Dein erstes Forum » likely hell start

TORONTO, Ontario - The Leafs wont restart their schedule until Thursday against the New York Islanders but for Randy Carlyle, the Olympic break is now nothing but a distant memory. As far as hes concerned, its time to get back to business. "We were playing at a pretty high level and now were expecting to take the next step," said the Leafs head coach after the teams annual outdoor practice on Friday at Greenwood Park in front of several hundred fans. "Were going to have to play to a higher level to have success here in the last 22 games." That message of aspiring to a higher level of play is one that Carlyle has continually preached throughout the season, whether the team was going through a rough stretch as they did in mid-December and early January or experiencing success as they did heading into the Olympic break. Posting an 11-2-1 record in the fourteen games that preceded the break built the Leafs a seven-point cushion on the Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals for the final playoff spot but with the Jackets holding two games in hand and the Senators and Capitals each holding one, that gap could shrink quickly if they trip up out of the gate. "It was a time to recharge the batteries but for us its about now getting our team ready for Thursday," said Carlyle. "Thats the most important thing on our plate is to make sure our hockey club picks up where it left off." Given how well the team played heading into the break, that wont be an easy task for several reasons. Firstly, a 14-game stretch that saw them win 11 times (78 per cent of their games) is likely an unsustainable pace. Seventeen wins in their final 22 games is a lot to ask. The key will be to make sure they dont experience too significant a drop off. Secondly, the schedule wont be a cake walk. The Leafs will play 22 games in 45 nights, 13 of them on the road. 14 of those games will be against teams currently in playoff positions. The real test will come on a five-game road trip March 10-18 when they head out west to face the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings before making stops in Washington and Detroit. Additionally, Toronto will face four more sets of games on back-to-back nights. Safe to say, the time for rest has come and gone. "The Olympic break for us, we feel good coming back," said Dion Phaneuf. "We feel rested, we feel rejuvenated and I think its beneficial for everyone to have that." The positive aspect of the break is that with David Bolland nearing a return and so long as James Van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel get through the bronze medal game at the Olympics injury-free, the Leafs should be able to ice their optimal lineup for the first time this season. Believe it or not, due to suspensions and injuries, Bolland, Tyler Bozak, David Clarkson and Joffrey Lupul have yet to all be dressed in the same game. Forwardsvan Riemsdyk - Bozak - KesselLupul - Kadri - ClarksonRaymond - Bolland - KuleminAshton - McClement - BodieExtras: McLaren, Orr DefenceGunnarsson - PhaneufGardiner - FransonGleason - RiellyExtra: Ranger Goaltenders: Bernier and Reimer "I expect the hockey down the stretch to be very good," predicted Phaneuf. "The pace is going to increase like it always does going down the stretch run but I think the break really helps us as players." Luis Guillorme Jersey . Curlings version of the Ryder Cup will introduce a new format beginning with the 2015 event, set for Jan. 8 to 11 in Calgary, as itll be Team Canada taking on Team Europe this season and in the 2017 event, while itll be Team Canada against Team World (including the U. Mo Vaughn Jersey . They say things like "stress is when you dont know what youre doing" and "I wasnt hired to motivate players, I was hired to coach motivated players." They ring as true now as they did when Mularkey heard them the first time playing tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame coach 25 years ago. https://www.cheapmetsjerseys.us/850l-lui...ersey-mets.html. Western and the second-ranked Laval Rouge et Or (7-0) once again received 20 and 10 first-place votes from the Football Reporters of Canada panel, respectively. Rounding out the Top 10 are the Calgary Dinos (7-0), Queens Gaels (7-1), Guelph Gryphons (7-1), Montreal Carabins (5-2), Bishops Gaiters (5-2), McMaster Marauders (5-3), Manitoba Bisons (4-3) and the Saskatchewan Huskies (4-3) Western crushed York 50-10 last Saturday in its league finale to secure first place in the OUA standings and a bye in the first round of the conference playoffs. Ralph Kiner Jersey . The Sioux Falls Canaries scored two in the seventh and three more in the eighth to come back from a 3-0 deficit and defeat the Winnipeg Goldeyes 5-3 in front of 6,769 at Shaw Park on Sunday afternoon. Bartolo Colon Jersey . Louis and Ryan Kesler have demanded to be traded.OAKLAND, Calif. -- Coco Crisp drove in Kyle Blanks with a two-out single in the eighth inning and the Oakland Athletics beat the Boston Red Sox 4-3 on Friday night. Josh Donaldson hit a three-run home run, his first in two weeks, to help the As extend their winning streak to four games. Oakland also owns the best record in the majors. Boston reliever Andrew Miller (2-5) hit Blanks and Alberto Callaspo with back-to-back pitches with one out in the eighth. After Nick Punto struck out looking, Crisp lined a 2-2 pitch to right and Blanks easily scored ahead of the throw from Brock Holt. Sean Doolittle pitched the ninth for his 10th save. The As closer also extended his scoreless streak to 23 1/3 innings, the longest active mark in the AL. Oakland only managed two hits off Boston starter Felix Doubront and had stranded eight runners before Crisp delivered the game-winner. Fernando Abad (2-2) pitched one inning for the win. The As have won the first two of this series after dropping two of three to the Red Sox at Fenway Park last month. Crisp entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh and struck out against reliever Burke Badenhop. Both teams squandered multiple scoring opportunities. The Red Sox left two on in the fourth and failed to score after loading the bases in the fifth. The As had two on in the third, fourth and seventh but stranded them each time. Oakland starter Brad Mills struck out the side in the first before Boston loaded the bases with one out in the second following an error by Oakland second baseman Puntto.dddddddddddd. Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two-run single to drive in Mike Napoli and Jonny Gomes. It could have been worse. As centre fielder Craig Gentry made a diving catch on Holts sinking liner, then threw to second to double off Stephen Drew. Boston tied it on David Ortizs RBI single in the third. Mills, acquired in a trade from Milwaukee earlier in the week, had not pitched in the majors since 2012. He walked four and struck out four before leaving after pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth. Donaldsons three-run homer off Doubront in the first was his first since June 6. Doubront didnt allow another hit after that but left without a decision. He struck out four and walked four over 4 2-3 innings. NOTES: Oakland C Derek Norris left the game in the sixth after getting hit by a bat on his left forearm during Craig Holts at-bat. ... Craig Gentry reached base in the third inning after getting hit by a pitch. The play had to be reviewed by the umpires before being upheld. ... RHP Clay Buchholz (hyperextended knee) rejoined the big league club after making his second rehab appearance. Manager John Farrell has not set a date for Buchholz to return to the rotation, but it seems likely hell start Wednesday in Seattle. ... Oakland optioned RHP Evan Scribner to Triple-A Sacramento to make room for Mills. ... RHP Jesse Chavez (6-4), who was pushed back a day in the rotation to make room for Mills, pitches on Saturday. ... Boston RHP Rubby De La Rosa (2-2) makes his first career start against the As. ' ' '