Bergbau » makes him the first Sri Lanka playeer to start off his Test car

VANCOUVER -- Its a situation not of his making, but Bo Horvat understands the quandary he faces with the Vancouver Canucks. Until the first-round NHL draft pick proves his value to the rabid Canuck fan base, Horvat will be identified as the player Vancouver received in the trade for goaltender Cory Schneider. Trying to replace one of the Canucks more popular figures is a big load to carry, even for someone with Horvats wide shoulders. "I dont think there is any pressure," Horvat said Wednesday. "Im trying not to think about it too much. Its always going to be out there and everyone is going to be asking how I feel about it. "Im just going out there and playing my game and do what I do best. I want to focus on my game and prove I can be part of the Vancouver Canuck organization and prove to everyone they made the right decision." Only time will tell if the Horvat trade will pay the same dividends as the draft-day dealings that saw Daniel and Henrik Sedin come to Vancouver. It could also come back to haunt the Canucks, like the trade that sent Cam Neely and a first-round draft pick to Boston for Barry Pederson. For now, the six-foot, 211-pound centre with the OHL London Knights is content to be one of 38 young players attending the Canucks prospect camp this week at Rogers Arena. "Im just trying to sink in everything I learn here," said the 18-year-old who grew up in Rodney, Ont. "They are doing a great job of getting us prepared for what is coming in the future, whether its main camp or next season." Canuck general manager Mike Gillis made the decision to trade Schneider after over a year of fruitless efforts to deal Roberto Luongo and his huge contract. The Canucks dealt Schneider to New Jersey on draft day for the Devils No. 9 pick, which they used to take Horvat. Horvat fits the bill for several Canuck needs. Hes a big centre who scored 33 goals and added 28 assists in 67 regular-season games for the Knights. He also was named the most valuable player of the OHL playoffs. With many of their key players over 30 years old, the Canucks want to get younger. "Thats great to hear," said Horvat. "I know a lot of teams in the NHL are going younger now. "To hear that . . . it really makes we want to work that much harder to prove myself, that I can be in the lineup." Not every first-round pick is ready for prime time in the NHL, but Horvat confidently talks like he could play with Vancouver this year. "I feel Im ready," he said. "Theres always things I have to work on and can get better at. "I want to go out there and prove . . . I can stay up this year." The prospect camp involves the typical on-ice drills. There are also some not so typical off-ice activities like mixed martial arts training, yoga sessions and a trip up the gruelling Grouse Grind, a three-kilometre hike that climbs more than 850 metres. "It was something," said Horvat. "You keep staring at a mountain for two miles. "Its definitely a grind. Im glad I can say Ive done it now." Horvat laughed when asked about his yoga skills. "They are a little shaky," he said. "I have to start working on that and get a little more flexible. "It was a great experience. I havent done yoga like that before." Horvat was one of several prospects who visited BC Childrens Hospital Wednesday to meet the young patients and hand out hockey cards. Joining him was another Vancouver prospect who has spent time in the Canuck dressing room before. Cole Cassels, selected 85th overall from the OHL Oshawa Generals, is the son of Andrew Cassels, who spent three of his 16 NHL seasons in Vancouver. He remembers coming to practices with his father. "The Sedins were really young, they were my age I think," said the 18-year-old who had 15 goals and 43 points in 64 games last season for Oshawa. Cassels considers himself a play-making centre. "I use my teammates well," he said. "They seem to get open for me. I can put the puck on their stick. I think my hockey sense is one of my better attributes." Being a later-round pick, Cassels also knows his game needs improving. "I need to be a lot stronger," said the six foot, 178-pound native of Columbus, Ohio. "Quicker and stronger. Maybe get a little bit more selfish and shoot the puck some more." Growing up Cassels wanted to follow his father into the NHL but never thought he would end up a Canuck. "When you are young you are just dreaming about it," he said. "When you are 17 or 18, it becomes a reality. "The thought never popped in my head I would be in the same room he was." Marvin Williams Jersey . Varlamov made 33 saves and Ryan OReilly had a goal and scored in the shootout as the Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Thursday night. Percy Miller Hornets Jersey . On June 12, just as the sun sets on the magnificent historical city of Sao Paulo the inventors, innovators and purveyors of “joga bonitowill” open their campaign. 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Before this, they had lasted 38.4 overs, bowled for 95 against South Africa in Cape Town in 2000-01.1 Number of lower totals for Sri Lanka against Australia at home, than the first-innings 117. They were bowled out for 105 in Galle in 2011. Tuesdays total is the lowest total by any team in Pallekele. Sri Lanka themselves had previously made 174 against Australia in 2011.22.30 Test average of Sri Lankas top three batsmen at home since July 2015, which is the lowest among all teams. In 36 innings, their top-three has managed only two centuries and one half-century.10.50 Sri Lankas average opening partnership in home Tests since July 2015 - again, the worst among all teams. In 12 innings, only once have their openers put on more than 50.2003 The last time Sri Lanka fielded two or more debutants in the same Test. Sri Lanka handed out debut caps to Dhananjaya de Silva and Lakshan Sandakan on Tuesday. Against New Zealand in Colombo (PSS) in 2003, Kaushal Lokuarachchi and Prabath Nissanka made their Test debuts. De Silvas first scoring shot was a six, which makes him the first Sri Lanka playeer to start off his Test career with a six.dddddddddddd. 1 This is the first Test in Sri Lanka in which both teams openers were dismissed for single-digit scores in the first innings. Overall, there have been 19 such Tests, the last of which was at Wanderers in 2006-07 between India and South Africa.2006 The last time Sri Lankas top five were all dismissed for 15 or fewer runs in a Test innings at home, against Pakistan in Colombo (PSS). This is the sixth such instance for Sri Lanka in home Tests.19.16 Angelo Mathews average in his last six Test innings against Australia, with a highest of 35. In his first six innings against them, he averaged 87.25 - he remained unbeaten twice - with a century and three half-centuries.2 Consecutive ducks for David Warner in Tests against Sri Lanka. Warner was dismissed for a duck in the first innings of this Test, as well as in the second innings of the SCG Test in 2012-13. Incidentally, in the other four innings against them, he has made half-centuries. Sri Lanka and India are the only teams against whom Warner has two ducks. ' ' '