Five of Nebraskas first 10 opponents are in the top 50 of the RPI, t

CHICAGO -- Patrick Kane flashed a million-dollar smile in the photo opp, beaming from behind a table topped by the troika of hefty awards he skated off with to cap a sublime season.Chicagos 27-year-old star forward broke away with the Hart Trophy as the NHLs MVP, the Art Ross as the leading scorer and the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the NHLs outstanding player by fellow skaters.Missing conspicuously from silverware haul on the opening day of the Blackhawks annual fan convention was the Stanley Cup, the championship Chicago failed to defend last spring after winning it in 2010, 2013 and 2015.Despite a first-round, seven-game playoff exit against St. Louis last April, the Blackhawks say theyre ready for another run at the Cup with a revised, younger roster. The NHLs salary cap, set at $73 million for next season, once again forced GM Stan Bowman to trim key players, most notably forwards Andrew Shaw and Teuvo Teravainen.Bowman thinks his kids, and team, will be all right. He expects top prospects, who skated in a camp in Chicago this week, to jump in and fill in several spots, especially at forward alongside stars such as Kane, Jonathan Toews and Artemi Panarin, last years Calder Trophy winner as rookie of the year.No worries for coach Joel Quenneville, either.Im very comfortable with it, Quenneville said. I see more depth on our team. I see more speed on our team.Bowman said the prospect camp, which ended on Friday, was the best weve had in terms of the caliber of player and level of play.The GM called out forwards Tanner Kero, Vincent Hinostroza and Ryan Hartman, who have played just a handful of NHL games, as exceptional.Theyve taken their game to another level, Bowman said. You can put Tyler Motte and Nick Schmaltz in there.Motte and Schmaltz, collegiate scoring stars last season, signed contracts with the Blackhawks last spring and left Michigan and North Dakota early. Schmaltz, a sophomore with the NCAA champ Fighting Hawks, said he sensed a real chance.I think Im at the point in my game where Im confident and ready to take this jump and do everything to make the NHL next year, said the rangy 20-year-old center.I think theres a good feeling all around in that theres opportunity that might not have been there in the past, said Hartman, a 21-year-old right wing. Its kind of a good time to be here. All of the prospects are the same boat, trying to earn a spot.Bowman insists he isnt handing anything out.I think its dangerous to try to label guys to fill a role, he said. One thing I told all those guys, Im not sure which of you is going to make the team, but dont make that decision easy for us.Things are clearer on defense, where lack of depth hurt Chicago last season. Bowman signed free agent Brian Campbell to a bargain $2 million, one-year deal earlier this month to eat up minutes alongside Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarsson.Campbell is 37, but the mobile defenseman led Florida last season with 22:16 of ice time per game and a plus-31. A member of Chicagos 2010 Cup team, Campbell says he feels great and has plenty left in the tank.Hes getting better with age and Im excited about what he brings to our team, Quenneville said. I think in the last couple of years, hes taken his game to a new level.Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, 24, did the same last season, staying healthy and playing all 82 games with the Blackhawks. Chicago also added 25-year-old Czech free agent Michal Kempny over the summer. Journeyman Michal Rozsival is back and Bowman has been impressed with 20 year-old Swede Gustav Forsling and 22-year-old Finn Ville Pokka.Regardless of who makes their team and where they finish, the Blackhawks will be a lot younger.It looks like we have some really good young talent that can come in and and step in right away, Kane said. I think thats something thats going to be big for us.Game notes Marian Hossa, 37, had only 13 goals last season, but said hes ready for whatever role Quenneville gives him. Hossa, who has 499 career goals, also is looking forward to skating for Team Europe in the World Cup of Hockey this September. Im sure the tempo is going to be so high, so when you come to training camp youre just going to feel like youre playing in a pickup league or something, he said. Kevin Byard Titans Jersey . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Derrick Henry Titans Jersey . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. http://www.authentictitanspro.com/Amani-hooker-titans-jersey/ . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. Ryan Tannehill Youth Jersey . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. Curley Culp Womens Jersey . White came in fourth place in the event. He was the two-time defending gold medallist. The gold medal went to Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov. LINCOLN, Neb. -- Tyrell Nelson knew what Sundays 70-62 win over Nebraska means for Gardner-Webb.This is huge, this one is huge, Nelson said. We somewhat struggled in the beginning (of the season) but this win is very big for us, going into the Christmas break and going into conference. Its very, very big for us.Nelson scored 15 of his 24 points in the second half to help Gardner-Webb beat Nebraska 70-62 on Sunday.Nebraska cut it to 62-60 on Tai Websters free throws with 2:21 left. But Gardner-Webb hit 3 of 4 free-throw attempts down the stretch and David Efianayi hit a game-clinching layup with 29 seconds left.Efianayi had 11 points for Gardner-Webb (7-5). The Bulldogs shot 44 percent from the field, 48 percent in the second half, and made 12 of 17 second-half free throws.Tai Webster led Nebraska (5-6) with 17 points. Glynn Watson Jr. had 14 points and Ed Morrow Jr. pulled down 15 rebounds.Nebraska coach Tim Miles was despondent with his teams listless performance in front of 8,144 fans in the usually-packed 14,000-seat Pinnacle Bank Arena..I never dreamt in five years this is where we would be, losing to Gardner-Webb, Miles said. Were not where we should be. The issue is us. Its us and our mindset.It was the smallest crowd Id ever seen at Pinnacle Bank Arena and we told our guys it was going to be. We had bad weather, youve got a lot of things going on, and were going to have to create our own energy. We talked about that, and we didnt.Nebraska led by as many as seven in the first half, but the cold-shooting Huskers saw that lead cut to just two at intermission.dddddddddddd Nebraska hit just 40 percent of its shots for the game, made 15 of 26 free throws and committed 20 turnovers.The Bulldogs opened up a four-point lead early in the second half, but a 5-0 spurt by Nebraska put the Huskers up 36-35. Gardner-Webb took the lead for good on Nelsons 3-pointer to make it 45-43 with 12:57 left and opened the advantage to seven on Efianayis free throws five minutes later.Beating a Big Ten team on the road was critical for Gardner-Webb going forward, said coach Tim Craft.I think what it does for our players is it validates some of the things that weve been talking to them as a coaching staff about and how good they can be if they can play in a stance all the time and defend with max effort all the time, Craft said. Its exciting to see them have success against a team in the Big Ten.BIG PICTUREGardner-Webb: The Bulldogs traveled from North Carolina to the heartland to wrap up their pre-conference season.Nebraska: The Huskers have played the toughest schedule in the country, according to the NCAA RPI. Five of Nebraskas first 10 opponents are in the top 50 of the RPI, t