CALGARY – Morgan Rielly vividly remembers Kris Letang flashing across his television screen back in 2007. Frank Gore Jersey . Then the Team Canada captain, Letang hadnt yet evolved into an offensive dynamo and superstar for the Pittsburgh Penguins, but was instead leading the Canadians toward their third straight gold medal in Sweden. "I think that tournament is when he became one of my favourite players," Rielly said, only hours after he was named to the 2013 squad, headed to Russia later this month. "I think Ill always remember that." The Leafs top prospect and fifth overall selection in the draft last June, Rielly gets his first shot at World Junior gold with a lockout-loaded Canadian roster. Currently humming along with 28 points in 33 games as a Moose Jaw Warrior, the 18-year-old is slated to play a prominent role in Ufa, likely on a top pairing alongside Dougie Hamilton, the Niagara Ice Dogs defender and Bruins blue-chipper. While his selection to the Canadian roster was by no means surprising, the reality still produced the expected feelings of excitement. Rielly achieved one lifelong goal in Pittsburgh earlier this year when he entered the NHL scene at the draft, adding another distinguished achievement to his resume this winter. "This is right up there with the draft," said Rielly, adorned in a sharp, gold and black team-issued jacket. "This is unbelievable." Murphys long wait Taylor Swift was briefly blaring in the hotel room of Ryan Murphy early Thursday afternoon. Cut twice before in past attempts to make Team Canadas World Junior team, Murphy was sweating out the final hours before the 2013 announcement, doing anything to distract his mind from the uncertainty of what lay ahead. "I was planning on just listening to music and play[ing] some Tiger Woods on my iPad," Murphy said with a smile, "but I couldnt even get past the first hole I was so nervous. And then suddenly I was thinking to myself, maybe the musics too loud that I cant hear the door-knock or something like that. I was really paranoid. I didnt know what was going to happen, but Im really happy right now." One of the more uplifting stories ending the three-day long selection camp, Murphy was finally named to the Canadian squad – news delivered by Steve Spott, the Canadian head coach and Murphys bench boss in Kitchener – the third time indeed the charm. "It was unbelievable," Murphy said. "Just waiting for a call or waiting for a knock on your door, you cant even explain the feeling that you have just waiting in your bed. I was refreshing my Twitter every two seconds, I had my parents texting me, I had some buddies on Skype keeping me up to date. When the final cut was made, it was all smiles for me." MacKinnons lesson Just hours before he was named to the 2013 squad, Nathan MacKinnon was asked what hed learned from the brief selection camp. "I look around and see how guys handle themselves on and off the ice," the Halifax Mooseheads star observed. "Having a roommate like [Ryan] Nugent-Hopkins is pretty cool as well. He only played one game [this week], but you could see right away what kind of player he was and how awesome he is as a person as well." Unlike Nugent-Hopkins though, MacKinnon cracked Team Canada as a 17-year-old, age becoming entirely irrelevant as the week rolled on, his explosive gifts just too difficult to ignore. "I wanted to make this team and that was my goal, but at the same time I was going to leave my best effort on the ice," he noted. "Im glad it worked out well." While intent on making the squad as a rare draft-eligible player, the potential first overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft was nonetheless surprised when word trickled in that both he and his teammate in Halifax, Jonathan Drouin, had cracked the roster. "I didnt really believe it," he said. "It hasnt really sunk in yet either, youre part of this elite company, you grow up watching this tournament. Being apart of it is definitely very special." Tom Rathman Jersey . Maybe this is the year. James Miami Heat are on top of the league and got even stronger this summer, but nobody loaded up like the Lakers, who acquired Dwight Howard and Steve Nash. Bruce Miller Jersey . - Tom Brady and the New England Patriots made it to the AFC championship game with a high-powered offence that piled up points and yards. http://www.shop49ersg... . While England needed an 87th-minute penalty by Frank Lampard to salvage a 1-1 draw with Ukraine at Wembley Stadium, Germany, Portugal and Italy all failed to impress despite securing victories in the second round of qualifiers. [url=http://www.shop49ersgear.us/colin-kaepernick-49ers-jersey/]Colin Kaepernick Youth Jersey . And then it was the Canadian mens turn. And while they took their time to pull ahead, the men ended up savouring their own curtain call after a key 1-0 win over Panama moved them atop their World Cup qualifying group. Isaac Sopoaga Jersey . Danny Califf provided the killer blow to the Timbers, scoring in the 68th minute to see Chivas (8-8-5) take nine points from its three games against Portland. Since Wilkinson took over for John Spencer as head coach, Portland (5-13-4) has lost four in a row by a combined score of 12-3.Live on TSN, Sportsnet, and RDS at 11:30am et/8:30am pt. Live streaming also available at CTVOlympics.ca and RDSolympiques.ca. The Opponent: Ever since upsetting the Americans in the championship match in last summers World Cup, all eyes have been on Japan. In addition to the team being named World Champion, star player and veteran Sawa Homare won both the Golden Boot and FIFA World Player of the Year in 2011. Needless to say, Japan approaches the match as the favourites over Canada. However, some unflattering score lines in recent friendly matches against the USA and France and a concerning bout of vertigo for their talisman, Sawa has Japan looking vulnerable. Japans technical ability and all around style of play will force Canada to play a very defensive game. Japans strength is in their possession play. With an orchestrated one and two-touch passing rhythm, Japan is able to maintain possession for the majority of the game, which in turn prevents their opponent from generating any kind of attack. Canada may be the clear underdog, but a loss would still be a tough pill to swallow. A draw, though, is an outcome the Canadian team could build on. And to knock off the reigning world champions straight out of the gate, while unlikely, its not entirely impossible. For Japan, the pressure is on. Theyre exxpected to return home with a gold medal and anything less would be a huge disappointment. Andy Lee Jersey. Keys for Canada: Defensive Organization Attacking with numbers, Japans fullbacks get very high and push the two wide midfielders to join the strikers up front. The biggest challenge for Canada will be dealing with this onslaught of four Japanese attackers. Defending the gap between the midfield and the back four will be a major focus for the Canadian team. This gap is the area where Japan loves to play and set up their attack. A compact back line and support from the midfielders to drop down and pressure the ball will be crucial. Composure on the Ball The numerical advantage created by Japans aggressive style of play allows them to swarm defenders immediately when they are dispossessed. Canada will need to stay calm under this high pressure and move the ball quickly when they win it to avoid being stripped in their defensive third. Counter Attack Japans high pressure does leave them vulnerable defensively, if only for a few short seconds. If Canada can get into the gaps left vacant by the outside backs pressing high, they will be able to create some goal scoring chances through transition. A quick counter attack will be Canadas best hope for a goal against Japan. ' ' '