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Penn State coach James Franklin acknowledged that some frustration permeated the locker room after the No. 5 Nittany Lions were left out of the College Football Playoff on Sunday, but overall, he said theyre still ecstatic with their bowl destination.Penn State will take on No. 9 USC in the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. on Jan. 2. It is the Lions first appearance in the game since the 2008 season.There was a handful of guys that showed a little bit of frustration and body language and things like that, Franklin said during a Sunday evening news conference, but 99 percent of the guys in there are just excited about staying together as a family and being able to play in such a historic bowl game.He continued, This is a game and a bowl that players and coaches grow up dreaming about.Back in September, the Rose Bowl seemed like nothing more than a distant dream to most Penn State fans. Based on ESPNs FPI, after a 2-2 start, Penn State had just a 0.09 percent chance to win the Big Ten championship. And when the Nittany Lions trailed by three touchdowns to Wisconsin during Saturdays Big Ten championship, their win probability dropped to just 3 percent.But after an unprecedented 38-31 comeback victory over the Badgers -- an exclamation mark on a nine-game winning streak -- Penn State was thrust into the playoff conversation. It came up just short Sunday, earning a ranking behind No. 4 Washington and No. 3 Ohio State, but Franklin said that doesnt change how proud he is of this team.Lack of scholarships -- 65 scholarships, 75 scholarships -- a lot of turnover on personnel, a lot of turnover when it comes to coaches and things like that. Theres been a lot of things going on, said Franklin, referring to issues that resulted from the 2012 sanctions in connection with the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal. And for us to take it to another level and win the Big Ten East and then the Big Ten championship, its special. It shows how special this place is.This is one of the few programs in the country that can handle the adversity weve had.A weary-sounding Franklin said he didnt get much sleep over the past 24 hours. He fielded numerous calls and texts from former lettermen and parents of current players, and he was just about to hit the road recruiting. He wont return to Happy Valley until next Saturday.It has been a whirlwind for the third-year Penn State coach. But he said it has all been worth it. Screaming fans awaited the team buses Sunday morning, some people blaring their horns from the side of the road, and an excitement has taken hold of Happy Valley.So even though Penn State missed out on a playoff berth, Franklin said this team has nothing to feel defeated about.Obviously, our guys wouldve liked to complete in the playoff and the national championship, he said, but they also still know its a tremendous opportunity to play in the Rose Bowl.I just want to let everyone know just how humbled and honored we are to have this opportunity.Brandon Ingram Pelicans Jersey . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. Nicolo Melli Pelicans Jersey . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. https://www.pelicanslockerroom.com/Frank-Jackson-City-Edition-Jersey/ .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. New Orleans Pelicans Jerseys . Radwanska, making her debut in the Seoul tournament, hit eight aces in a match that lasted 1 hour, 4 minutes at Olympic Park tennis stadium. "It was definitely a very good match -- I was playing really good tennis," Radwanska said. Jrue Holiday Pelicans Jersey . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends.CHICAGO -- Scott Darling is getting into a groove. The banged-up Chicago Blackhawks are playing smart and tight in front of him.On Sunday night, it all worked perfectly.Marian Hossa, Artem Anisimov and Artemi Panarin scored to lead the Central Division-leading Blackhawks over the Dallas Stars 3-1.Darling made 23 saves in his fifth straight start while No. 1 goalie Corey Crawford recovers from an appendectomy. Darling has permitted just seven goals during the stretch, but the Blackhawks have scored only nine while going 2-2-1.You get into a rhythm, Darling said. You feel more comfortable. And the guys have been playing great defense the last four games.Coach Joel Quenneville appreciated what he saw from the net on out.Overall, our whole team game, I really liked tonight, Quenneville said. We managed the puck a little bit better and scored some timely goals as well.Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews missed his ninth game and defenseman Brent Seabrook his second with upper-body injuries. That means the Blackhawks dont have as much firepower to throw around -- even if the 37-year-old Hossa scored his team-leading 15th goal and has three in three games.It was definitely a good test of what we can do without key players, Hossa said. Its hard to replace guys like that.Devin Shore scored for Dallas, which lost its second straight and third in four. The Stars struggled to generate much offensive pressure against the Blackhawks on the heels of a 4-2 loss at Philadelphia on Saturday.I think our guys feel a lot of pressure right now with our scoring being down, coach Lindy Ruff said. Last year we could wash some of our mistakes under the carpet. This year, the big mistakes are really standing out.Dallas Kari Lehtonen blocked 24 shots while making his fifth straight start. The scuffling Stars are in sixth place in the Central and 11th in the Western Conference.We put ourselves in a tough spot, but theres no reason we cant turn this around, forward Jamie Benn said. The way were losing is unacceptable.Both Toews and Seabrook took part in the teams morning skate on Sunday, with Toews getting back on the ice for the first time in a week. The center, reportedly dealing with a back injury, said he never has experienced his current condition before.You almost have to sit around and wait for it to heal and get better, Toews said. Sometimes you feel good andd all of a sudden you do some little movements here or there that seem to just fire everything up.ddddddddddddDallas defenseman Jamie Oleksiak sat out the first game of a two-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of Flyers forward Chris VandeVelde in the third period of the Stars 4-2 loss at Philadelphia on Saturday.Defenseman Johnny Oduya returned to the Stars lineup after missing 10 games with a lower-body injury and took Oleksiaks place.The teams played a scoreless first with only a handful of chances. Darling made a quick right pad save on Curtis McKenzies point-blank deflection with 6:30 left in the period.Shore opened the scoring at 1:25 of the second, batting in a loose puck to cap an odd-man break and flurry around Chicagos net. After McKenzie deflected Shores feed wide, John Klingberg shoveled the puck in front to Shore, who connected from the doorstep.Hossa tied it at 1 just 52 seconds later on a drive from left wing that trickled under Lehtonens blocker.Anisimov knocked in a rebound of Ryan Hartmans point-blank attempt with 7:30 left in the second for his 12th goal to put Chicago ahead 2-1. After leaving the penalty box and taking a long feed from Trevor van Riemsdyk, Hartman beat defenseman Stephen Johns and cut in alone. Lehtonen stopped Hartmans low shot, but Anisimov swept in and scored before Johns could recover.Panarins power-play goal midway through the third made it 3-1. Positioned low in the left circle, Panarin ripped in his 11th goal from a sharp angle -- and just inside the left post -- after taking a perfect feed from Duncan Keith.Game notesDallas and former Blackhawks F Patrick Sharp sat out his fifth game with concussion-like symptoms. Ruff said the 34-year-old Sharp is going full bore skating and working out on his own, but theres no timetable for his return. ... Stars D Dan Hamhuis played his 900th game. ... Dallas healthy scratches were D Patrik Nemeth and F Lauri Korpikoski. Chicagos was D Michal Kempny.UP NEXT:Stars: Host Anaheim on Tuesday to start a five-game homestand. Dallas plays eight of its next nine at home.Blackhawks: Head to New York to play the Rangers on Tuesday and Islanders on Thursday. Chicagos three-game road trip concludes at St. Louis on Saturday. ' ' '