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RIO DE JANEIRO -- The nerves were there. Unmistakable. Unavoidable. Standing in the darkened tunnel before entering Rio Olympic Arena on Sunday night, the U.S. womens gymnastics team felt the pressure that comes not from outside expectations but those held within.Then the lights came on.And just like that, the young women in the glittery red-and-blue leotards national team coordinator Martha Karolyi has molded into a global force relaxed.And dominated.On bars. On beam. On vault and floor too. Their not-a-typo score of 185.238 was nearly 10 points better than second-place China through four of the five subdivisions, a preposterous gap in a sport where the difference between first and second is measured in fractions.Its never 100 percent perfect but I think we showed that our gymnastics is of the highest level, Karolyi said.One no opponent is close to reaching. If the U.S. had swapped out its highest score on each event with its lowest, it would still be up by six points.Three-time world champion Simone Biles led the way. Her score of 62.366 was well clear of teammate Aly Raisman. So much for the butterflies in her stomach.I do a very good job at hiding it, Biles said. The team, we just calm it down.Consider it a luxury of being so far beyond the rest of the planet. All five women earned a spot in either the all-around or event finals, or in the case of Biles and Raisman, both.Raisman, a three-time Olympic medalist four years ago, grabbed the second spot in the individual all-around for the Americans by edging reigning Olympic champion Gabby Douglas thanks in part to what Raisman called the best bar routine of my life.Rules limit each country to two gymnasts per event in the all-around and event finals, meaning even though Douglas was third overall, shell miss out on a chance to defend the crown she won in London. Not that she was moping. When Raisman drilled her dismount on beam, Douglas rose from her chair and gave her a hug.A controversial selection to the five-woman team after a so-so performance at Olympic trials, Douglas validated Karolyis choice with steady performances all over, including a bars set that earned her a spot in the individual finals.She said `I believe in you, and you can go out and do it, Douglas said. At the end of the day that means so much ... because shes very precise. It feels good.The top eight teams in qualifying move on to Tuesdays team final, where the U.S. is expected to repeat the gold it won easily in London and give it to Karolyi as a retirement present. Karolyi is stepping away after the games, though shes hardly in a hurry to get there. There are still a few more lessons to teach.My expectations are higher for you than anyone elses, she said. What Im trying to do is get the most out of every single person.No wonder Russian gymnastics star Aliya Mustafina figures everybody is playing for silver.Its going to be really difficult to compete against the American team, Mustafina said through a translator after the Russians survived a sometimes shaky qualifying session. They are unbeatable at the moment.China and Russia both struggled at times on Sunday, beset by mistakes they cant afford to make if they want to make the team finals anything more than a coronation. While each have their strengths, the truth is the U.S. has few weaknesses. The margin for error will be thinner in the three-up, three-count final. Yet after the U.S. went 16 for 16 during an occasionally showstopping 90 minutes, they hardly seem overburdened by the stakes.I think all of our hard work was just to show the world, said Madison Kocian, who put up the top score on uneven bars. I mean were 10 points ahead.Something thats not supposed to happen.Good luck world. Its up to China, Russia, Great Britain, Brazil, Germany, Japan and the Netherlands to knock the Americans off their throne. How difficult will it be? Consider this: the margin between the U.S. and the Chinese on Sunday was greater than the margin between China and 12th-place Belgium.Romania failed to qualify for the Olympics as a team for the first time in more than 40 years but will have an event finalist after Catalina Ponor finished in the top eight on beam. Uzbekistans Oksana Chusovitina, competing in her record seventh Olympics, reached the vault final after finishing fifth in qualifying.The 41-year-old played coy when asked by her 17-year-old son Alisher if this is her last go-around.Wait and see honey, Chusovitina said with a laugh. Mark Bavaro Jersey . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Harry Carson Youth Jersey . -- In one brief spurt, Brazil turned a close game into a rout and proved again it will be a strong World Cup favourite. http://www.giantsrookiestore.com/Giants-Saquon-Barkley-Jersey/ . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. Daniel Jones Youth Jersey . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. Dalvin Tomlinson Jersey . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. The Chicago Blackhawks, at 5-on-5 this season, have looked like the perennial championship contender they always do. Theyve outscored teams 16-8 thanks to their talent and depth throughout the lineup.Ask the Blackhawks to kill a penalty, however, and they look like a lottery team tanking for a top draft pick. Their 30th-ranked penalty kill, which sits at an unbelievable 46.1 percent, will try to right itself Friday night against the New Jersey Devils, who have five power-play goals in 16 chances over their past four games.The Blackhawks struggles while down a man can be indirectly credited to a lack of cohesion that has led to the team defending more, which has put them in position to take more penalties than they usually would.Our identity in the past was being fast and having the puck, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said to the Chicago Sun-Times. Now we dont have quite the four-line rotation, or the puck enough, to get that precision we look for, that identity were accustomed to having. Were not playing as fast, because were defending a lot more than were used to.The Blackhawks (3-3-1) have also had trouble delivering consistent starts to games. They have been outshot in the first period in six of seven games, including a 14-8 deficit during a 3-2 home loss to the Calgary Flames on Monday.Is there a reason for the slow starts?No good one, thats for sure, Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said to the Chicago Sun-Times. Weve got to get that out of our game. The penalty-kill usually translates from our effort 5-on-5, and if were not starting games well, then were getting behind (and) giving up power plays. And were not killing the penalty kills that were on. IIt was unfortunate to get behind again (Monday night against Calgary).ddddddddddddThe Devils (3-2-1) are off to a 3-0 start at home. All six games were started by goaltender Cory Schneider, who holds a 2.00 goals-against average and .936 save percentage but will get the night off in favor of backup goaltender Keith Kinkaid.The 27-year-old Kinkaid has yet to play a second this season but with the Devils playing Friday against the Blackhawks and Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, his first test was going to be a difficult one either way. He had a .904 save percentage in 23 games last season.Im very excited, Kinkaid said to the Bergen Record. Ill finally get some game action. I just want to help the guys out.The Devils won nine of Kinkaids 20 starts last season, which included two shutouts. If the Devils are to improve on their 84 points of a season ago and become a playoff contender, Kinkaid will have to give the Devils more support and better play when giving Schneider the night off.Going back to backs, we knew all along coming into the year in those situations we wanted to play both guys, Devils coach John Hynes said to the Bergen Record. Hes played well. Hes practiced well so well give him a chance tomorrow. We want to be able to do a good job in front of him and make sure we allow him to get into the game and see the shots that he should stop and get himself re-acclimated with things. Hes been through this before. Its not like its a newer player that has to come in in a backup role. So well be confident hell be ready to go. ' ' '