Canadas Dara Howell had a hard time believing she was actually an Olympic gold medallist in the weeks following the Sochi Games.The accomplishment still hasnt quite sunk in.Some 10 months after making history in Russia as the first womens Olympic slopestyle ski champion, the 20-year-old from Huntsville, Ont., still has to pinch herself from time to time.I think when Im old and, like 50, Ill probably realize what happened, Howell said with a laugh on a conference call. But for now Im just enjoying it and taking opportunities that come my way and just keep moving forward.Howell spent most of the summer off her skis, but that moving forward she spoke of includes a Dew Tour event this week in Breckenridge, Colo.Im just getting back into it, but things are coming back the way I want them to, said Howell, who also won silver at the 2013 world championships. I think this season, its more just having fun and doing what I love to do. Thats pretty much it.In slopestyle, athletes try to impress a panel of judges with tricks and moves off jumps and rails, with degree of difficulty, style and execution factored into the scoring system.Howell scored 94.20 points at the Olympics in conditions that started off icy and fast before becoming slow and slushy as the event progressed.With the next Games not until 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea, both Howell and Canadian teammate Kim Lamarre — who won bronze in womens slopestyle in Sochi — view this season as an opportunity to grow.Im looking forward to this year. I definitely want to not get ahead of myself, said Lamarre, a 26-year-old from Quebec City, Que. Theres a lot of good girls that are coming back from injury that are young and hungry. I want to keep my head in a good place and work on my tricks at my own pace.This year is not the biggest year and I just want to make sure I stay healthy for everything thats coming my way.Howell said life has been different since winning Olympic gold, but added that the title doesnt change how she prepares for events.Im just trying to go out and do the best that I can do, she said. I think that before the Olympics I put a lot of pressure on myself and I still think I put more pressure on myself than what anyone else can.The approach for this year is still to compete and still to have the mindset of competing and all that stuff, but I definitely want to keep progressing and keep learning new tricks. Miikka Salomaki Predators Jersey . Villar connected off Joe Saunders (11-14), sending a drive well over the left-field fence for his first career homer. The Astros scored six times in the first three innings to chase Saunders. Custom Nashville Predators Jerseys . 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James scored 32 points, Wade added 22 points and eight assists, and the Heat trailed by 11 early in the second half before running away to a 107-88 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.MINNEAPOLIS - The Toronto Blue Jays were getting mowed down by Phil Hughes through the first five innings on a chilly night at Target Field, but the big swingers never panicked. The Jays have a long history of beating up on the former Yankees right-hander, so they knew it was only a matter of time before they got him in his new home in Minnesota. Jose Bautista had three hits and an RBI, and Brett Lawrie hit a grand slam in the ninth inning to help the Blue Jays beat the Twins 9-3 on Tuesday night. Edwin Encarnacion had two hits and an RBI, and Aaron Loup (1-0) won in relief of starter Brandon Morrow, who lasted 3 2-3 innings in 35-degree weather. The Blue Jays led 5-2 going into the ninth before Lawries towering drive off Jared Burton put it away. "I think it just took a little bit of getting used to," said Lawrie, who drove in five runs. "We didnt hit (batting practice) today. We just rolled into town, so we kind of just hit in the cages and rolled right out into the game. So it just took a little bit to adjust once we got in the box. Once we got a few hits, it just started snowballing." Chris Colabello had three hits and an RBI, and Trevor Plouffe hit a solo home run for the Twins. But Hughes (0-1) watched an impressive start go to waste in Torontos five-run sixth inning. "He was cruising before that," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "I thought the ball was coming out of his hand really good. All of a sudden I think it was three or four hits in a row and I dont know what happened. He just couldnt get a ball where he wanted to and they put some really nice swings on the ball." Hughes gave up four runs and eight hits with seven strikeouts in five-plus innings, snapping Minnesotas three-game winning streak. Munenori Kawasaki had two hits, including a double, after being called up from Triple-A Buffalo to help replace Maicer Izturis, who is out for the season with torn ligaments in his left knee. Designated hitter Adam Lind, who had a walk, a single and scored a run, left in the seventh inning with tightness in his lower back.dddddddddddd The Blue Jays have historically hit the ball very well at pitcher-friendly Target Field and they were going against one of their favourite pitchers in Hughes, who faced them many times over the years with the New York Yankees. Toronto hit 15 home runs off Hughes in 116 2-3 innings while he was in pinstripes. Hughes kept the ball in the ballpark and kept the Blue Jays off balance through five. He recorded all seven of his strikeouts and needed just 74 pitches to get to the sixth. Then it all came apart. Hughes gave up four quick hits to start the inning, including RBI singles by Bautista and Encarnacion to get chased with two on and nobody out. Michael Tonkin gave up a single to load the bases, and a throwing error from catcher Kurt Suzuki later in the inning allowed Dioner Navarro to score for a 5-2 lead. The big inning helped Toronto overcome a rough start from Morrow, who threw 98 pitches and couldnt get out of the fourth. Morrow gave up two runs and four hits with four walks and four strikeouts. "Weve got a good hitting team," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "I figured that was not going to last very long. Hughes was tough on us early but we had that one big inning where we broke it open." Bautista played centre field because Colby Rasmus needed an extra day to rest his ailing hamstring. It was the sluggers first start there since 2009 and he badly misplayed a sinking liner from Pedro Florimon, letting the ball get behind him for a triple. Florimon scored on a single by Joe Mauer, who struck out three times, for a 2-0 lead. NOTES: It was Lawries second career grand slam. ... Kawasaki was ruled out in the first inning when he laid down a bunt but stepped out of the batters box with his left foot before making contact with the ball, which is illegal. ... Twins assistant GM Ron Antony said OF Oswaldo Arcia, on the disabled list with an injured wrist, received a cortisone injection in hopes of speeding his recovery. ... Twins RHP Mike Pelfrey (0-2, 7.84 ERA) pitches Wednesday night against RHP R.A. Dickey (1-2, 5.30). ' ' '