CALGARY -- Unlike her two previous Olympic Games, Mellisa Hollingsworth heads to Sochi, Russia, less of a favourite and more an underdog. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Santiago-Arias-Jersey/ . Shes fine with that. Hollingsworth, from Eckville, Alta., joined Sarah Reid and John Fairbairn of Calgary and Eric Neilson of Kelowna, B.C., as the first skeleton racers named to Canadas 2014 Olympic team Wednesday. Another man and woman may be added to the skeleton team in January. Reid, Fairbairn and Neilson are Olympic rookies. The 33-year-old Hollingsworth says her third Winter Games will be her last and she does not intend to bow out quietly. "Im definitely ready to step up to the plate," she declared. "Im still striving. Im not there to participate, Ill tell you that." Hollingsworth owns over 30 world championship and World Cup medals. The last time many Canadians saw her, Hollingsworth was tearfully apologizing on national television for finishing fifth in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Hollingsworth won a bronze medal in 2006, so the pressure to win a medal at home was enormous. Heading to Sochi, shes felt empowered by Canadians reactions to her public despair almost four years ago. "I feel a lot stronger from that experience," she said. "A lot of that has come from Canadas support of people not throwing me under the bus for not winning a medal at those Olympics. "That was a big eye-opener to know people are still behind you because of your character and not necessarily your result. Thats my definition of success right there." Hollingsworth was informed Sunday by head coach Duff Gibson, the 2006 Olympic mens champion, that she was going to Sochi. She won silver at the 2012 world championship, but felt short of the criteria for automatic nomination to the 2014 Olympic team. Reid and Neilson both met the standard of four top-six World Cup results last season and in the first half of this season. Fairbairn earned Canadas second male spot because he is currently Canadas top-ranked male in the spot. Hollingsworth ranked No. 2 among Canadian women behind Reid to earn the second female berth. "Sure, its not the way I came in every other Olympic year kind of on fire and leading the World Cup standings, but then again at those Olympics Games I didnt achieve what we thought I could," Hollingsworth explained. "I won an Olympic medal in Torino, but I was expected to win gold. Same thing in Vancouver." Canada had to rank among the top two countries in womens skeleton and in the top three in mens skeleton on Jan. 19 in order to qualify a third sled for both sexes. Defending Olympic mens champion Jon Montgomery was not among the group introduced Wednesday at a Calgary mall theatre. The Russell, Man., slider faces an uphill climb to claim the third mens berth should Canada get it. Montgomery took the 2011-12 season off from racing to build a new sled from scratch, but has yet to adjust to it and his results have suffered. Cassie Hawrysh of Brandon, Man., and Robynne Thompson of Calgary are in the running for the possible third position on the womens team. Reid, a bronze medallist at the 2013 world championship, and the experienced Hollingsworth are Canadas best chances to continue the countrys run of Olympic medals in the sport. Hollingsworth also tried a new sled this season that did not work for her. She didnt qualify at fall selection trials for Canadas World Cup team and opened the season on the secondary Intercontinental Cup circuit. When she had the opportunity to race a recent World Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y., Hollingsworth got back on the sled shed been on for a decade and a half and finished eighth. "I was doing everything possible to get on some new equipment and get onto that state of flow on a new sled and it just did not work for me," she explained. "I spent 15 years of my life learning the ins and outs of that sled that its become an appendage, another part of my body. I went to Lake Placid and felt like me again. This is the first time since the world championships in 2012 that Ive been this confident or this comfortable on my sled." For that reason, shes hoping to build momentum in the four World Cup races before the Sochi Games in February. "Im the strongest and the fastest Ive ever been," Hollingsworth said. "Im pushing a sled very, very well and now Im confident in my sled that I have, the old sled and knowing it can still go fast. "Ive got four more opportunities to see where things can go result-wise, but it really doesnt matter. What matters is Sochi." http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Stefan-Savic-Jersey/ . The Asheville, N.C. native, who signed as a free agent with the CFL club last May, didnt see any action with Edmonton this season after opening the year on the injured list. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Antoine-Griezmann-Jersey/ . Lynchs attorney, Ivan Golde, told The Associated Press on Thursday of the plea deal that was reached with the Alameda County District Attorney Office. The plea will be formally entered in court in Oakland, Calif. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/ . His stated reason for abruptly resigning as head coach of Canadas Olympic womens hockey team was he felt there were doubts about his ability to coach the team to Olympic gold in February.Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves and the New York Rangers scored three goals during the third period en route to a 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. Rick Nash, Mats Zuccarello and Dominic Moore each scored in the final stanza and Derick Brassard lit the lamp in a third straight game for the Rangers, who have won three straight games and 11 of their last 12. I think it comes down to execution, said Lundqvist. I really like the way we are playing. Francois Beauchemin scored on the power play and Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 26- of-29 shots fired his way in his second start of the season as the Ducks were unable to build upon their 4-3 shootout win in Nashville on Sunday. We had a lot of bad turnovers tonight, Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau said. We gave them two goals. They were the better team and deserved to win. After a scoreless first period, Brassard moved in from the point towards the left circle and blasted a shot through the pads of Bryzgalov for a 1-0 Ducks lead 9:10 into the middle stanza. New York increased its lead 2:32 into the third as Kevin Klein took a failed clear from DDucks defenseman Sami Vatanen and fired a shot on net. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Rodri-Jersey/. Nash tipped the puck, which fluttered off Bryzgalovs shoulder and into the net for a 2-0 game. After Derek Stepan took a delay of game penalty, Beauchemin fired a shot from the point that deflected off Rangers forward Carl Hagelin and over the blocker of Lundqvist for a one-goal game with 9:51 remaining. Zuccarello provided some breathing room after he intercepted an Anaheim pass at the right circle and fired a shot short side for a 3-1 lead with 5:33 to play. The Ducks pulled Bryzgalov in favor of an extra attacker with over two minutes remaining, but Moore quickly sent the puck into the empty net to account for the final score. Game Notes Lundqvist has won 10 of his 11 last starts ... The Rangers improved to 5-1-1 against the Pacific Division this season ... Anaheim forward Ryan Getzlaf, who tallied an assist on Beauchemins goal, has points in 11 of his last 12 games ... New York is now 18-0-1 this season when allowing two or fewer goals in a game ... The two teams will meet again on Mar. 22 at Madison Square Garden. Cheap Nuggets Jerseys Cheap Timberwolves Jerseys Cheap Thunder Jerseys Cheap Blazers Jerseys Cheap Jazz Jerseys Cheap Warriors Jerseys Cheap Clippers Jerseys Cheap Lakers Jerseys Cheap Suns Jerseys Cheap Kings Jerseys Cheap Mavericks Jerseys Cheap Rockets Jerseys Cheap Grizzlies Jerseys Cheap Pelicans Jerseys Cheap Spurs Jerseys Cheap Thunder Jerseys Cheap 76ers Jerseys Cheap Knicks Jerseys Cheap Raptors Jerseys Cheap Pistons Jerseys Cheap Team USA Basketball Jerseys ' ' '