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MALMO, Sweden -- Nothing is easy for this Canadian team at the world junior championships. Jonathan Drouin redeemed himself after a bad penalty on his first shift by scoring the tying goal and Nic Petan rediscovered his scoring touch in time to get the game-winner and an empty-netter as Canada used a three-goal third period to down Slovakia 5-3 on Monday. The win left Canada (2-0-1) two points behind the United States (3-0-0) heading into a showdown for first place in the last preliminary round game for both squads on Tuesday. Canadas next game is New Years Eve at 11am et/8am pt on TSN, in a showdown against the U.S. with first place in Group A on the line. Theyll need a regulation win to overtake the defending champion Americans, who eliminated Canada in the semifinals with a 5-1 win at last years world juniors in Ufa, Russia Mondays game was the best played and most rousing of the three games Canada has played in Malmo, and it certainly brought the mostly Canadian crowd of 2,558 at the Isstadion to their feet as Canada bounced back from penalty trouble and 3-1 second-period deficit to win. "We regrouped, we found a way," said Canada coach Brent Suter. "In the third, I thought we dominated. "We got a break when they hit the post after we got the lead, but the third was maybe the best period weve played in the tournament so far." Zach Fucale made 19 saves for the win in his first start of the tournament and Sutter said the Halifax Mooseheads goalie will be in net again against the Americans. And Anthony Mantha, the runaway scoring leader in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, had a goal and three assists to give him nine points in three games. Not bad for a big winger who was not certain to make the team out of camp three weeks ago. "I came to camp and I wanted to make my place, and once I did that, I wanted to show I could play great hockey over here and thats what Im doing now," the Detroit Red Wings prospect said. "Anthony was huge," added Sutter. Curtis Lazar also scored for Canada. David Griger, with two, and Martin Reway scored for Slovakia (1-2-0), which can clinch third place with a win Tuesday over the Czech Republic. Drouin tied the game at 14:02 of the third period after Mantha beat 16-year-old Erik Cernak behind the Slovak goal and fed it in front. Canada was on a power play when Petan walked out from the right side and threaded a goal through traffic for the winner. Canada had to battle back against a Slovak side playing a tight trap and leaning on the power play with the highly skilled unit of Reway, Griger and Milan Kolena for goals. For the third straight game Canada gave up the first goal, this time after Drouin got a minor and a misconduct for a hit to the head only 10 seconds in. Griger took Jakub Predajnianskys shot off the end boards and scored into an open side past Fucale. Drouin did not see the ice again until Canadas power play at 16:49, but it was Lazar who scored on a one-timer of Manthas pass after extended pressure in the Slovak zone at 18:20. "It wasnt the start we wanted," said Drouin, the Mooseheads star who was picked third overall by Tampa bay last June. "They scored on the power play I got and Brent let me know between periods. "I needed to step up in the second and third periods. I put the team down a bit so I had to step up my game. I was going for a normal hit and he moved a bit so I caught him in the face. Its my bad play." The crowd howled at what they felt was Slovak diving that led to a pair of two-man advantages, both of which produced goals in the second frame. The first saw Gatineau Olympiques forward Reway score his fourth of the tournament with a quick shot from a Kolena feed, and then Griger get his second of the game into an open side from Reways pass. Canada got a big one back as Mantha camped on the doorstep and banged in an Aaron Ekblad rebound at 17:00 to get momentum rolling for the third. It was a breakout game for Petan and Lazar, who have struggled on attack. "Me and Curt were talking about our bad luck a bit," said Petan. "But its nice to break through. "It should be good for (Tuesday). Im just looking forward to playing a good offensive and defensive game." It was also a boost for Fucale, who had been the backup since the first of Canadas three pre-tournament games but who looks to have won the starting job back from Jake Paterson. The Laval, Que., native looked jittery early on, but made two key saves in the middle period with Slovakia already leading by two goals. "It was good for me and the team to get that," he sad. "When its 3-1, a lot can happen and 4-1 could be a big difference. "It was a tough start -- a little nervous -- but as the game went on I felt better and better. I just wanted to be there for the team and I think that in the end I accomplished that." Canada versus the Americans on New Years Eve is almost a tradition. It will be their fourth Dec. 31 meeting in the last six years. Canada has won the last three, by 7-4 in 2009 in Ottawa, 5-4 in 2010 in Saskatoon and 3-2 in 2012 in Edmonton. Drouin hopes to make up for last years defeat. "Were the underdogs here," he said. "They won last year and theyre 3-0. We need a good start and to play our own game and not watch them play. It was a hard loss for me and the team last year. This time I just want to make sure we dont lose again to the Americans." Notes: Canada is 8-0-1 against Slovakia all-time at the world juniors. ... Forward Charles Hudon was helped off with what looked like a shoulder problem 13 seconds into the third period after a hit into the end boards, but returned later in the period. Sutter said he is not injured. ... Canada will have defenceman Griffin Reinhart back against the Americans after serving the last of his four-game suspension incurred at last years world juniors. Theoren Fleury Jersey . - Andre Drummond had his best night on the boards. Matt Bartkowski Jersey . The cause of his death is as of yet undetermined, but police said foul play is not suspected. http://www.jerseyofficialhockeyflames.c ... ey-jersey/. The 21-year-old Canadian earned a spot in his third career ATP final on Saturday thanks to his first Top 10 victory of the new tennis season, a 6-4, 6-4 win over world no. 10 Nicolas Almagro of Spain. Gary Roberts Jersey . - Henrik Samuelsson and Curtis Lazar each had two goals and two assists as the Edmonton Oil Kings secured top spot in the Eastern Conference by defeating the host Red Deer Rebels 7-4 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action. Curtis Lazar Jersey .com) - The Ottawa Senators will try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive when they face the Chicago Blackhawks who are trying to secure their place in the post-season.MILWAUKEE -- Brandon Knight took a couple dribbles and an important step forward in turning into the lead guard for the Milwaukee Bucks. The third-year pro went shot for shot with Knicks star Carmelo Anthony down the stretch before nailing the most important one of the night. Knight made a 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds left and finished with 25 points, and the Bucks snapped a six-game losing streak with a 101-98 victory Monday night over New York. "Thats his shot. He loves that little step-back, half-dribble 3," said forward Khris Middleton, who had 19 points. With no timeouts and the ball in his hand for the Bucks last possession, Knight quickly but calmly brought the ball up the floor after Anthony (36 points) hit a 3-pointer with 19.4 seconds left. He played out the seconds ahead in his head. Dont get caught in a "bad situation" off a screen or trap, an outcome that Knight said had played out too many times before. "So I just walked it down, got into rhythm and was able to knock down that shot," Knight said. Raymond Felton leaped into the air with an outstretched arm to try to disrupt Knight, then turned in disbelief as the Bucks guard rushed down the other end to celebrate. "When I went back and looked at it, Ray kind of backed off a little bit. I thought he could have been a little more aggressive," coach Mike Woodson said. "Rays hand was up there." The Knicks had one last chance, though Anthony misfired on a deep 3 before stumbling back into the first row of seats as time expired. He finished with 36 points. Save for a sprinkling of onlookers wearing Knicks blue, the 11,000-plus fans at the Bradley Center rewarded the Bucks with a rousing ovation. Wins -- let alone this kind of dramatic victory -- have been rare in this 9-39 season. But Monday was especially important for Milwaukee because they fended off numerous runs by the streaky Knicks, who lost a second straight following a four-game winning streak. This is the same team thats also had streaks of five wins and nine losses, too. New York hopes this isnt the start of another bad run. New York rallied from a 110-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but ended up falling to the worst team in the league two nights after losing to the Southeast Division-leading Miami Heat.dddddddddddd "There are no freebies in the NBA. You can lose on any night to any team if you dont play well," said centre Tyson Chandler (seven points, 10 rebounds). Middleton hit a season-high five 3s for Milwaukee, which also snapped a seven-game skid to New York. Rookie Giannis Antetokounmpo had 15 points and sparked the crowd that included his family with a rousing dunk in the fourth quarter, while Zaza Pachulia also gave the Bucks a lift off the bench with 12 points and seven rebounds. New York was usually never more than a few possessions away and the last few minutes got even tighter. Anthony hesitated before firing up a 3 with 19 seconds left to tie the game at 98 before Knights last-second heroics. Unlike most of the rest of the season, the Bucks had a counterpunch for every Knicks spurt. "I made some mistakes at the end that can cost us the game, but Brandon was there," Antetokounmpo said. "The hero was there to knock down the shot." Knights back-door layup off a pretty feed by Pachulia with 27.5 seconds left gave Milwaukee a three-point lead to answer Feltons 3 on the previous possession. Anthony finished 13 of 25 from the field and 5 of 10 from 3-point range. J.R. Smith had 30 points and seven rebounds. Knight went 10 of 23 from the field and 4 of 8 from long range. "My teammates did a great job tonight persevering," Knight said. "Our past habits have been to drop our heads and say Here we go again." New York led by seven early and had plenty of chances to gain control but went through inopportune dry spells and went just 15 of 24 from the foul line. Chandler was 1 of 6. Notes: Iman Shumpert returned to the Knicks starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained right foot. He finished with five in 24 minutes. Forward Kenyon Martin sat out again with a nagging left ankle injury. ... Bucks F Caron Butler left in the fourth quarter with a sprained left ankle. 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