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OTTAWA -- Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray believes his team is poised to become a competitive force in the Eastern Conference and hes willing to make the moves to ensure that happens. He reflected on the lockout-shortened campaign at a season-ending news conference Tuesday and said while he was pleased with the teams overall success, he did have one regret. "The only disappointing part of the whole year was that we could never find out how good we really were," Murray said. The Senators finished seventh in the Eastern Conference despite a rash of devastating injuries to key players and advanced to the second round of the playoffs before losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in five games. The second-round loss magnified some of the teams needs and Murray plans on addressing them during the off-season. "We need to score more goals," said Murray. "We have to find a way to create a little more offence and that may mean trying to find a player out there that will do that. "But part of it also will be counting on a couple of the younger players that showed they can play in the league to step up and do a little more with the puck than they were capable of or able to do this year." Murray added he would consider packaging some of those young prospects in order to find the right player. "At this stage of our development we certainly want the growth to continue," he said. "We have a good number of young players, first- and second-year pros that we think will improve and make our team more competitive as we go forward. "If theres a deal to be made at some point during the summer I have to take a hard look at it. If it means doing a couple of things, trading a young player or two Ive got to be open-minded to do that to try to make this team better." The 70-year-old GM said he had already made decisions regarding unrestricted free agents Mike Lundin, Peter Regin and Guillaume Latendresse, but wanted to speak to them first before announcing his intentions. Much the same can be said for 39-year-old Sergei Gonchar, who told reporters he would like to remain in Ottawa. However, it seems unlikely he will be re-signed. "To be fair to him and every other free agent its proper to talk to him and his agent and decide what we want to do or at least let them know what we want to do before I announce it here," Murray said. Meanwhile, head coach Paul MacLean is entering the final year of his three-year contract. It appears Murray would prefer dealing with a new contract sooner rather than later. "Its one of the topics I have on my agenda as we go forward with the coaching staff," said Murray. "Its a conversation we have to have." Murray is also entering the final year of his deal. He said its too early to make any decisions regarding his long-term future with the club. "Let me have a conversation with my wife first," Murray said with a smile. "I dont have any kids at home that I worry about anymore, but well see about that. Its not a topic Im even interested in going to at this point and time." For the second straight year, MacLean has been named a finalist for the Jack Adams Trophy. Hes already looking forward to next season. "Were tremendously pleased with where we are in the process of becoming good," said MacLean. "Im looking forward to (training camp) right now because we actually have some decisions to make and some hard ones. "Thats a good sign for our team and the growth of our team and the process that were in. I look forward to it and Im excited about it already." In addition to being excited, MacLean said hes fearful. "Im scared to death, Im sweating already," he said. "Its going to be very hard. Success for me breeds fear. Im scared, really scared, but for me thats a comfort because Ive dealt with things that way for a long time and it motivates me to make sure Im prepared." While MacLean was impressed with the play of a number of players, he did single out the work of Kyle Turris and Zack Smith. MacLean felt they really raised their game after the injury to Jason Spezza. And while the Senators called up a number of players from AHL Binghamton over the season, MacLean said he was most pleasantly surprised by Eric Gryba and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. "Those were two players that we knew who they were and what they could do, but we never expected that they would be playing on our roster in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs or the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs," said MacLean. "Neither one of them was on the list to come to training camp a for me those two players had some tremendous growth." As for Daniel Alfredssons future with the organization, Murray said he wanted to give the 40-year-old captain time to ponder his decision and speak with his family before addressing the issue of his return. "I should, as the manager, allow him to step back for a little bit of time and address that with his family and any concerns he might have about trying to play again," Murray said. "At the right time I know hell come to me and suggest one way or the other what hes hoping to do." Murray admitted the ideal situation would be knowing Alfredssons status prior to July 5 when free agency begins.Jarrett Allen Jersey . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. Nets Jerseys 2019 . Third-seeded Murray had the easiest path to victory on New Years Eve, barely breaking a sweat during his 6-0, 6-0 win over 2,129th-ranked Qatari wildcard recipient Mousa Shanan Zayed. https://www.cheapnetsonline.com/1065g-joe-harris-jersey-nets.html . LOUIS -- Attorneys for the St. Nicolas Claxton Jersey . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. Albert King Jersey . Robinson finished with 17 points, all but two in the second half, and Lawson had 14 after halftime and finished with a game-high 11 assists as the Nuggets handed Dallas its first home loss in eight games this season. J.J. Hickson led Denver with 22, and Kenneth Faried added 10 points and 10 rebounds.COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- No. 8 Texas A&M outlasted ninth-ranked Tennessee 45-38 in double overtime Saturday to improve to 6-0 for the first time since 1994 after starting the previous two seasons with five wins before losing.Its great, defensive end Myles Garrett said. We finally got over the hump, the little 5-0 hill that weve been facing every year.Trevor Knight bulled in for a 1-yard touchdown in the second overtime, and Armani Watts intercepted Joshua Dobbs pass on the next play for Tennessees seventh turnover to end the game.The big takeaway from this was we were able to withstand some things, not play great but make enough plays to win the game without some of our better players being 100 percent, coach Kevin Sumlin said.The teams exchanged field goals in the first overtime.Knight threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 110 yards and three more scores.The Volunteers (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) had rallied from double-digit deficits to win four of their last five games, including last weeks last-play victory over Georgia. They trailed by 21 points in the third quarter Saturday thanks to six turnovers before tying it on Alvin Kamaras 18-yard touchdown reception with 41 seconds left.Proud of the resolve, but the turnovers didnt give us an opportunity, Tennessee coach Butch Jones said.The seven turnovers were the most A&M had forced since 2005 and their five fumble recoveries were the most since 1997.Texas A&M (6-0, 4-0) had a chance to win it in regulation, but Daniel LaCameras 38-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.The Aggies could have put this one away with less than 2 minutes remaining, but freshman Trayveon Williams had the ball knocked from his hands and out of the back of the end zone just before he crossed the goal line on a 71-yard run. Williams finished with 217 yards rushing, a school record for a true freshman.Texas A&M was facing third-and-2 when Knight dashed 62 yards for a touchdown that pushed the lead to 35-21 with about three minutes left. Kamaras 4-yard run about a minute later made it a one-score game.The Aggies built a 21-7 lead in the first quarter after three fumbles by Tennessee. Knight threw touchdown passes of 13 and 2 yards and had a 7-yard TD run in the opening frame.Saturday continued a trend of bad starts for the Volunteers, who have been outscored 62-17 in the first quarter this season.Dobbs finished with 398 yards passing and a touchdown and Kamara stepped up with leading-rusher Jalen Hurd out, finishing with 161 yards receiving and aa touchdown and 127 yards rushing and two more scores.ddddddddddddTHE TAKEAWAYTENNESSEE: The Volunteers finally learned that they cant give good teams such a big cushion and expect to come back again and again. Theyll have to find a way to get off to a better start and cure their turnover woes if they expect to compete with No. 1 Alabama next week.TEXAS A&M: Texas A&Ms defense again showed it is the strength of this team by forcing the flurry of turnovers and pressuring Dobbs all day long. The offense needs to be more consistent for the Aggies to have a chance to topple Alabama in two weeks.We need to finish, Sumlin said. Were a work in progress there.POLL IMPLICATIONSTENNESSEE: The Volunteers will certainly drop a few spots after the loss, but they might not fall too far after their late comeback and considering A&M is also a top-10 team.TEXAS A&M: The Aggies will likely move up a place or two as one of the few remaining undefeated teams. They will certainly jump at least one spot after No. 6 Houston lost to Navy on Saturday.INJURY UPDATETennessee center Dylan Wiesman appeared to suffer a head injury making a block in the first quarter and did not return. Defensive tackle Danny OBrien was put on a stretcher and carted off the field in the fourth quarter. Tennessee officials told CBS that he was moving all his extremities, but Jones refused to comment on injuries after the game.PLAYING HURTGarrett returned after missing last week with a leg injury despite saying he was only about 65-70 percent healthy. He was scheduled to play on third downs only on Saturday, but insisted on playing every play of both overtimes.That tells you a lot about him, Sumlin said. He was really hurting.Garrett was asked just how much pain he was in during overtime.Not enough to quit on my team, he said.He finished with three tackles, including a sack that forced a fumble in the first quarter.BALL SECURITYJones was left searching for answers on how to solve his teams turnover problem.We have to get it corrected and Im dumbfounded because we spend so much time on ball security, he said. We may take 25 minutes a day and work on ball security because we have to get it corrected.UP NEXTTENNESSEE : The Volunteers host Alabama next Saturday.TEXAS A&M : Texas A&M has a week off before traveling to face the top-ranked Crimson Tide on Oct. 22.---APs college football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '