Cunningham. Unfortunately, they already lost second-leading scorer and top rebounder Jordan Frericks and reserve Bri Porter for the season with knee injuries.MISSING TRIANGLE:

WASHINGTON -- John Tortorella sensed his players were tired of practicing and getting coached and were ready for the World Cup of Hockey.They played like it, too.The United States beat Finland 3-2 on Tuesday night in each teams final exhibition game before the World Cup begins this weekend in Toronto. Goaltender Jonathan Quick played well enough to earn the starting job for the first game of the tournament, and despite some late trouble the Americans looked prepared for the real thing.I think the boys feel tournament ready, said forward Max Pacioretty, who had an assist. That probably was the most comfortable weve felt.Quick made 30 stops, giving up a goal on a perfect shot by teenage phenom Patrik Laine and another on a scramble in front by Jussi Jokinen. T.J. Oshie, Ryan Kesler and Derek Stepan scored for the U.S., which went 2-1-0 in exhibition play and begins the World Cup on Saturday against Team Europe.Tortorella called it the Americans best of the three exhibition games and cited progress in several areas.We were cleaner, Tortorella said. Have we got it all figured out? No. And we probably wont get it all figured out. Its just not enough time to cover all the things wed like to cover, so we just keep on banging away here and see if we can get better each day.Pacioretty was much better than in two previous games, responding to Tortorellas comment that he needs more from the Montreal Canadiens forward. The new line of Pacioretty, Kesler and Oshie clicked, with Oshie appearing extra motivated playing in front of Washington Capitals fans.When youre at your home rink, you just feel comfortable, Oshie said. Always fun playing at home.Quick, a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Los Angeles Kings, stopped 63 of the 66 shots he faced in exhibition play. He put any doubt to rest about the U.S. starter, and Tortorella said Ben Bishop of the Tampa Bay Lightning would serve as the backup.A lot of things can happen in the tournament, but I believe in the body of work from all three goalies, Tortorella said. Its a really hard decision. I think Jonathan has just done a little bit better than the other guys, so hell be our No. 1 guy to start the tournament.Finland must still decide on its starter in net after Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators stopped 26 of 29 shots against the U.S. Itll be either him or Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins in Finlands opener Sunday against Team North America, but Rinne earned praise from coach Lauri Marjamaki.Pekka was great, said Marjamaki, who didnt name his starter for the first game. I like the style how he played. Of course he (faced a) couple of breakaways, so great game for him.Rinne robbed reigning NHL MVP Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks on a breakaway after a turnover by young Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta, one of several Finns who struggled Tuesday.Laine, the No. 2 pick in the draft to the Winnipeg Jets, enjoyed his best exhibition game. The 18-year-old had four shots on goal, several nifty moves and his snipe past Quick.It is good for us and of course important goal for him, Marjamaki said. I think that his confidence getting better, and he can use his strengths in tournament.The big, physical U.S. team is ready to use its strength in the tournament after sharpening some things against Finland.Were getting better, Quick said. Every game were a little bit better, and well continue to get better.Fake Vans SK8 .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. Fake Vans Online . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. http://www.fakevans.com/ . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Wholesale Fake Vans .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Cheap Fake Vans .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have placed centre Cody Hodgson on injured reserve and recalled two players from their AHL affiliate in Rochester.Its been 15 years since Muffet McGraw and Notre Dame were No. 1 in the poll.The Irish earned the top spot in The Associated Press womens basketball Tuesday, receiving 14 first-place votes from a 33-member national media panel to earn the top ranking in the preseason. Notre Dame last held the No. 1 ranking on March 5, 2001. McGraw returns most of the core from a team that went 33-2 last season.She was happy for the compliment, but found the ranking a little high considering her team is coming off one of its most disappointing seasons in a few years and didnt reach the Final Four for the first time in six years.Id rather we earned it, McGraw said. Were coming off the worst season weve had in six years, it seems odd that were preseason No. 1. You should have to earn it.McGraw has had a bunch of very good teams over the last 15 seasons that never reached the top spot. There always seemed to be someone just a little bit better.Other teams have had good teams, too. Connecticut has had some pretty good teams in there, McGraw said. There was a year when yeah maybe, Stanford beat Connecticut, but then South Carolina went to No. 1.Baylor was a close second, four points behind the Irish. The Lady Bears garnered 12 first-place votes.Being preseason No. 2 in the country brings great recognition to our school and our program, Lady Bears coach Kim Mulkey said. We welcome it. We have a schedule, nonconference and conference, that will be most challenging early in the season. Its one that I think will help us late in the season.UConn, which has won 75 consecutive games and four straight national championships, was third. The Huskies had been the No. 1 team for the last 24 weeks.I dont think we should be No. 1, UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. I dont think we should be anywhere near the teams that almost went to the Final Four and have everybody back and have all that experience and all that talent. Weve been in those situations before and were not there now. So, wherever they put us, Im OK.South Carolina and Louisville round out the top five teams. Maryland, Ohhio State, Texas, UCLA and Mississippi State are next.ddddddddddddTennessee, which had its run of 565 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 end last season, is back in at No. 13. The Lady Vols have been in each preseason poll except the first one. They are one of four teams not ranked in the final poll thats in the Top 25 now.National runner-up Syracuse was 14th, while Final Four participants Washington and Oregon State were 17th and 25th.The Southeastern Conference leads the way with six teams in the top 25. The Pac-12 and ACC each have five. UConn and 21st-ranked DePaul are the only two schools from non-power five conferences to be ranked.The first regular-season poll will be Monday, Nov. 14, with two big games that night. Baylor hosts UCLA while UConn visits Florida State.Here are a few other poll tidbits:ITS BEEN A WHILE: Missouri is ranked in the preseason for the first time since 1984. The Tigers reached the NCAAs for the first time in a decade and return star Sophia Cunningham. Unfortunately, they already lost second-leading scorer and top rebounder Jordan Frericks and reserve Bri Porter for the season with knee injuries.MISSING TRIANGLE: Duke is not ranked in the preseason for the first time since 1994-95. The Blue Devils arent the only member of Tobacco Road absent from the poll. North Carolina and North Carolina State arent ranked either. Its only the second time in the 41-year history of the poll that none of the three are in the preseason rankings. It also happened in 1986.HOOSIER HYSTERIA: Indiana is ranked for only the third time in the programs history. The No. 23 Hoosiers are coming into the season after equaling a school record with 21 victories and winning the teams first NCAA game. Indiana is led by junior Tyra Buss, who averaged 18.8 points last season.---AP Sports Writer Pat Eaton-Robb contributed to this story from Storrs, Connecticut.---More AP college basketball http://collegebasketball.ap.org ' ' '