Pirate Galaxy » ated game and manager Ned Yost was

TORONTO -- The Latest on the World Cup of Hockey (all times local):5:55 p.m.Sweden should be as healthy as it can be when it opens the World Cup of Hockey on Sunday against Russia.Marcus Kruger is expected to play after missing time with an upper-body injury. Kruger practiced Thursday at Air Canada Centre, reported progress and got a vote of confidence from coach Rickard Gronborg.My expectation is hes going to be ready to go when were dropping the puck in the first game, Gronborg said. He should be ready, and he obviously is filling a very important spot on our team. Weve got some stability in one of the lines because hes a very smart player, especially when it comes to defensive situations from defensive face-offs to penalty kills. Hes a pretty important part of our team.Coming off allowing five goals on 22 shots, goaltender Henrik Lundqvist wasnt happy Thursday.If you would be fine with giving up five goals, I mean, I think its not a good thing, Lundqvist said. I tried to last night analyze it and learn from the game. I watched some tape and tried to have a good practice today. But I feel like we still have some time here to correct a few things personally and as a group.---4:30 p.m.Former Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson will get his Canadian citizenship next week in a ceremony being held during World Cup of Hockey festivities.The native Swede, who spent most of his career with Ottawa, will be among 102 people to become citizens Tuesday in a Toronto ceremony attended by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Players Association executive director Donald Fehr.---3:55 p.m.Alex Ovechkin says he will play in the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, regardless of whether the NHL agrees to participate.Several Russian players made that stance clear before the 2014 Sochi Olympics, but Ovechkin is continuing it. Ovechkin says hell wait and see, adding I will go there.Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Wednesday that it was radio silence on the topic of negotiating an agreement with the International Ice Hockey Federation and International Olympic committee. The league and Players Association will meet with IIHF officials in Toronto over the next two weeks during the World Cup of Hockey.---2:50 p.m.Sergei Bobrovsky is Russias starting goaltender to begin the World Cup of Hockey.Coach Oleg Znarok said through an interpreter Thursday that Bobrovsky of the Columbus Blue Jackets will be in net against Sweden on Sunday in Russias first game of the tournament. Znarok made no commitment to Bobrovsky long term over Semyon Varlamov of the Colorado Avalanche.Bobrovsky appeared to have the inside track on the job when Russia started him in its exhibition finale Wednesday against Canada.---2 p.m.Connor McDavid doesnt think hed make Canadas World Cup of Hockey team if eligible.McDavid is playing for Team North America, which is made up of players 23 and under from Canada and North America. He wasnt eligible to be selected by Canada.Some around hockey consider McDavid one of the best players already at age 19, but he said Canadas roster was a hard one to crack.---1:30 p.m.Mike Babcock says hes close to finalizing Canadas lineup for its first World Cup of Hockey game Saturday night against the Czech Republic.Theres plenty of fluidity in the lineup, but Babcock seems to have found linemates for captain Sidney Crosby in Boston Bruins forwards Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. The coaching staff decided on that line in advance, and it clicked well in exhibition play.He likes to play with guys with speed and guys with hockey sense, Babcock said. The other thing is he wants to be on offense, so if you play him with one really intelligent defensive player as well like Bergy, it helps him out.Crosby said before the tournament hed love to play with Marchand. He knows Bergeron because the two were linemates on the way to gold at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.I think hes just good in every area, Crosby said of Bergeron. Hes reliable at both ends of the ice, hes got really good hockey sense. I think his hockey sense is probably what sticks out the most, playing in all situations.Defensively hes pretty tough to go up against and offensively he can hurt you. Hes really an all-around player.---NoonFinland coach Lauri Marjamaki still wont name his starting goaltender for the first game of the World Cup of Hockey.Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators appears to be the front-runner to start Sunday against Team North America based on exhibition action, but Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins isnt a bad second option.Rinne says hes preparing to play Sunday but that the coaching staff hasnt told him the plan. He started Finlands final exhibition game Tuesday against the United States and stopped 26 of the 29 shots he faced.Most teams have their starters figured out by now. Jonathan Quick will be in net for the U.S., Carey Price for Canada, Matt Murray for North America, Jaroslav Halak for Team Europe and Henrik Lundqvist for Sweden. Custom Bernie Parent Jersey . Jay Feely kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime, and the Cardinals edged the Tennessee Titans 37-34 in overtime after blowing a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Custom Flyers T-shirts . The 25-year-old Japanese star has officially been posted by his club team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. http://www.customflyersjersey.com/custom-bernie-parent-jersey-large-71e.html . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. Custom Flyers Jerseys . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. Authentic Custom Flyers Jersey . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Salvador Perez picked a perfect time for his first pickoff of the season.The star catcher homered, then helped protect the lead by trapping Kyle Seager off first base in the eighth inning to lead the Kansas City Royals over the Seattle Mariners 5-3 Saturday.Perez hit a solo home run off the foul pole in the seventh that gave the Royals a two-run lead. Moments later, the World Series MVP made the defensive play of the game.With runners at the corners and one out, Perez threw down to first baseman Eric Hosmer for his 18th career pickoff.That was Hosmer, Perez said He gives me a sign and I throw the ball right to him. I think he knows more than me.In turn, Hosmer credited the catcher.Thats all him, Hosmer said. Just knowing hes behind the plate youve got to stay close to the bag at all times because hes so quick back there.The pitch takes him that way and he just throws it right back over there, just an unbelievable play and thats why Salvys the best. He changes the game, just completely took all the momentum away from them right there. First and third with one of their big hitters up, it was a huge play.Even Seager had to compliment Perez.You cant get picked off in that situation, but hes pretty special back there. But, I obviously got off too far.Edinson Volquez (8-8) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings.Kelvin Herrera pitched a perfect ninth for his first save since April 10, 2013.Wade Miley (6-6) gave up 10 hits. He left affter Cheslor Cuthberts RBI single made it 4-3 in the sixth.dddddddddddd.Cuthbert also doubled and finished with two RBI.Seager hit his 18th homer, tying it at 3 in the fourth. Nelson Cruz added two hits for Seattle.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: LHP Jason Vargas threw a simulated game and manager Ned Yost was encouraged by the progress he showed. Looked good, really good, he said. Three pitches, good changeup, fastball with life. Good breaking ball, good first step. Yost anticipates Vargas could make a return in September.ROSTER MOVEThe Cleveland Indians claimed LHP Tyler Olson off waivers from the Royals and will be sent to Triple-A Columbus. Olson was designated for assignment by the Royals on July 5.UP NEXTIn Sundays finale, former Royals draftee LHP Mike Montgomery (2-3) will get the start for the Mariners against RHP Dillion Gee (3-2). Montgomery was selected in the first round in 2008 and was part of the December 2012 trade with Tampa Bay that brought pitchers Wade Davis and James Shields to Kansas City. Probably cool for Mike, Mariners manager Scott Servais said. I know he was drafted by the Royals, was a high prospect there. The anxiety of going back and pitching against your friends, your teammates, your former teammates, but hes been away long enough now, I hope that its kind of gone away and Im sure hell give us a good effort. ' ' '