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Geregistreerd op: 11 Apr 2017
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| MONTREAL – The question was posed to Jonathan Bernier, perhaps the busiest netminder in the National Hockey League this season and a man who has witnessed the strength of terrific defensive hockey in Los Angeles firsthand en route to a Cup in 2012: Can his Toronto Maple Leafs, currently the top wild card in the East, threaten a deep playoff run without raising their substandard level of defensive play? "Goalies got to be good," Bernier said with an almost uncomfortable laugh. New Balance 574 Mens Sale . "I personally dont think so," he continued frankly. "Because some games [the goalie] wont get those bounces and [the puck is] going to go in somehow. But we know weve got it in this room. Weve just got to pay the price to play better defensively and, if we do, Im pretty sure we can be one of the top teams in this league." Its an uncomfortable truth for a team that wrung up 11 wins in 14 games before the Olympic break and has designs on making noise in the playoffs after a long-awaited return last spring. This is a hockey club that struggles badly to defend and relies most nights on terrific goaltending and an incredibly potent offence to win. Its a formula that might yield success in the regular season, and it has for the Leafs thus far, but is unlikely to gain much steam when the hockey tightens in mid-April. Head coach Randy Carlyle has been beating the drum loudly on the topic all season, but doesnt have much to show for it. His group remains a work in progress. "Weve been trying and stressing that defensive hockey is whats going to give your team the best chance to qualify for the playoffs," said Carlyle after an instructive practice in Brossard, Quebec. "[But] were in the qualification mode. Were not in the playoff mode [yet]." Only five teams have been worse than the Leafs defensively this season and only one of those teams, the Ottawa Senators, has any hope of qualifying for the playoffs. Toronto has allowed a bloated three goals per game despite boasting some of the finest goaltending in the league with the 25-year-old Bernier. No team, in fact, puts more pressure on their goaltender to be great than do the Leafs. Only Mike Smith in Phoenix has faced more shots than Bernier thus far and hes started 10 more games than the native of Laval. "I think weve seen it," said Bernier of sturdy defensive play. "I think everyones seen it, but I dont think weve seen it consistently enough." Hurting the effort is a bad penalty kill, one thats allowed the most goals (tied) in the league this season, an unstable defence which includes young and growing parts like Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner and a high-end forward group that has shown only spotty attention to defence. A pile of goals and timely goaltending have been required most nights to win. That was true during an 11-2-1 run before the 18-day Olympic stoppage. Running, then, behind the all-world efforts of Phil Kessel, who has been the hottest player on the planet in 2014, the club scored 51 goals – 3.64 per game – but also allowed 41 on the other end. Theyve won despite being outshot in 36 of 48 games – they have a record of 21-10-5 in those games – and despite the fact that theyve allowed a league-high of more than 36 shots per game. Cody Franson, second on the back-end in minutes, believes the instability is tied to confusion in the defensive end, too much thinking rather quick instinctual reaction. "I think were still a little indecisive on things sometimes," he said. "We try and play a quite aggressive style of defence and sometimes when you think too much you end up being a half second slow compared to where you should be. That comfort level just isnt quite there with us yet. I think we still think about things too much." They allowed five in their most recent affair against the Islanders on Thursday night, an overtime loss to a struggling club that was without its best player and leading scorer, John Tavares, and their third leading point-getter in Frans Nielsen. Two of the goals came by way of short circuiting on the power-play with Michael Grabner scoring twice shorthanded in a span of 48 seconds on the same power-play. Another found the back of the net via the aforementioned penalty kill with two more coming on defensive breakdowns, including the overtime winner. "Gifts," said Carlyle after the 5-4 defeat. "Ive got no other word to describe the goals that we gave up." A drastic reversal at this late stage in the year seems unlikely, though Carlyle and the coaching staff continue to push and prod. They did so with any available ice during the Olympic break and continued at practice Friday, narrowing their sights on a tighter neutral zone and improved forecheck – efforts aimed at spending less time in the defensive zone. But with just 21 games to play, including a division clash with the Canadiens on Saturday, its probably safe to say that this is what these Maple Leafs are. The question now is whether they can, as currently constructed, make a little noise in the postseason (assuming they get in) or whether their defensive liabilities will prove too onerous to overcome. Last spring, they nearly toppled a Bruins giant, but required some lightning in a bottle and forgotten brilliance from James Reimer in Games 5 and 6. History points emphatically in the direction of those that can defend. In fact, the last three Stanley Cup winners finished the regular season as either the best or second-best team defensively. And though the Leafs are not yet in the Cup conversation, that remains the goal somewhere down the road. Dave Nonis and the Toronto management team have to be mindful of that fact as it relates to the larger construction of the roster, both now with the Mar. 5 trade deadline looming and over the longer term with the core thats being put into place. Are these the foundations of a club that can eventually win the ultimate prize? "You always see it every year, strong defensive teams win," said Jay McClement. "I think we have the make-up for it. But not without being strong defensively. Obviously, youre not going to win a lot of games 5-4 in the playoffs. We have the goaltending for it and have had it all year. Weve just got to cut down on these mistakes and well be fine. "Were not changing the way we do it, weve just got to do it better." New Balance 373 Singapore . - No matter the lineup or location, the San Antonio Spurs are rolling through the NBA again this spring, just the way they have for most of the last two decades. New Balance 574 Sweatshirt . Consider it received. Attacking on offence early and often, the Penguins topped the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 on Saturday night as Jussi Jokinen scored the go-ahead goal in the third period to help give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference playoff series. http://www.newbalanceoutletsg.com/new-balance-574-passport-singapore.html . The Brazilian driver had the second-best time in last months tests at Jerez and said the "good start" could play to his advantage when the season gets underway in Australia in March.SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Padres struggling offence finally had a breakout performance -- 37 games into the season. Jedd Gyorko hit two home runs off Jose Fernandez, including a grand slam, in the Padres 10-1 rout of the Miami Marlins on Friday night. Gyorko had a career-high six RBIs as the majors worst offence scored its season high in runs and had its first genuine laugher. "Im trying to think, have we had one?" Padres manager Bud Black asked. "Those type of games happen and its rare that we have only had one. There are two ways to look at it for me. On the positive side, there is more of that to come." For Gyorko, the win had more meaning coming less than 24 hours after his key error preceded Giancarlo Stantons go-ahead two-run homer in the 11th inning of the Marlins 3-1 win Thursday night. "That was probably one of the lowest points of my career, to be honest," Gyorko said. "To pretty much cost your team a game, its good to bounce back. Its good to show that resiliency." Gyorko, who came into the game hitting just .146, connected for a two-run shot in the second and a grand slam in the sixth. "Hopefully, a game like this can jump-start an offence," Gyorko said. "Its still to be determined." The Padres hope this game can spark the 25-year-old Gyorko, whom they signed to a five-year, $35 million contract extension last month. "Guys are capable of those types of performances," Black said. "Not that Jedd is going to hit two homers and hit a grand slam, but hes capable of knocking in some runs." The Padres, who came in averaging a major league-low 2.6 runs per game, snapped a three-game losing streak. It was their highest-scoring game since a 12-2 victory over Arizona last Sept. 25. San Diego sent 11 men to the plate during a six-run sixth inning that broke it open. The Padres previous high for runs in a single game this season was six. The run support was not lost on starter Tyson Ross (4-3), for whom the Padres had scored more than three runs just twice in his previous seven starts. "Its huge early in the game," he said. "The hitters did a great job with their approach. They had some good at-bats early and got on the board and really broke it open." Fernandez (4-2) was charged with six rruns on six hits in five-plus innings. New Balance 530 Singapore. The right-hander, who won the NL Rookie of the Year award last season, was 2-0 with a sparkling 0.60 ERA in his previous four starts. "It was a tough one," Fernandez said. "I was trying to do what I do, go out there and compete. But mostly my stuff wasnt there today, my fastball really wasnt there." Miami manager Mike Redmond knew it right away. "It just wasnt his night. You could tell from the first inning on he was up in the zone and they hit some balls hard off him," Redmond said. "We really didnt get anything going offensively either and we didnt help him there." Ross was working on a shutout before Marcell Ozuna homered in the seventh inning. The righty allowed four hits and struck out eight in seven innings. Tim Stauffer and Kevin Quackenbush each pitched an inning to close out the combined four-hitter. San Diego won for just the third time in 10 games and snapped the Marlins five-game winning streak. Gyorkos fourth homer in the second came after Yasmani Grandal reached on a throwing error by first baseman Garrett Jones. Everth Cabrera sparked the Padres biggest inning of the season with a leadoff single in the sixth. Seth Smith singled and Grandal walked to load the bases for Gyorko, who turned on a 2-0 fastball and hit it into the second deck of the Western Metal Supply Building down the left-field line. It was Gyorkos second career multi-homer game and his second grand slam. Fernandez had beaten the Padres in two previous starts by giving up just five hits in 14 2-3 scoreless innings with 18 strikeouts. NOTES: Marlins RHP Carlos Marmol was struck in the back by a ball off Kyle Blanks bat while stretching during San Diegos batting practice. Marmol said he was fine. ... Barring an injury, Padres 3B Chase Headley (strained right calf) will be activated from the 15-day DL on Saturday. Headley was scheduled to play Friday night with Single-A Lake Elsinore. ... The San Diego State mens basketball team that won the Mountain West Conference regular-season title and reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament was honoured before the game. ... Marlins RHP Nathan Eovaldi (2-1, 2.78 ERA) opposes Padres LHP Eric Stults (1-3, 5.40) on Saturday night. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' ' |
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