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CALGARY - It didnt take long for "the Canadian way" to become a mantra at Hockey Canadas massive under-17 mens hockey camp. The slogan is on the back of every red T-shirt worn by the 108 players circulating through the Markin MacPhail Centre on Calgarys west side. The phrase is drilled into their heads on and off the ice by their coaches and Hockey Canada staff. "They use that term almost in every sentence," Toronto defenceman Jakob Chychrun said Wednesday. "They really teach us all to be young men. "They talk about professionalism, respect and even the little things like cleaning the table up after lunch." Part of the revamp of the national under-17 program was summoning this vast group of players born in 1998 to learn early what Hockey Canada expects and wants from players who wear the Maple Leaf. The nine-day camp ends Tuesday. "Weve had a lot of lectures on the Canadian way and what that means to us and how we have to respect it," defenceman Sean Day said. "Thats one of the most used words Ive heard in the last two days is respect. Just having pride in your nation and respecting everyone who is involved and respecting your opponents." Their days have been filled with fitness and hockey skills testing as well as classroom seminars on nutrition, mental training and media relations. Theyre learning how to warm up and cool down properly for workouts and games in order to avoid injury and perform their best. Players from Duncan, B.C., to Mount Pearl, N.L., have been divided into six teams with their own coaches and support staff. They start playing games against each other Thursday. "The message to them is theres a way we do things here," said Scott Salmond, Hockey Canadas vice-president of hockey operations. "What were trying to teach them in the different areas, were going to have a better chance to win. "We want them leaving here knowing what the Canadian way is, that theyre going to play hard, theyre committed players, theyre character players, they accept their roles. The Canadian way was really borne out of the Olympic team and the performance that they had in Sochi, everything from how that team performed to how they prepared. "Its playing hard, its playing with character and when other teams push, we push back harder. Those are the messages were trying to give every day, all day. The Markin MacPhail Centre will bulge with Canadian hockey prospects when another 44 arrive Friday for the under-18 mens selection camp. A team of the best 22 players born in 1997 will be chosen to play for Canada at the annual Ivan Hlinka international tournament Aug. 11-16 in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Canada has won the tournament six consecutive years. The presence of the under-18 players is another way of driving home the message to the under-17 players whats required to play for Canada. "We want those kids to see the next level for them," Salmond said. The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge has traditionally been held in late December during its 22 years, but the event will be played Oct. 31 to Nov. 8 this year in Sarnia, Ont. Instead of five regional teams representing Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, West and Pacific, Canada will enter three teams mixing players from different regions. So Canadians will now play in the under-17 tournament under the banner of their country, and not their geographical region. There will be more competition to play in the tournament as 66 players from across the country will be named to those three squads. Torontos Chychrun and Day played for Ontario at the most recent under-17 tournament held in Sydney, N.S., under the old format. Forward Mitchell Balmas of Sydney represented Team Atlantic and Edmonton forward Tyler Benson played for Team Pacific. Chychrun was the first overall pick in this years Ontario Hockey League draft by the Sarnia Sting. Benson went first in last years Western Hockey League draft to the Vancouver Giants. Day is the only player invited to this under-17 camp who played major junior hockey last season. He was an underage defenceman for the OHLs Mississauga Steelheads. Balmas was a first-round pick of the QMJHLs Charlottetown Islanders this year. This is his first trip to Western Canada and his camp roommates are from Ontario and Quebec. Mixing the players pushes them out of their comfort zone. Where once they compared themselves to players from within their own province, they now measure themselves against their counterparts in the rest of the country. "You see how you rank with the other guys all across Canada and what you need to work on," Balmas said. "You kind of have to bring all your stuff because you dont know who youre playing against or who youre playing with. You have to learn and adapt." 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Matt Joyce Braves Jersey .com) - The Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings are ready to put all the talk and hype surrounding their meeting at Dodger Stadium behind them.PHOENIX - So many times this season, the Minnesota Timberwolves failed in close games down the stretch. On Tuesday night, they turned the tables on the Phoenix Suns. Kevin Love fell an assist shy of his second triple-double in three games and the Timberwolves used a fourth-quarter outburst to beat the Suns 110-101. Love, whose first career triple-double came at Utah on Saturday, had 33 points and 13 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who trailed by eight with 7:57 to play, then outscored the Suns 24-6. He knew late in the game about that one missing assist. "I think when we were up 10 they told me that if I can get an outlet here, you get your triple-double," Love said, "but at the point I just wanted to secure the rebound and get to the free throw line, get the lead up a little bit more so we wouldnt have to worry about much. Nine assists again, I have been there a few times." Rookie Shabazz Muhammad, not even in the rotation much of the season, had a career-high 20 points. "He was terrific," Minnesota coach Rick Adelman said. "You have to give him all the credit in the world. He kept working and working and working, " Muhammad also had six rebounds and two steals with just one turnover in a season-high 24 minutes. "Im just happy Im finally getting some playing time," he said. "Like I said, Ive been staying after practice working with the coaches and its really paying off for me." Corey Brewer added 18 points for Minnesota. Markieff Morris scored 24 and Gerald Green 19 for Phoenix. Goran Dragic scored 16 but fouled out with 3:46 to play, the third time hes fouled out in his career and first this season. The Suns P.J. Tucker grabbed a career-best 16 rebounds. "It is still just one loss," Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. "It is just the way you lose it. Giving up 35 points tonight in the fourth quarter, 34 (Sunday) night in the fourth quarter. You are not going to win gaames.ddddddddddddquot; Dragic twisted his right ankle in the third quarter and went to the locker room to have it re-taped, then returned. He said hed have to wait and see if he would be able to play Wednesday night at Utah. On Dragics sixth foul, Love made two free throws to put Minnesota ahead 96-95. "I think the momentum had swung prior to him fouling out anyway," Hornacek said. "He twisted his ankle and wanted to come back and give it a shot. In hindsight maybe I should have just left him off of it." Markieff Morris made a 16-footer to give Phoenix its final lead, 97-96, with 3:26 to go as the Suns lost their second straight at home. Minnesota has won four of five. The Suns were up 91-83 after Ish Smiths three-point play with 7:57 left, then the Timberwolves scored the next nine. Brewers 13-footer put Minnesota ahead 92-90 with 5:29 to go. Dragic scored twice, then Love made one inside before Dragics final foul. Brewer had two baskets and Love capped the big run with a 3-pointer and the Timberwolves led 105-97 with a minute to go. Neither team led by more than eight in the first half, with the Suns up 52-50 at the break. Loves 3-pointer gave Minnesota a 66-64 lead with 7:03 left in the third quarter. Greens inside basket tied it and started a 15-4 run that put Phoenix up 79-70 on Markieff Morris dunk with 2:18 left in the quarter. The Suns led 81-75 entering the fourth. Minnesota outscored the Suns 35-20 in the fourth quarter. The Suns were just 3 of 15 from 3-point range. Notes: The Suns were without Leandro Barbosa for the third straight game with a sprained toe. ... The teams have split two games this season, with the third March 23 at Minnesota. ... The Timberwolves are 2-1 on a five-game road trip. ... The Suns are at Utah on Wednesday, their only road contest in a stretch of nine games. ... Muhammads previous high was 12 points. ... Archie Goodwin scored 12 for his first double-digit game since Nov. 13. ' ' '