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STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- If the Tampa Bay Lightnings Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman was a man who liked to engage in the game of what-ifs, hed have a lot of material to work with.Theres the Stanley Cup finals defeat to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015. Then theres last Mays conference finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins, in which the Lightning held a 3-2 series lead before losing two straight. And before all that, in 2014, he was the most high-profile snub of the Swedish Olympic team in Sochi, the one that lost the final to Canada.But hes not that kind of guy.Instead, hes trying to use the disappointments as fuel for future success.The first weeks after the loss were tough and I was still mad, but then, once I got back to offseason training, it was easier to start looking ahead again, he told ESPN.com recently in Swedish. Now those losses are whats driving me, but its a long [wait]. Also, its a tough league, and all teams are good and getting better, so we cant get ahead of things too much, either.If it were an episode in ESPNs 30-for-30 series, the chance for redemption would come quickly for Hedman and the Lightning. But in real life, a 10-month wait for the next opportunity is long, and if the focus is 10 months away, the chance might never come, Hedman said.Today, there are 30 teams in the NHL fighting for the playoff spots, and only 16 make it there. Our first goal has always been, and is now, to make the playoffs, he said. You cant get ahead of things, but instead, our focus has to be on game No. 1, and then take it from there, and try to form good habits that carry us deep.The Lightning still have their Stanley Cup finals core group intact, thanks to team captain Steven Stamkos decision to re-sign with the team. Hedman sees that as an additional strength for the team.We have good chemistry in the group, and we have a system that we like, he said, but Im sure the fact that weve been through a lot together is a driving force for us all and pushes us to get better.With the Lightning going deep in the playoffs, Hedman hasnt been able to play for Sweden at the world championships the past two years, and since then-coach Par Marts famously left him off the Olympic roster in 2014, its been four years since Hedman has worn his countrys three-crown jersey in an important tournament. That will all change when he suits up for Sweden in the World Cup of Hockey, which begins Sept. 17 in Toronto.Im excited about [playing for Sweden in the World Cup] because it has been a while, even if the fact that its been for the right reasons -- that weve gone deep in the playoffs, he said.Swedens head coach for the World Cup, Rikard Gronborg, spent a decade in the U.S. college system before joining the Swedish federation 10 years ago. The players, without exception, like his style, which they consider more North American than Swedish.He knows the American terminology and what its like to play in the smaller rink, and he understands how big this event is in Canada, said Hedman. He also knows a lot of [opposing] players and their styles.Team Sweden held a preparation meeting in early August, during which the players socialized a bit and listened to their new coachs ideas and thoughts. And shared their ideas with the coach.The coach says how he wants us to play, but he certainly listens to our suggestions, said Hedman. After all, he can give us templates, but we have to execute them on the ice.With players coming from different NHL teams, and a head coach that the players call Americanized, will there even be a Swedish style?Youll see, Hedman said with a grin.We have a lot of talent in all positions. We have a great defense, forwards that are world class, and we have one of the best goalies in the world. Well be creative, use our defense in the offense. Then again, all teams want to play a possession game, and all teams play a similar style, with their own nuances. We just have to do it better than the other teams.But there is one very Swedish thing the Tre Kronor players do when they get together. They do fika, which is Swedish for sitting down with a cup of coffee, talking about this and that, and just taking it easy for a while.We do have a lot of fika, he said. I think Ive had seven or eight cups of coffee.Thats fuel, too. Kyrie 2 Shoes Black . Pedro scored from a pass by Lionel Messi in the 33rd minute and added two more goals in the 47th and 72nd after Valdes saved his second penalty in four days following his stop in Wednesdays 4-0 over Ajax in the Champions League. Kyrie 1 Shoes For Sale . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. http://www.kyrieirvingshoescheap.com/ . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. Kyrie 3 Shoes White .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Kyrie 2 Blue . Jeff Green scored 13 points and Kris Humphries 12 for the Celtics, who nearly blew an 18-point, second-half lead. Sullingers 20-20 was the first by a Celtics player since Kevin Garnetts first game in Boston in 2007. Garnett was dealt -- along with Paul Pierce -- to Brooklyn during the off-season. LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Malik Monk scored 23 points and DeAaron Fox added 16 to propel No. 1 Kentucky to a 101-70 rout of Cleveland State on Wednesday.With leading scorer Isaiah Briscoe sidelined by a back injury, the freshman duo picked up the slack and did it quickly, helping Kentucky (5-0) roll to a 16-2 lead that was never threatened. They combined for 31 first-half points, with 19 from Monk, whose 4-for-4 start from long range and 8-of-12 shooting overall helped him match his career scoring best.Bam Adebayo added 14 points and seven rebounds while Mychal Mulder matched a career high with 13 points for Kentucky, which shot a season-best 52 percent from the field.Rob Edwards 28 points on 12-of-21 shooting led Cleveland State (1-3), which couldnt keep up with the Wildcats on either end and trailed 56-35 at halftime.---No. 2 VILLANOVA 63, COLLEGE of CHARLESTON 47VILLANOVA, Pa. -- Josh Hart had 13 points and 11 rebounds and Kris Jenkins scored 11 points for Villanova.Mikal Bridges and Eric Paschall added eight points apiece for the Wildcats, who improved to 6-0 a season after winning the national championship.Jarrell Brantley led Charleston with 18 points and seven rebounds. The Cougars shot 4 for 22 from 3-point range and committed 14 turnovers.Jenkins, who famously hit the title-winning shot to beat North Carolina at the buzzer last April, was held out of the starting lineup by head coach Jay Wright because he missed a class. But the senior forward came in just 3 minutes into the game and played 28 minutes, shooting 4 for 7 from the field.---No. 6 DUKE 88, WILLIAM & MARY 67DURHAM, N.C. -- Freshman Frank Jackson scored 19 points to lead Duke.Grayson Allen added 17 points to help the Blue Devils (5-1) win their third straight since their loss to No. 5 Kansas last week. Duke shot 50 percent and outrebounded the Tribe 39-25.Amile Jefferson finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, Luke Kennard had 11 points and Matt Jones scored 10 points. Duke has had five double-figure scorers in every game this season.Jack Whitman and Daniel Dixon scored 13 points each for William & Mary (2-2), which hasnt beaten a ranked team since 1977 and has never beaten one on the road.---No. 13 OREGON 79, UCONN 69LAHAINA, Hawaii -- Chris Boucher scored 21 points and Tyler Dorsey added 19 as Oregon took fifth place in the Maui Invitational.Oregon (4-2) lost its opener to Georgetown, but bounced back with an overtime victory over Tennessee. The Ducks wanted to get off to a fast start in their Maui finale and did just that, racing to a 15-point lead in the opening 4 1/2 minutes.UConn (2-4) chipped into the lead by halftime, but the Ducks started flying again, building the lead back up to 17.Dylan Ennis had 15 points and Jordan Bell added 12 for Oregon, which shot 54 percent and made 9 of 21 from 3-point range.Jalen Adams led the Huskies with 27 points and Rodney Purvis added 13.---No. 17 PURDUE 96, AUBURN 71CANCUN, Mexico -- Carsen Edwards broke out of his shooting slump with 21 points and Purdue shot 17 of 26 from 3-point range to capture the Cancun Challenge title.P.J. Thompson and Vincent Edwards each added 15 points for the Boillermakers (4-1), who had six players score in double figures in their third straight win since falling to national champion Villanova.ddddddddddddEdwards, a highly recruited freshman, had been 2 of 16 from 3-point range. But the 6-foot guard made 4 of 5 shots from behind the arc. He hit two 3s and two free throws in a 16-4 run midway through the second half that broke open a close game.Purdue shot 64 percent from the field and it was the second-most 3-pointers made in a game behind the 18 it had last season against Vermont.Danjel Purifoy scored 22 points and Mustapha Heron added 15 points and eight rebounds for the Tigers (4-1), who were seeking their first 5-0 start since 2004-05.---No. 20 BAYLOR 71, VCU 63PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -- Al Freeman scored 15 points and came up with three baskets during a critical second-half sequence to help Baylor in the opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis.Johnathan Motley scored 19 points for the Bears (4-0). In addition, Manu Lecomte shook off a rough shooting game to finish with 16 points, including a hanging layup while being knocked to the ground for a three-point play to go with several key free throws in the final minute.JeQuan Lewis had 21 points for the Rams (3-1), who went without a field goal for roughly 6 1/2 minutes in the second half.VCU used a late-half burst to lead 36-28 at the break and shot 58 percent in the opening half, but it cooled in the second half as the Bears defense tightened.---No. 24 MICHIGAN ST. 73, ST. JOHNS 62PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -- Freshman Miles Bridges had 22 points and a season-high 15 rebounds to help Michigan State pull away late in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis.Eron Harris added 14 points for the Spartans (3-2), who used a 17-4 burst midway through the second half to take control and build a 67-53 lead with about 2 1/2 minutes left.In addition, Tum Tum Nairn Jr., a native of nearby Nassau, matched his career high of 13 points in his return to the Bahamas. And freshman forward Nick Ward provided some needed help for a thin front line with nine points and a season-high 11 rebounds to help the Spartans dominate the glass.Marcus LoVett scored 20 points to lead the Red Storm (2-2), who shot around 31 percent and couldnt answer Michigan States clinching push.---SOUTH CAROLINA 61, No. 25 MICHIGAN 46COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Sindarius Thornwell had 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead South Carolina past cold-shooting Michigan.The Gamecocks improved to 5-0 for a second straight season and knocked off their first ranked opponent since an 81-78 win at No. 8 Texas A&M last February. South Carolina got a big assist in this one from Michigans awful outside touch -- it finished 10 of 52 (19.6 percent) for its worst shooting percentage in six years.It was the first time the Wolverines (4-1) hadnt reached 50 points since scoring 42 in a loss to Eastern Michigan on Dec. 9, 2014.The Wolverines scored more points from the free throw line, 24, than the field. They hit just two of 26 attempts from behind the arc. ' ' '