Kritik und Anregungen » tration as we have to cope

TORONTO -- Dean Lombardi pounded the table and tried to explain it all.His eyes darting back and forth, the Team USA general manager tried to explain the Americans unexpected and disappointing early exit from the World Cup of Hockey.Along the way, Lombardi blamed himself for plenty.The hockey veteran with two Stanley Cup rings said he would have done four or five things differently, most notably preparing his team to face Team Europe and not focus on Canada. But Lombardi defended the decision not to take more skilled players like Phil Kessel because he believes the U.S. couldnt match Canadas depth of talent so it tried to win the tournament another way.We got some darn good players, but the reality is, that matchup on a skill basis, if you want to go head-to-head and play a skill game, your odds of winning that game when you look at those matchups is not very good, Lombardi said during an extensive state of the team news conference Thursday, not long before the Americans played their final game of the tourney. I think that our game allows emotion, competitiveness, caring about each other (to) close that gap more than any other sport.Lombardi criticized himself, his management group, coach John Tortorella and his staff for not getting players more prepared to face Europe in the opener, a 3-0 loss that made the second game against Canada a must win. Tortorella criticized himself for not finding the right mixes of players to generate offense.But the old-school GM and old-school coach werent backing down from the team they selected and the style they chose to play. Lombardi said he wanted 22 guys who care and insisted he doesnt believe Kessel belonged more than some of the other forwards on the roster.If youre talking about Justin Abdelkader, Blake Wheeler, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Kesler, David Backes, Ill take those guys any day on my team, Lombardi said. Those guys have big-time heart and when I talk about caring, theyd be the nucleus of the caring and they compete and they can play for me any day.Kessel, Tyler Johnson, Kyle Okposo, Justin Faulk, Kevin Shattenkirk and Cam Fowler didnt play in the World Cup for the U.S., which scored two goals in two games before being eliminated from contention. Patrick Kane, Joe Pavelski, Max Pacioretty and Zach Parise were on the team and combined for zero goals and two assists.Tortorella said USA Hockey has to take its medicine and accepted blame. But hes tired of the second-guessing about roster decisions.Im not going to sit here and let people tell me this team was a bunch of grinders, because its not true, Tortorella said. Im not going to say that we shouldve blown up this whole situation on how we built this team because I think we have really good people there.After losing to Canada at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics, the U.S. made no secret of its focus on Canada. The 2010 team that was one goal away from beating Canada for gold in Vancouver on NHL-sized ice provided the blueprint in 2016, though several of those players were of course six years older.Players on every team called Canada the favorite, but the U.S. was alone in constructing a team with the two-time Olympic and world championship winners in mind.We clearly put an emphasis on that from day one, Lombardi said. What could we have done better here to raise our emotional levels. I think for sure, if you were coming here to win this thing, it clearly goes through Canada.Canada beat the U.S. 4-2 Tuesday in a game that wasnt as close as the score. It wasnt nearly as competitive as two exhibition games against Canada, which Lombardi said mightve had too much of an impact as Tortorella constantly tinkered with his lineup.Line juggling prevented the Americans from developing any real chemistry. But Lombardi was more concerned about players not being mentally ready for or respecting Team Europe in the first game and looking ahead to Canada.I think even the connotation was `Europe, so it wasnt a real team, Lombardi said. It was kind of like, its not the same as when youre going up against this is what these tournaments are all about, and thats the nationalism factor. I think just even the name, you kind of just said, `Ah, lets get through this and get to these guys.Those guys were the Canadians, who went 3-0 and outscored opponents 14-3 in round-robin play and are clear favorites going into the semifinals this weekend. Tortorella doesnt regret making Canada the focus even as the U.S. goes home.We failed, Tortorella said. Our thoughts were right at Canada. Thats who teams have to go through to win. We could not out-skill them, and I have to be honest about that. You have to make adjustments. I thought we did it the right way, I thought Dean did it the right way, but the offensive part falls on me to not getting the combination that worked.---Follow Stephen Whyno on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SWhynoSteve Young Womens Jersey . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2). Colin Kaepernick Jersey . The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend. http://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Mitch-Wishnowsky-Jersey/ . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. Ronnie Lott Womens Jersey . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. Deion Sanders Womens Jersey . In the lead up - which seemed to begin the moment Mike Geiger blew the whistle in Houston last Thursday night - the Impact rumour mill went into overdrive. The speculation went into meltdown mode, of the golden nugget variety.PRISTINA, Kosovo -- Kosovo coach Albert Bunjaki is not hopeful of getting points in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Croatia and Ukraine.Bunjaki said Sunday his players needed to exploit any counter-attacks against the high quality of Croatia.Thursdays match against Croatia will be played in Albanias northern city of Shkodra as Kosovo has no stadium certified by UEFA. Three days later Kosovo travels to Ukraine.We are at the beginning of the road as a national team and the pressure is much higher (on Croatia), Bunjaki said at a news conference in Pristina.Bunjaki has three injured players and one of them -- midfielder Enis Alushi -- will miss both matches.(Croatia and Ukraine) are very difficult opponents. The key is patience and concentration as we have to cope with opponents of a superior level. But it is not impossible for us to win, Bunjaki said.Kosovo became a UEFA member in May, joined FIFA a week later and was fast-tracked innto 2018 World Cup qualifying.ddddddddddddKosovo drew 1-1 at Finland in September in its competitive international debut.---Kosovo:Goalkeepers: Samir Ujkani (Pisa), Adis Nurkovic (Travnik), Bledar Hajdini (Trepca 89).Defenders: Fanol Perdeaj (TSV 1860 Munchen), Avni Pepa (IBV Vestmannaeyar), Alban Pnishi (Grasshoppers), Amir Rrahmani (Lokomotiva), Leart Paqarada (Sandhausen), Ardian Ismjali (Hajduk Split).Midfielders: Hekuran Kryeziu (Luzern), Eroll Zejnullahu (Union Berlin), Alban Meha (Konyaspor), Herolind Shala (Kasimpasa), Bersant Celina (Twente), Milot Rashica (Vitesse), Bernard Berisha (Anzhi Makhachkala), Sinan Bytyqi (Go Ahead Eagles), Besar Halimi (Mainz), Valon Berisha (Salzburg).Forwards: Arber Zeneli (Heerenveen), Albert Bunjaku (St. Gallen), Vedat Muqiri (Genclerbirligi), Labinot Kabashi (Barcelona). ' ' '