machine. Where was that in Calgary?

[lw789]

TORONTO – Days after his team suffered its worst loss of a young season, Randy Carlyle spoke sharply of the need for change. "Our level of work has to go up," said Carlyle on Thursday. "Weve stated that and weve (told) our players that the message is going to start to be delivered in a different manner if were not going to get the results that were looking for. Its not just about wins; its about how we play." Consider the effort on Friday a step in the right direction for the head coach. James van Riemsdyk scored the lone shootout goal to push the Leafs past the Devils during Hall of Fame night at the ACC. Most impressive to Carlyle in victory was the general abandonment of "cute" play that had wreaked havoc for much of the early season, replaced by simplicity that more closely resembled the template preferred by the coaching staff. "We drew six power-plays," said Carlyle. "So we were doing things right as far as getting the puck into the zone, creating more offensive zone time, playing more of a chip and support game. "We havent done that in a while," he continued. "We know that our special teams have been good, we know our goaltending has been good, but our 5-on-5 play needed addressing. Its only a stepping stone for our hockey club." Though they mustered only 14 shots at even-strength (according to extraskater.com) – compared with 28 for the Devils – the Leafs managed to grind in the New Jersey end for extended sequences. They generated more than a handful of high-quality opportunities against Cory Schneider and secured the aforementioned six power-plays, which matched a season-high. Employing the man advantage, Phil Kessel finally broke what lingered as a scoreless deadlock midway through the third with a slingshot end-to-end effort. It was the precisely the kind of game-changing goal that reaped the 26-year-old an eight-year contract before the season began. "Those are difference-maker goals," said Carlyle of Kessels 10th marker this season. "It reminded me of Frank Mahovlich, the windup, come back inside your own line and attack. Thats old-time hockey, I mean real old-time hockey." Michael Ryder would even the score awkwardly mere minutes later. From atop the left faceoff circle, the Devils winger harmlessly threw a puck at Jonathan Bernier, one that the Leafs goaltender attempted to steer into the corner only for it to leap upwards and into the net. "I didnt want to have a shutout I guess," said Bernier with a laugh. The 25-year-old made 34 saves otherwise, adding a perfect 3-for-3 effort in the shootout to preserve victory. Carlyle was visibly peeved with his teams effort six days earlier in a 4-0 loss to Vancouver, calling it the worst game of the season. With three practices and a slew of video and instruction in the days that followed he harped on the turnovers his team had committed in critical areas; he stressed the need for a feistier forecheck; he wanted more "doggedness" on the puck and much more of the chip-and-chase game that finally arose against the Devils. Neither perfect nor pretty, it was a step in the right direction. Five Points 1. JVR at centre James van Riemsdyk lined up at centre for the first time in the NHL and first time in four years. Predictably, the 24-year-old appeared uncomfortable and indecisive at times. "I thought he did fine," Carlyle said afterward. "The issue for him is going to be more about keep his feet moving in the defensive zone. If hes going to go and finish a check hes got to have some urgency in getting over to support our defencemen from a defensive side. I thought a few times, and he even spoke to it, that he was watching versus reacting and thats natural." Though he accepted and understood the move to centre in light of injuries to Tyler Bozak and Dave Bolland, van Riemsdyk rarely sounded enthused by the change, nor the sizeable adjustment it required. But with few better options, he was pressed into duty, playing alongside Kessel and Joffrey Lupul on Friday night. "If he says no then its not going to work," Carlyle said before the game. "Its 110 per cent his buy-in. We can say all we want as coaches and say push him there and if he says no what do you do? Its up to him." Totaling 22 minutes and the shootout winner, van Riemsdyk won 6 of 15 faceoffs. 2. Clarkson versus New Jersey David Clarkson played 426 games for the Devils and faced them for the first time as a Leaf on Friday. Teammates in New Jersey, Mark Fraser explained what Clarkson, at his best, can do to rattle opponents. "Hes a guy whos able to get under guys skin and he does it in a physical manner and he can do it with his skill," said Fraser, "but when hes really a nuisance or well call him a rat to the other team is when hes at his best." Maybe the most effective trio for the Leafs against New Jersey, Clarkson joined Nazem Kadri and Mason Raymond on Friday. The 30-year-old totaled 20 minutes, his two best offensive opportunities coming in the opening minutes on Schneider, including one that squeaked through five-hole before trickling just wide. Clarkson has yet to score as a Leaf, mustering just one assist in six games. 3. Kessel, Lupul reunited Lost in the news of van Riemsdyk shifting to centre was the reuniting of Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul. The pair formed one of the most lethal partnerships in hockey for nearly two years; linemates from Mar. 13, 2011 until Jan. 23, 2013. "Ive never played on a line with anyone for that long," said Lupul before Fridays game. "Id like to think were both a little bit better players now than we were then when we played together. Hopefully we can pick up where we left off." Both had career years and were first-time All-Stars in their first full season together (2011-2012). Kessel finished with a career-high 37 goals and 82 points, Lupul totaling a career-high 67 points in 66 games. "I think offensively we can read off each other pretty well," Lupul said of chemistry with Kessel. "I had or hopefully still have a good understanding of where Phils going to be, especially in the neutral zone [I] try and get him the puck with speed, which is where he creates the majority of his chances. I think thats where we had some success." An underrated aspect of the 26-year-olds game, Kessel had a career-high 45 assists alongside Lupul. "Obviously we both probably are scorers first," Lupul continued. "But, especially with Phil, his playmaking can get under looked. I think everyone is expecting him to let go the big shot [but] hes quite a good playmaker as well." They remained linemates when the lockout-shortened 2013 began, but when a broken right forearm sidelined Lupul for 25 games, he was replaced on the top unit by van Riemsdyk, who would compile 18 goals in 48 games. 4. Smithson joins Leafs Jerred Smithson played in his 589th NHL game Friday and his first with the Leafs. Previously with the Marlies on a pro tryout, Smithson was inked to a one-year contract for the veterans minimum ($550,000) on Wednesday. The 34-year-old spent 497 games previously with the Nashville Predators during which time Carlyle, formerly the Ducks head coach, became familiar with him. "It goes back to one of those situations where you always take note of who the opposition coach puts on the ice," Carlyle said Thursday of the 6-foot-3, 209 pound Smithson. "And he was one of the guys that took a lot of faceoffs and played a lot of defensive situations against our big guys." Down two of their top centres, Bozak (hamstring) and Bolland (ankle), the Leafs looked to Smithson to help stem the void at centre. The organization valued his experience, faceoff acumen, penalty killing ability, size, and physicality. Smithson spent last season split between Florida and Edmonton, unable to land a job during the cap crunch this summer. "Being away from the game for those few months and missing training camp was frustrating," said Smithson, who earned a fan in Steve Spott during seven games with the Marlies. "To get back with a team and to play games I was just really focusing on getting my conditioning and timing back down there." Compiling a 55 per cent mark on the draw in 2013, Smithson could be a valuable addition in the faceoff circle. Bozak and Bolland assumed 65 per cent of the teams faceoffs prior to Friday, leaving only Nazem Kadri (43 per cent), Jay McClement (54 per cent) and the inexperienced van Riemsdyk (63 career faceoffs before Friday). Smithson won 8 of 9 faceoffs against the Devils in his Toronto debut, seeing a majority of his 10 minutes on the penalty kill. 5. Fraser returns Mark Fraser returned from a 13-game stint on injured reserve – left knee – paired with Paul Ranger in his third game this season. The 27-year-old first injured the knee against the Flyers on Oct. 2, hit blindly by former Leaf Jay Rosehill. "It wasnt really until I was in the penalty box that I started feeling it," said Fraser, who was whistled for high-sticking on the play. "I had my foot up on the bench trying to flex my quad [and] thinking my knees sore, maybe I can stretch this out." Once back on the ice, "I tried to take a stride, because we were still shorthanded when I got on the ice, as soon I knew I couldnt really push hard I knew something was up." He was diagnosed with a grade-2 MCL tear. The injury required weeks of rest and rehab. "Once youre able to get back onto the ice youre just limited," he said. "A lot of the pains gone away, but you just protect it, you dont want to push yourself in a manner that stresses it and it needs to be stressed for one thing, to get comfortable with it." It was expected that 19-year-old Morgan Rielly would sit in Frasers return, but with a last minute injury to Colton Orr – and no other bodies up front – Rielly remained in the lineup as the seventh defenceman. "Hes made some mistakes as every member of our hockey club has," Carlyle said of Rielly on Thursday. "I dont like to say that a young player cutting his teeth in the NHL is experiencing anything other than life in the NHL. We have veteran people that are making the same amount of mistakes or the same type of mistakes and they get a pass. And what wed like to do is make sure Morgan understands, as every player has to understand, that in certain situations those mistakes are not ones that were going to tolerate." Stat-Pack 6 – Power-plays for the Leafs on Friday, matching a season-high. .936 – Save percentage for Jonathan Bernier this season, good for sixth-best overall. 24:02 – Minutes for Mason Raymond against the Devils. 27:06 – Minutes for Dion Phaneuf against the Devils, a season-high. 65 per cent – Faceoff burden injured centres Tyler Bozak and Dave Bolland had assumed for Leafs prior to Friday evening. 426 – Number of games David Clarkson played for the Devils prior to joining the Leafs. 0 – Number of goals for Clarkson this season. 63 – Career faceoffs for James van Riemsdyk entering Fridays game. 15 - Total faceoffs for van Riemsdyk versus the Devils. 8-9 – Jerred Smithson on the draw in his Leafs debut. Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-6Season: 22.8 per cent PK: 2-3Season: 86.2 per cent Quote of the Night "I didnt want to have a shutout I guess." -Jonathan Bernier on the lone goal he allowed against the Devils. Up Next The Leafs return to the scene of their Game 7 defeat last May, set to face the Bruins in Boston for the first time this season. Mike Smith Jersey . Coverage on TSN is underway now while action resumes on TSN2 at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. TSN GO also offers TSN subscribers bonus online coverage, with live streams of all four venues. Brett Kulak Jersey . Kerber will next play Estonias Kaia Kanepi, who beat American qualifier Victoria Duval 6-1, 6-3. In other first-round matches, Lucie Safarova beat 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-4 and American Bethanie Mattek-Sands had a 6-4, 6-3 win over Canadas Eugenie Bouchard. http://www.jerseyofficialhockeyflames.c ... ey-jersey/. Didnt need any help this time. Wood beat Cincinnati for the first time in his career, repeatedly pitching out of threats for seven innings, and Chicago stalled the Reds week-long surge with a 2-0 victory Monday night. Eddie Lack Jersey . With nothing tangible at stake, the Raptors turned in their most impressive outing of the fall in their seventh and second to last exhibition tilt against their stiffest competition yet, but they lost a couple starters in the process. Kris Versteeg Jersey . UCI President Brian Cookson said Wednesday the commission will investigate allegations "that the UCI has been involved in wrongdoing in the past -- allegations which have done so much to hurt the credibility of the UCI and our sport.*** EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION SEMI-FINALS (1) Boston Bruins (54-19-9, 117 points) vs. (4) Detroit Red Wings (39-28-15, 93 points) The Bruins and the Red Wings last met in the playoffs in 1957, so simply from a hockey purists standpoint, this series will be worth the price of admission. The Bruins have been dominant this year, and the Wings decimated by injury. Rational analysis would suggest the Bruins have an easy run here. But were not relying on rationale. Random: The Bruins won the 57 series in 5 games, so in their last one series against the Wings, the Bruins are undefeated. Hockey logic suggests that trend would continue. Additionally, Daniel Alfredsson has yet to lose a playoff series as a Red Wing.Coin Toss: BruinsI-Ching: "Success through smallness. Perseverance brings good fortune to the wanderer." This suggests the smaller more creative Wings will beat the big, bad Bruins.Utter Nonsense: The Bruins have sandpaper and grit, which are synonyms and essentially mean that they have players who dont mind fighting and bending the rules. Sandpaper and grit are very popular among NHL managers and coaches. Mostly, they like saying, "sandpaper and grit." Likewise, the hockey media has taken to referencing sandpaper and grit. They like players with sandpaper and grit. Players lacking sandpaper and grit are not the makings of a champion. Whoever invented the Corsi and Fenwick stats needs to develop a quantifiable Sandpaper Quotient, or the term must be banned from the sport. Prediction: Im a Montrealer, and as such morally and physically incapable of favouring anything Boston-related. Wings in 7. ~ (2) Tampa Bay Lightning (46-27-9, 101 points) vs. (3) Montreal Canadiens (46-28-8, 100 points) Montreal is the only Canadian team in the playoffs, and each of the past 6 times that has occurred theyve won the Cup. The Bolts are entering their first playoffs without a French Canadian star player and an injured team MVP in goaltender Ben Bishop. The big question in this series is: Will there be enough Canadian snowbirds in Tampa to give the Habs a home ice advantage on the road? Random: No team has ever won the Stanley Cup after one of its forwards was charged with cocaine possession the week before the playoffs. The Habs are undefeated in the playoffs in years that Pauline Marois PQ government has been defeated in a provincial election.Coin Toss: Habs.I-Ching: "Biting through has success. It is favorable to let justice be administered." Neither team is particularly truculent, but with the return of Brandon Prust to the Habs lineup and George Parros in the press box at the ready, I-Ching likes the Canadiens.Utter Nonsense: Bolts head coach Jon Cooper is a lawyer. No NHL head coach who is a lawyer by trade has ever lost to the Habs in the first round of a playoff series. Prediction: Price gets hot and carries the Habs to Round 2. Habs in 6. ~ METROPOLITAN DIVISION SEMI-FINALS (1) Pittsburgh Penguins (51-24-7, 109 points) vs. (4) Columbus Blue Jackets (43-32-7, 93 points) Tomas Vokun was added to the Pens roster over the weekend, suggesting that the organization has little faith in starting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. One would have to believe that if the Penguins dont make a deep run this year, head coach Dan Bylsma would be looking for another job. The Jackets are just happy to have been invited to the dance, are playing with house money, and (insert third cliché here.) An upset, or long series, would seemingly rely on Ryan Johansens coming out party as the games next dominant power forward and Sergei Bobrovskys return to Vezina excellence. Random: The price of a cappuccino in Columbus is 10.59% less than in Pittsburgh. You have to respect that kind of sabermetrics when considering the outcome of a series.Coin Toss: Penguins.I-Ching: "Decrease combined with sincerity brings about supreme good fortune without blame." I-Ching mustve meant "the crease" not decrease. Eastern online divination suggests Bobrovsky outplays Fleury, with the latter again to be blamed for the Pens misfortunes in the second season.Utter Nonsense: No one thought that in a sport dominated by misogynistic locker room sentiment, a team nicknamed the BJs would be a bad idea? Prediction: Bob returns to form, and Ohio hockey goes to Round 2 for the first time ever. Jackets in 7. ~ (2) New York Rangers (45-31-6, 96 points) vs. (3) Philadelphia Flyers (42-30-10) Broadway versus Broad Street. This series promises to be one of the most entertaining, as these decades-old rivals meet in Round 1. Ultimately, in the series (as with most really) comes down to goaltending. The Rangers will be relying desperately on the play of Henrik Lundqvist, who has looked mortal this year. The Flyers, as always, have goaltending issues, and could probably start the ghost of Pelle Lindbergh and still have a better chance than the suspect duo of Steve Mason and Ray Emery. The series will most certainly miss John Tortorella. Hes the Jim Schoenfeld of his generation. Random: Martin St-Louis has never lost a playoff series while with the Rangers. Craig Berube is undefeated in the post-season as a head coach. What? How can one reconcile these two contradictory yet indisputable facts?Coin Toss: Rangers.I-Ching: "The Taming Power of the Great. Perseverance furthers. Not eating at home brings good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water." Well, looks like I-Ching sees these teams crossing the Hudson a few times before its over, ultimately going 7 games, with the road team the victor. Flyers go to Round 2.Utter Nonsense: Lundqvist once played Guns n Roses "Sweet Child O Mine" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. No goalie that has performed a GnR tune on NBC has ever lost to the Flyers in a 7 game series. Prediction: Hard to argue with I-Ching here. Flyers in 7. ~ WESTERN CONFERENCE CENTRAL DIVISION SEMI-FINALS (1) Colorado Avalanche (52-22-8, 112 points) vs. (4) Minnesota Wild (43-27-12, 98 points) Colorado is the surprise one seed in the West, finishing strong under first-year head coach Patrick Roy. Roy was at home in the playoffs as a player, winning four Cups and three Conn Smythe Trophies, more than any other player. His team seems to have appropriated his temperament and passion, a scaryy notion for opponents.dddddddddddd Minnesota is the team that money bought, still trying to reap the rewards of signing Zach Parise and Ryan Suter two summers ago. Their goaltending currently relies on Ilya Bryzgalov having one last good run in the tank. Hell be back on the lecture circuit soon. Random: Dany Heatley, acquired by the Wild in the off-season, is having his worst season as a pro, with some suggesting his time in the league could be done. This is wonderful news for fans in Ottawa and Edmonton, who took Heatleys shunning of their communities quite hard a few years ago. What does this have to do with this matchup? Nothing really. Thats why this is the "Random" section. I explained this in the introduction. Did you even read the introduction? Coin Toss: Avs.I-Ching: "The movement of heaven is full of power. Thus the superior man makes himself strong and untiring. Changing Lines: Changing yang at the bottom means hidden dragon. Do not act." The movement of heaven suggests the Avs are on a roll not to be stopped, and the superior man is obviously Roy (just ask him). I-Ching sees this series coming down to the third and fourth lines, giving the Avs depth the advantage. Utter Nonsense: The best burger Ive ever had in my life was at the Crowne Royal hotel in Denver. Ive never been to Minnesota, but I doubt their burgers measure up. However, Betty Whites character Rose Nylund from The Golden Girls is from Minnesota, suggesting this series may go longer than I believe. Prediction: Roy in the playoffs is good for the game. Avs in 5. ~ (2) St. Louis Blues (52-23-7, 111 points) vs. (3) Chicago Blackhawks (46-21-5, 107 points) I suppose this series is the one that many are most looking forward to, but my reaction to the matchup is: Meh. St. Louis, under Ken Hitchcock, plays the kind of hockey that ruins hockey: An over-coached, systems based, reduce chances game that makes Jacques Lemaires teams look like the 80s Oilers. Ryan Miller, playing for a contract, will be something to watch, however. Chicago is a little banged up, having rested Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane down the stretch. No team has repeated as champions since the late 90s Red Wings, suggesting the Hawks may be in for more of a challenge than they might expect. Including the Olympics, many of the Hawks best players have played a lot of hockey in the past 16 months. Random: At the beginning of the season, Hitchcock ordered that the Blues no longer celebrate by fist bumping along the length of the bench as most teams do. In the regular season, this was an exercise in team before player, the collective over the individual. But in the post-season, when emotions arent just running high, but rather an intangible asset, how will this micromanaging affect the Blues players?Coin Toss: Blues.I-Ching: "The Well. The town may be changed, but the well cannot be changed. It neither decreases nor increases. They come and go and draw from the well. If one gets down almost to the water and the rope does not go all the way, or the jug breaks, it brings misfortune."Ya, I dont know what that means. Utter Nonsense: Ryan Miller is married to actress Noureen DeWulf, who appeared in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past with Matthew McConaughey. McConaughey won an Oscar this year for his role in Dallas Buyers Club, and was critically lauded for his performance in HBOs True Detective. These facts suggest DeWulfs husband will win a Stanley Cup. Prediction: Hitchcock is part of the destruction of up-tempo hockey. I cant pick the Blues. Hawks in 6. ~ PACIFIC DIVISION SEMI-FINALS (1) Anaheim Ducks (54-20-8, 116 points) vs. (4) Dallas Stars (40-31-11, 91 points) Anaheim, since replacing Randy Carlyle with Bruce Boudreau as head coach, plays the kind of hockey we all want to see: Offensive, creative, and relying more on the players than a system. We need more Boudreaus. Any team that boasts Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, and Teemu Selanne, has the ability to challenge for the Cup. Dallas. Well, Dallas has Tim Thomas, the strangest right wing quote machine, back in the playoffs after a year spent away from the game, building bomb shelters and reading Ayn Rand. But, the team squeaked into the playoffs, and despite the rise of Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn, seems a few years from being the dominant force that GM Jim Nill is intent on building. Random: If you dont like Selanne, you dont like hockey. It would be great for the game if the Ducks made a bit of a run. Coin Toss: Ducks.I-Ching: "Contemplation. The ablution has been made, but not yet the offering. Full of trust they look up to him."See, even Internet I-Ching likes Teemu. Utter Nonsense: Boudreau had a minor role in Slap Shot. No head coach of a California-based NHL team who has appeared in a Paul Newman film has ever lost a playoff series against a Texas-based team if that series began on a weekday. Prediction: Teemu plays like hes 23, and takes the Stars out quick so he can rest like hes 43. Ducks in 4. ~ (2) San Jose Sharks (51-22-9, 111 points) vs. (3) Los Angeles Kings (46-28-8, 100 points) This is perhaps the most compelling series of the first round. The forever playoff-challenged Sharks against the surprising recent champion Kings. San Jose just cant seem to ever find that playoff gear. If they dont go to the conference finals this year, it could be time for a rebuild. Even more surprising is the fact that somehow the curmudgeonly Kings coach Darryl Sutter has become an entertaining quote machine. Where was that in Calgary? Sutter has this team playing well, and if goaltender Jonathan Quick can regain his 11 form, the Kings could go deep. Random: See what I did above? Did you see that? This is exactly what I was railing against in the introduction. What kind of nonsense is that, "if goaltender Jonathan Quick can regain his 11 form, the Kings could go deep"? Of course if their goalie gets hot they could go deep. If any of a number of things happen, any team could go deep. I cant believe people get paid for this.Coin Toss: Kings.I-Ching: "Dispersion. Success. The king approaches his temple." Goodbye San Jose. Utter Nonsense: Brent Burns wears awesome suits. Sharks should win on that fact alone. Prediction: No self-respecting hockey team should wear teal. Kings in 7. Cheap Stitched Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Discount Jerseys Wholesale NFL Hoodies Cheap NFL Womens Jerseys China Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Throwback Jerseys ' ' '