It wasnt so long ago that ultra-talented Argentine tennis teams were better known for their collapses and the bickering and political infighting that impacted morale at every turn.Right in the middle of the controversy was Juan Martin del Potro. An emerging star, he had a running feud with the more established but cankerous David Nalbandian. A Davis Cup stalwart in the same league as John McEnroe and Andy Roddick, Nalbandian was the dominant leader of the Argentinian team in his time. He had the backing of the tennis establishment as well as the public. But his King David status didnt sit well with everyone, including del Potro.When it became clear that del Potro wasnt quite as all-in for Davis Cup, especially with Nalbandian playing a large role in team decisions, the friction increased. The testy relationship of the two stars became a long-running national sporting soap opera.But this weekend, in the Davis Cup final, which will played at the Zagreb Arena in Croatia, del Potro has a chance to put this behind him and lead Argentina to its first title. Recovering from another long injury hiatus -- and the depression and anxiety that accompanied it -- del Potro leaped 1,004 places in the ATP rankings to finish at No. 38.Ive had a great year, del Potro told reporters Tuesday in Zagreb. I [need to have] a good weekend. We are confident. Its a very special moment for us, and we are very, very positive.That positive frame of mind is never a given when it comes to Argentinas Davis Cup team. The squad has featured some outsized talents, starting Guillermo Vilas. The other Davis Cup luminaries include Nalbandian, Jose-Luis Clerc, Guillermo Coria, Martin Jaite and Juan Ignacio Chela. Yet all have failed to lead the team to the land of milk and money. For Argentina, a nation with a hyper-enthusiastic fan base, the repeated Davis Cup failures border on a national embarrassment.The team will play its fifth final. Ten other teams that have also been in five or more finals, and all have won at least once.Davis Cup has been one of the furthest things from del Potros mind in recent years. He has played just six Davis Cup matches in four ties since 2011.So here we are. Del Potro is healthy, and Nalbandian is gone. The atmosphere in the Argentinian locker room is no longer poisonous. The perfect emblem for the transformation was Argentinas semifinal win in September against Andy Murray and his British cohorts. Del Potro handed Murray one of the very few losses he suffered this fall, and Leonardo Mayer gamely quelled a British fight-back, clinching in the final match.The final will be challenging. In some ways, Croatias No. 1 Marin Cilic is a mirror image, as well as a good friend and generational peer, of del Potros. They are both 6-foot-6, 28-year-old former US Open champions with bone-jarring serves and atomic forehands. Cilic is ranked a career-high No. 6, but he was overwhelmed in the World Tour Finals, winning just one match. Hes 2-8 against del Potro and hasnt beaten him since 2011.Now that del Potro has logged more wins, and his first title (in Stockholm) since 2014, hell be playing No. 1 for Argentina. His teammates have taken turns stepping up all year, but the Croatians have a truly unpredictable factor in 37-year-old ace machine Ivo Karlovic. Hes blasted his way to No. 20 in the rankings despite his age. The indoor hard court in Zagreb is said to be fast, which will surely help Karlovic. Argentinas likely No. 2 is No. 41 Federico Delbonis.As hosts with higher-ranking players, Croatia clearly will be the favorite, but many former players from Argentina can ruefully attest that doesnt mean all that much. 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VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- In their first game back after a tough six-game road trip, the Vancouver Canucks looked like a team hoping to wipe away some bad memories.Troy Stecher tied it with 1:40 left in the third period and Markus Granlund scored in overtime, helping Vancouver rally to beat the Dallas Stars 5-4 on Sunday.Dallas held leads of 3-1 and 4-3, but Vancouver got goals from Louis Eriksson, Brandon Sutter, Bo Horvat and Stecher to force overtime. The Canucks were coming off a 1-5 trip and have two wins in their last 12 games.It was a tough (road trip) for us, but its good to be back home and this was a good win for us, Granlund said. Everybody in this room is sticking together and playing for each other.Granlund scored 1:27 into overtime by finding a loose puck off a faceoff and snapping it past goalie Kari Lehtonen.That came after Stecher slapped a puck through Lehtonens legs, sending the arena into a frenzy. It was the first NHL goal for the 22-year-old rookie defenseman.It was a good feeling, Stecher said. But getting that win on home ice is a lot better feeling. Im sure you guys can see it throughout the room -- the vibes are up and we feel pretty good.Ryan Miller made 17 saves for Vancouver.Patrick Eaves scored twice and Lauri Korpikoski and Antoine Roussel also scored for the Stars, who wrapped up a five-game road trip 2-1-2.We were right there, Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. We made a little mistake on (Stechers goal), just on coverage going out to the point. If we played that better, that puck definitely doesnt go in.Lehtonen stopped 25 shots for Dallas, which had won 10 straight against the Canucks.Dallas had our number lately, Vancouver coach Willie Desjardins said. I dont know if it was a must-win, but it certainly was a big win for us, and we needed to score some gooals.ddddddddddddIt was good we battled in the third. I thought we showed great resiliency to stay with it.Eaves, Horvat and Korpikoski scored during a one-minute span early in the first period. Eaves knocked in a rebound past Miller at 5:43, but Horvat tied it at 6:05 with a wrist shot off Lehtonens shoulder. Korpikoski put Dallas back ahead on a 2-on-1 with Radek Faksa 20 seconds later.Eaves made it 3-1 with 4:56 left in the second. Tyler Seguin got his second of three assists with a cross-ice pass to Eaves, who one-timed a shot by Miller.Eriksson scored 3:26 into the third when a Stars turnover allowed Granlund to get the puck to him in the slot. The struggling forward put it through Lehtonens legs for his second goal of the season.Sutter tied it on the power play by finding the net from the slot with Lehtonen screened at 6:06 into the third.A defensive gaffe put Dallas back ahead. The puck deflected off Nikita Tryamkins skate and hit Millers pad before popping out right to Roussels stick for a tap in with 8:11 remaining.The Canucks appeared to tie it when Burrows shoveled in a loose puck in the crease, but Dallas successfully challenged for goaltender interference to overturn the goal.Game notes Stetcher was playing in his seventh game. The Richmond native had two assists and 16 shots prior to Sunday. ... Former Canuck Dan Hamhuis got a standing ovation during a video tribute. Hamhuis was with Vancouver for six seasons before signing a two-year free agent contract with Dallas in July.UP NEXTStars: Return home following this five-game trip to host New Jersey on Tuesday night.Canucks: Continue a four-game homestand Tuesday night against the New York Rangers. ' ' '