NAKISKA, Alta. -- Canadian ski cross star Marielle Thompson accomplished two goals in one race Saturday. She opened the World Cup season with an impressive victory and locked up a spot on the Olympic team in the process. Thompson held off defending champion Fanny Smith of Switzerland in the womens final to lead a two-medal day for Canada at Nakiska Ski Area. Brady Leman of Calgary took the mens bronze, finishing just behind Jonas Devouassoux of France and defending champion Armin Niederer of Switzerland. Thompsons powerful start served her well in all four heats and helped her lead from start to finish in the final. "She had a simple plan today, it was just keep nailing that start and go," said Canadian head coach Eric Archer. "I go, If you can think about the start only, youre going to be skiing with the lead all day. "She never saw anybodys butt today and it was awesome." Thompson, from Whistler, B.C., won a Crystal Globe last year as the overall World Cup champion and took the silver at the 2013 world championship. She said it was hard to believe that she had booked her ticket for Sochi. "I dont know if its really hit me yet," she said. "I dont even know. Its just super wild that I can represent Canada at the Olympics." Thompson was the only Canadian to pre-qualify for Sochi through method-A criteria, meaning she needed just one top-12 result this season to be all but guaranteed a spot at the Games. She fought off a nagging cold and frigid conditions on the long Mighty Peace course for the win. "Its all about the start on this course," Thompson said. "I was in that far gate so I knew Id really have to have a rocket-fast start and I pulled one off and just led the whole way down." Ophelie David of France won the bronze. In the mens final, Leman made a desperate push before coming away with a third-place result. "It was close to getting silver there for sure, maybe a ski length or so," he said. "I just ran out of room there at the end." Kelsey Serwa, the 2011 world champion from Kelowna, B.C., won the small final to finish fifth overall. It was a solid result in her first major race since undergoing left knee surgery earlier this year. "I couldnt ask for more," Serwa said. "I was aggressive and making passes and stepping all over skis in front of me. I messed up the start a few times and that got me I think, but other than that Im really happy with the outcome." Georgia Simmerling of West Vancouver, B.C., was ninth and Calgarys Danielle Sundquist was 19th. Mathieu Leduc of Comox, B.C., was 12th overall on the mens side. Dave Duncan of London, Ont., was 17th and Louis-Pierre Helie of Berthierville, Que., was 31st. Montreal resident and 2011 world champion Chris Del Bosco had a poor qualification run a day earlier and didnt advance to the heats. Two World Cups were on the original schedule this week but one event was cancelled Friday due to cold temperatures. It was a tad warmer Saturday, but it was still a frosty -24 C during the final runs. The Canadian ski cross team is expected to officially unveil its Olympic roster in mid-January. Qualification criteria is complicated because ski cross athletes must compete with other freestyle disciplines in order to lock up spots for Sochi. The Canadians didnt reach the podium at Nakiska last season in the events inaugural edition. Head coach Eric Archer was quite pleased with the results this time around. "Its awesome, its a good start," Archer said. "Now its race season. Were ready to go." Canada won the Nations Cup as the No. 1 team on the World Cup circuit in four of the last five years. Nike Air Max skroutz .B. -- Alex Dubeau made 38 saves to help carry the Moncton Wildcats to a chippy 3-1 victory over the Saint John Sea Dogs on Wednesday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play. http://www.airmaxonlinesalegr.com/ . Second-seeded Sloane Stephens of the United States made lighter work of her day as she beat 2009 champion and Swiss wild card Timea Bacsinszky 6-3, 6-3. Two seeds fell: No. 4 Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium lost to Katarzyna Piter of Poland 6-4, 6-2, and No. http... . Perez says the Colombia striker "wont come during the January transfer window but in June, who knows? Falcao wants to play for Madrid (. [url=http://www.airmaxonlinesalegr.com/air-max-2013/air-max-2016.html]http://www... . Adriano scored two first-half goals to lead Barcelona, which will be returning to the Club World Cup final for the first time since 2009 when the team beat Argentine club Estudiantes. [url=http://www.airmaxonlinesalegr.com/air-max-90-essential.html]http://www.airm... . The Nashville Predators needed a little extra time to stretch their run to five. David Legwand scored the only shootout goal, Pekka Rinne finished with 39 saves and the Predators beat the St.NEW YORK -- After seven games in three countries and about a month away from home, the New York Rangers were thrilled to return to the friendly confines of Madison Square Garden. Friendly? Most definitely. Familiar? Not so much. The Rangers will become the last of the NHLs 30 teams to play their home opener when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night. The reason they were away for so long was the first stage of a three-part renovation project to transform the Garden. "I checked it out earlier this summer, so I had a little idea of where I was going," forward Brandon Dubinsky said. "Some guys got locked out and didnt know where they were going, but well get it figured out." The so-called "Worlds Most Famous Arena" is getting a facelift. The enormous project wont be finished for two years, meaning the Rangers are in line for more long journeys when the arena shuts down the next two summers for more around-the-clock construction. Instead of being shipped off to play home games on unfamiliar grounds -- as the Yankees did at Shea Stadium in the 1970s when the old Yankee Stadium was renovated -- the Rangers, and the Knicks (once the NBA lockout ends) will play around the work. The Rangers got their first look at what has been done since they left in April, and the instant reviews were good. The dressing rooms are new -- even for the visitors -- as is the entire lower bowl of seats that are way more comfortable and a much darker shade than the familiar teal. "Its awesome in here," Rangers captain Ryan Callahan said Wednesday after a rare practice at MSG. "There is so much more space, its high-tech now, and I think its a lot more fan-friendly, too -- a little bit more access to us and things like that. "Were excited to be back home." They should be well received, too, when the refurbished arena welcomes a sold-out crowd on Thursday. The Rangers went 3-2-2 during the long trek, despite visiting tough places such as Vancouver. New York also had "road" games in Sweden against Los Angeles and Anaheim, so the Rangers wont have to venture to California during the season. Nearly one quarter of their road games are behind them, and the Rangers will have to play only five games the rest of the season outside of the Eastern time zone. The Toronto game kicks off a six-game homestand, and that isnt even the longest of the season. New York will be home for a seven-game stretch in March as the playoff drive is really heating up. "It feels different. Good different, though," goalie Henrik Lundqvist said. "Everybody is excited to be back home and getting ready for a lot of home games here coming up. "The biggest part is just to come back home and play in front of our own fans. Add to that we have a new facility here. Its a big difference to be back here, and the preparation for us is going to be a lot better. The most important thing for us now is just to get comfortable here today and tomorrow and then get ready for six home games in a row. Im excited about it." After losing after regulation to Anaheim and Los Angeles to start the season in Sweden, the Rangers were beaten by the New York Islanders in their closest thing to a home game since last seasons playoffs. But New York went 3-1 on an excursion to Western Canada, finishing the trip with a grinded-out 2-1 victory at Winnipeg on Mondday.dddddddddddd Overall, the journey covered more than 32,000 kilometres. "It was a lot of travelling. I think weve done OK," star forward Marian Gaborik said. "The results were there, although we still have to work on some things and improve some things. Were looking forward to some games at home. We really need to take advantage of home field." No one could remember the last time the Rangers held an off-day practice at the Garden instead of at their suburban training centre, but the consensus was that it was years ago. The Maple Leafs took a spin on the ice after the Rangers on Wednesday, and both teams will hold morning pre-game skates there on Thursday, too. Even those in the blue and white Maple Leafs sweaters were impressed by the changes. "The locker room is definitely a lot better than it used to be, but Ive always loved playing here," Toronto centre Tim Connolly said. "Its a great atmosphere in the building and its a historic building. "Its always been a little bit of a darker arena in the crowd, but it seems pretty similar as before." The arena was unexpectedly available on Wednesday because the New York Knicks pre-season game against the Washington Wizards was cancelled because of the NBA lockout. While not much could be gleaned from one practice in a mostly empty arena, the Rangers appeared happy to at least get a good look at their new-look home, figure out the routes on and off the ice, and settle in at their stalls. It was hard to tell by glance whether the new dressing room was bigger than the old one, but gone were several odd alcoves that cut off moving space. The only obstacle remaining is an oversized Rangers logo that covers a big chunk of the centre of the room, and is off limits for feet. Garbage pails and laundry bins guarded the perimeter, to some extent. Yells from players and team staff to "Keep Off" were more effectively directed at the many reporters and camera operators who broke that rule in the crowded room. "Its a little big," Lundqvist said. "Its going to be tough on you guys." Now that they are finally home, the Rangers will look to get comfortable with their surroundings as quickly as possible and try to get the offence going. Garden fans will get their first look at playmaking centre Brad Richards, who was lured to New York with a lucrative free-agent deal this summer. Richards got off to a slow start with Gaborik on his line, and the pair will be counted on to pick things up now that the rough part of the schedule is over. "Ive been thinking about it for a while. Its taken a while to get here," Richards said of the opener. "The excitement of a new team, the first thing you want to do is play in the home building and in front of those fans. That hasnt been the case here, so Im excited. Ill have some butterflies and I cant wait to get going." The Rangers will still be without top defenceman Marc Staal, who is out indefinitely because of the effects of a concussion sustained last season, but they are expected to have defenceman Michael Sauer back in the lineup against the Leafs following a shoulder injury. "Most definitely ready to go," Sauer said. "Ive got clearance, so Ill be out there, for sure." 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