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MINSK, Belarus -- Joel Ward knows who he is and who he isnt. "Im not going to go out there and be Ovi," he said. "I know what Im doing. Its not complex." Its not complex: Ward is just Team Canadas leading scorer through three games at the world hockey championship. With three goals hes actually tied for the tournament lead and has the same amount as Russian star and Washington Capitals teammate Alex Ovechkin. Ward doesnt have Ovechkins release or his accuracy, but the 33-year-old is no slouch, either. His 2013-14 NHL season included a career-high 24 goals, which was just the ticket to get him his first-ever international experience for Canada. Brad Pascall of Hockey Canada said assistant general manager Ron Hextall watched Ward play this past season and the group deciding on this team figured hed be a nice fit after the strong season he had. It was good for Ward to get noticed but even better for him to find some more self-appreciation of his offensive game. "Ive always believed in my abilities and never told myself I couldnt," the Toronto native said Tuesday. "My first year in Nashville I had 17 and I had some power-play time there, so I knew I could be a 20-goal scorer in the National Hockey League. It was just finding that spot and the right atmosphere and environment. This year I kind of got my spirits back up, my confidence back up to do so." Ward called it a season of "rejuvenation," crediting Capitals coach Adam Oates for changing the curve and length of his stick blade and teaching him more about how to play in front of the net. The reward was 24 goals and 25 assists, and those 49 points were third on Washington behind only Ovechkin and Swedish Olympian Nicklas Backstrom. Ward was never ever close to being considered for the star-studded Sochi team, but when he got the call to represent Canada at the world championships, he was thrilled just to have the chance. "When I first got the call, I said this was like my Olympics," he said. "First time to ever put a Canada jersey on. I grew up as a kid watching international hockey my whole life. When I got the call I was pretty excited to just be part of it. Im trying to make the most of it." So far, so good. Ward scored twice against Slovakia and then once against the Czech Republic. His three goals and four points lead Canada, which is 2-0-1 going into Thursdays game against Denmark. "Hes really come along as a player, and even in this tournament, too," Capitals and Team Canada teammate Troy Brouwer said. "Hes very opportunistic." What coach Dave Tippett likes about the six-foot-one, 221-pound right-winger is that he scores the kind of goals that are necessary in international play. "He scores hard goals -- hard goals in front of the net, good quick shots," Tippett said. "Hes a hard player. Everybody thinks this is the big ice and its all flow and away from (the net). You look where our goals are being scored right now: A lot of them are right in front of the net. Hes a player that can get in there and muck around a little bit. ... Go hard to the net and be willing to get into a battle to score. Thats what he does." Wards first goal of the tournament was a perfect tip of a point shot by Jason Garrison. His two others were sharp shots that Washington linemate Jason Chimera didnt think many goaltenders in the world could stop. But its not necessarily his shot but how he gets those opportunities that makes Ward fit for the big ice surface. Hes admittedly not the swiftest guy but takes pride in creating space and not making mistakes. "I just try to play good, two-way hockey, and if I get a chance on the offensive side, try to make plays for my linemates," Ward said. "Just keeping it simple is something key for me and try not to be no hero and be something Im not. I just want to get pucks down deep and puck possession is very key. Fortunate to get a couple good bounces and playing with some good linemates." Ward is likely to continue playing on Canadas fourth line with Jonathan Huberdeau and Sean Monahan moving forward, but he could get some better scoring chances on the power play. Even though only six of his 24 goals this past season came in that role, getting that extra ice time is why he thinks hes a better scorer than he was even two years ago when he had a 40-game drought. "You get more opportunity to play, right? So the more you play, the more opportunity you get," he said. "If you can kind of get that opportunity and capitalize a bit, then you get more positive results, obviously, and you get more ice time and you get rewarded." Being at the world championships is Wards reward for such a strong season in Washington. Its also his first trip to Europe. "Im usually just a beach guy," Ward said, smiling. "I like to sit in the sand a little bit and have a pina colada, so this is kind of a new experience, new territory for me. Thank God Im here, and Im thankful for being here and getting an opportunity to do this." Along the way, hes giving Canada the opportunity to win games and move past an opening shootout loss to France. Count at least Brouwer and Chimera among those not surprised and also pumped to see Ward playing and producing like this. "It couldnt happen to a better person," Chimera said. "Hes a great human being and everyone likes him. When he has success, the team has success, too, because the team just feeds off that kind of guy." Kyle Connor Jets Jersey . The 28-year-old from Rochester, Alta., was selected by the Redblacks from the Saskatchewan Roughriders roster in the 2013 CFL Expansion Draft. Custom Winnipeg Jets Jerseys . Lawries batting helmet hit an umpire during his ninth-inning outburst in the Jays 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday. 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Olympic hockey management team have been making what he called "ghost rosters" since August.MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester City ended Evertons unbeaten run in the Premier League this season with a 3-1 win on Saturday as Alvaro Negredo and Sergio Aguero scored superb goals in an entertaining game featuring plenty of chances. City bounced back from two consecutive losses in all competitions to move two points behind league leader Arsenal, which has a game in hand. Romelu Lukaku gave the visitors the lead but Negredo quickly cancelled out the Belgian strikers opener after a flowing collective move before Aguero handed City the advantage just before halftime. Aguero then added the third from the spot in the 69th minute after Tim Howard tipped his penalty onto the post but the ball bounced in off the American goalkeeper. Everton, which was the only team to remain unbeaten before the game, matched Citys pace early in the game but quickly faded after the interval. Criticized for his recent mistakes both with his club and England, goalkeeper Joe Hart kept his place in the starting lineup even though City manager Manuel Pellegrini made several changes to his side, with Pablo Zabaleta, Joleon Lescott, Aleksandar Kolarov, David Silva, James Milner and Alvaro Negredo coming in. Everton got off to a strong start and looked dangerous immediately as Lukaku threatened Citys defence at the conclusion of his teams first move. Fresh from consecutive losses against Aston Villa and Bayern Munich, City had its first real opportunity in the seventh minute after a soft free kick was given against Phil Jagielka for a foul on Sergio Aguero, but Aleksandar Kolarovs curled shot went inches wide. Kolarov missed the target agaiin a few minutes later when he sent his header from a corner over the bar before Hart diverted a fine effort from Lukaku in the 15th minute.dddddddddddd Lukau then made the most of Citys poor defending as he beat the offside trap to open the scoring after skipping past Lescott and sliding the ball under Hart. But the Everton fans celebrations were short-lived, with City levelling the score in the next minute when Negredo scored a goal similar to Lukakus from Yaya Toures excellent through pass. The game continued in a fast pace with both teams combining well from end to end. City had another great chance in the 26th minute when Fernandinho and Silva managed to open some space for Aguero in front of goal, only for the striker to bend the ball wide at the far post. Aguero could again have given City the lead after Negredo opened up the Toffees defence but completely missed the ball in the 39th. The Argentine player finally made amends for all his wasted chances when he fired in David Silvas pass past Howard from a tight angle in the 45th minute. City had the upper hand early in the second half but suffered a blow when Kolarov, pushed in the back by Steven Naismith, collided with teammate Matija Nastasic and had to leave the pitch with his face bloodied. He was replaced by Gael Clichy, while Naismith escaped any punishment. City however kept controlling the game and was awarded a penalty in the 69th minute after Zabaleta was fouled by Seamus Coleman in the area. After being booked for protesting, Howard almost denied Agueros shot but the ball hit the post and bounced off him before ending in the net. ' ' '