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DALLAS - After struggling recently, Minnesota Wild goalie Darcy Kuemper wanted a chance to help the team get a win.He had lost two games in a row. Then he was pulled after giving up two goals on two shots on Thursday.But he came back to make 27 saves in Minnesotas 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars.If you want to be the man, then you have to get in there and perform well after a night when things really havent gone too well, Wild coach Mike Yeo said. So really pleased with that.The one save that stuck out to me was early in the third period when (Jamie) Benn got that shot off in the slot. That couldve completely changed the complexion of the game.Mikael Granlunds goal came 40 seconds into the third period.Dallas goalie Kari Lehtonen had stopped Charlie Coyles shot from the top of the right circle, but Granlund beat the goalie to the puck to put in the rebound.Kuemper allowed only a second-period goal by Antoine Roussel.We did a good job defending, Kuemper said. Great box-outs allowed me to see it.Dallas coach Lindy Ruff also noticed Minnesotas defence.They must have blocked 30 shots. They did an incredibly good job of being in our shot lane. They got the saves when they needed them and they blocked the shots they needed to block.The Wild actually had 28 blocks, led by Jared Spurgeons seven.Minnesota won its second straight game after a four-game losing streak. The Wild won for just the second time in the past 21 games in Dallas dating back to 2003.The Stars problems at home continued. They have lost six straight (0-4-2) and are 1-4-4 on home ice this season. In all six of those losses, they gave up the winning goal in the third period or overtime.The last two games have been a lot better when it comes to cleaning up the game, Ruff said. These are the type of games well win at home if we keep playing like this.The Wild tied the game at 1 on Erik Haulas goal at 15:41 of the second.Dallas dominated the early play. The Wild didnt have a shot on goal until 9 1/2 minutes into the game, when Jason Zucker attempted to tip in a pass and a rebound of that shot in rapid succession.Lehtonen stopped both shots for the first of his 20 saves.At 5:34 of the second period, the Stars took a 1-0 lead. Vernon Fiddler sent the puck out from behind the net as Roussel skated in front. Roussels high shot beat Kuemper.The Wild tied the game at 15:41 of the second after Ryan Carter took the puck away at Minnesotas blue line to start a 2-on-1 break. He passed across to Haula, who shot from the left circle into the right side of the net.Roussel missed a chance for a second goal off the third-period faceoff when his shot went just left of the goal.Instead, the Wild went down the ice and scored what proved to be the winning goal.NOTES: Stu Bickel, a Minnesota native, made his first appearance for the Wild after being recalled from Iowa of the AHL. He averaged more than 2 penalty minutes per game for the New York Rangers in 2011-12 and 12-13, and went off for unsportsmanlike conduct at 2:53 of the first period Saturday. ... That was one of just three minor penalties in the game. Neither team scored on the power play. Minnesota has only eight goals in 49 power plays. ... Ales Hemskys assist on Roussels goal was only his second assist and second point this season. Otis Sistrunk Youth Jersey . -- The Detroit Lions made it crystal clear to Golden Tate that he was their top target in free agency. Art Shell Raiders Jersey . According to TSNs Farhan Lalji, Richardson is heading to Toronto for a physical and is expected to sign with the Argonauts. http://www.footballraidersmall.com/Youth...e-Elite-Jersey/. It all would have been for naught, however, had it not been for some clutch shooting in the fourth quarter by Kobe Bryant and a couple of equally critical hustle plays by Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol in the final minutes. Tim Brown Jersey . Neither striker Demba Ba nor Fernando Torres came close to scoring as Chelsea was left unsuccessfully appealing for penalties in this drab penultimate game of the season. "Our strikers are good strikers, no doubt about that, but players with some specific qualities," Mourinho said. Ronnie Lott Jersey .C. -- Carter Ashton had a pair of goals and added an assist as the Toronto Marlies downed the Charlotte Checkers 5-2 on Saturday in the American Hockey League.There is a fine line that every World Cup gives birth to. A line, if crossed, that can mean so much. A line that can be approached, stared at and almost touched, but come the final whistle, can seem so far away no matter how near a team can get to it. A dream crushed. The right side of the line produces emotions of joy, relief, and satisfaction. The wrong side of the line leaves players in tatters, full of disappointment and despair. In the sport, there is nothing quite like the fine line between success and failure at World Cups. For every nation, the line is different, placed perfectly in tandem with their expectation. For Brazil, the positioning of the line is clear. It is placed at 18:00 hours local time inside the Maracana in Rio de Janiero on Sunday July 13. Win the World Cup and it is a success; anything else and it is a failure. Past World Cups have shown us just how close winners have come to falling on the wrong side of the line as their journey across it takes shape. In 2010, Spain became the first ever champions to lose their first game of the tournament and they had an Iker Casillas penalty save to thank for them not going behind to Paraguay in the quarterfinals. In 2006, Italy flirted with both sides of the line in the knock-out stages, scoring goals in the 95th minute (vs. Australia) and in the 119th and 121st minute against Germany in the semifinal before winning it all on penalties in the final. It is worth remembering this when making predictions of a winner during this upcoming World Cup; Brazil of 1970 and 2002 are the only champions to ever win every game in a World Cup (minimum of five games played). The line, however, is not placed for all at the final stage. For some teams, the difference between success and failure is simply getting out of the group stages and reaching the last 16. For others, it is the next step, winning a knockout game and reaching the quarterfinals; suddenly doing something few expected you could do. At this point, a countrys entire success on the tournament is based around one game. Lose it and you may have underachieved. Win it and you may have overachieved. It is such a small margin, one that has led teams in the past to continue on a run that goes a long way beyond their initial expectations. In South Africa 2010, Uruguay, Paraguay and Ghana all fell into that category. Ukraine surprisingly reached the last eight in Germany 2006 while in 2002, hosts South Korea, Senegal and Turkey all went much further than most predicted. Croatia got to the semifinals in 1998, Sweden did the same in 1994, as well as Bulgaria at USA 94. Cameroon had a memorable run to the quarterfinals at Italy 90. It could very well happen again. There is likely one, or possibly two, teams in the World Cup this year that will make it past their line of success and reach the quarterfinals and, maybe even, the semifinals. Many peoples pick for a dark horse in Brazil is Belgium because a lot of their current crop of players now belong to well-known club teams, particularly in the English Premier League. Belgium, however, were seeded for this World Cup. That meant they were considered as one of the best eight teams. Yes, they have not been to a World Cup since 2002, but that seed, coupled with a much weaker group than others, ensures that this team should not be considered a surprise if they reach, for example, the quarterfinals. The semifinals? Yes. Then two games would have to be won to cross the line. Here is my top five teams that have a chance to go beyoond that line and become a surprise member of the final eight or last four in Brazil.dddddddddddd 5. England - It has been some time since expectations were this low for England heading into a World Cup. In fact, they are so low, you get the feeling something has to happen for them to rise again before, as usual, it all goes up in flames. If England gets to the quarterfinals, it will be a surprise but if they are to achieve it, the biggest hurdle will be getting past one of Uruguay or Italy in Group D. Once through, a game against any team in Group C will seem easier than what they faced in the groups. 4. Switzerland - There are few easier paths to the quarterfinals than winning Group E. Paired in the last 16 with Group F, likely won by Argentina, the group winner would play one of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran or Nigeria for a spot in the last eight. Switzerland hasnt reached that stage since hosting the tournament in 1954 but with a young group, a terrific coach and this path, they may finally do something they should have done in 2006. Yes, like Belgium, they are seeded but this was much more controversial and few expect the Swiss to do something in Brazil that they havent done for 60 years. 3. Chile - No team will be more fun to watch than the one run by the excellent Jorge Sampaoli. Placed in a very difficult group alongside 2010 finalists Spain and Netherlands, Chile has one mission – win the group. They simply cannot beat Brazil and too many World Cups have ended at the feet of the South American powerhouses, so to avoid them this time, they must finish top of Group B. It sounds like a difficult task but this team can do it and after that, the draw really opens up for them, likely playing one of Mexico/Croatia in the last 16 and then, probably, the winner of Group D. This is a breathtaking team to watch and if they start well and complete their first mission, then a semifinals berth would not surprise me. 2. France - Like Switzerland, France also must travel on the same path to the last eight and, after an embarrassing 2010 World Cup, coupled with a late comeback in the playoff game against Ukraine in qualifying, a place in the last eight in Brazil would be a real success for Didier Deschamps team. They are handed a comfortable start, playing Honduras, and then get the familiarity of opponents in Switzerland next. Win the group and they will be favored to reach the last eight and will likely only have the winner of Group G standing in their way of a trip to the semifinals. That would represent a remarkable turnaround following the dismal night in Kiev last October but they have a core group of genuine stars that could carry them deep. 1. Portugal - Speak to fans in the USA and they say Portugal wont get out of the group. The same is being said in Ghana. Thats what happens when you are in a group with Germany. Nobody predicts the Germans will get knocked out at that stage (its never happened, by the way). That leaves one spot between three competitive teams. For me, Portugal are in a different class to the other two and this team will qualify for the last 16. They would then be paired with a team from Group H, none of whom would worry a team that has some proven experience at how to navigate to the late rounds in major tournaments. A quarterfinal berth would be a major success for Paulo Bentos team and, for me, they are the best suited to go even further than that. Dont be surprised to see the worlds best player lining up in a World Cup semifinal in the final week of Brazil 2014. ' ' '