RALEIGH, N.C. -- A young group of quickly maturing defensemen nearly pushed the Carolina Hurricanes into the playoffs last season. Now theyre hoping for a similar boost at the other end of the rink.The Hurricanes rebuilding project could take another step forward -- perhaps even back to the postseason for the first time since 2009 -- if their inexperienced forwards can play older than their ages. Among the young new faces who could play key roles on offense are 19-year-old Sebastian Aho and 22-year-old Teuvo Teravainen.If they can kind of jump in like those young (defensemen) jumped in, veteran defenseman Ron Hainsey said, the skys the limit.The storyline of last season was how that group of fresh-faced defensemen -- led by Brett Pesce, Jaccob Slavin and Noah Hanifin -- stepped up while the team continued its patient rebuild and dealt face-of-the-franchise Eric Staal at the trade deadline.The Hurricanes earned points in 12 of the first 14 games after the deadline to make a push to end the Eastern Conferences longest active postseason drought, but ultimately finished 10 points behind eighth-seeded Philadelphia.Carolina hopes all those young legs translate into playing at a faster pace.Thats the idea -- not only (skating speed) but puck speed, veteran forward Jordan Staal said. Just moving the puck, finding the right guy, working as a unit on the ice, and doing those things makes the game that much faster.Some things to know about the 2016-17 Carolina Hurricanes:WELCOME BACKThe Hurricanes will have a familiar look in goal: Cam Ward is staying with the team he led to the Stanley Cup in 2006 after signing a two-year deal worth a total of $6.6 million, $200,000 less than he made in 2015-16. Carolina also brought back 35-year-old Michael Leighton, who played with the Hurricanes from 2007-10, to join Eddie Lack in whats suddenly a crowded goalies crease.OVERTIME WOESCarolina led the league with 16 losses in either overtime or the shootout last season, and their 2-5 record in shootouts was one of the worst in the league. That only underscores the thin line between making and missing the postseason, Hainsey said, because if seven of those (OT losses) go your way, youre a playoff team.START FASTERA big reason for the Hurricanes playoff drought has been their slow starts. Carolina won just eight of its first 25 games in 2015-16, and the year before was just 10-23-4 in the first three months. The Hurricanes open the season with six straight road games before the home opener Oct. 28 against the New York Rangers, and cant afford to stumble.NO CAPTAINThe Hurricanes did not select a captain to replace Eric Staal after his trade to the Rangers, and the message has been clear: You dont need to wear a letter to be a leader. Defenseman Justin Faulk and Jordan Staal continued to wear the A as alternate captains in Erics absence, and the team is counting on those two, plus Hainsey, former rookie of the year Jeff Skinner and new addition Lee Stempniak to lead either vocally or by example. NMD R1 STLT Adidas Nere/Grigie Four-Solar Rosa . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. Uomo Adidas NMD R2 PK W Grigie/Rosa . The third-ranked Ivanovic, who won the event in 2008 and 10, served five aces and broke Wickmayer, also a former winner in 2009, five times. "The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. http://www.nmdcs2nere.it/scontate-uomo-nmd-r1-adidas-nere-cargo-olive-ba7251.html . -- Jimmy Walkers first PGA Tour trophy came with a special gift tucked inside. Adidas Gazelle Uomo Scontate . After a lengthy wait, persistent rain finally forced the postponement of the Nationals game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday night. The teams, and a few thousand fans, waited nearly four hours from the 7:05 scheduled start time before an announcement was made shortly before 11 p. Uomo NMD Human Race Fear of God Pharrell x adidas Bianche/Nere .ca! Hi Kerry, Heres an interesting one. I know its common knowledge that all players are responsible for their sticks. We witnessed that when Zack Kassian hit Edmontons Sam Gagner in the face after a missed check. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Sergei Bobrovsky helped the Columbus Blue Jackets hang around just long enough for Sam Gagner and Seth Jones to win it.Gagner tied it with 16 seconds left in the third period and Jones scored 46 seconds into overtime, lifting the Blue Jackets over the Dallas Stars 3-2 on Tuesday night.Bobrovsky stopped 36 shots, and Nick Foligno also scored.The first period wasnt our best, and Bob really kept us in it, Gagner said. Hes been doing that a lot.Tyler Seguin scored his team-leading fifth goal for Dallas early in the third for a 2-1 lead. Columbus pulled Bobrovsky for an extra skater on a power play in the final minute, leading to Gagners slap shot from atop the left circle that beat goalie Antti Niemi.Jones then won it with a wrist shot through traffic from above the circles.Jason Spezza also scored for the Stars, and Niemi made 25 saves.We did a lot of good things in the first period, set the tone, Dallas coach Lindy Ruff said. We knew theyd have a little bit of push in the second, but its a tough one to swallow because I felt that last minute we had played the type of game were going to win most nights.The Blue Jackets improved to 4-3-1 and swept the two-game season series with Dallas.After a scoreless first period, Foligno got his second goal when he snapped a wrist shot from the left circle 3:50 into the second. Zach Werenski picked up his seventh point with an assist, tying him for the team lead. Brandon Saad also assisted.The Stars tied it later in the second on Spezzas third goal, a charging shot from the top of right circle past Brobrovskys glove hand.Dallas went ahead 1:13 into the third when Seguin buried the puck from a sharp angle just to the left of the net.Both goalies were solid in the first period, especially Bobrovsky, who endureed Dallas 18-shot barrage while his teammates took half that many.ddddddddddddThe Blue Jackets couldnt muster a shot until Gagner managed one with 11:44 left in the first period, which was highlighted by a helmetless Foligno pummeling Dallas Antoine Roussel after Roussel just missed an aggressive check on Alexander Wennberg. Both players were penalized for fighting.The Blue Jackets just returned from a four-game trip out West, and coach John Tortorella said it can be difficult to get players energized once theyre back on home ice.Our first period was just a bad period, but I thought as the game went on we got better, said Tortorella, who is above .500 for the first time in his tenure with the Blue Jackets. Bob gave us a chance to get our legs underneath us. Its a step in the right direction for the team in finding a way to win a type of game like this.Game notes Stars D Dan Hamhuis returned to the lineup Tuesday after being a healthy scratch Saturday in a 4-0 loss against the Minnesota Wild. He replaced Patrik Nemeth. ... Blue Jackets D Ryan Murray returned to the lineup after missing the past four games because of injury. He caught an elbow to the head against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 21. Dalton Prout was scratched to make room. ... D Scott Harrington also was a healthy scratch for the Blue Jackets. The Stars scratched D Jamie Oleksiak, LW Curtis McKenzie, as well as Nemeth. ... After a 2-1-1 West Coast swing, the Blue Jackets began a stretch of playing eight of 11 games at home.UP NEXTDallas: Play St. Louis at home Thursday night.Columbus: Host Montreal on Friday night.---Follow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacyWholesale Jerseys 2019Stitched JerseysChina Jerseys WholesaleCheap NFL Jerseys AuthenticNFL Jerseys CheapCheap JerseysNFL Jerseys From China ' ' '