SAITAMA, Japan -- Canadians Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje captured silver in ice dance at the world figure skating championships Saturday, missing the gold by a mere 0.02 points. "Im just feeling ecstatic right now," Poje said. "This one moment is because of the combination of all the hard work that weve had, especially over these past couple of years, and showing by our grit and determination that we wanted to be up near the top. I feel that we deserve to be up here now, and its an amazing feeling and we want to have more of it." The dancers from Waterloo, Ont., scored 175.45 to finish second behind European champions Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte of Italy. Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat of France were third with 175.37. Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Unionville, Ont finished eighth with 153.86 points, while Alexandra Paul of Midhurst, Ont., and Mitchell Islam of Barrie, Ont,. were 10th with 148.76 points. Mao Asada of Japan topped the free skate in womens singles to capture her third world title. Asada, who held a slim 1.42-point lead after the short program, under-rotated three jumps but finished with 216.69 points, 9.19 ahead 15-year-old Julia Lipnitskaia of Russia. Italys Carolina Kostner, the 2012 world champion, took the bronze with 203.83 points. Kaetlyn Osmond of Marystown, N.L., was 11th, while Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., was 13th. "It wasnt the performance I wanted to have," Osmond said. "I love this program, I have loved skating it and I really wanted to show it off tonight." Weaver and Poje have skated in the shadow of Canadian world and Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir for several years. But Virtue and Moir, and Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White, gold medallists last month at the Sochi Games, are expected to announce their retirement soon. Neither of the teams competed at the world championships, leaving two spots on the podium up for grabs. "Its an incredible feeling. Im without words," Weaver said. "I cant believe that we performed the free dance today the best we have all year under the pressure of the circumstances of the top teams being so close. Im just so proud of Andrew and I and the work we have done this year and that we just havent given up in our careers and that is what has brought us to this moment." The silver sends the Canadian team home with two medals. Meagan Duhamel of Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford of Balmertown, Ont., won bronze in pairs earlier in the week. Asada, who finished sixth at the Sochi Olympics, also won the world championships in 2008 and 2010 and became the first Japanese three-time champion. Skating to Sergei Rachmaninovs "Piano Concerto No. 2," Asada opened with her trademark triple Axel but under-rotated that one as well as a triple flip and double loop, but she earned high style points after impressing the judges. "I was able to control myself and I have done what I had to do," Asada said. "I was much more nervous than I was for the short program but the cheering from the fans was with me and made me relax." Yuna Kim, the defending champion, has retired and Olympic gold medallist Adelina Sotnikova of Russia wasnt competing at the worlds. Kohl Stewart Jersey .Michael Briscoe is serving a life sentence for sexual assault, kidnapping and first-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Nina Courtepatte in 2005. Jake Odorizzi Jersey . Ben Street scored twice for the Heat (17-5-1), who won their fourth game in a row and 13th in their last 14 outings. Brett Bulmer scored the lone goal for the Wild (6-11-0), who dropped their sixth straight contest. https://www.cheaptwins.com/392t-sergio-romo-jersey-twins.html . Freddie Roach said if the Rios fight "does not go well, we will seriously talk about his retirement," but that Pacquiao was training as well as ever for the Nov. Zack Littell Jersey . After two months of mediocrity, perhaps the Washington Nationals have turned the page. Strasburg struck out 11 in seven innings Wednesday night and the Nationals kept the Philadelphia Phillies bats quiet yet again in an 8-4, rain-interrupted win. Jonathan Schoop Twins Jersey . But qualifying for her first Scotties Tournament of Hearts after years of falling short in tough Manitoba provincial championships is as good as consolation prizes get for the 29-year-old from Winnipegs Fort Rouge Curling Club.The San Antonio Spurs will once again try to polish off the Portland Trail Blazers, this time it will be at AT&T Center for Wednesday nights Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals. San Antonio had a chance to sweep on Monday night, but Portland pulled out a 103-92 victory. With their backs against the wall, Portland was led by its point guard. Damian Lillard scored 25 points and was one of five Trail Blazers in double figures for the night. "We knew that this could have been our last game if we didnt come out and correct the things that we had been doing wrong over the first three games," said Lillard. "I think guys were locked in. Everybody competed." Lillard was 11-for-21 from the field on Monday after shooting 37.5 percent over the first three games. LaMarcus Aldridge was next for Portland with 19 points, followed by a sensational all-around effort from Nicolas Batum, who had 14 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. Wesley Matthews added 10 and Will Barton gave the Blazers bench a much-needed lift with 17 points. "It was a good game, but we still got another three to go," Blazers head coach Terry Stotts said. Tony Parker was held to 14 points after going for at least 29 in three of his last four games. Tim Duncan had 12 points and nine rebounds for San Antonio, which is lookking to head to the conference finals for a third consecutive season.dddddddddddd Boris Diaw (12), Kawhi Leonard (11) and Patty Mills (10) also scored in double figures for San Antonio. "I dont think that we had the energy, the focus," said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. "We didnt accomplish our defensive tasks the way we had the first three games. Both mentally and physically, we played at a lower level than we have." After leading for just 33 seconds over the first three games, Portland used a big run during the middle stages of the third quarter to pull away in this one. The Blazers led throughout the second half, building a 20-point, fourth- quarter cushion. No NBA team has ever lost a best-of-seven playoff series after going up 3-0. The Blazers were the last team to take one to a seventh game, but lost to the Dallas Mavericks in a 2003 first-round series. "Like we said, why not us?," asked Batum. "Its never been done before. Were down 3-0. We know its going to be tough. It wont be easy, especially against this team, the San Antonio Spurs. Like we always say, just take one game at a time. "We had a great game tonight. Well try to do the same thing, go down there to San Antonio and just be focused on that game and move on." A potential Game 6 would be Friday night in Portland. ' ' '