as to when to pinch. Hes played an important role in our teams succ

No team has been more dominant at the Olympics over the past 20 years then the U.S. womens basketball team, winning five straight gold medals.Theyll try and keep that streak going in Rio.Training time is always our biggest challenge, said three-time gold medalist Sue Bird. When you get to the medal rounds its one and done, but we have a lot of experience in those games and look to continue our recent success.The Americans have won 41 consecutive Olympic contests dating back to the bronze medal game in 1992, winning by an average of nearly 30 points a game. With nine players, including Bird, Diana Taurasi and Tamika Catchings, returning from the London Games, the U.S. is a heavy favorite to win another gold medal.Olympic newcomers Elena Delle Donne, Brittney Griner and Breanna Stewart will add a dynamic mix to the veteran core.The only potential thorn for the U.S. is lack of training time. While most other countries get to spend months together preparing, the U.S. has about two weeks before its first game. Although a lot of that time has been spent crisscrossing the country.Im hoping that they remember some of the stuff that we did last year at the World Championship and a couple years ago at the Olympics and maybe February at that little training camp that we had, U.S. coach Geno Auriemma said. Fortunately, theyre a lot of the same players that played. So we havent changed a whole lot. But theres not much time and theres not much that you can do to get ready. You just have to trust that theyre ... They never let you down. They always seem to respond when you need them to.The U.S. is in a difficult group with Serbia, China, Canada, Spain and Senegal.Obviously were in a tough group, Auriemma added. Because anytime you have the European champions like Serbia already in the group and Canada, the Americas champion, those are two really good teams. And then you add in China and Spain.Here are a few other things to watch for in womens basketball at the Olympics:A LITTLE REVENGEThe U.S. is also out for a little bit of revenge. The last time they played in Brazil at the 2006 World Championship, they lost to Russia in the semifinals. It was their only defeat in either the Olympics or worlds since 1992.I hadnt thought about that until you brought it up, Bird said laughing. The fans down there definitely know their basketball and like rooting against us. As the deficit against Russia grew, the cheers started getting louder for them.MEDAL CONTENDERSWhile the gold medal is most likely a foregone conclusion, the other two spots on the podium are up for grabs. France was the silver medalists in 2012 and Australia has won either a silver or bronze at every Olympics since 1996. Other candidates for a medal could be Serbia, which won the European championship, and Canada.SCHEDULE CHANGEThis year there will be a change in the competition structure. With the men and women playing in different arenas until the quarterfinal rounds, teams can play on consecutive days. The U.S. doesnt begin play until Sunday, Aug. 7 against Senegal. The Americans then play the next day against Spain. There will only be three or four games per day now instead of the six there used to be. Its the first time this format is being used since the 1984 Olympic in Los Angeles.GOLDEN GIRLSIf the U.S. does win another gold, Taurasi, Bird and Catchings will join Teresa Edwards and Lisa Leslie as the only basketball players to win four gold medals.SLAM DUNKAustralia center Liz Cambage became the first woman to dunk in the Olympics in London. Will the 6-foot-8 star have an encore in Brazil? Keep an eye on Brittney Griner, the odds are the 6-8 American will add her name to the list.IMPRESSIVE STREAKSOnly two other traditional team sports have longer consecutive gold medal streaks than the U.S. womens team. The American mens basketball team won seven consecutive golds from 1936-68. The India mens field hockey team won six in a row from 1928-56.Joakim Noah Jersey . Oaklands loss to Seattle clinched the ALs best record for the Red Sox with one day to spare in the regular season. "I think everybody was kind of watching," catcher David Ross said. "Demp (Ryan Dempster) came out before he went to the bullpen and was just yelling that they lost. Bernard King Jersey . "Trying to breathe," he said with a grin. Bernier stopped 42 of 43 shots on Monday night, including all 22 in a hectic middle frame, his heroic performance propelling the Leafs toward an undue point in their final game before the Christmas break. http://www.cheapknicksjerseyschina.com/courtney-lee-jersey/ . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. Carmelo Anthony Jersey . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. Wholesale Knicks Jerseys . Note: The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that Sean Monahan would not be made available to Canadas World Junior team.MONTREAL -- After a character win against a tough foe, the Montreal Canadiens will be looking for more of the same against a Western Conference heavyweight.One night after leaving Carey Price out to dry, the Canadiens put together one of their best efforts of the season on Saturday night against the Washington Capitals. With Price back in net, Montreal held the Capitals talented roster to a mere 21 shots on goal while the lone goal came on a two-man advantage.They were the only two penalties the Canadiens took against Washington and marked the fourth time in their last five games that theyve allowed their opposition three or fewer power plays.On Tuesday, the Canadiens (20-7-4) will look to maintain that level of discipline when they welcome the Anaheim Ducks to the Bell Centre.We just played a team that was very confident (in Washington) and that should give us some confidence, Montreal captain Max Pacioretty said after practice on Monday. Were playing an opponent thats once again a measuring-stick team. We keep saying that but the bigger teams like (Anaheim) kind of cycle down low and use their body. I think its normally a good recipe for a good game against us because we clash so much with styles of play. Itll be fun and weve got to pick up where we left off last game.Anaheim skated away with a 3-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night and used the power play to get the job done. Cam Fowler connected midway through the third period to improve his teams record to 2-2-0 on their current six-game road trip. The Ducks (17-11-5), who own the NHLs second-best power play, went 2-for-5 with the man advantage against Toronto and are now 8-for-19 in their last five games.It was an important night for us, sometimes you need your power play to keep you in the game when youre not getting many chances five-on-five, Fowler said..dddddddddddd I was happy to see that one go in in the third.With his goal, Fowler tied Fredrik Olausson (22) for second on the franchises all-time power-play goals list among defensemen while also hitting the 200 point mark in his NHL career. That milestone also moved him into a tie with Matt Cullen for ninth on the clubs all-time points list.Hes been unbelievable this year, goaltender John Gibson said after the game of Fowler, who leads the Ducks defensive corps with nine goals and 22 points and ranks fifth among NHL defensemen in scoring. Hes out there in every situation and everything we ask him to do he comes up with. Hes been great.Montreal, meanwhile, could be without its top-scoring blueliner. Andrei Markov, whose 19 assists and 21 points lead the Canadiens back-end. He left Saturdays game with a lower-body injury and did not practice on Monday, taking a therapy day instead, per the team.Head coach Michel Therrien said the 16-year NHL veteran, who turns 38 on Tuesday, is day-to-day and questionable to face Anaheim.Hes formed a solid second pairing with Jeff Petry, who is starting to pick up offensively after a lengthy drought. Petry has scored three times in the last four games -- including the game-winner on Saturday -- while recording 13 shots on goal. Six of those came against the Capitals.Lately, hes playing probably his best hockey of the season, Therrien said of Petry. Hes very active, hes solid defensively and he skates well. Hes capable of joining the rush and he makes great decisions as to when to pinch. Hes played an important role in our teams success.After Gibson got the nod in goal for the Ducks on Monday, Laval, Quebec, native Jonathan Bernier could get the call against Montreal. ' ' '