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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- From a pure hockey standpoint, Team Canada is filthy rich in talent.But Team USA was built to steal that fame and fortune at the World Cup of Hockey.The two teams will square off in the round-robin portion of the best-on-best tournament on Sept. 20 at Torontos Air Canada Centre (8 p.m., ESPN). Theyve already split a pair of pre-tournament games in preparation for the World Cup, and their intense rivalry was on full display. The animosity is only going to increase once the puck officially drops.Team USA goalie Cory Schneider described Canada as arguably the best team in the tournament and said that having faced the Canadians in warm-up games will help the Americans.Playing against the best, prepares you the best, Schneider said.Is Canada really the better team, though?No.In terms of team concept, Team USA has the upper hand.Yes, I said it. Bring on the comments -- but just be ready for the I told you so when the tournament is over. Last week I picked Team Sweden to win the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, but this isnt about who is going to win this tournament. Its strictly between Team USA and Canada.The American roster was built to slow down Canada. Every team has some level of depth in this tournament, but Team USA has the right kind of depth. Players have accepted their roles, and the management group quickly gave this team an identity when the roster was formed. The chemistry has been evident during training camp. Ive been covering Team Sweden and Finland, but now that Im back on American soil for games at Verizon Center on Tuesday (Team USA vs. Finland, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN) and Wednesday (Team Sweden vs. Team Europe, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3), I want to give my impressions of the U.S. team -- whether you want them or not.I understand there are some extremely talented players --?Tyler Johnson, Phil Kessel, Kevin Shattenkirk and Justin Faulk -- who were not selected to the roster, but the vision of Team USAs management group, including coach John Tortorella, has built a team that can beat Canada.I like the fact that many teams in this tournament have focused on small-area games during practice, including Team USA. Those drills help players make quicker decisions in tight situations, and because the talent level throughout this tournament is off the charts, most of the goals scored will be in the dirty areas. Thats where size and skill will be a factor for the Americans.Were trying to get more work underneath the hashmarks so theres pressure and theres some combativeness within it, explained Tortorella. Its just, how much do you give them? Small-ice games are a very important part of hockey, especially early on when youre with your guys.Canada will score goals -- theres no denying that. If youre wondering how Team USA will produce offense against the Canadians, it has to come from secondary scoring. We know Patrick Kane is going to score, but others on the roster will need to produce, including the likes of Max Pacioretty, Justin Abdelkader, Ryan Kesler and T.J. Oshie. Team USA cant make any mistakes when facing Canada. When they play for real, its going to be fast-paced and its going to be fun to watch.Canada is loaded with plenty of two-way players, but if the U.S. can establish its speed early and maintain that structure and physicality, theres no reason not to think the Americans can beat Canada. Team USA isnt about to completely pound the Canadians into submission or try to beat them in one-on-one situations. The mindset is to keep the momentum and not allow Canadas best players to reach the elite game level.Team USA has to limit Canadas offensive zone possession time. If the U.S. makes a mistake in its own end, Canada will make it count.Im glad we played Canada, Tortorella said, because they are a really good team, probably the best team in the tournament right now. ... I think it really gave us a focus on that we just werent close enough to the puck on our breakout, so we didnt come out clean. We just werent supporting enough, and we certainly werent close enough or really even gave ourselves a chance to forecheck because we got stubborn at the blue line in trying to make too many plays instead of putting it behind them.For this story, I reached out to a few different hockey personnel on both sides of the border. I polled players from other teams in this tournament, and the majority believe Team USA will beat Team Canada.Both teams are talented, probably the best two teams in the tournament, said one current NHL player who is neither American nor Canadian. But the identity and chemistry and the role players, I like the U.S. more.Canada has won three of the past four gold medals at the Winter Olympics, including the 2010 Vancouver Games and 2014 Sochi Games. That international success will end against Team USA this time around.Fake Vans Slip-on . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. Fake Vans Old Skool .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. http://www.fakevans.com/ . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. That plan didnt go so well early. Fake Vans SK8 . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. Wholesale Fake Vans . The formidable trio of Canadian receivers -- individually known as Chris Getzlaf, Rob Bagg and Andy Fantuz -- will share the field at Mosaic Stadium one more time on Sunday.CHICAGO -- The party will have to wait for another day, and thats just fine with the Chicago Cubs.They are looking for a lot more than a division crown anyway.This is just the first step, manager Joe Maddon said. I mean, we have much larger baseball fish to fry in our skillet.Chicago wasted its first chance to clinch the NL Central title when pinch-hitter Scooter Gennett delivered a tiebreaking, two-run double in the seventh inning Thursday night, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-4 victory.The Cubs (93-53) were hoping to begin a 10-game homestand with a boozy celebration of their first division title since 2008. But Keon Broxton homered and Orlando Arcia drove in two runs for Milwaukee, making Chicago wait for the result of St. Louis game at San Francisco to find out if its season-long dominance of the Central was complete.The crowd of 41,362 cheered loudly when Hunter Pences two-run homer in the first inning against the Cardinals was shown on the video board in left field. But it looked as if most of the Cubs were headed home rather than staying together to see the end of the West Coast game.Whatever happens in San Francisco is what happens in San Francisco and well take care of tomorrow tomorrow, right fielder Jason Heyward said, just like we always do.Jorge Soler hit a two-run homer for the Cubs, who had won three of four. Mike Montgomery pitched six solid innings and helped himself with a tying single in the fourth for his first career hit.Justin Grimm (1-1) replaced Montgomery in the seventh and the Brewers put runners on first and third with one out. Gennett, batting for Jimmy Nelson (8-14), blooped an 0-2 curveball into the corner in left for a 5-3 Milwaukee lead.I was just trying to put the ball in play, Gennett said. Hes a guy who throws a lot of curveballs so its important not to get too big or try to do too much. Its really just, get a good pitch to hit and put it in play.The Cubs got one back on Heywards RBII double in the eighth, but Tyler Thornburg threw a called third strike past pinch-hitter Willson Contreras with runners at the corners to end the inning.ddddddddddddThornburg also worked the ninth for his 10th save in 15 chances.It was just a flat-out good ballgame, Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. Obviously with where theyre at, there was great energy in the park tonight.Nelson won for only the second time in his last 11 starts as Milwaukee (66-81) improved to 4-4 on an 11-game trip. The right-hander allowed eight hits, struck out seven and walked two.Even with the loss, its only a matter of time before Chicago clinches the division. But the NL Central crown is not how this group of Cubs will be judged, not this year. After running roughshod over the rest of the majors for most of the season, Anthony Rizzo and Co. are trying to end the franchises famous championship drought, going all the way back to when the Cubs beat the Tigers in the 1908 World Series.Weve got a lot ahead of us. We really do, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said before the loss. It kind of all boils down to how you perform in October.TRAINERS ROOMBrewers: RHP Michael Blazek (right forearm strain) threw a simulated game. Counsell would like to get Blazek into some games before the end of the season, but he said theres no rush. The goal with Mike is just to go into the offseason healthy, Counsell said.Cubs: RHP Pedro Strop, who tweaked his right groin while working his way back from arthroscopic left knee surgery, threw a bullpen and said it went well. Hes getting close, Maddon said. Its not far off.UP NEXTCubs RHP John Lackey (9-8, 3.35 ERA) is scheduled to face RHP Chase Anderson (8-11, 4.53) in the second game of the four-game set on Friday afternoon.---Follow Jay Cohen at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap ' ' '