OTTAWA -- Patrick Chan said he was like a "puppy in puppy daycare" at the Vancouver Olympics four years ago, a wide-eyed teenager at his first party, where everyone was cool and everything was free. White Marqise Lee Game Womens Jersey . "It was so exciting, like Oh my god, there are so many cool things. Cool clothes. And the gyms right here. Everything is available to you," Chan said Thursday, on the eve of the Skate Canada national championships. Chan only turned 23 on New Years eve, but hes a veteran on a completely different comfort level from the "deer in the headlights" who finished fifth in Vancouver. A move to Detroit last spring that also meant a split with his mom Karen (theyd been living together in Colorado Springs) hastened the maturing process. "Now it will be more normal (in Sochi) because I live on my own," Chan said. "I had the chance to have that excitement living on my own and going to the grocery store, and be like I want Oreo cookies today, or I want ice cream. "Im in complete control of what I want, so going to the Olympics will be more of a comfortable feeling as opposed to summer camp-kind of feel." Chan, who will take aim at his seventh straight Canadian senior title this week, has become the skater to beat at Sochi since winning three consecutive world crowns. At the Trophee Bompard Grand Prix in November, he ran away with gold, smashing the world records in the short and long program, and for overall score, to finish a whopping 31 points ahead of closest pursuer Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan. Chan predicts Hanyu, who trains in Toronto under Canadian coach Brian Orser, will be his stiffest competition in Russia. The 19-year-old beat Chan at the Grand Prix Final in December, and broke Chans world record in the short program. Still, Chan pointed out that Hanyu was skating on home ice in Fukuoka. "Its his first Olympic Games and its not in Japan. So Olympics is an even playing ground for all of us," Chan said. "But Im not going to write off anyone. Daisuke (Takahashi of Japan) has had a rough season, but he can do something special. And so can Javier (Fernandez of Spain). So can Denis (Ten of Kazakhstan)." Three-time world champion Elvis Stojko has been keeping an eye on the mens events this season, and predicts Sochi will be a two-skater race between Chan and Hanyu. "Theres an excitement level with Hanyu because hes got that unpredictability, that freshness to it. Then youve got the maturity of Chan," Stojko said. "(Chan) is going to need to be focused because the competition is getting close to him now," Stojko added. "Right now for me, (Hanyu) is the guy to beat. Hes at the top of his game. Patrick has the experience under his belt, he has the Olympics under his belt, hes the three-time world champion, hes going to have to stay focused and not allow the pressure to settle on him. "Itll be a little easier, because its not in Vancouver, its not in Canada. But its still going to be something where hes got to be very focused and not get caught up during the week." Kevin Reynolds had hoped to be in the medal conversation for Sochi as well, but Canadas No. 2 male skater is only just now making his season debut after six frustrating months of equipment problems. The 23-year-old from Coquitlam, B.C., had hoped to build on the momentum from the world championships last spring where he finished fifth. But his season came to a dead stop when he bought new skate boots that, despite custom fitting, were too wide for his narrow AA heel. "Theyre still not 100 per cent but Im feeling much better," Reynolds said. "Im able to do the skills not at a level Im comfortable with but hopefully Ill be able to manage through this week and manage through Sochi. "Its definitely not an ideal situation, nationals being first competition and Sochi being so close, about 30 days away," he added. "I really would have liked some competitions under my belt for that experience." Reynolds withdrew from both his Grand Prix assignments, and wasnt comfortable enough to do any of his big jumps in practice, which included his quads. He estimates hes onto his ninth or tenth pair of Risport skate boots since his previous skates wore out last season. He even travelled to the manufacturer in Italy to be custom fitted in December. "I was so frustrated at that point, I had withdrawn from my second Grand Prix and I wanted to do everything I possibly could in an Olympic year," Reynolds said. He tried to go back to last seasons skates, a pair of stock Risport skates that werent custom fitted but happened to fit perfectly. "They feel like tissue basically," Reynolds said. "Theres no life left in them." Canada has three Olympic berths in mens singles, ice dance and pairs, and two berths in womens singles, which make it the largest figure skating team in Sochi. Skate Canada will name its Olympic team on Sunday. Olympic ice dance champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir will most likely be making their final competitive appearance in Canada at this weeks nationals, as theyre expected to retire following Sochi. The tightest race to make the Olympic team will be in pairs. Meagan Duhamel of Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford of Balmertown, Ont., won bronze at the world championships last spring and have set their sights on the podium in Sochi. Other teams battling for an Olympic berth are Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch, Paige Lawrence and Rudi Swiegers, and Natasha Purich and Mervin Tran. Purich and Tran are in their first season competing together. Tran won bronze for Japan with former partner Narumi Takahashi at the 2012 world championships. Black Justin Blackmon Elite Womens Jersey . -- One game. After a season featuring more losses than wins, thats all that separates the New York Knicks and the final post-season spot in the weak Eastern Conference standings. Black Alan Ball Limited Mens Jersey .C. United on Saturday night and boost the Unions playoff hopes. Nick DeLeon scored in the 36th minute for United (3-23-6), which had ample opportunities to build on its lead but went its 10th straight match without a victory.PHILADELPHIA -- O.J. Mayo made seven three-pointers and scored 25 points, Ersan Ilyasova added 20, and the Milwaukee Bucks placed seven players in double figures in a 130-110 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers, who lost their 11th straight game on Monday night. Ramon Sessions had 16 points, Khris Middleton and Brandon Knight scored 15 each, and Giannis Antetokounmpo posted 13 for the Bucks (11-45), who own the NBAs worst record. John Henson chipped in 12 points for the Bucks, who had their highest scoring game of the season. Philadelphia (15-42), which owns the leagues second worst record, has lost 21 of 24 and 10 straight at home. It is the clubs longest skid since a 12-game losing streak during the 1996-97 season. Thaddeus Young led the 76ers with 28 points, Michael Carter-Williams added 20, Tony Wroten had 19, and James Anderson scored 13. The Bucks had lost two in a row, 21 of 24, and 10 straight on the road. Their last away victory was against the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 31, 2013. Milwaukee still hasnt won back-to-back games this season. Only 12,216 were in attendance for thiss one. White Customized Limited Youth Jersey. Philadelphia trailed 73-44 at halftime, the most points the 76ers had allowed in any half this season. It got worse as the Bucks lead swelled to 33 points in the third quarter. Mayo made his first five three-point attempts. His sixth turned into a four-point play with 3.9 seconds remaining in the third quarter, giving the Bucks a 106-76 advantage. The Sixers had 11 available players, including guard Eric Maynor and centres Henry Sims and Byron Mullens. But the biggest name from their four deals before the NBA trade deadline on Thursday was inactive. Forward Danny Granger, a former All-Star who was acquired from the Indiana Pacers for forward Evan Turner and forward-centre Lavoy Allen, was in town but not at the arena. Sixers coach Brett Brown said before the game that a decision on Grangers status could be made within the next day. NOTES: Bucks F Caron Butler sat out with a sprained left ankle. . The Sixers managed only 13 rebounds in the first half. . The Bucks 73 points in the first half were a season-high in any half. . Bucks F Jeff Adrien had 10 rebounds. jersyes nfl wholesale ' ' '
