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While the Dallas Stars are still young, their expectations have clearly changed.This group is no longer just hoping to get to the playoffs.Weve been together for a year now. The new players have fit in well, said Jamie Benn, their 25-year-old captain. Weve got a little bit more confidence as a group just making the playoffs, and I think we can bring that into this year.Not only did the Stars end the longest post-season drought in franchise history last season, they came oh so close to taking top-seeded Anaheim to Game 7 in the opening round. The Ducks had to score twice in the final 2:10 of regulation in Game 6 to force overtime, and won on the only shot there.We had a great year last year, and this year I think our expectations are a lot higher, said Tyler Seguin, the 22-year-old centre.General manager Jim Nill, a longtime assistant GM with Detroit, was hired in April 2013 after the Stars missed the playoffs for the fifth season in a row. He hired veteran coach Lindy Ruff, who had eight playoff appearances in his 15 seasons with Buffalo.Nills biggest initial deal was a seven-player trade with Boston to get former second overall pick Seguin, who in his debut Dallas season was the leading scorer with 84 points (37 goals, 47 assists). This off-season, Nill added 31-year-old former Ottawa teammates Jason Spezza and Ales Hemsky.Last year, Jamie Benn moving back to the wing, Seguin coming in, how were they going to mesh together? And weve seen that theyre as dynamic a duo as there is, Nill said. A lot of questions have been answered. ... Weve got the excitement of adding Spezza, Hemsky and these guys. Its an exciting time, good for our team.Spezza (23 goals, 43 assists) is a centre acquired in a trade before free-agent right wing Hemsky (13 goals, 30 assists combined with Edmonton and Ottawa) signed a three-year contract. The two will likely be paired together, providing another scoring line behind the front line led by Seguin and Benn (34 goals, 45 assists).Here are some things to know about the 2014-15 Dallas Stars, who open the season at home Oct. 9 against Western Conference finalist Chicago:POTENT POWER PLAY: During the preseason, Ruff had a primary power-play unit that included Seguin and Benn, his top two scorers from last season, and newcomers Spezza and Hemsky. We were finding each other, Seguin said. It will be great to see what we can do once we learn each other a lot. Ruff said he expects those guys to read off each other, rather than having a specific plan where, Youve got to be here, and youve got to be there.BACKUP GOALIE: The Stars went into training camp with several options to be goalie Kari Lehtonens backup. They used four different players in that role last season. Anders Lindback, who started 67 games over the past four seasons with Nashville and Tampa Bay, exited training camp as the second goalie on the roster.WORKING CLASS: Benn said the team has developed an identity as a hard-working team. Weve got to be the hardest-working team out there, the captain said. Our skills going to help us out, but if we dont work hard, were not going to win many games.STILL UNSIGNED: When the Stars opened training camp in mid-September, unsigned restricted free agents Cody Eakin and Brenden Dillon were working out at home in Canada. Eakin, a centre, signed a two-year deal and joined the team this week. Defenceman Dillon remained unsigned and it was uncertain if his contract would be resolved before the season.PEVERLEYS PROGRESS: Nearly seven months after collapsing on the bench during a game because of an irregular heartbeat, forward Rich Peverley is doing off-ice workouts. But he still hasnt been cleared by doctors to get practice or play, and there is no specific timetable for when that could happen. He had surgery in mid-March to correct an abnormal heart rhythm, an issue that was diagnosed during training camp last year. Denver Nuggets Jerseys .Simon will work with head coach Gord Dineen and associate coach Derek King behind the bench of the Toronto Maple Leafs American Hockey League affiliate for the 2014-15 season. Gary Harris Nuggets Jersey . You can watch all the action on TSN and TSN GO beginning at 8:30pm et/5:30pm pt. Minnesota dropped the first two tests of this best-of-seven set at Chicagos United Center and was outscored by a combined 9-3 margin in those setbacks. However, the Wild righted themselves at home by taking Game 3 by a 4-0 count before knotting the series at two games apiece with Fridays 4-2 triumph at Xcel Energy Center. http://www.nuggetsproshop.com/Gary-Harris-Nuggets-Jersey/. The Toronto Argonauts (11-7) look for an opportunity to repeat as CFL champions when they host the surging Hamilton Tiger-Cats (10-8) on Sunday. Thomas Welsh Nuggets Jersey . - Titans quarterback Jake Locker will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, leaving Tennessee trying to rally with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Tyler Lydon Nuggets Jersey . According to a report from ESPN, the Green Bay Packers have re-signed the cornerback to a four-year, $39 million deal with a $12. LINCOLN, Neb. -- Tim Miles is tired of hearing about the old Nebraska program that made a habit of bumbling and stumbling its way through the past two decades. His players must be tired of it, too. Shavon Shields and Terran Petteway scored 26 points apiece, and the Cornhuskers beat No. 9 Wisconsin 77-68 on Sunday night to strengthen the schools chance for its first NCAA tournament appearance since 1998. The Huskers (19-11, 11-7) won for the 10th time in 12 games to clinch fourth place in the Big Ten for their highest conference finish since 1997-98. The Badgers (25-6, 12-6) had their longest conference win streak since 1940-41 end at eight games. "Thats what we want Husker basketball to be about and thats what we want it to continue to be about," Miles said. "Weve had a good run, a really good run. But were only halfway through the journey." Miles, in his second year at Nebraska, said the hard times the previous two coaches endured dont exist in his mind. "This is my program. We dont carry any baggage," he said. "Everywhere weve been, Ive been surrounded by great people and we win, and were going to keep doing it. So all that cursed crap, all of the hexing and vexing and all that (stuff) that goes with it is exactly that." The whole season has seemed like a new era for the program, and never more than Sunday night. The game was billed as "No-Sit Sunday," with Miles imploring fans to stay on their feet the whole game. The amped-up sellout crowd of 15,998 at Pinnacle Bank Arena lived up to the occasion, helping the Huskers beat Wisconsin for the first time in five meetings since they joined the Big Ten three years ago. Nebraska picked up a second win against a top-10 team for the first time since 1993-94. The other one was at then-No. 9 Michigan State on Feb. 16. The Huskers won 11 conference games for the first time since 1965-66. "We have to keep it going and not let our heads get big and just stay modest and keep humble," Shields said. "Keep our underdog thing going." Shields made a couple free throws, Ray Galleggos hit a 3 and Shields dunked in transition to start a 12-1 run that turned a 52-48 deficit into a 60-53 lead with 5 minutes left.dddddddddddd "Win the game, get in the tournament," Shields said, describing the Huskers mindset coming into the day. When the buzzer sounded, Nebraskas student section rushed the court and bounced to the music. Now the Huskers go to Indianapolis for the Big Ten tournament, where theyll play Ohio State or Purdue on Friday. Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan wasnt interested in discussing his teams NCAA seeding possibilities. "I dont even know what youre talking about," he said. "You guys dont know me. No. 1 seed for what? Were the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament. Thats the only thing I know." The Badgers were runners-up to Michigan in the regular season and will open the Big Ten tournament on Friday against Minnesota or Penn State. Frank Kaminsky led Wisconsin with 14 points. Nigel Hayes added 12, Josh Gasser had 11 and Ben Brust finished with 10. On top of a Nebraska defence that held Wisconsin to 43-per cent shooting, the Badgers struggled at the free-throw line, making just 11 of 21. "We just didnt do the things necessary to win the basketball game. Thats what it boils down to," Kaminsky said. "We had a scouting report and we let them get away with some things." Kaminskys 3-pointer gave Wisconsin its last lead before the Huskers went on their decisive run. "Once we got the lead, we werent going to give it back," Petteway said. The stage was set early on for a big night at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Gallegos and fellow senior Mike Peltz were honoured, with Peltz taking the festivities to the next level when he got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend at centre court with his teammates jumping around behind him. She said yes. Miles narrated a video tribute to the fans and, for the first time, the team ran onto the court through a fog machine. A card section was set up in the south end zone, with students raising a giant red "N" against a white backdrop before tipoff. ' ' '