VANCOUVER - Anxiety filled the room as members of the Canadian womens soccer team gathered to watch the World Cup draw on TV. [

VANCOUVER - Anxiety filled the room as members of the Canadian womens soccer team gathered to watch the World Cup draw on TV. Fake Blackhawks Jerseys .All that unease was washed away as soon as they were matched against a familiar opponent.Players clapped and cheered Saturday when Canada was drawn into a group that includes New Zealand, a country that head coach John Herdman led to the last two World Cups before assuming his current post.It just adds that little bit of bite to the game, said midfielder Sophie Schmidt. Theres so much more pressure associated with it. I think for John it will be that extra challenge. It drives us to want to perform because it means so much to him.Its nice to have that added little bonus backstory.The players burst into laughter when cameras immediately panned to Herdman, who was in attendance for the draw in Gatineau, Que.I think its exiting for everyone, not only John, said midfielder Kaylyn Kyle. Were just really looking forward to it.Canada will meet New Zealand on June 11 in Edmonton after opening the tournament versus China in the Alberta capital five days earlier. Canadas other group game is against the Netherlands on June 15 in Montreal.Herdman said his only regret was that Canada and New Zealand wont meet in the first game of the tournament.Theres only two groups of women Ive coached in my career and its that New Zealand team and that Canadian team, said the Englishman. New Zealand, I know those players, I know that team, Ive watched them evolve.Their teams peaking in their average age. Theyre actually at their peak now, so if any tournament theyre going to be successful it will be this one — but not at our expense.Herdman has been in charge of Canada since 2011 following a miserable performance at the World Cup, and led the team to a memorable bronze-medal finish at the London Olympics just a year later.New Zealand head coach Tony Readings knows Herdman from their time together with that countrys national program and said they shared a chuckle about the draw.We spoke about it before, said Readings, who was also in Gatineau. We said it was meant to be that we would play against each other in the group. He said, I told you so. Were looking forward to it. It will be a great game.I know him well. I know some of his tactics. Im sure I dont know them all, but he doesnt know all of ours.Canada is currently ranked eighth in the world, followed by China (No. 14), the Netherlands (No. 15) and New Zealand (No. 19).While there was a lot of talk about the game against Herdmans old team, Canadian defender Rhian Wilkinson said the focus has to be on all three matches in Group A.I think it will be a bit of an emotional game for (Herdman), she said. For us its just the second team well be playing.Added Kyle: There will be just as much prep for the New Zealand game as there will be for China and the Netherlands.For the Canadian players, Saturdays draw came as somewhat of a relief, as well as another big step towards a tournament that is now only six months away.Im just excited to have it done with. Its exciting to know who we have now, said Wilkinson. Weve talked about Canada 2015. Weve talked about this tournament coming and now all of a sudden its right around the corner and this draw is really what cements it.Its game on.———Follow @JClipperton_CP on Twitter. Chicago Blackhawks Pro Shop . With nothing tangible at stake, the Raptors turned in their most impressive outing of the fall in their seventh and second to last exhibition tilt against their stiffest competition yet, but they lost a couple starters in the process. Cheap Blackhawks Jerseys . And once again, Team Homan emerged as the victor with the reigning national champions defeating Team Sweeting at the Pintys All-Star Curling Skins Game Friday night in the tournaments opening draw at The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre in beautiful Banff National Park. https://www.cheapblackhawks.com/ . Lineup news, Fantasy and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. HEROES St. Louis Blues – After rolling the San Jose Sharks for seven goals, for the second time in a week, the Blues have a bunch of players on hot streaks.BOSTON -- Jonny Gomes go-ahead shot into the centre field bleachers left him just one pinch-hit homer behind the Red Sox all-time leader. And Gomes wanted to make it clear that there was no comparison. "You can go ahead and get it out there," he said with a little grin. "Im not chasing any of Ted Williams records." Gomes two-run homer capped a four-run sixth inning that gave Boston a 5-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night. In two seasons with the Red Sox, six of his 19 homers have come as a pinch hitter. "For me, thats the opportunity I feast on," the right-handed hitting platoon outfielder said. "I hope I didnt shock anyone." He did have Royals manager Ned Yost questioning his decision to bring in lefty Scott Downs (0-3) to face lefty Jackie Bradley Jr. only to see Gomes step into the role he relishes. "I gambled and lost," Yost said. "Theyve pinch hit one time in the last three games in the seventh inning, a bunch in the eighth and ninth. I wasnt sure if they were going to do it in the sixth, so I gambled right there. Bad decision." Another two-run shot in the sixth by Xander Bogaerts off James Shields had cut the deficit to 4-3. The Red Sox maintained their momentum after winning four of their last five games before the All-Star game. They entered the break in last place in the AL East but were coming off Clay Buchholzs 11-0 complete-game win over Houston, their season high for runs. "The way that guys fought back tonight that was sort of reminiscent of last year" when the Red Sox won the World Series, Buchholz said. Buchholz (5-5) allowed four runs in six innings against Kansas City. Koji Uehara allowed Omar Infantes two-out double in the ninth, but got his 19th save in 21 chances. Eric Hosmer had three hits and two RBIs for the Royals as he extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Daniel Nava started Bostons four-run rally with a one-out single that slid out of left fielder Alex Gordons glove as he dove. Bogaerts was in a 14 for 123 (.114) slump, but hit Shields 1-1 pitch into the centre-field bleachers for his seventh homer of thee year. Chicago Blackhawks Gear. Stephen Drew, batting .158 in 29 games since joining the Red Sox in late May, followed with a ground-rule double. After David Ross struck out, Downs came in. Gomes drove a 2-2 pitch to nearly the same spot where Bogaerts homer landed. It was Gomes sixth homer of the year and his second as a pinch hitter. "He stays prepared and anticipates the moment," Boston manager John Farrell said. The Royals had taken a 1-0 lead in the first on a double by Infante and an RBI single by Hosmer. The Red Sox tied it in the second on Brock Holts RBI single. Kansas City made it 3-1 in the fourth on run-scoring singles by Salvador Perez and Gordon then added a run in the fifth on Hosmers RBI single. David Ortiz led off the third for Boston and was out on a strange play. He hit a towering popup to the first-base side of the mound. Shields appeared uncomfortable trying to catch it so first baseman Hosmer and third baseman Mike Moustakas raced in to help. Hosmer raised his glove, but the ball ticked off it and Moustakas cradled it for the out. "Tough sky," Hosmer said. "Moose was playing over there for the shift so we are both running after it. I kind of saw it last second, tried to put a glove on it and it hit off my glove. Lucky, Moose was right there to save me." More strange glove work occurred in the top of the fourth when Hosmer hit the ball sharply down the first-base line. A ball girl, seated beside the low fence in foul territory, fielded it cleanly then quickly dropped it. It was too late, though, and Infante, who had singled, was stopped at third while Hosmer reached second. Both ended up scoring anyway on the singles by Perez and Gordon. Yost argued that Infante should have been allowed to score but "my judgment doesnt count." Notes: Boston is 33-0 when leading after the eighth, the only team that hasnt lost with a lead going into the ninth. ... Gomes sixth pinch hit homer broke a tie with Joe Cronin for second most in team history. ... Danny Duffy (5-9) pitches for the Royals against Rubby De La Rosa (2-2) in the second game of the series Saturday night. ' ' '