defend a title for the first time in his career. He also is p

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. 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"We were left with the overall impression that the team wasnt trending toward being able to compete for a Stanley Cup," Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said in a news conference at the clubs arena. "And that was just a clear signal and why it was time to make those changes. Fake Jordan . The Rangers announced after Thursdays 4-2 loss to the New York Yankees that they would purchase Williams contract from Triple-A Round Rock. The 32-year-old Williams was released by Houston earlier this month after going 1-4 with a 6. Air Jordan Black Friday . Ashley Wagner will skate in the womens short program for a U.S. team thats in seventh place. Davis and White won the silver medal at the Vancouver Games and are two-time world champions.MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Defending champion Kei Nishikori of Japan beat Benjamin Becker of Germany 6-4, 6-4 on Wednesday night in the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships. Nishikori, who won his third career title at The Racquet Club last year, will play Russian Alex Bogomolov Jr. in the quarterfinals Friday. Bogomolov beat American Ryan Harrison 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 earlier Wednesday. The defending champ started slowly as he struggled a bit with his serve. Nishikori, who didnt drop a set here winning this tournament a year ago, jumped out to a 3-1 lead only to be broken twice. Nishikori broke Becker to open the match and again after the German broke him for a second time to tie the set at 4-4. "You see the score it looks simple like easy," Nishikori said. "But with so many breaks and I was serving all right but a couple moments I wasnt feeling the ball and the ball was going everywhere. So I led in unforced errors I guess today. First match and never easy of course against Becker, but Im happy to win two sets today." American Jack Sock beat Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-1. Sock needed 68 minutes to top Vesely overcoming six double-faults on his way to his second quarterfinal this year. Michael Russell downed fellow American Tim Smyczek 6-2, 7-6 (5) and will play third-seeded Lleyton Hewitt of Australia or Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus. Qualifier Denis Kudla beat fellow Americaan Donald Young 6-1 6-1 in a first-round match needing only an hour to get a little payback for losing to Young here last year.dddddddddddd. Nishikori, ranked as high as No. 11 last June, is trying to successfully defend a title for the first time in his career. He also is playing as the top seed at an ATP Tour event for the first time this week. "Its a weird feeling actually," Nishikori said about being the No. 1 seed. "Especially I was playing without seed and now Im top 20. And yeah, I didnt really feel like first seed. I didnt really care much, but its a ... pleasure to be No. 1 seed." He started well enough breaking Becker to jump out to a 3-1 lead. Then he struggled as Becker broke him twice. Nishikori broke Beckers serve for the third time in going up 5-4 and served out for the set. He won all three break points on Beckers serve. The German had seven break points on Nishikori and converted only twice in the opening set. In the second set, Nishikori was much more in control. He jumped out to a 4-2 lead and was up 4-3 when Becker broke his serve. Nishikori broke right back and served out for the match and a win he was happy to take. Nishikori said his serve was much better in the second, though he wasnt happy with being broken. "I was up 4-3. Thats an important game," Nishikori said. "I should finish well, but second set much better." ' ' '