Jenni Asserholt deflected a shot into the net for a first-period goal and Sweden held on to beat Japan 1-0 on Sunday in their opening game of the Sochi Olympics womens hockey tournament. Clyde Drexler Jersey . Valentina Wallner stopped 19 shots for the Swedes. Nana Fujimoto made 22 saves for Japan, which had not qualified for the Olympics in womens hockey since the sport was added to the Winter Games in Nagano in 1998. Sweden is the only team other than the United States or Canada to have reached an Olympic gold medal game, beating the Americans in the 2006 semifinal and earning a silver. But the Swedes have struggled lately, falling into the second-tier Group B that will have to compete for two spots in the quarterfinals. Gary Trent Jr. Blazers Jersey . Just ask Arsenal fans. However, Arsene Wenger has repeatedly told anyone willing to listen that finishing in that spot is more important than winning a cup competition. Brandon Roy Jersey .com) - The top spot in the AFC South will be on the line when Houston native Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts shoot for their fourth straight win when they take on the Texans at NRG Stadium. http://www.blazersteamofficial.com/Bill-Walton-Blazers-Jersey/ . "I never commented to anyone that I wanted out," he explained. "My heart is with this group and making the playoffs." Kesler added that the rumours are "completely false" that he asked to be traded - recently or ever. PITTSBURGH -- Sidney Crosby will keep at least one linemate around for the long haul. The Pittsburgh Penguins and forward Chris Kunitz agreed to a three-year contract extension on Thursday that could keep him playing alongside Crosby until the 2016-17 season. General manager Ray Shero says the new deal, which begins in 2014-15, will carry an annual salary cap hit of $3.85 million. The 33-year-old Kunitz has flourished since the Penguins acquired him from Anaheim in February 2009. Splitting time between Crosby and Malkins lines this season, Kunitz led the Penguins with 22 goals and finished second on the team with 52 points. He added five goals and five assists during the playoffs, including one of the two goals Pittsburgh scored during aa four-game sweep by Boston in the Eastern Conference finals. Bill Walton Blazers Jersey. The extension continues Sheros decision to maintain the core group that led the Penguins to the second-best record in the NHL this spring. The Penguins awarded coach Dan Bylsma with a two-year extension shortly after the season ended then promptly inked Malkin to an eight-year extension. Pittsburgh is also negotiating with defenceman Kris Letang, who is entering the final year of his contract, and forwards Pascal Dupuis and Matt Cooke, both of whom will become free agents next week. Crosby, Kunitz and Dupuis formed hockeys most productive line in 2013, combining for 144 points even with Crosby missing the final third of the season with a broken jaw. ' ' '