Die Allianz T-D-P » , Coastal Carolina (3-2), Albany (4-1

TORONTO -- When the World Cup of Hockey started, Team Europe was not picked as a team to beat.In fact, the unique team made up of eight nations outside of the continents traditional hockey powers was expected to be out of the best-on-best tournament.Team Europe had other plans.The blended group of players opened the tournament with a 3-0 win over the U.S. and then beat the Czech Republic in overtime to seal a spot in the semifinals before losing to Canada.I know nobody really expected us to be here right now, Danish and Detroit Red Wings forward Frans Nielsen said Saturday. But when you look in the room and go over the team, theres not a lot of players better than (Anze) Kopitar in this tournament. We got (Marian) Hossa. We got some good guys on the backend and good goaltending.The Europeans will face Sweden on Sunday for a spot in the best-of-three finals against Canada.When Team Europe players have faced Sweden for their countries -- Switzerland, Denmark, Slovakia, France, Germany, Slovenia, Austria and Norway -- in previous, they didnt have a legitimate chance to win.They do now.A veteran group of skaters and a star in Kopitar along with Slovak and New York Islanders goaltender Jaroslav Halak give them a shot on any sheet of ice.Hes the kind of goalie that almost every night, he gives you a chance to win, said Nielsen, who played with Halak in New York. And, hell make that save when you need it.Team Europe coach Ralph Krueger said hell likely save his rah-rah speeches for another team because this one simply doesnt need it.Krueger began to sense something special was in store for Team Europe nearly a year ago when several candidates to be on the team met when Boston and the New York Islanders played. When the entire group gathered nearly three weeks ago in Quebec, Krueger got even more excited about the natural chemistry the team already had from their shared experiences.We didnt have to do a lot of extra team-building, Krueger said. It just happened with a combination of leadership and personalities and character and will -- of pure will -- of these eight nations that are forever underdogs, forever going home when the final four is staged, forever watching other teams play in finals of best of best. That opportunity has fueled the fire that taken us here.---Follow Larry Lage at www.twitter.com/larrylage and follow his work at www.bigstory.ap.org/content/larry-lage Rickard Rakell Jersey . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. Korbinian Holzer Jersey . Note: The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that Sean Monahan would not be made available to Canadas World Junior team. http://www.authenticduckspro.com/ . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record. Ryan Kesler Jersey .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. Hampus Lindholm Jersey . The 27-year-old Scrivens will be joining his third NHL club since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2010. The move also reunites with him with head coach Dallas Eakins from their time together with the American Hockey Leagues Toronto Marlies. (STATS) -- While North Dakota State has been the team of the decade in the FCS, the opponent which the Bison have picked on more than any other is South Dakota State.The Jackrabbits are in a crowded group of teams, of course, but they have lost eight times to the five-time reigning FCS national champions since the start of the 2010 season.On an upcoming Saturday full of big matchups, SDSU hopes to take down the top-ranked Bison. In fact, four of this weeks matchups are between teams ranked in the STATS FCS Top 25, which remained relatively unchanged Monday.SDSU (3-2) moved up one spot to No. 11, while NDSU (5-0) received all 160 first-place votes in the national media poll. Both teams are 2-0 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and sit atop the standings with Youngstown State (4-1).The only change among the top 10 teams was The Citadel leaping over Charleston Southern to No. 8. After NDSU, Sam Houston State (5-0) was ranked second followed by Jacksonville State (4-1), Eastern Washington (5-1), Chattanooga (6-0), Richmond (5-1), James Madison (5-1), The Citadel (5-0), Charleston Southern (3-2) and Montana (4-1).South Dakota State hasnt defeated North Dakota State since a 28-13 win at home on Oct. 17, 2009. Saturdays Dakota Marker rivalry game will take place in the Fargodome, where the Bison are 51-4 since 2010.This years Jackrabbits team is winning a little differently than in many past seasons -- with a high-powered passing attack. Behind sophomore quarterback Taryn Christian, wide receiver Jake Weineke and tight end Dallas Goedert, the offense ranks fifth nationally in passing yards per game (339.6). The Jackrabbits are fourth in scoring average (45) and 13th in total offensive yards per game (461.4).NDSU holds a 59-40-5 series lead heading into the 105th all-time meeting of the 14th most-played series among FCS schools.Familiar conference rivals will get together across the FCS this weekend.ddddddddddddIn the Southern Conference, its No. 8 The Citadel at No. 5 Chattanooga in a first-place showdown between last years conference co-champs. No. 6 Richmond hosts No. 13 Villanova (5-1) in CAA Football, while No. 14 Youngstown State (4-1) hosts No. 21 Northern Iowa (2-3) in the Missouri Valley.South Dakota State outlasted Western Illinois 45-39 to move into the No. 11 spot. The Jackrabbits were followed by Western Illinois (4-1), Villanova, Youngstown State, North Carolina A&T (4-1), Coastal Carolina (3-2), Albany (4-1), Eastern Illinois (4-2), Cal Poly (3-2) and Harvard (4-0).Rounding out the Top 25 were Northern Iowa (2-3), North Dakota (4-2), Central Arkansas (4-1) and two newcomers, Samford (4-1) and Grambling State (4-1). Samford, from the Southern Conference, last appeared in the Top 25 in the final 2013 rankings, while Grambling State became the first Southwestern Athletic Conference team in the poll since the Tigers ended last season at No. 24.McNeese and Illinois State fell from the Top 25 following losses this past weekend.A season-high 10 conferences were represented by at least one team in the rankings, led by the Missouri Valley with five, the Big Sky and CAA four each and the Southern Conference three.A national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries select the STATS FCS Top 25. In the voting, a first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote.The Top 25 is released every Monday afternoon during the regular season, except for Sunday morning, Nov. 20, prior to the selection of the 24-team FCS playoff field. A final Top 25 will follow the FCS championship game, which will be held Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas. ' ' '