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LAKE LOUISE, Alta. -- Whether the track is bumpy, smooth, icy, or fluffy, Dominique Maltais is a contender on all snowboard courses. The consistency that has produced three consecutive overall World Cup titles in snowboard cross continued Saturday in Lake Louise, Alta. Maltais was second in the big final to Lindsey Jacobellis of the U.S. at the Sportcheck World Cup. Her second podium in as many World Cup races vaulted Maltais into a familiar position at the top of the overall World Cup standings. "Im looking to be fast on every kind of course," Maltais said. "Technical stuff was one of my weaknesses in the past and now its one of my strengths. I think right now, every kind of course Im doing well. "One of strengths is to be consistent and I showed it again today." Maltais was second in the season-opening World Cup in Montafon, Austria, earlier this month. The 33-year-old from Petite-Riviere-St Francois, Que., won bronze in the 2006 Winter Olympics and is a medal contender again in Sochi, Russia, in February. Maltais dominated her quarter-final and semifinal. She lost ground to Jacobellis on the first turn and couldnt run the American down before the finish line. "Even if its a second place Im really satisfied," Maltais said. "I want to step it up for the next couple of races and keep improving myself and be at my top level in Sochi." In snowboard cross, also called boardercross, athletes race a course of bumps, rolls and turns in heats of four with the top two advancing to the next round. Similar to short-track speed skating, crashes are common and boarders can come from behind to win if the leaders go down. Helene Olafsen of Norway took bronze and reigning Olympic champion Maelle Ricker of Squamish, B.C., was fourth in the womens final. In the mens final, Jarryd Hughes of Australia, Konstantin Schad of Germany and Alex Deibold of the U.S. won gold, silver, and bronze, respectively. Calgarys Chris Robanske and Rob Fagan of Squamish were eliminated in the quarter-finals, while Kevin Hill of Trail, B.C., went out in the round of 16. Ricker battled from behind to finish second in her semifinal and join Maltais in the championship round. But the 34-year-old crashed early in the final to fall out of medal contention. "I definitely wish I could re-wind and re-do that big final," Ricker said. "I was on a Sunday drive, but its Saturday afternoon. "I was so slow out of the gate. I bumped with Helene, but it was really minor and I went down. I must have not had my weight on my board properly, knocked me the wrong way and I was on my bum." Lake Louise was Rickers first World Cup of this season. A mild concussion suffered during training for Montafon sent her home before the race. So Ricker admitted to feeling nervous for her first final of the season. She was in trouble early in the semifinal, but generated speed off a banked turn to rocket from fourth to second and advance. "That was a tough race and Im happy I was able to step up and push myself because I needed that," Ricker said. "I needed to be aggressive and go for it." Jacobellis qualified for the U.S. Olympic team with her victory. A broken thumb on her right hand was encased in a purple cast. "Im having a hard time getting good pulls out of the gate because I broke my thumb last race," Jacobellis said. "I really was dependent on working the features to try and get back out ahead. "We were definitely bumping and grinding in the first two turns. I was just trying to stay tough and hold my line, but I could hear everyone behind me. You knew you had to ride with no mistakes." Hughes won the gold in the first mens final of his career. "I just had as much fun as I could and it came together," the elated Australian said. "I just hope I can keep the momentum going through to Sochi." Ricker, Maltais and Robanske have qualified for Canadas Olympic team. Ricker won the womens world title earlier this year. Robanskes victory on Blue Mountain near Collingwood, B.C., last season was the first by a Canadian male since 2007. In 70 career World Cup races, Maltais has stood on the podium 33 times and won 11 of those races. She has said the Sochi Games will probably be her final Olympics. "Shes been training, working so hard in the gym, so hard on snow," Ricker observed. "Shes an amazing athlete and its all paying off for her. Its a great testament to how shes preparing for each race. Its definitely something to look up to, respect and learn from." The snowboard cross team races World Cups in Vallnord, Andorra, and Veysonnaz, Switzerland, in January. The X Games in Aspen, Colo., is their final event prior to the Winter Games. Alex Cappa Jersey .ca presents its latest weekly power rankings for the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League season. Ronald Jones II Jersey .com) - James van Riemsdyk had two goals with one assist to help the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night. http://www.thebuccaneersfansclub.com/Bla...Davis-Jersey/.Y. -- Florida Panthers captain Ed Jovanovski finally has something to show for all the pain he went through in overcoming a string of injuries that kept him sidelined for much of the past two years. Carlton Davis Jersey . Vincent Lamar Carter is no longer the lean, athletic dynamo who dazzled Raptors fans with eye-popping dunks that posterized even the leagues best defenders. Jordan Whitehead Buccaneers Jersey . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014. HOUSTON -- Collin McHugh has earned his spot in the Astros rotation. McHugh allowed two hits over 8 2-3 stellar innings as the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 5-1 on Sunday. McHugh (2-0), who was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on April 22 to make a start after Scott Feldman had been placed on the disabled list, followed up his first outing where he struck out 12 and allowed three hits in 6 2-3 innings at Seattle on Tuesday with another dominant performance. "When we sent him out there in the ninth it was with the complete hope that he was going to be able to finish what he started," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "That was tremendous. Attacking the strike zone with all three of his pitches and to pitch that well against a really good hitting Oakland As lineup speaks volumes to Collin and the way he and (Carlos) Corporan worked today." McHugh struck out seven and walked three, allowing one run in the longest outing of his career. His previous longest outing had been seven innings on Aug. 23, 2012, against Colorado when he was a member of the New York Mets. "I actually wasnt even thinking about the hits," McHugh said. "I was more mad about the walks. I walked a couple guys early, and with this team, you cant really give them free base runners because anyone in that lineup can do damage to you. As I kind of got momentum, I started to roll with it, and it got easier to make pitches and kind of feel the flow and go with it." After the first, McHugh retired 23 of the next 24 batters, including 19 straight before Brandon Moss was hit by a pitch with two outs in the ninth. Moss stole second and came around to score on Alberto Callaspos single -- McHughs first run allowed in 15 1-3 innings this season. Porter said McHugh has "earned his keep". "I dont think he put us in a tough spot; I think he put himself in a really good spot," Porter said. "Performance pretty much speaks for itself. This guy has earned the right to get the ball the next turn." McHugh said he hadnt had a lot of consistent starts in his career, so to know he would get the ball again in five days felt nice. He became the first pitcher in Astros history go 6 2-3 innings or more while allowing one run or less with seven or more strikeouts in each of his first two starts as an Astro.dddddddddddd Raul Valdes got the final out to complete the two hitter. Jed Lowrie, who singled in the first inning, drew a walk in the third for McHughs lone base runner until the ninth. "He had a great cutter early on and was a little bit harder with his stuff early on," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said of McHugh. "Then coming back later in the game he mixed in his curveball better and his change-up. He really did keep us off balance." The right-hander, who Houston claimed off waivers from Colorado during the off-season, got out of trouble in the first after loading the bases with two outs with a walk to Callaspo by getting Josh Reddick to pop out to end the inning. Jose Altuve had two hits, including a two-run home run in the seventh, and Jonathan Villar also had two hits, including a two-run triple. Tommy Milone (0-2) allowed four runs on five hits with two strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings. The left-hander was just effective for most of the day, retiring 12 out of 13, including nine in a row, but he ran into trouble in the seventh. Villar extended the lead to 3-0 with a two-out, two-run triple to the left centerfield gap in the seventh, scoring Matt Dominguez and Carlos Corporan and ending Milones day. Altuve greeted Dan Otero with a two-run home run to the Crawford Boxes in left to up the lead to 5-0. Dexter Fowler gave the Astros a 1-0 lead in the third with a groundout scoring Villar, who had doubled with one out and reached third on an Altuve single. NOTES: Oakland outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was out of the lineup for the third straight game with a strained left hamstring. Cespedes left in the seventh inning of Oaklands 10-1 win over Houston on Thursday after legging out an infield single. ... Feldman, who has been on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 18 with right bicep tendinitis, threw Saturday and was fine and was on track to make his next scheduled start, manager Bo Porter said, adding that could be either May 3 or May 4. Feldman is eligible to come off the DL May 3. 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