Considered One Of The, considered one of the Optiuni

[vv1122365]

TORONTO – The Maple Leafs hit rock bottom two weeks ago. They haven’t lost a game in regulation since. Behind a scorching offence that struck for five more goals, and 35 saves from Jonathan Bernier, the Leafs won for the fourth time in five games Tuesday (4-0-1), edging off the defensively-challenged Stars in a wild affair at the ACC. Yielding 38 shots themselves in victory, this was not the kind of performance they’d been proud of recently, a fact stressed by Randy Carlyle in his post-game address with players afterward. “I just said ‘We’re going to take the two points, but we can’t be happy with the sloppiness in which we played’,” said Carlyle after the 5-3 victory. “‘Lets be realistic and let’s be honest with ourselves that we have to come to work [Wednesday] to improve on that because we cannot continue to play that style of game and think we’re going to have success.’” It was the second straight game in which the Leafs have allowed more than 35 shots after holding opponents to less than 30 in the three before that. They were sloppier on this night, more prone to individual works, less focused on their defensive pursuits, and more like the flawed team of recent seasons. “I thought tonight was probably our worst game I’d say in the stretch that we’ve had [recently],” said Bernier. “But when you score that many goals it’s hard mentally to stay sharp and play defensively.” Scoring five for the eighth time already this season, the Leafs have managed 23 goals during the five-game run, that offence coming from 12 different sources, only one of whom being Phil Kessel. They were opportunistic in the run-and-gun show against the Stars – the worst defensive team in hockey – capitalizing on turnovers and easy rebounds, though prone to giving up more than a few themselves. Newly united with Leo Komarov sidelined (more on that below), Nazem Kadri, Joffrey Lupul and Mike Santorelli combined for three of the five goals. It was two Tuesdays ago at the ACC that the same group hit their low point. That night the Leafs were pummeled for nine goals by Nashville, hammered for six three days earlier in Buffalo. Carlyle’s job security was questioned. And times were as tense as could be imagined in the second month of the season. It became painfully evident to all involved that change was needed in some form. “Well I think sometimes you have to hit rock bottom in anything,” Leafs assistant Steve Spott said Monday. “We hit rock bottom. No one can deny that game in Buffalo and our home game here against Nashville were probably as low as we can get – let’s hope anyways.” And after hitting that low point, change was embraced, the coaching staff given a “full reset” in its demands from the group. “It [allowed] us to now go into that dressing room and demand how we have to play,” Spott said. Players and coaches alike adopted a mantra that hinged upon playing “the right way”, though that mindset drifted in the back half of Saturday’s game against Washington and again Tuesday versus Dallas. All of which is just one more reminder to these Leafs of how quickly results can change if they stray from structure, a lesson they were forced to learn in those two embarrassing losses last month. Lupul, who scored a pair in the win, stressed such caution afterward. “We’ve still got plenty to work on,” he said. “Things are headed in the right direction, but we know what can happen if we get complacent.” Five Points 1. Dry Spell Over The first real quiet spell of Phil Kessel’s season ended Tuesday. Kessel broke a string of five straight games without a goal, also scoring for the first time in 10 games on the power-play. Carlyle called that power-play Kessel’s “bread and butter” and noted just how differently teams were defending him recently. The Leafs head coach observed how the opposition was “squeezing” the 27-year-old in his customary spot on the left half-wall, preventing him from rolling out and shooting the puck. “So if you noticed he’s not scored, but his assist totals have went up in those areas,” Carlyle said. “He has to make some adjustments of maybe rolling up a little higher. And with the addition of Kadri [on the right point] it becomes more of a two-dimensional power-play where we can work both sides of the ice. We hope that frees up some space for Phil.” The Stars cut down his options with two attackers often on this night, but when they let up even slightly Kessel found an opening. He fired a quick shot on a second period power-play, beating Kari Lehtonen with the help of a screen from James van Riemsdyk. “He’s going to get his goals,” said Tyler Bozak, who also scored for the sixth time in four games. “He hasn’t been happy with the way it’s been going for him lately, but I’m sure he’s going to start streaking here pretty soon and put a pile of them in there.” In light of the adjustments against him, Kessel’s shot attempts on the power-play are down some from last season, but the extra attention paid to him has mostly created space for Bozak, who has six power-play goals already this season, matching a career-high. 2. Better on the Wing Playing to the right of Kadri in each of the past five games, Santorelli landed three helpers against the Stars. The 28-year-old started the year down the middle, but the Leafs moved him to the wing after Lupul went down with injury and believe he’s a better fit there moving forward. “What we found is that he’s a much better winger than a centre,” said Carlyle. “He’s much more comfortable. His work ethic is very noticeable on the wing. And I think that has been enlightening to everybody that he’s a much more dynamic player when he plays the wing versus centre.” Inked for one year at $1.5 million, Santorelli is proving a bargain. He’s already amassed 16 points in 24 games, tied for fifth on the Leafs in scoring. 3. Bernier Starts Like his team, Bernier has been victim to slow starts this season. In fact, the 26-year-old has given up nearly half of his goals this season in the opening period – 17 of 43 – sporting a modest .910 save percentage. He was perfect on Tuesday against the Stars, however, stopping all 15 shots he faced. Bernier was making his sixth straight start in goal. “We just think Bernie’s on a roll,” Carlyle said of the decision beforehand. It’s been more than two weeks since James Reimer’s last start, something the Leafs are obviously aware of while still preferring to ride what Carlyle dubbed “the hot hand” in Bernier. “We don’t want Reims to get too rusty, that’s for sure,” Carlyle said. “I’m sure he’s going to see the net.” More than half of Reimers starts this season have come on the back half of back-to-back sets. Torontos next such set isnt until next week. 4. Robidas/Holzer It was in the moments before his return to the NHL last week and Korbinian Holzer was predictably nervous. There to calm those nerves was 37-year-old Stephane Robidas, his partner on defence that night in Pittsburgh and a veteran of more than 900 NHL games. Holzer says Robidas helped settle him down ahead of what proved to be a standout night against the Penguins. The performance drew positive reviews from Carlyle, who opted to move the 26-year-old higher in the lineup three nights later against Washington, onto the team’s second pairing with Jake Gardiner. “He earned the opportunity to move up, simple as that,” said Carlyle. “I thought he was outstanding in his first game. He played the way we envisioned him [playing] and now he’s got to maintain that consistently.” Holzer was overwhelmed in his first go-around with the Leafs in 2013, but with an added year of experience and the recent birth of his first child – daughter, Emily – he’s admittedly more settled in round two. He’s long been a fan of Robidas too. Holzer remembers watching the longtime Star play with the Frankfurt Lions during the first NHL lockout in 2004. Just a teenager then but an avid watcher of Germany’s top league, Holzer recalls Robidas being the best player on the ice; he compiled 15 goals and 47 points in 51 games. 5. Symptoms Clipped by Alex Ovechkin over the weekend, Komarov sat out Tuesday’s game. He underwent league protocol for a concussion following the Saturday night game against Washington, though Carlyle couldn’t say for certain whether he passed that testing nor whether he had a concussion. “I don’t know what that test is anymore,” he said. “I’ve heard so many frickin’ explanations for ‘test this, test that, ride the bike here, jump up and down on one foot’, I don’t know what that test is anymore. It just seems that there’s a protocol that when the player has symptoms then there’s a time-frame that he has to be symptom-free and we’re working on that now.” Komarov didnt feel well after the hit from Ovechkin, but those symptoms subsided, according to Carlyle. The 27-year-old even managed to work out on Tuesday morning. “It’s not like he’s in there lying on the bed doing nothing, he’s active,” Carlyle said. “So we don’t foresee this as being as long-term thing, but we don’t control that.” Stats-Pack 4-games – Point streak for Mike Santorelli, who has seven assists in that span. 6 – Goals in the past four games for Tyler Bozak. 10-0-0 – Leafs record when scoring first this season. 23 – Goals scored by the Leafs in the past five games. 1 – Power-play point for Nazem Kadri on Tuesday, his first this season. 13 – Even-strength points for Kadri and Santorelli, tied with Komarov for second-most on the Leafs this season. Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-7 Season: 20.6% PK: 5-5 Season: 84.5% Quote of the Night “I don’t know what that test is anymore. I’ve heard so many frickin’ explanations for ‘test this, test that, ride the bike here, jump up and down on one foot’ I don’t know what that test is anymore.” -Randy Carlyle, questioned on whether Leo Komarov passed concussion tests. Up Next The Leafs host the Devils on Thursday night. Ted Hendricks Jersey . Nick Young scored 17 points for Los Angeles, which lost five of its last seven before trouncing the Pelicans, who beat them handily last week in New Orleans. Jodie Meeks and Xavier Henry scored 15 points apiece for the Lakers, who led by 20 points in the first half before coasting to their 12th win in their last 13 regular-season meetings with New Orleans. Jared Cook Jersey . Seth Smith hit a towering drive for a tying homer leading off the eighth and Chris Denorfia singled home two runs to give the Padres a 3-1 victory against the rival Dodgers in baseballs North American opener Sunday night. http://www.officialoaklandraidersfootball....n-jersey-womens . Englands only win in the four most recent trips north had been tight, and Scotland was expected after losing 28-6 to Ireland six days ago to show some venom against its archrival. Ronnie Lott Jersey . -- Sonny Grays fastball wasnt as sharp as it usually is, and the Oakland Athletics young pitcher even had a quirky replay go against him. Donald Penn Jersey . The Maple Leafs will play on the road for the first time this season after dropping home contests to Montreal and Pittsburgh to begin the campaign. After losing a one-goal decision to the Canadiens on Wednesday, they were bested 5-2 on Saturday by the Penguins.LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Detroit Tigers agreed to terms Monday with seven players on contracts for the 2014 season. Detroit announced agreements with right-handers Jose Ortega, Luke Putkonen and Evan Reed, left-handers Kyle Lobstein and Drew Smyly, infielder Nick Castellanos and outfielder Steven Moya. Smyly is expecteed to move into the rotation after an impressive 2013 showing in the bullpen.dddddddddddd Castellanos has been considered one of the organizations top prospects and will likely play third base this year in the majors. The Tigers now have 32 players on the clubs 40-man roster under contract for 2014. China NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Online Stitched Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Outlet College Jerseys For Sale Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys For Sale Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '