asuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Makoto Hasebe (Nuremberg), Toshi

[blueberryjerry]

NEW YORK – It was the second of two from Tyler Bozak and an overtime marker that saved the Leafs from complete disaster in the Big Apple, a three-game losing streak emphatically put to bed. . Generally speaking, it was more of the same from a one-line wrecking machine which has carried the Leafs offensively all season, but especially since the calendar turned to 2014. Torontos top line of Bozak, Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk has now combined for 35 goals in the new year or 10 more than the rest of the forwards combined in that span and a staggering 49 per cent of the teams total offence. Secondary scoring from the likes of Joffrey Lupul, Nazem Kadri and Mason Raymond has been spotty. Kadri snapped a six-game skid with his 16th of the year against the Rangers, depositing a Nik Kulemin rebound beyond the grasp of Henrik Lundqvist. Two days earlier, Raymond scored the lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Columbus, then the third-straight for the Leafs. Such contributions, though, have been the exception rather than the norm in recent months with the top unit terrorizing opponents nightly. Kessel is on pace for 90 points and trails only Sidney Crosby in the scoring race. van Riemsdyk has smashed almost every previous career-high, already boasting 26 goals and 52 points. And Bozak, the most maligned first-line centre in the league, has managed 37 points in 40 games this season, including 23 in the past 23 games. "I think at the start of the year, we thought one of our strengths would probably be our balanced attack," Lupul told the Leaf Report before Wednesdays 3-2 overtime victory, "and it hasnt really been that for a number of different reasons, injury probably the first one you look to." Dave Bolland has missed almost the entire year, David Clarkson has offered little offensively and Kulemin only shows hints here and there of the offensive prowess that scored 30 goals only three seasons ago. Its been the second unit though, cemented by Kadri and Lupul, thats just been off somewhat, rarely running in concert with the Kessel-led trio. "We havent really had that game," said Lupul, "the breakout game where you score two or three or four goals." Though he remains on pace for a still respectable 24 goals and 48 points, the 30-year-old has just four goals in the past 19 games. He had a terrific chance to beat Lundqvist on a backhand rebound attempt in the second, only to be stymied by the right pad. His emergence down the stretch alongside Kadri would certainly stand to benefit the Leafs attack. "For me, usually thats what I look at is scoring chances because eventually theyll go in for me," said Lupul, who has felt better physically since the Olympic stoppage, the extended layoff offering opportunity to heal some nagging concerns. "Ive played long enough that I can self-evaluate and at the end of the game I know when I played a good game or a bad game for the most part. Right now, Im happy with my game to a point. Sometimes youve got to find a way to put the puck in the back of the net, especially when your teams down by one. But I feel good right now and I feel like were on the verge of having one of those games where we break out and score three or four goals." Lupul also stressed his belief that the eventual return of Bolland, who missed his 49th-straight game Wednesday, will aid in attempts for greater balance. "Obviously, theres a little bit of excitement to finally play a game where we have everyone and see how the team looks with Bozak, Kadri, Bolland, McClement and then all of our wingers," said Lupul. "Thats an exciting prospect for us to finally suit up that full lineup. And I think youll see, once we do that, the balanced attack will come a little bit. I mean, having Bolland centring your third line it makes a big difference." Goal-scoring has never been an issue for the Leafs this season. They remain one of the leagues highest-scoring teams, almost entirely because of the top lines dominance (and a productive, until recently, power play). But if that trio slows even a little down the stretch – shooting percentages tend fluctuate – and beyond that in the playoffs, the lack of balance could emerge as a real concern. Five Points 1. Messy Third Periods For the third time in four games after the Olympic break the Leafs dropped a third period lead, blowing a 2-0 deficit in stunning fashion against the Rangers. Dealt an opportunity to bury the home side early in the final frame with Brad Richards hauled off for tripping, Toronto managed to yield a pair of shorthanded goals in just over a minute. Giveaways by Cody Franson and then Kessel allowed Ryan McDonagh and Dominic Moore to strike and reignite a seemingly dead Madison Square Garden crowd. "Thats just unacceptable from our power-play group," said Kadri afterward. "We know that." It was, rather incredibly, the second time in less than a week that the club had allowed two shorthanded goals on the same power play. More concerning though was another evaporated third period lead. The Leafs carried such leads in Long Island and Montreal in recent days, only to fumble them away and eventually lose in overtime. Valuable points were lost in the process. Because they ended up taking the second point anyway in overtime – still handing one to New York – the Leafs jumped the idle Lightning for third in the Atlantic Division. "Weve got to look at it as two points that are huge right now," said head coach Randy Carlyle. "It doesnt feel so good right now because youre frustrated with the way it went, but tomorrow in the standings, itll show two points and then you move on." 2. Bollands Cloudy Status Lupul compared Bollands looming addition (more on that below) to a trade. "It was almost the same for me last year. I had the broken arm and came back and was able to add a little spark to the team," said Lupul, who had 18 points in 13 games upon return from the injury last spring. "I would expect Bolland to kind of do the same thing. It doesnt necessarily have to be with goals or assists, but just what he brings on a night to night basis. Weve certainly missed it. Youre putting in a guy with playoff experience; that is kind of the exact thing that you look to add at the trade deadline." Bollands return from a severed left ankle tendon has taken longer than expected and remains cloudy at best. He described the rehab process himself recently as a "slow mountain climb," one that has seen him out of the lineup since Nov. 2. The 27-year-old neared a return last week but suffered a setback and has since visited with a specialist in Carolina, who advised that the process continue moving forward. Uncertainty remains on when exactly hell be back with just 18 games remaining. 3. Trade Deadline Comes and Goes Quietly The Leafs ultimately remained quiet at Wednesdays trade deadline. Not yet a Cup contender in need of just a piece or two to get over the top, but not a bottom dweller selling assets either (as they were in years past) Nonis and his management team decided just to stand pat. "I think its easy to try to get caught up in what might be an exciting move, what may help you for a couple weeks," Nonis told reporters in Toronto. "Its easy to get caught up in that. [But] I dont think its a prudent way of approaching this day. At least, not until we have more assets to give. When you can give up first-round picks or you can give up top young players and not feel it, then youre ready to make those deals." Nonis made clear that their side was primarily interested in hockey deals at the deadline with rentals not aligning with the teams current state (theyre not ready to win). Selling pending UFAs (Raymond, Kulemin and McClement) additionally for minimal assets also didnt make much sense as theyd damage the team in the interim without yielding much in the way of worthwhile return. In the upswing from where theyve been as an organization in the past, the Leafs are, nonetheless, kind of in the middle at the moment. Good, but not great. A playoff team not quite worthy of Cup contention. And thus, remaining quiet rather than chasing an unrealistic dream was probably most logical. 4. Trade Deadline II As they ambled off the ice at MSG on Wednesday morning, Bozak and Raymond poked fun at the trade deadline frenzy. "Neuf to the Flyers," Raymond chirped. "Is it done?" Bozak responded, "I heard its a done deal." Dion Phaneuf had been absent from the morning skate, taking the morning off for maintenance. Such is the hysteria associated with the annual deadline and why its typically a nervous day for most players. "I dont think theres been a time where Ive been super nervous," Franson said before the 3pm deadline was to expire. "For a guy in my situation, I dont have a no-trade clause or anything like that, so whatever happens its going to happen and theres nothing I can do about it. Youre always kind of on the edge of your seat just to see if your name pops up on the ticker or whatever. Your life can change in a second. Thats always a little nerve-wracking. As far as really stressing about it, its not in your hands." 5. Trade Deadline III Carlyle recalled a messier trade deadline following Wednesdays game. While an assistant coach in Washington during the 2003-2004 season, he watched in horror as the Capitals shipped out the likes of Jaromir Jagr, Peter Bondra, Robert Lang, Sergei Gonchar and Michael Nylander in the lead-up to the Mar. 9 deadline. "And that wasnt a lot of fun," he said. Among the rewards in those trades were Tomas Fleischmann, Brooks Laich, Mike Green and a team that was bad enough to snatch the first overall selection in the 04 draft, one that yielded Alex Ovechkin. Stats-Pack 49 – Percentage of offence in 2014 from the top line of Phil Kessel, James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak. 35-25 – Combined goals for Kessel, van Riemsdyk and Bozak in the New Year versus those from the rest of the Toronto forwards in that same span. 1-1-1 – Leafs record versus the Rangers this season. 0-15 – Toronto power-play over the past seven games. 23 – Points in the past 23 games for Bozak, who scored his 13th and 14th goals of the year against the Rangers. 2 – Number of times in the past four games that the Leafs have allowed two shorthanded goals in the same two-minute power-play. 10 – Shorthanded goals scored against the Leafs this season, tied for most in the league. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-2Season: 21% (6th) PK: 1-1Season: 77.7% (28th) Quote of the Night "Gray. Bald. Old. All of the above." -Randy Carlyle on the effect of games like Wednesday, which saw his team blow a 2-0 lead on the power-play. Quote of the Night II "Work on our power-play I guess." -Jonathan Bernier, on how to better protect third period leads. Up Next The Leafs host the Flyers at home on Saturday before hitting the road for a challenging five-game road trip. . The Rays hope to stay alive for the postseason and salvage the finale of this series Sunday at Rogers Centre, where they dropped a 7-2 decision Saturday. Chris Archer lasted 2 1/3 innings in the no-decision, charged with a run and five hits, and Alex Torres suffered the loss in relief. . Grimes signed a $32 million, four-year contract to remain with Miami. The deal, which includes $16 million guaranteed, rewards Grimes for his recovery from an Achilles tendon injury that forced him to miss almost all of the 2012 season. .Y. -- AJ Allmendingers journey is almost complete.TOKYO - Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni announced his 23-man World Cup squad on Monday, picking AC Milans Keisuke Honda among 12 Europe-based players and adding a surprise with the selection of veteran striker Yoshito Okubo. As expected, Honda was named along with Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa and Mainz forward Shinji Okazaki. Honda has scored just one goal since joining Milan from CSKA Moscow in January but played a key role in Japans qualifying campaign. Okubo was one of the few surprises in the squad Zaccheroni unveiled at a news conference Monday. The 31-year-old Okubo, last seasons top scorer in the J-League, made the squad despite having only been called up once by Zaccheroni since the Italian took over from 2010 World Cup coach Takeshi Okada. His eight goals this season for Kawasaki Frontale made it difficult for Zaccheroni to leave him off the squad. Forward Yoichiro Kakitani, who scored 21 goals in 34 games last season but has only one goal in 12 games for Cerezo Osaka this sseason, was among 11 J-League players included in the squad. . Japan, which co-hosted the World Cup with South Korea in 2002, is preparing for its fifth consecutive World Cup campaign and faces Ivory Coast, Greece and Colombia in Group C. ___ Squad: Goalkeepeers: Eiji Kawashima (Standard Liege), Shusaku Nishikawa (Urawa Reds), Shuichi Gonda (FC Tokyo) Defenders: Masahiko Inoha (Jubilo Iwata), Yasuyuki Konno (Gamba Osaka), Yuto Nagatomo (Inter Milan), Masato Morishige (FC Tokyo), Atsuto Uchida (Schalke), Maya Yoshida (Southampton), Hiroki Sakai (Hannover), Gotoku Sakai (Stuttgart) Midfielders: Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Makoto Hasebe (Nuremberg), Toshihiro Aoyama (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka) Forwards: Keisuke Honda (AC Milan), Yoshito Okubo (Kawasaki Frontale), Shinji Okazaki (Mainz), Shinji Kagawa (Manchester United), Hiroshi Kiyotake (Nuremberg), Yoichiro Kakitani (Cerezo Osaka), Manabu Saito (Yokohama F Marinos), Yuya Osako (1860 Munich) ' ' '

[veranix]

[veranix]

[veranix]

[veranix]

[veranix]

[veranix]

[veranix]

[veranix]

[veranix]