VANCOUVER -- Maelle Ricker is confident shell be able to defend her womens snowboard cross gold medal at the Sochi Winter Olympics. The 35-year-old from West Vancouver, B.C., broke her wrist in training Jan. 28 and required surgery to repair the compound fracture. "Ive been training everyday, Ive been doing physio everyday. My arm is getting better and better, its getting more range and getting the swelling out," Ricker said during a conference call Wednesday. "Everybodys done such an amazing job just as a team, as a whole support network to get me out the door and get me on the plane Saturday to get me over to Russia." Snowboard cross involves four athletes racing down a course at the same time, often jockeying for position. Rickers accident happened when she lost her balance during a training run on the X Games course in Vail, Colo. "It was in a section that Ive ridden dozens of times previous to that run. It was nothing new or surprising. I didnt control my speed as I should have," said Ricker, who won gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. "I did the exact opposite of what youre supposed to do -- I put my arm out to break the fall and unfortunately it broke me." Despite having a bone sticking of the side of her arm that "was crazy looking" less than three weeks before she was scheduled to compete in Sochi, Ricker said she was never concerned about her ability to participate. "I wasnt worried about that because I had so much support and reassurance right away that I was getting the absolute best medical care on the planet," she said. "I definitely felt that support and reassurance right away." Ricker said she wont get back on her snowboard until she reaches Sochi. She expects there to be some pain when she competes, mainly at the top of the course when she pulls herself out of the start gate. She said some of the exercises shes been doing since the injury involve simulating a snowboard cross start using bungee cords and pulleys. "I think its going to be better than maybe what I think, based just on my progress the last few days," said Ricker. "Everything is moving so much better than what I would ever imagine a week (post-operation) from breaking an arm. "I think its going to go quite well. Im really positive about this." Ricker and her fellow womens snowboard cross competitors will get their first look at the Sochi course Feb. 12, with the initial training session scheduled for two days later. The race is scheduled to go Feb. 16. Ricker has fought through injuries before -- including a crash right before the Vancouver Games as well as a concussion this past December -- and expects to be able to do the same in Sochi. "Id be lying if I said it wouldnt be in the back of my mind," she said. "Im hoping everything will go as a usual competition and thats where I spend a lot of time visualizing and thinking about the race and technically what Im doing on the board. Usually that overpowers any pain or anything else thats going on." Ricker made her Olympic debut in 1998 on Canadas halfpipe team at Nagano, Japan. She returned to the Games in 2006 at Turin, Italy, with the snowboard cross team but crashed and had to be airlifted to hospital. She returned in 2010 to win gold and it sounds like shes equally motivated this time around. "It sounds crazy, but its helped me," said Ricker of the injury. "This is almost like there was this burning fire, desire. Its almost like somebody doused a bunch of gasoline on the fire so Im pretty ready to go. I can feel the adrenaline and I can feel the excitement of going over to Russia. 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Blackhawks RW Patrick Kane came up big when it counted, tallying two goals and an assist. He scored the game-winner with 4:45 remaining in the third period, stopping on the right hashmarks, carrying the puck up through the top of the Kings zone, then firing a wrist shot from the top of the circles past Jonathan Quick, who had his view obstructed by Andrew Shaw.MILAN, Italy -- Mario Balotelli scored one goal and Kaka added two as AC Milan comfortably beat relegation-threatened Chievo Verona 3-0 Saturday to give coach Clarence Seedorf consecutive victories for the first time since being hired in January. Balotelli volleyed in a cross from Adil Rami four minutes in at the San Siro. Kaka doubled the lead in the 27th after controlling a lob pass from Keisuke Honda and the Brazil playmaker scored again in the 54th with a long, angled shot that went in off the post. The victory moved Milan level with Lazio in eighth place, six points behind Inter Milan in the race for fifth and the final Europa League berth. A week ago, Seedorfs job seemed at risk but Milan has now picked up points in three consecutive matches. "Its a special moment for us," said Kaka, who made his 300th appearance in the Italian league. "Football is great like that. Everything can change in a hurry." Earlier, Atalanta won 2-0 at Bologna for a club-record sixth straight victory in Serie A. Atalanta is four points ahead of Milan in seventh. Balotellis goal was the 45th of his Serie A career -- in 95 matches -- and it followed another strong performance in a 2-0 win over Fiorentina on Wednesday, when he scored one goal and set up another. Milaan could have had another goal in the 38th when Balotelli set up Honda with only the goalkeeper to beat but the Japan international wasted the opportunity by shooting high.dddddddddddd Kakas strong performance came after Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani confirmed before kickoff that he has a contractual option to leave Milan if the squad does not qualify for the Champions League. "Im happy here and hope to stay," said Kaka, who rejoined Milan from Real Madrid in September. Chievo had a chance to pull one back but a penalty from Cyril Thereau in added time hit the crossbar following a foul by Milan defender Cristian Zaccardo. The only other negative note for Milan came when midfielder Sulley Muntari was carried off on a stretcher in the first half with an apparent ankle injury. In Bologna, forward Giuseppe De Luca put Atalanta ahead in the 22nd after stripping Bologna midfielder Diego Perez and dribbling in to score. Four minutes later, Paraguayan midfielder Marcelo doubled the lead after trading passes with De Luca and beating goalkeeper Gianluca Curci from 20 metres (yards). During its winning streak, Atalanta has outscored the opposition 12-2. Chievo and Bologna remained three and two points, respectively, above the relegation zone. 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