DALLAS – Standing behind the visitors bench at the American Airlines Center as
his team was being pummeled, Randy Carlyle muttered under his breath some of the
frustration and disappointment that goes hand in hand with such a thoroughly
one-sided defeat.
Brian Quick Rams Jersey . "It gets passed a
point of mad and frustration," said Carlyle, bearing the look of a baffled head
coach. "It just gets to a point of disappointment and what the heck is going on
out there. Those are the things that bring you back to Earth in a hurry. "This
is the thud." Toronto hadnt won seven straight in more than 10 years. Thumped
7-1 by Jamie Benn and the Stars in Big D on Thursday night, theyll have to wait
at least a little longer to do it once more. The Stars exploded for four goals
in an imbalanced middle frame – Benn with a pair of assists – wrestling complete
control of a tilt that featured on a whole lot of ills from the visiting hockey
club, including a host of turnovers and slew of lost battles. "We didnt really
have anything going for a good part of the hockey game," said Carlyle. "We
turned the puck over. We didnt make strong plays. We looked like we were a step
behind the Dallas hockey club tonight. They skated and we didnt." Considering
their recent string of success – the longest win streak by the club in more than
seven years – the lacklustre effort seemed to come out of nowhere and was more
in line with much of the disappointment and inconsistency that plagued the
seasons first half. "It might help put us back down to even-keel here," said
Tyler Bozak afterward. "We were pretty confident and maybe a little
overconfident after that win streak we had." "Its the management of success as
well as well as management when youre not having success of how to remain on an
even-keel," Carlyle said. "Obviously we didnt do a very good job of that in our
performance tonight." All the elements that flourished so prominently during the
six-game win streak disappeared in a hurry. The goaltending had a rare
off-night. The previously scorching top line was silent and burned often on the
other end. And the power-play, so prominent in the past week and really all
season, was a large negative, empty in three attempts with a shorthanded goal
against. Blown out in Carolina two weeks ago to the day, the Leafs responded
with some of their best hockey, eventually rallying with this most recent win
streak. Theyll be looking for more of the same when they visit the suddenly
resurgent Jets to conclude the road trip on Saturday. "Weve got to find a way to
pick ourselves back up because we cant let this linger with our group," Carlyle
concluded. Five Points 1. Rare Off-Night in Goal Between Jonathan Bernier and
James Reimer, goaltending has been a strong point for the Leafs all season and
more recently during the six-game win streak. But on this night that elite level
of performance was nowhere to be found (though they lacked much help). Bernier
was bounced for just the second time all season following the third Dallas goal
– 13 shots – a redirected Benn point blast that snuck through the five-hole of
the 25-year-old. He was replaced by Reimer, who fared no better, yielding four
more goals on just 15 shots. "I think they fit in with the rest of our team,"
said Carlyle of the goaltenders. "Im not going to throw those guys [under the
bus] any more than the rest of the group. We just didnt have anything going. We
just didnt have it." Leaf goaltenders owned an impressive .932 save percentage
during the six-game run, but were hammered for seven goals on 28 shots against
the Stars. 2. Top Line Finally Silenced The trio of Phil Kessel,
James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak combined for 12 goals and 25 points during
the win streak, but they were completely silenced in Dallas. The line failed to
generate much of anything against the Stars – combining for just four shots –
while also being burned for four goals against on the other end. "We werent
skating. We werent winning battles. We were getting outsmarted pretty much all
over the ice," said Bozak. "Especially our line – we were terrible. They
outplayed us in every facet of the game. Its just one that weve got to put
behind us." Prior to the game, Carlyle described their recent success as more
expectation than surprise. "Check the size of their pay cheque," said Carlyle
with good humour. "Arent they supposed to do that? Thats what theyre paid to do.
Thats the bottom line. The reality of it is they are paid to provide offence and
I guess theyre doing their job." Kessels potent seven-game point streak was
snapped in the loss. He had six goals and 14 points in that span, but was held
to two shots on Thursday. 3. Lupul at LW After residing on the right wing for
the better part of a month – mostly due to injuries – Joffrey Lupul has, in
recent days, returned to his more comfortable left wing. Lupul spent the past
three seasons on the left side, moved there at the request of former Leafs head
coach Ron Wilson. Randy Carlyle noted Thursday morning that Lupul "seems to be
much more comfortable on the left side than the right side". The reasons why, as
explained by Lupul himself, start in the defensive zone. "Im better in my own
zone for sure," he told the Leaf Report on Thursday morning. "I find it easier
to get the puck out on the wall – which a lot of guys dont. I dont why
necessarily I do, [but] I find it easier to protect the puck and play better in
my own end." Additionally, the 29-year-old believes he is a more dynamic threat
offensively streaking down his off-wing. "I think Im a much better passer off
the left side," said Lupul. "[Playing there] just gives me a chance to use my
body again to protect the puck whereas on the right wing I feel like Im kind of
skating with the puck exposed and it can get knocked off a lot. And it just
gives me a chance to buy myself that extra second, whether it be to shoot or to
pass." 4. Wrong Direction Hes unquestionably been felled by some particularly
rough outings from his teammates, but Reimers season has gradually turned in the
wrong direction just as Bernier has clutched hold of the crease. The 25-year-old
burst out of the gate with a .949 save percentage in October, but has trended
downward ever since. Reimer has started three games in January, while stepping
in for Bernier in two others, owning an unflattering .875 save mark in the
opening month of 2014. Month Save Percentage October .949 November .916 December
.909 January .875 5. Clarkson & Other Injury Updates Missing his fourth
consecutive game with an elbow injury, David Clarkson isnt due to return to the
Toronto lineup until next week. Clarkson had been playing with an infection in
his elbow since December and required minor surgery last week to alleviate the
issue. Frazer McLaren meanwhile, out the past five games with a bruised
shoulder, was due to meet the team in Winnipeg on Friday. Trevor Smith,
sidelined since the middle of December with a broken right hand, is expected to
start skating with his teammates next week. Stats-Pack 4 – Goals scored against
the Leafs top line on Thursday. 2 – Number of times in 32 starts that
Jonathan Bernier has been pulled this season. 7-14-2 – Leafs record when failing
to score the first goal. 2 – Number of games this season in which the Leafs have
allowed seven goals. .750 – Save percentage for the goaltending duo of Bernier
and Reimer against the Stars. 11-8-1 – Leafs record versus the Western
Conference this season. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-3Season: 22.5% (4th) PK:
1-2Season: 77.5% (28th) Quote of the Night "This is the thud." -Randy Carlyle,
on being brought back to Earth in Dallas. Up Next The Leafs conclude their
four-game road trip in Winnipeg on Saturday night.
Mo Alexander Rams Jersey . -- Lindsey Vonn
knows it was just some youthful exuberance when teenager Mikaela Shiffrin
playfully announced she was dreaming of winning five gold medals at the next
Winter Olympics.
Trumaine Johnson Jersey . With the players
association in the midst of meetings in Las Vegas, a vote will be held on Friday
to decide the CFLPAs presidency and other executive positions.The B.C. Lions are
very close to a deal to bring DT Khalif Mitchell back into the fray, and a deal
could be completed Friday, according to TSNs Vancouver reporter Farhan Lalji. It
was reported last month the player was in talks about a possible return to BC.
The defensive tackle was releaseed by the Toronto Argonauts in March to pursue
NFL opportunities.
Joe Namath Jersey. Last season, Mitchell had
32 tackles and five quarterback sacks in 16 games with the Argonauts. Mitchell,
who spent three seasons with the Lions, was acquired by the Argonauts in a trade
last year.
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