These have been trying times for Canadian Mens soccer. Vans Old Skool España . A struggling national team, and likewise Canadian Major League Soccer franchises have tested the patience of the most ardent support of the game in this country. Tuesday night at our National Soccer Stadium in Toronto told a different story: attractive play, highlight reel goals and a winning experience. The Canadian men gave head coach Benito Floro a winning home debut in a 3-1 victory over CONCACAF rival Jamaica. It was all-around a fun night for the Canadian faithful. Baby steps and hints of progress. To say its been a rough two years for the Canadian Mens National Soccer team would be an understatement. The players, program and supporters all deserved a night as such. A 16-match winless streak dating back to the 8-1 World Cup qualifying humiliation to Honduras in San Pedro Sula in October 2012 has cast a cloud of negativity over our Mens Soccer program. A seemingly never-ending goalless streak, soul searching and an absolute loss in confidence in the players and leadership has made for an all-time difficult time for the program. A losing mentality can be contagious. But that negative demeanour was nowhere to be found at Canadian camp over the last week heading into Tuesdays win. There was passion, energy and excitement around the team getting back at it for a long-anticipated home date. It was the mens first home date in 2014, and just the third match on home soil in the last two years. The players are well aware of all the negative talk about the team, individually and as collective. They felt they had something to prove. The win wont take away the sting of 8-1 but sets the tone of where this group plans to go. Its time to move forward. The players can now do so with confidence and reasoned belief in their new manager. The move by the CSA to bring in Floro was a calculated one; a man of vast experience looking for a new opportunity. How the marriage would work out was up for great debate. Much work was to be done, and many questioned whether Floro would be up for it. The initial returns are showing steps in the right direction. His players are speaking of tactics and compartmentalization in approach: something entirely different than recent years when survival and keeping heads above the water always seemed the goal. The new coach won over the crowd by bringing on Canadian and local soccer legend Dwayne De Rosario, as well as defender Karl Ouimette, who lost his sister to cancer earlier this month, for second half appearances – an appropriate touch and show of understanding by the manager. As for game-play, Floro has a clear vision how he wants his team to play. From attacking perspective, the initial returns speak to improvement. Its about making the most out of what he has. Canada will not win through individual ability: it must be a team approach, top-down. The intelligence and purpose of the Canadian attack against Jamaica was something unlike we have seen out of the Mens program for quite sometime. Canada may not be blessed with the natural goal-scorers of yester-year, but the team has pace. The ability to attack down the wings and move off the ball accordingly was refreshing. Tosaint Ricketts led the line well and looks a much more active player than in the past. His goal came off a mistake from goalkeeper Andre Blake, but the Canadian striker put himself in position to finish. It was a standout performance from the Israel-based player. Ricketts goal was the clincher after Canada scored three unanswered en route to victory. The other two goals were of the highest quality. Patrice Berniers corner finding David Edgar on the top of the 18, who volleyed home for a spectacular goal, rivaling Terry Dunfields wonder-strike against Ecuador in 2011. Marcel de Jong scored the other on a picture perfect free kick. Top goals, no matter what league or side youre watching worldwide. Atia Hutchinson remains the pulse of the team, outstanding again Tuesday night. The Besiktas player is a step above, and can be argued he could start for any CONCACAF nation. Hutchinson stands of evidence this country can still produce players of such high quality and deserves any and all the praise he gets. The team with speed around him takes advantage of his poise, composure and overall gifted ability to read the game. Hutchinson remains the centerpiece, and with Julian de Guzman, Patrice Bernier and the absent Will Johnson around him, make for a formidable middle of the park. Perhaps the most pleasant surprise was the play of goalkeeper Milan Borjan. Multiple top saves and intervention helped keep Canada in a position to win on home soil. His positioning was sound and shot-blocking ability was equal to the task. The defensive line was shaky in front of him and will need work growing as a unit. Toronto FCs Doneil Henry played at right-back and provided size and strength on the outside. Henry needs more polish at the position but was an interesting look for a player used to playing centre-half. Borjan is without a club at present time. He, along with de Guzman and Adam Straith need club teams as soon as possible. It need not matter the inexperience in the Jamaican team or the lack of preparation time for the visitors. Its the result that matters. Its time to turn the corner from the negative narrative to developing something positive. That only comes through results. Belief in Benito and better days ahead for the program is paramount looking ahead to the Gold Cup and World Cup qualifying in the not-so-distant future. Its important for the Mens program to gain prominence on the Canadian sports landscape. Canada has become a leader in the womens game in terms of development and fan support. The success of the womens game has been a boon for the Canadian Soccer Association. But the Mens program on a global scale will always be the primary, long-term moneymaker and the barometer by which a countrys soccer success will be judged. It was unfortunate young boys club teams didnt flock out Tuesday night as girls club teams do for the womens program. It all comes from perception. When the perception of the mens program turns to one of success, we can expect similar fandom to follow. So some headlines the night before tickets went on sale for the 2015 FIFA Womens World Cup is well-taken by the CSA and the Canadian soccer community. Its a big year for Canadian soccer and there is no reason the Mens team cant be part of the headlines. The goal is all programs finding on and off-field success. Progress should be embraced as it comes. Tuesday was just that. More baby steps. Gareth Wheeler can be reached at:@WheelerTSNgareth.wheeler@bellmedia.ca Vans Old Skool Baratas España . The Ravens werent about to let it happen again. Carleton picked up its fourth straight national mens basketball title, and 10th in the last 12 years, with a 79-67 victory over its crosstown rival on Sunday. Vans Old Skool Tienda Online . -- J.R. Sweezy was the one part of the Seattle Seahawks offensive line that had avoided injuries or having to change positions this season. http://www.vansoldskoolbaratas.es/ .C. -- Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe is resigning after 13 seasons at the school.VANCOUVER -- Chris Higgins, known for being a consummate team player, decided to get selfish Friday night. But the out-of-character move paid off as he scored at 3:41 of overtime to give the Vancouver Canucks a 3-2 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes in NHL action Friday night. "Im not passing up that shot in overtime," said Higgins. The Smithtown, N.Y., native scored after he kicked the puck away from Phoenix centre Mike Ribeiro in the Vancouver zone and then raced down left wing and beat Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith with a quick shot to the far side. The Canucks (16-10-5) posted their fourth win in five games while the Coyotes (16-8-5) suffered their third loss in four outings. The win moved the Canucks one point ahead of Phoenix in the Western Conference standings. But Vancouver squeaked out the win after squandering a 2-0 lead in the final 10 minutes of regulation time. "Its lesson learned for sitting back in the third period," said Higgins. "It came back to bite us. I dont think we played in their end enough in the third, werent good on the forecheck all night, but we battled back." Higgins did not have much sympathy for reporters who were scrambling to re-write their stories as a result of the Phoenix comeback, with one suggesting the Canucks were "killing" them on deadline. "Were killing my grandma," said Higgins. "Shes back in New York and she stays up for these games, so its almost one oclock for her. And I feel bad for her." Jason Garrison and Henrik Sedin also scored for Vancouver. Antoine Vermette and David Moss responded for the Coyotes with goals only two minutes and 21 seconds apart midway through the final period. "We were focusing on getting pucks in in the third," said Moss. "That should have been the way we were playing the whole game." Despite the win, Vancouver coach John Tortorella was not pleased, to say the least, about his clubs effort. "I am happy we won, but I cant stand the way we won," said Tortorella. The Canucks coach chastized his players for allowing the Coyotes to come back late in the game. "I thought they played harder than us in the third period, and their sticks were better, and we have to get out of this situation of not finishing games -- because we are going nowhere until we do," said Tortorella. He said his club squandered an extra point lead that it could have had on Phoenix if the Coyotes did not take the game to overtime to earn one. Tortorella, who has made much about getting to know Vancouver players, and how they play in his first season on the West Coast, was puzzled with how the Canucks could put together their string of success. In his view, the Canucks, who played their first game at Rogers Arena followwing a four-game road trip, are not playing as well now as they were while struggling in their previous home stand. Vans Old Skool Rebajas. "We have more to learn as a club as far as mindset and situational play," he said. "I just dont think were a good situational team right now, and that onus falls on me as a coach. I need to continue to teach that until it turns into an instinct for us." For much of the game, Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongos play looked instinctive. He recorded 37 saves for the win as Smith stopped 29 shots in defeat. Through most of the first 40 minutes, the crowd serenaded Luongo with "Loooo" almost every time he made a save. But the Coyotes never quit working and were finally rewarded for their efforts with a pair of quick goals. Vermette pulled the Coyotes within a goal midway through the third period as he beat Luongo with a high slapshot from just inside the Vancouver blue-line after the Canucks got lackadaisical with the puck while trying to move it out of their zone. The Phoenix goal came moments after Vancouvers Jannik Hansen missed an open net at the other end of the ice. Then Moss, standing on top of Luongos crease forged a 2-2 tie as he put in the rebound off Rob Klinkhammers shot from the side of net. The quick tallies negated Garrisons power-play marker and Henrik Sedins one-timer off a pass from his twin brother Daniel in the second period following a scoreless first. "t was deja vu all over again from the previous home stand," said Luongo. "I got to try and make a save there. Even though it was a rebound, I got caught a little off balance and couldnt recover on the second goal, but the boys responded." Now, Coyotes coach Dave Tippett is looking for a response from his club when it wraps up a four-game road swing in Colorado on Tuesday. He was happy that the Coyotes are defending better and giving fewer shots and scoring chances. But he lamented his teams struggles to gain ground in the tight Western Conference standings. "We got three of (a possible) six (on the trip so far)," he said. And for where we are, we need to have a better percentage than that." Notes: After his miscue, Ribeiro declined a Coyotes media relations staffers request to speak to reporters. a Before the game, a moment of silence was held for late South African president Nelson Mandela, who died Thursday at the age of 95. a Coyotes captain Shane Doan sat out due to illness. Meanwhile, defenceman Derek Morris missed the game after leaving the club to attend to a family matter. a Andrew Alberts replaced defenceman Alex Edler in Vancouvers lineup. Edler is sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury. ... Vancouvers much-maligned power play has now scored in seven consecutive games. ' ' '