TORONTO -- Brad Marchand and Steven Stamkos scored in the first period and Canada cruised to a 3-1 win over Team Europe in Game 1 of the World Cup of Hockey finals on Tuesday night.Game 2 in the best-of-three series is Thursday night.Patrice Bergerons goal midway through the third period created a two-goal cushion.Carey Price finished with 32 saves for the Canadians, who have won two straight Olympic gold medals and 15 consecutive best-on-best hockey games since losing to the U.S. at the 2010 Vancouver Games.Slovakias Tomas Tatar scored his third goal in two games 7 minutes into the second period to get Europe within one.Jaroslav Halak, who is also from Slovakia, stopped 35 shots for the unique team made up of eight European nations outside of the continents traditional powers.The Canadians were playing at home, but didnt seem to get much of an emotional bst in the Toronto Maple Leafs arena, where there were a lot of empty seats and suites.The NHL and NHL Players Association combined to revive the event, which hasnt been held since 2004, with a twist. They created Team Europe and Team North America, a squad made up of players 23 and younger from the U.S. and Canada.The format created a highly competitive eight-team field, but as Canada coach Mike Babcock said earlier in the day, The World Cup is great. Its not the Olympics. Lets not get confused.There was no confusion about who had more talent on the ice Tuesday night, but Europe got off to a strong start and put pressure on a star-studded squad that has been behind just twice in five games and for a little more than a minute each time against the U.S. and Russia.Price had to make three saves and face a power play in the first 21 seconds of the game.Shortly after killing off the penalty, Bergeron carried the puck up the middle of the ice, faded to the right and passed across the crease to set up Marchands fourth goal of the tournament 23 into the game. The Boston Bruins teammates have been playing on a line with Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby, and the trio rank among the top three in World Cup scoring.Another Bruin, Zdeno Chara, was careless with the puck later in the opening period and it was costly. Ryan Getzlaf snatched the puck from Chara near center ice along the boards and faked a shot at the top of the left circle, leading to a tap-in goal for Stamkos on the right side of the net.Crosbys second assist of the night and his World Cup-high ninth point helped Canada to a 3-1 lead.He shot the puck on the left side of the net, got to the carom and circled back to set up Bergeron in front of the net.The Canadians didnt relax with the lead, attacking on offense and backchecking on defense to prevent Europe from having hope of coming back even when it pulled Halak late in the game.Team Europe was without one of its key players, Marian Gaborik, who suffered a ft injury in a semifinal win over Sweden that will keep him out of the Los Angeles Kings lineup for eight weeks. Gaborik was replaced in the lineup by Mikkel Boedker, the only skater on the ice making his first appearance in the two-week tournament.---Follow Larry Lage at www.twitter.com/larrylage and follow his work at www.bigstory.ap.org/content/larry-lage Donte Jackson Jersey . Down by seven with 90 seconds left in regulation, thats where they lked comfortable. Donte Jackson Womens Jersey . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. http://www.thepanthersofficialstore.com/authentic-brian-burns-panthers-jersey/ . Hey!" The lower tier of the Schl End of Queens Park Rangers Loftus Road was packed solid with a very festive-sounding Chelsea choral section in this particular part of South Africa Road London, W12. Will Grier Jersey . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rkie season. Jordan Scarlett Youth Jersey . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant will not practice Wednesday, but there remains confusion about the state of his injured right knee.Coach Jason Garrett did not answer a direct question as to whether Bryant has had an MRI yet, three days after the receiver was hurt in the Cowboys win against the Chicago Bears.Injured players are required to report for treatment the day after a game, but Garrett said the team does not have the results of an MRI. Left guard Lael Collins was hurt in the game and the Cowboys know the extent of his toe injury, and he is seeking other opinions.Hes only doing OK, Garrett said of Bryant. Hes taking it day by day and I think he feels better than he felt after the game, but again, he doesnt feel gd enough to practice today. Thats certainly an indication of where he is.Bryant was injured on the second play of the game when Bears linebacker Christian Jones dragged him down after an 11-yard gain. Bryants knee and ankle got caught under Jones, and he went to the ground before getting off the field.He missed six plays before returning and finished the game with three catches for 40 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.dddddddddddd. Bryant played 52 of 68 snaps but was not on the field late in the fourth quarter as the Cowboys attempted to run out the clock.Getting the feedback from the player and how he feels and how he is able to function, obviously he was able to function pretty well at the end of the ballgame, Garrett said. He caught a slant, ran two guys over and ran it in for a touchdown, so he was feeling gd enough then. Then again, well see how he feels as the week goes on and what the evaluation is medically.Bryant missed five games last season because of a broken right ft suffered in the season opener, and the Cowboys shut him down for the final two games of the season. In addition to the ft injury, Bryant was slowed by a knee injury.Garrett was asked whether Bryant could play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers if he does not practice.Weve just got to see how he does today and as we go forward in the week, Garrett said. ' ' '