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SOCHI, Russia – The Canadians had to hurl nearly 60 shots at the Latvian goal to scratch their way into a semifinal matchup with the Americans, but by the time it was over head coach Mike Babcock was convinced the experience would be beneficial, much as it was four years earlier. "Did I want to win 7-1? Absolutely,” said Babcock after a nervous 2-1 win in the quarter-finals against Latvia. “Do I think its better for my team that we won the way we did? For sure." It took every bit of mustard his team could find to finally get past the unlikely challengers from Latvia – a team they had never lost to in either the Olympics or World Championships – and avert disaster. Kristers Gudlevskis, an unheralded 21-year-old draft pick in executive director Steve Yzermans Tampa Bay Lightning organization, stopped 55 shots and held the Canadians to just a single goal for the first 53 minutes of regulation. Patience was tested and tested again and again with every chance, opportunity and flurry squashed by the apparent back-up Latvian netminder, starting with a Sidney Crosby breakaway in the opening moments and continuing right on through the rest of the night. "Obviously when youre talking about 10 minutes left in the third and you look up and youve got 50-some-odd shots you dont want it to be one of those nights," said Crosby after the win. "I think that you just try to trust that eventually those chances will go in, stick with it." Patrick Sharp became just the fourth Canadian forward to score, his first goal in the middle frame matched minutes later on a mildly shocking Lauris Darzins breakaway. From there the Gudlevkis show rolled on in ever-surprising fashion, some of the most gifted offensive talents on the planet stonewalled by a goaltender who was starting for the American Hockey Leagues Syracuse Crunch as recently as Feb. 5. There was the stop on Jeff Carter in alone in the second period, a blocker save on Rick Nash in the third, a jam attempt by Chris Kunitz just a few minutes later. For a forward contingent struggling to score these were familiar troubles building in a game that Canada had no business not winning. "If you look at tonight besides picking the puck up and throwing it in the net what could you tell someone to do in those situations," said Crosby, who still has yet to score in this tournament. "We had some great chances. Youre getting chances like that theres not a lot you would change. Its not like you were going in there adjusting and trying to figure something out. I think its just the ultimate test of your patience when youre getting chances like that and you need to find a way to score." Its ultimately that persistence and push through the wall of a hot goaltender that Babcock believes will benefit his team moving into a 2010 gold medal game re-match with the Americans on Friday. Though they had only mild difficulties against Norway and Austria, the Canadians really only faced a stiff test from Finland in the final game of the preliminary round, a tilt they scratched out in overtime on the second of two goals from Drew Doughty. On this night it was another defenceman proving the hero. Shea Weber fired a cannon past Gudlevskis with less than seven minutes remaining in regulation, easing the nerves of a tense nation on the other side of the globe. "We just talked about the hockey gods," Babcock said. "You just keep doing things right, youre going to be rewarded. We had some chances. So we just thought if we kept doing it, wed get our chances, wed get a break, wed score a goal." Though they inched closer to it in the close win over Latvia, Canada has yet to truly resemble the powerhouse it was expected to be here in Sochi. But they have, true to Babcocks word, gotten better with each day gone by. They enter the semifinal, however, as an unlikely underdog, squaring off against an American squad thats stomped all of its competition here in Sochi. With the hottest player on the planet in Phil Kessel – who has nearly as many goals here in Russia (five) as the entire Canadian forward group (six) – and a battle-tested Jonathan Quick between the pipes, the U.S. has the look of a favourite in what should be an enticing rematch of the gold medal game in Vancouver. "Its what its all about," said Jonathan Toews of the matchup. "Canada-USA, I think has become a bigger rivalry than Canada-Russia. Theres a lot of animosity, lot of feelings like theres something to prove between both teams. Its for the chance to go play for a gold medal. It doesnt get any better than that." It took a few bumps and a similar crescendo for Canada to top the U.S. in Vancouver in 2010. There were familiar stumbles along the way – including a preliminary round loss to the U.S. – but ultimately, the Canadians got their game together as the tournament stretched on, dominating the Russians in the quarter-final before edging the Slovaks and Americans en route to gold. Babcock is mindful of that path when he looks at the winding road thus far in 2014. "The Olympic Games isnt supposed to be easy,” he said. “They dont just give the medals out. You earn the medals. Now wed like to put ourselves in a situation to compete for one and we have another day to prepare [on Thursday]." Thon Maker Jersey . Thats when the eight-time champion revealed that a painful back is slowing his serves -- and, all in all, giving him more trouble than his opponents so far. Rashad Vaughn Jersey . The Braves optioned outfielder Jose Constanza to Triple-A Gwinnett. As expected, the Braves also called up right-hander Julio Teheran from Gwinnett to start Sundays game and optioned backup catcher J. http://www.nbabucksproshop.com/Authentic-Greg-Monroe-Bucks-Jersey/ .J. -- Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch deservedly draw the attention for what theyve done in getting the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl. Custom Milwaukee Bucks Jerseys . Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse will reunite at this weekends season-opening World Cup at Canada Olympic Park as they begin their buildup to the Winter Games in Sochi. Matthew Dellavedova Jersey . Blatter also told reporters Saturday after meeting with Qatars emir that the decision to award the tournament to the desert nation is "not reversible." There have been calls to move the tournament because of Qatars intense heat.James Anderson bowled England to victory by an innings and 88 runs against Sri Lanka at Headingley, recording match figures of 10-45 to move up to sixth on list of all-time Test wicket-takers. Its the latest in a long line of great moments in the fast-bowlers career. Here are six that have stood out... Trent Bridge tension (2013 Ashes) James Anderson sets off to celebrate the final wicket to fall at Trent Bridge in 2013 The first Test of the 2013 Ashes was a thriller, with 19-year-old Aussie Ashton Agars 98 on debut, Ian Bells first of three hundreds in the series, Stuart Broads lucky escape when not given out off a thick edge to first slip and Brad Haddins 65-run partnership with James Pattinson.Australias last-wicket pair took them to within 15 runs of victory, but up stepped Anderson - with nine wickets already in the match - to find the inside edge of Haddins bat through to Matt Prior. Umpire Aleem Dar wasnt convinced, nor were many of the England fielders who offered up a half-hearted appeal and belatedly reviewed the decision. The edge was confirmed and Anderson led a jubilant England charge in the outfield.Anderson loves bowling at Trent Bridge. In eight matches at the ground, hes taken 53 wickets at 19.24 apiece. Six of his 16 five-fors have come at the venue and both of his 10-wicket hauls.Dream debut (v Zimbabwe, 2003) James Anderson bowls another Zimbabwe batsman on debut at Lords He was raw, he was unconventional and he was wayward at times, but boy was he exciting to watch! Anderson had only played three one-day games for Lancashire when the 20-year-old was drafted in as a late replacement for Englands ODI tour of Australia. Impressive performances at the World Cup followed which meant that by the time the first Test of the 2003 summer came around, already a lot was expected of the newly-nicknamed Burnley Express.He more than delivered on those expectations, with 5-73 against an albeit far-from-testing Zimbabwe outfit. He bowled full, fast inswinging yorkers, castling four of his five victims.And long before Kevin Pietersen experimented with the colourful spectrum of hair dyes from his local Boots, Jimmy was setting the trend (if we want to call it that) by rocking some questionable highlights.Triumphant return (v New Zealand, 2008) James Anderson is mobbed by his team-mates after another strike in New Zealand Form and fitness had torn apart Englands troublesome trio of Steve Harmison, Freddie Flintoff and Simon Jones from the 2005 Ashes. Harmison was still around, as was Matthew Hoggard for Englands 2008 tour to New Zealand, but with the two returning combined figures of 2-272 in the first Test defeat in Hamilton, England moved on.Back in came Anderson, and Stuart Broad for only his second Test. Anderson took seven wickets at Wellington, including a five-for in the first innings, and he and Broad would go on to form the foundation for the golden era in English cricket that was expected post-2005.Three straight Ashes triumphs spanning 2009-2013 followed, including a first win down under for 24 years, and the number one Test ranking was also secured.Destroyer Down Under (Ashes, 2010/11) James Anderson celebrates the wicket of Ricky Ponting in the Adelaide Test The pinnacle of that England dominance was their first Ashes win in Australia since 1986/87, with Anderson comfortably the leading wicket taker in the series with 24 scalps.There were early signs of his impact in the drawn first Test which was dominated by the bat. Before Englands incredible 517-1 declared to save the Brisbane Test, Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin put on 307 runs of their own for the sixth wicket in Australias innings. It didnt tell the whole story as Anderson bowled one of his best wicketless spells of his career with eight probing overs of the highest quality to the pair costing just 14 runs.He got his rewards early in the second Test in Adelaide, taking the wickets of Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting as Australia were reduced to 2-3. It set the tone for the rest of the series and sent England on their way to their historic series win, despite a hiccup at Perth - which still provided a memorable Anderson moment when a chirping Mitchell Johnson was silenced.Beating Botham (v West Indies, 2015) James Anderson broke the England Test wicket record after dismissing West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin in Antigua Anderson overtook Beefy to become Englands all-time leading Test wicket taker during the first Test against West Indies in Barbados, with Denesh Ramdin becoming his 384th victim, almost 12 years after Zimbabwes Mark Vermeulen had become his first.ddddddddddddCook showed safe hands in the slip cordon to take the catch, while Botham was the first to congratulate Anderson, even promising the seamer an enormous bottle of wine upon his return home!Jimmy could not inspire his country to victory at North Sound, with hometown boy Jason Holder scoring a defiant hundred to ensure the game ended in a draw, but the leader of England’s pack propelled his side to a win in the next Test, in Grenada, with a quite outstanding display.Anderson had a hand in all six West Indies wickets taken on the morning of day five, dismissing Kraig Brathwaite - with an absolute ripsnorter, we must add - Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels, before taking two crisp catches and running out Holder with a direct hit.Headingley heroics (v Sri Lanka, 2016) Watch the pick of the action from the third day of the first Test between England and Sri Lanka. Going into the match in Leeds, Anderson told an interviewer that he had wanted to turn round and go home when he arrived at the Headingley gates in the past, such was his record at the ground. However, three days and 10 wickets later, the Lancastrians feelings towards the home of Yorkshire cricket may well have softened.After England had made 298 in their first innings, Anderson came to the fore as Sri Lanka were skittled for just 98. He had Kaushal Silva caught behind in his first spell but it was his second that really impressed. The 33-year-old came back into the attack and, after taking the key wicket of Angelo Mathews, took full advantage of bowler-friendly conditions - nicking out Dasun Shanaka with a beauty - to finish with 5-16. If anything, Anderson stepped it up another gear in the second innings. Both openers edged through to Jonny Bairstow behind the stumps as, while Englands other seamers struggled to match their first innings showing, Jimmy looked to have the ball on a string.He bowled Kusal Mendis, who had made a half-century, and undid Shanaka again with another corker before wrapping up the innings, and the match, by making a mess of Nuwan Pradeeps stumps. 10-45 his match figures as he rose to sixth on the list of all-time Test wicket-takers. Watch as James Anderson becomes the first Englishman to take 400 Test wickets by dismissing Martin Guptill See if Anderson can turn in another match-winning performance as England take on Sri Lanka in the second Investec Test at Chester-le-Street from 10am on Friday, live on Sky Sports 2 HD. 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