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MONTREAL -- It isnt often a Quebec rink gets to play at home in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts but thats what skip Allison Ross of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que., will experience this week. A year in which the Canadian curling championship has been pushed forward a week to accommodate the Winter Olympics was deemed the perfect chance to stage the event in Montreal for the first time since 1979. The opening ceremonies and the first two draws are set for Saturday at the 4,000-seat Maurice Richard Arena, normally the training base for Canadas short-track speedskating team. "For us its going to be really fun," Ross said Friday. "Were really a team that likes to have the crowd support. "We respond well to that. Its a bit more pressure, for sure, a bit more media attention, but we are a team that likes it. We are enjoying every minute of it." Interest is likely to be lower than usual with the tournament schedule overlapping the Feb. 8 start of the Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. But holding it in a city not known as a curling hotbed and far from the sports heartland in western Canada, is seen as a chance to grow the game. Kruger, which produces Scotties paper products, has its head office in Montreal, also worked in its favour as well. "This will be a wonderful platform to get (curling message) out here," said tournament director Francine Poisson, who played in three Canadian championships in the late 1980s and early 1990s. "Weve had a lot of French media this week, so its breaking the (notion) of curling being an English sport. "Its very exiting. The visibility of curling has never been as great as it is now. People are watching. Now its time to translate eyeballs into people playing in curling clubs." Next years tournament will return to curling country in Moose Jaw, Sask. Facing the likes of defending champion Rachel Homan of Ottawa, the Ross rink wont be among the favourites after going 3-8 at last years Scotties in Moncton, N.B. "We are hoping for a better result than last year," said Ross. "Last year we had three games that came down to last rock. "We could have had six wins instead of three. We take a lot of what we learned last year and come back a lot stronger this year." It isnt home for Homan, but Ottawa is just a two-hour drive or train ride away and shes also expecting some extra support as she defends her title. "Its nice for us," said Homan. "We drove here and a lot of friends and family will be coming up to support us and share the experience with us. "Obviously, there wont be as many fans here as there would be out west, but its good for our friends and family." Its an unusual Scotties in many ways, so perhaps there will be surprises on the ice. For one, Jennifer Jones rink from Winnipeg wont be around because shell be in Sochi. Instead, Chelsea Carey will make her Scotties debut for Manitoba. In 1979 in Montreal, British Columbia won the tournament led by Lindsay Sparkes. This time, B.C. will be led this time by 22-year-old skip Kesa Van Osch of Victoria. She wont be the youngest skip on the ice. That honour goes to 20-year-old Sarah Koltun of Whitehorse. The Yukon/Territories skip is the youngest ever to compete at the Scotties and the first player to skip at both the Scotties and Canadian junior championship in the same year. The favourites include Val Sweeting of Alberta, who is in her second Scotties, and Stefanie Lawton of Saskatchewan, who is at her third. The veterans are skip Heather Strong of Newfoundland, who is in her 11th Scotties, and Kim Dolan of P.E.I., who is in her 10th. "The transition is certainly happening," said Dolan. "There a lot of young teams and new faces, which is great to see. "Womens curling is in a great place, so these new young ladies are keen. That only entices other people to play and go after their dreams." The Ontario team is skipped by Allison Flaxey while Nova Scotia has Heather Smith at the helm and Andrea Crawford will carry New Brunswicks colours. Curt Schilling Jersey .com) - On the bright side, either the Minnesota Wild or Buffalo Sabres will end their losing streak on Thursday night. Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys . The result means Atletico Madrid now tops the table, with Madrid level on points in second and Barcelona a point behind in third with nine games remaining as the title race shapes up to be the closest in years. http://www.diamondbacksapparelsshop.com/zack-greinke-jersey-c-5/ . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Watch the 2014 NBA Draft on TSN, Thursday at 7pm et/4pm pt. Randy Johnson Jersey .com) - Chris Kreider tallied a goal and an assist as the New York Rangers capped a successful California road trip with a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Luis Gonzalez Jersey . City has reached new heights under manager Manuel Pellegrini as they transition from big spending/immediate impact to perennial contender. Yaya Toures seeming discontent Tuesday may complicate that, as does the little issue of Financial Fair Play.ATLANTA - Kyle Korver spent most of his career running around behind the 3-point stripe, a guy whose singular quest was to get open for a long-range shot at the basket.Turns out, he was so much more.At age 33, Korver has emerged as one of the key players on the NBAs most surprising team, helping propel the Atlanta Hawks to the best record in the Eastern Conference (35-8) just past the midway point of the season.Even Korver seems a bit amazed by it all.A lot of things have come together, he said. Ive played for some really good coaches, been on some really good teams. I learned a lot. Maybe I didnt play quite as many minutes, but I tried absorb it all and kept on trying to get better.Korver still shoots plenty of 3s, still does it better than anyone. But its the rest of his game thats been valuable to the Hawks.Crushing screens. Banging for rebounds. Crisp passes. Tougher-than-expected defence.Im not sure I understood how much Kyle could help us on both ends, said coach Mike Budenholzer, whose team has tied a franchise record with 14 straight wins and leads the East by a whopping six games.I think hes underrated defensively and just his versatility, his ability to pass, his unselfishness. He sets the most unbelievable screens. You would think people are supposed to be setting screens for him. But he loves to be physical, to get someone else open. He loves to pass. He wants to make sure guys are in the right spots. Hes just an unselfish pro in every way.Korver is having what could be a historic shooting season. He is making nearly 52 per cent from the field, hitting more than 53 per cent of his 3-point attempts, and connecting on 92 per cent of his free throws. Steve Kerr is the only other member of the 50-50-90 club, from the 1995-96 season with the Chicago Bulls, and he wasnt a starter like Korver.Of course, Korver wasnt a starter for most of his career, coming off the bench in 554 of 664 games over his first nine years in the league. Only after he was dealt from Chicago to the Hawks in 2012 — for nothing more than cash and a trade exception — did he land with a team that seemed to appreciate him as more than a role player.When Budenholzer ttook over as coach the following year, bringing along a San Antonio-style system that stressed teamwork over one or two guys carrying the load, Korver really began to blossom.dddddddddddd He got a tryout with the U.S. national team last summer; while he was cut before the world championships, the experience helped to bolster his confidence even more.Now, on a team where all five starters are in double figures but no one is averaging more than 17.2 points a game, Korver is being mentioned as a candidate for the All-Star Game.That really blows him away.A couple of years ago, I dont think people really thought I was a starter in the NBA, he said, chuckling a bit under his breath. But were all benefiting from each other and the system and coach Buds style. It doesnt matter what happens with the All-Star selections. Well be happy for whoever goes.While Korver will tell you he no longer cares about proving people wrong, teammate Elton Brand thinks otherwise.He might not say it, but I think so, Brand said. Hes working hard. Hes not just working on his shot, either. Hes working on his strength, his athleticism, his movement.Hawks forward Paul Millsap said those talents were there all along, but no one gave Korver much of a chance to show them until he got to Atlanta. The two had previously played together for almost three years in Utah, where Korver started just two of 180 games.The teams hes been on, they just relied on him to sit in the corner and shoot the basketball, Millsap said. On this team, hes got a little more freedom to make plays.Even to dunk.After being needled mercilessly by his teammates about his lack of above-the-rim skills, the 6-foot-7 Korver pulled off his first dunk in nearly two years in Atlantas latest win, a 110-91 blowout of Indiana on Wednesday night.Korver felt he got some pretty good air on the play.Later, when he watched a replay at home with his wife, he realized that he barely cleared the rim.I thought I was up kind of high, Korver said. 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