So, that was pretty much a standard season for the Pittsburgh Penguins.Sidney Crosby had five points in October, they fired their coach and won 18 of 23 down the stretch under new head coach Mike Sullivan. Then, with a rookie goalie who had spent most of the season in the American Hockey League, they never looked back, beating the San Jose Sharks in six games to win their first Stanley Cup since 2009. As for Crosby? All he did was finish third in NHL scoring with 85 points and then dominate the playoffs at both ends of the ice en route to a Conn Smythe Trophy win as playoff MVP. He enters this season fresh from an MVP turn at the World Cup of Hockey, where Canada went undefeated and Crosby led all players in points.So, whats the problem? History. And history tells us that it really doesnt matter how good you are after winning it all, the rest of the field always catches the defending champion. No NHL team has won back-to-back championships since the Detroit Red Wings did so in 1997 and 1998. And history tells us its virtually impossible, even if youre as good as the Penguins. Are they any more poised to defy history? Well, thats part of the adventure of the coming season.Best new facesDoes goalie Matt Murray count as a new face? Murray, 22, will start the season on the injured reserve list but will push Marc-Andre Fleury for starts after Murray gets over his broken hand suffered playing for Team North America at the World Cup. Other than the departure of top-six defenseman Ben Lovejoy, who signed with the New Jersey Devils, the lineup will essentially be the same one that celebrated at the Shark Tank in San Jose after Game 6. While many Cup champions do turn over a big portion of their lineup, its worth noting the Penguins relied heavily on rookie forwards Tom Kuhnhackl, Conor Sheary and Bryan Rust throughout the playoffs, even though they had spent considerable time in the AHL last season. So in some ways, they too can be considered new faces. Defenseman Justin Schultz, obtained from the Edmonton Oilers before the deadline, and Trevor Daley, who came over from the Chicago Blackhawks midseason and then missed the latter part of the playoffs with a broken leg, count as new-but-not-new faces.Biggest unknownsHow does Phil Kessel rebound from a hand injury that bothered him in the playoffs? (Though he still finished with 22 points in 24 games). Can the rookies carry on their evolution after answering the call so ably in the playoffs? Can Brian Dumoulin continue his impressive ascendancy as a top-four defender? But no unknown will be more persistent than how GM Jim Rutherford handles his goaltending. The pressure is off to start the season with Murray on the shelf. But at some point, Rutherford is going to have to determine whether he rides out the season with Murray and the much-loved Fleury sharing time in the hopes the tandem can bring home a second straight Cup, even if it means potentially losing Fleury in the expansion draft in June. Or does Rutherford try to maximize the asset by moving Fleury midseason?Sure thingsIs there anything more sure than Crosby? Seems funny to think that people were prepared to write off Crosby after his tepid start to the season. Yet by the end of the playoffs, its fair to say he was playing as well as he ever had, his attention to detail unparalleled. He then followed up with a dominating performance at the World Cup. If there is one leader who might be able to coax a second straight championship out of this group, its Crosby. As for the way this team will play, thats a given too: fast. Dont expect Sullivan or the Pens to take their foot off the gas.PredictionThe Penguins are as close to a lock to go to the playoffs for the 11th straight season as any team, but that still might not be good enough to get them the Metropolitan Division title. Second in the Metropolitan. Carmelo Anthony Jersey . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. Cheap Knicks Jerseys . Its sharpness matched my mind. This was no night to go to sleep. http://www.cheapknicksjerseyschina.com/patrick-ewing-jersey/ . Mitch Holmberg added a goal and three assists. Connor Chartier also scored for the Chiefs (3-0-0). Luke Harrison spoiled Garrett Hughsons shutout bid with a power-play goal at 13:17 of the third period. The Spokane goaltender finished with 28 saves, including a Brandon Fushimi penalty shot in the second period that would have tied the game 1-1. Knicks Jerseys From China . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. Tim Hardaway Jr. Jersey . The 15th-ranked Canadian men lost the opening two games of their European tour: 19-15 to No. 17 Georgia and 21-20 to No. MINNEAPOLIS -- Carli Lloyd scored twice and the U.S. womens national team defeated Switzerland 5-1 in an exhibition match on Sunday.Christen Press, Crystal Dunn and Kealia Ohai also scored for the United States, playing its second friendly against Switzerland this week. The U.S. defeated the Swiss 4-0 on Wednesday night in Utah.Ohai entered the game late for her international debut and scored 48 seconds later on for her first goal. It was the fastest goal in a debut in team history, one second faster than Lynn Williams goal in her debut on Wednesday.Sandrine Mauron scored for Switzerland off the rebound of a shot from Lara Dickenmann to take the early lead in the seventh minute. It was just the second goal that the Swiss have scored against the United States.Lloyd scored the equalizer in the 25th minute with a stunning strike from nearly 30 yards out. Her second goal came off the deflection of a shot by Press in the 51st minute. Press scored shortly thereafter from the top from the box to extend the lead to 3-1.Dunn added a goal off a cross from Williams in 63rd minute. Ohais goal came in the 82nd.Lloyd now has 96 international goals and 17 goals this year. She will not play in the teams year-ending matchess against Romania next month in San Jose and Carson, California, because she is getting married.ddddddddddddU.S. coach Jill Ellis gave a few of the regular national team players time off for the two matches against Switzerland, including forward Alex Morgan, midfielder Megan Rapinoe and defenders Meghan Klingenberg and Julie Johnston.Ellis experimented with a 3-5-2 formation for the match. Williams, the golden boot winner of the National Womens Soccer League with the Western New York Flash, earned her first international start.The team had a disappointing finish in this summers Rio Games, where it was ousted in the quarterfinals by Sweden. It was the earliest ever exit from the Olympics for the United States.The United States is playing without goalkeeper Hope Solo, who was suspended from the team for six months following the Olympics.Ashlyn Harris, who was chosen the NWSLs goalkeeper of the year this season, started in goal for the U.S. on Sunday. Harris plays for the Orlando Pride.Attendance for the friendly was announced a 23,400, a record for a U.S. womens match in Minnesota. ' ' '