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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/SWhyno Air Max 2018 Womens . MORITZ, Switzerland -- Fog prevented downhill racers from getting their Olympic dress rehearsal. Buy Cheap Nike Air Max . 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. http://www.airmax2018onlinestore.com/ .5 seconds to play in the game, Kevin Love never stopped believing that they would come out of there with a win. Air Max 2018 Mens . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. Cheap Air Max Sale .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. NEW YORK -- The playoff chase finally caught up with the New York Yankees on Sunday.On a day when Chase Headley homered and old friend Chase Whitley returned from Tommy John surgery against his former team, the Yankees lost ground in their postseason pursuit.Corey Dickerson hit a two-run homer, Matt Andriese won for the first time since June and the Tampa Bay Rays slowed New Yorks late charge by stopping its seven-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory.We didnt give them the game, Headley said. They just beat us today.Logan Forsythe and Brad Miller also went deep for the last-place Rays, who had dropped three straight and six of seven. But they prevented a four-game sweep behind Andriese (7-7) and Whitley, who tossed two innings of relief in his Tampa Bay debut.Headley hit his 14th home run and Brett Gardner had an RBI single among his three hits for the Yankees, who fell four games behind first-place Boston in the AL East and two back of Baltimore for the leagues second wild card.Every loss at this point stings just because of how few games are left, manager Joe Girardi said.Whitley struck out his first batter, rookie slugger Gary Sanchez, and gave up an unearned run. But he retired Jacoby Ellsbury on an easy fly with two runners in scoring position to protect a 4-2 lead in the seventh.It was the right-handers first major league outing since he started for the Yankees at Tampa Bay on May 14 last year.That was pretty cool. Just unbelievable, Whitley said. Ive still got a lot of friends over there. So it was just really, really fun.Whitley even took a photo with Yankees head physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad, who performed the pitchers elbow operation.It was a long road for him, so were all happy for him, Girardi said. I wish he would have gave up a few runs today, but the rest of the way I hope he does well.Brad Boxberger worked a perfect eighth against the 3-4-5 hitters in New Yorks lineup, and Alex Colome got three quick outs for his 32nd save in 34 attempts.We could not have scripted that any better, Rays manager Kevin Cash said. A good bounce-back win for the guys.Andriese allowed one run and six hits over five innings, snapping a seven-game losing streak with his first win since June 15 against Seattle. The right-hander won his first six decisions this season but was 0-7 with a 6.11 ERA in his past 15 outings, eight of them starts.Dickerson and Nick Franklin both had three hits. Millers homer ended an 0-for-17 slump.Rookie right-hander Luis Cessa (4-1) gave up all three Rays homers in 5 2/3 innings.ddddddddddddNew York had won his first four starts.The Yankees were looking for their first eight-game winning streak since a 10-game run in June 2012. They lost for only the fifth time in 18 games since Aug. 23.Of course it would have been great to keep it going, but weve just got to start a new one tomorrow, Headley said.9/11 CEREMONIESBefore the game, Girardi and Yankees reliever Dellin Betances placed a wreath at the 9/11 Monument in Monument Park to honor those killed in the terrorist attacks 15 years ago. Following a moment of silence, FDNY firefighter Frank Pizzaro sang the national anthem while other firefighters unfurled a large American flag in center field -- the same flag displayed when President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch before Game 3 of the 2001 World Series at the original Yankee Stadium. After their roll call of Yankees starters, the Bleacher Creatures briefly chanted USA! USA!TRAINERS ROOMRays: 1B Logan Morrison strained his left wrist when he hit a foul line drive in the fourth and left the game. Felt it pop on that one swing, he said. More than likely, Im probably done for the year. Morrison returned from a strained right forearm on Aug. 15. ... Miller was back at shortstop for the first time since Thursday, when he was hit by a pitch on the right elbow. He was the DH on Friday and played first base Saturday.Yankees: 2B Starlin Castro received a rare rest with New York in the middle of playing 17 consecutive days. Rookie INF Ronald Torreyes started at second. Castro pinch-hit for Torreyes in the seventh and reached on a two-out error.UP NEXTRays: RHP Jake Odorizzi (9-6, 3.86 ERA) pitches Monday night in the opener of a three-game series at Toronto, where the Rays are averaging 7.5 runs in six games this year. They are 9-7 against the Blue Jays overall and need one win to clinch the season series for the eighth time in nine years.Yankees: RHP Bryan Mitchell (1-0) makes his second start this season Monday night when the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers visit Yankee Stadium in the renewal of an old October rivalry. Mitchell missed most of the year with a toe injury and earned his first major league win last Wednesday with five scoreless innings against Toronto. Rookie RHP Jose De Leon (1-0) pitches for the Dodgers. He won his big league debut last Sunday against San Diego, striking out nine and walking none over six innings. Cheap NFL Gear Cheap Jerseys Store Cheap Jerseys Online Cheap Stitched Jerseys NFL Jerseys From China China NFL Hoodies Youth NFL Jerseys Wholesale Cheap NFL Womens Jerseys Camo China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2019 Stitched Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Wholesale Authentic Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Outlet ' ' '