Hilfe zum spiel » deal but the Jets need to start thinking

PITTSBURGH – The good was ultimately overshadowed by the bad. Unraveling at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, the Leafs dropped their third game in the last four, falling prey to the potency of a relentless Penguins attack. The visitors failed to land even a single shot in the third period and overtime. "I thought we did some things good for parts of the game," said James van Riemsdyk, who had three points in the 6-5 shootout defeat, "but obviously against a team like that you give them an inch and theyre going to take it all." A string of penalties, an increasingly ineffective penalty kill, and a submissive third period spelled doom for the Leafs on this night. Leads of 4-1 and 5-3 evaporated into another concerning loss, this one on the heels of a 6-0 pounding from Columbus on Monday night. "Therere some good things we did in the game tonight that put us in the position we were in," said Cody Franson, referring to the aforementioned leads, "but weve got to do a better job from the position of holding a lead." Riding out the wave of an early first period storm, momentum was firmly on the Toronto side in the opening moments of the middle frame. Bang-bang goals from van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel 29 seconds apart in the first minute of the second bumped the lead to 4-1 while ending the night of Marc-Andre Fleury. What followed, however, was a disastrous string of five consecutive penalties, the imposing Pittsburgh power play scoring three times before Evgeni Malkin finally evened the score at five early in the third. Owning the final frame, the Penguins outshot the Leafs 17-0, not a single shot coming the way of rookie netminder Jeff Zatkoff until the shootout; he stopped both Tyler Bozak and David Clarkson. "We stopped skating. We stopped forechecking. We stopped playing," said Randy Carlyle of his teams final 25 minutes, frustrated with a number of issues including the officiating on this night. "Theres no explanation for us not getting any shots in the third period." The Leafs are now 4-5-2 in the month of November – only two of those wins in regulation – the underlying concerns of a seemingly quick start coming to the forefront. Carlyle has been banging loud on the drum for improvements all year – even amid a 6-1-0 start – more urgently of late though. And while the Leafs certainly did some good on this night, including an effective fore-check that helped generate two of the four even-strength goals – they had 10 such goals in the previous 10 games – it was disturbingly overshadowed by the ills of what went wrong. Defensive issues, both at even-strength and on the penalty kill – Jonathan Bernier faced 48 shots, four nights after James Reimer faced 50 – amid an inconsistently produced style have left the group in search of answers as a three-game road trip continues in Buffalo on Friday night. "There was obviously some really good stuff," said Carl Gunnarsson, "but how it ended doesnt feel that good. "We got one point, but the way it looked going into the third I think we all wanted more than that." Five Points 1. Struggling Penalty Kill As the second-best penalty kill in the NHL last season the Leafs allowed only 19 power play goals in 48 games. Disjointed in recent weeks and now ranked 20th overall this season, the unit has already allowed 20 power play goals in just 25 games. The Penguins scored three on Wednesday night, the fourth time already this season that the Leafs have yielded two or more in a game (they gave up two or more only three times all of last season). Over the past 11 games, the special teams unit has yielded 13 goals on 44 opportunities for a shallow success rate of 71 per cent. "PK wasnt really there today," said Gunnarsson. "We took too many stupid penalties." Increasing the pressure on the troubled penalty kill has been the number of penalties. Only one team (Ottawa) has taken more minor penalties this season than the 113 the Leafs have been whistled for. Jerred Smithson was called for a questionable hold in the offensive zone moments into the third and van Riemsdyk was then penalized less than a minute later for hooking, also in the offensive zone. James Neal scored on the subsequent five-on-three advantage, the third Pittsburgh goal with the man advantage. "It gave them all the momentum," Carlyle said of the penalties. "You cant take penalties in the offensive zone. You cant take penalties when youre down a man. It was a hooking and a hold." 2. More Pressure on the Goalie Yielding 48 to the Penguins the Leafs are now dead-last in shots against this season (36.1 per game). While Bernier and Reimer both succeeded amid relentless onslaughts early and often this season, including a 49-save performance from the latter on Saturday night, the heavy pressure has, of late, been too difficult to withstand. During this recent four-game struggle, of which the Leafs have lost three, Bernier and Reimer have combined to post an .892 save percentage. 3. Disaster Frame Cody Franson hadnt realized his team had failed to generate even a single shot in the third until it was announced in the arena. It was the first time since April 2000 that the Leafs landed zero shots on goal in a period. "We received most of that period," Franson said. Unable to mount any kind of resistance to the Penguins attack the Leafs wilted under the considerable pressure and skill of their opponent. Rarely was a moment or more spent in the offensive zone, almost no work to be had for Zatkoff and plenty on the opposite end for Bernier. "They were coming and we couldnt really ride out the storm," said Gunnarsson. "Weve got an old enough group and a veteran core that should be able to grab a hold of it and make a difference with our structure and the way we were playing," Carlyle said. 4. Officiating Concerns Among the frustrations for Carlyle and the Leafs was the officiating. Most disturbing to them was the non-call on Malkins game-tying goal. "He pushed the goalie first and then deposited the puck," said Carlyle of Malkin, who edged Bernier into the goal before pushing the puck across the line. "But were not supposed to complain about that stuff." Asked if he received any explanation, Carlyle said, "By that time they didnt want to talk to anybody. They get to a position where they think that they dont have to talk to people I guess." The Leafs coach also wasnt pleased with the "soft call" on Smithson early in the third. "I dont know what hes supposed to do," Carlyle said. "He got on the right side of the guy and he took the man out. They saw it differently." Additionally befuddling Nazem Kadri was a goaltender interference call that opened the doors to the home teams comeback. Bumping incidentally into Zatkoff behind the Pittsburgh goal, Kadri and the opposing Penguins were initially told that no call would be made; Zatkoff, they said, had caused the contact. An official behind the play though deemed it a penalty. 5. Gardiner Scratched A healthy scratch 10 times last season, Jake Gardiner was scratched for the first time this season on Wednesday night. Gardiner, who actually led the Leafs with nearly 24 minutes against the Blue Jackets on Monday, didnt appear pleased with the news but seemed to understand it. "I didnt play good so I wasnt too surprised," Gardiner said of his last game, which also saw him on the ice for three goals against in a 6-0 defeat to Columbus. "Ive just got to make better decisions with the puck." Carlyle, who had a lengthy chat with Gardiner at Wednesdays morning skate, said lineup changes would be made with the "best interest of the team" in mind. "That wont change," he said. "Thats our DNA and weve been very honest and forthcoming with our players that thats the decisions we make and sometimes it doesnt always sit well with individuals and it shouldnt. If your numbers not called you should be upset." Paul Ranger replaced Gardiner in the lineup against the Penguins. Teamed with Morgan Rielly, Ranger played nearly 22 minutes after sitting the past two games himself. "Just be a little more consistent, just all around with decisions," Ranger said of re-entering the lineup. "Keep pushing to get back into the pace of the game here. Be reliable in my own and make some good breakout passes and play the system that were playing." Bonus Point - Lupuls Luck Over the course of his first five seasons in the NHL, Joffrey Lupul rarely missed a game. Lupul played in 372 of 405 games (with the Ducks, Oilers and Flyers) or 92 per cent of the time. The next five seasons would bring with it a different strain of luck. The now 30-year-old played in 181 of 316 games (with the Ducks and Leafs) or just 57 per cent of the time. Having already missed time in Toronto with a dislocated right shoulder, fractured right forearm, concussion, and bruised foot, Lupul will now miss at least two weeks with a groin injury. "Thats the ballpark figure they gave us," said Carlyle, who replaced Lupul in the lineup with Peter Holland. Stat-Pack 71% – Success rate for the Leaf penalty kill in the past 11 games. 19 – Number of power play goals allowed by the Leafs in 48 games last season. 20 – Number of power play goals allowed by the Leafs in 25 games this season. 3 – Multi-goal games for James van Riemsdyk this season. 0 – Shots in the final 25 minutes for the Leafs on Wednesday night. 2 – Even-strength points for Phil Kessel in November. Kessel scored his team-leading 13th goal this season in the middle frame on Wednesday night. 24:37 – Ice-time for Tyler Bozak against the Penguins, first among Leaf forwards. 113 – Minor penalties for the Leafs this season, second most in the NHL. Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-3 Season: 24.7% PK: 2-5 Season: 79.4% Quote of the Night "We cant expect our goalies to stop 50 shots a night." - Carl Gunnarsson, following a 48-shot outing for Jonathan Bernier on Wednesday night. Up Next The Leafs make their final trip to Buffalo on Friday, clashing with the Sabres for the third time this season. Paul Molitor Jersey . -- The court fight over NFL concussions should heat up soon as a judge in Philadelphia weighs the fairness of the proposed $765 million settlement. Byron Buxton Jersey . Yet heading to New York, the Habs remain positive as it all comes down to the one main ingredient that the organization has built its team on - character. http://www.twinssale.com/twins-kirby-puckett-jersey/.The result meant Juventus will spend the winter break three points clear of Roma after the league leader beat Cagliari 3-1 on Thursday.Milan remained seventh ahead of the rest of the weekends fixtures, but was provisionally two points behind third-place Napoli in their duel for the final Champions League spot. Justin Morneau Jersey . "I have had no discussions with Chad Johnson or his representation," Popp said Friday in an email. However, he appeared to confirm a report on Twitter from TSN this week that Johnson was on Montreals negotiation list. Bert Blyleven Jersey .com) - It may just be the right place and the right opponent for the Detroit Red Wings to snap their longest losing streak of the season.With Super Bowl 50 a distant memory and the combine in the books, 32 NFL teams are turning their attention to one of the most important dates in the calendar year – the beginning of free agency. For 31 of those teams, the 2015 season ended in disappointment and free agency offers an opportunity to address the weaknesses on their roster which made them fall short. Ins & outs Live blog with all the latest news The Denver Broncos closed out the season as champions but general manager John Elway may have more work to do than anyone with a host of key players set to hit the market. At 5pm (GMT) on March 7, NFL teams are permitted to enter into contract negotiations with agents of pending unrestricted free agents. At 5pm (GMT) on March 9, the 2016 league year and free agency period officially begin and contracts with players can be signed. Here is what each team in the AFC will be looking to accomplish...Baltimore Ravens Ravens wont want to lose Kelechi Osemele (left) Biggest Need: Cornerback. The Ravens need help in the secondary. They managed just six interceptions last season, ranking last in the NFL. Lardarius Webb is transitioning from cornerback to free safety and Baltimore need to find someone to start opposite Jimmy Smith.Free agent to keep: Kelechi Osemele is one of better guards in the NFL and is also capable of playing either tackle spot. That makes him a highly valuable commodity in free agency but it is important for Baltimore to try and keep him, given the uncertainty surrounding the future of left tackle Eugene Monroe.Free agent to target: The Ravens have limited cap space and will not be shopping at the sharp end of the market. Rashad Johnson was tied for the Arizona Cardinals lead in interceptions last season with five and could give Baltimore a ball-hawking presence at the back end of their secondary.Buffalo Bills Could Greg Hardy (left) bring some fighting spirit to Buffalo? Biggest Need: Defensive end. The Bills were supposed to have one of the NFLs best defensive lines in 2015 but the unit underperformed, managing only 21 sacks - good for 31st in the league. Mario Williams was cut and Buffalo will have to replace him.Free agent to keep: Cordy Glenn has emerged as one of the NFLs better left tackles in his four seasons in the NFL and the Bills need to work out a long-term extension after applying the franchise tag to him.Free agent to target: Would Rex Ryan take a high risk, high reward gamble on troubled defensive end Greg Hardy? He would be a huge asset to that defence if Ryan could keep him in line.Cincinnati Bengals George Iloka #43 will be a priority for the Bengals Biggest Need: Safety. The Bengals could be set for a lot of turnover in the secondary with both starting safeties, Reggie Nelson and George Iloka, scheduled to hit free agency along with cornerbacks Adam Pacman Jones and Leon Hall.Free agent to keep: Of the four free agents in the secondary listed above, all are aged 31 or older except Iloka, who is 26. His age is likely to make him the priority for Cincinnati.Free agent to target: Re-signing their own free agents will be the Bengals primary concern but adding a defensive tackle to pair with Geno Atkins would be a big boost to the defence. Nick Fairley, who spent last season with the Rams, would be a nice fit.Cleveland Browns Cleveland must move on from the ill-fated Johnny Manziel spell Biggest Need: Quarterback. Few teams in the NFL have a bleaker history at the games most important position. The Browns will hope to finally land a franchise quarterback in the draft, where they will hold the No 2 pick.Free agent to keep: Mitchell Schwartz has developed into one of the NFLs best right tackles during his time in Cleveland and is worth the lucrative deal he will demand to return.Free agent to target: The Browns hope Josh Gordon will return in 2016 but with Travis Benjamin scheduled to hit free agency they have no one to play opposite him. Marvin Jones would fit nicely as a No 2 wide receiver.Denver Broncos Von Miller strips Cam Newton leading to a Broncos touchdown at the Super Bowl Biggest Need: Quarterback. Peyton Manning is expected to retire and Brock Osweiler is a free agent. Bringing Osweiler back will be a priority for general manager John Elway.Free agent to keep: The Broncos won the Super Bowl thanks to their defence and Von Miller is easily the best player on it. They have put the franchise tag on him and now must work out a long-term deal.Free agent to target: The interior of Denvers offensive line is a weakness - especially with left guard Evan Mathis a free agent. Signing centre Stefen Wisniewski from Jacksonville Jaguars would be a big help.Houston Texans Could Doug Martin end up in Houston? Biggest Need: Quarterback. Brian Hoyer proved unequivocally he is not the answer for Houston in the playoffs last season with a disastrous display against the Kansas City Chiefs. Bill OBrien needs to upgrade this position.Free agent to keep: The Texans have question marks on the interior of their offensive line with guard Brandon Brooks and centre Ben Jones both free agents. Brooks is the superior player and will be the priority to re-sign.Free agent to target: With the uncertainty at quarterback, the Texans need to be able to run the ball effectively to keep the offence on track. Signing Doug Martin - who was second in the NFL with 1,402 rushing yards in 2015 - would help them do that. Arian Foster has been cut and his replacement is not currently on the roster..dddddddddddd.Indianapolis Colts Protecting Andrew Luck (right) is a priority Biggest Need: Guard. Andrew Luck took a lot of punishment behind the Colts sub-par offensive line last season. Ryan Grigson cannot allow that to continue and must find players who can protect the face of the franchise.Free agent to keep: Jerrell Freeman was outstanding at inside linebacker for the Colts last season and must be kept.Free agent to target: Baltimore Ravens guard Kelechi Osemele can play four spots along the offensive line and would be a big upgrade for Indianapolis.Jacksonville Jaguars Stefen Wisniewski was an impressive Jacksonville Jaguars acquisition Biggest Need: Defence. The Jaguars surrendered 4,291 passing yards in 2015. That was fourth-worst in the NFL. They need to upgrade their secondary and their pass rush.Free agent to keep: Stefen Wisniewski was a steady presence at centre for Jacksonville after arriving from Oakland and is likely to be a priority to re-sign.Free agent to target: The Jaguars have a ton of cap space and can afford to shop at the top of the market. With that in mind, they should front-load a big offer for defensive end Olivier Vernon, who received the transition tag from the Miami Dolphins which allows them to match any offer he receives. He could form a nice pass-rushing tandem opposite 2015 No 3 overall pick Dante Fowler.Kansas City Chiefs Kansas Eric Berry has been franchise tagged Biggest Need: Safety. The Chiefs have a few key members of their secondary hitting free agency including their top three safeties Eric Berry, Tyvon Branch and Husain Abdullah as well as cornerback Sean Smith.Free agent to keep: Kansas City has placed the franchise tag on Eric Berry and will hope to build their defence around him.Free agent to target: Evan Mathis was excellent at guard last season for Denver and with Jeff Allen scheduled for free agency, the Chiefs have a need at that position. Signing Mathis would have the added benefit of weakening an AFC West division rival.Miami Dolphins Ndamukong Suhs bumper contract has limited Miamis recruitment options Biggest Need: Cornerback. Brent Grimes play really deteriorated last season and he is still the best corner on the roster. The Dolphins need help at this position.Free agent to keep: Miami has placed the transition tag on defensive end Olivier Vernon, giving the right to match any contract offer he receives, but that will be difficult if a team rich with cap space front-loads an offer sheet.Free agent to target: Miami has very limited cap space after making Ndamukong Suh the most expensive defensive player in NFL history 12 months ago. Injury-prone New York Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara could be worth a gamble on a short-term deal.New England Patriots Rishard Matthews could be an intelligent swoop for New England Biggest Need: Wide receiver. Outside of Julian Edelman, the Patriots dont have much at receiver. Brandon LaFell was released by New England after failing to score a touchdown in 2015. They need a big-bodied perimeter receiver who can stretch the field.Free agent to keep: Akiem Hicks performed really well in a defensive tackle rotation after arriving in a mid-season trade with New Orleans.Free agent to target: Rishard Matthews performed well at wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins before missing time with a rib injury and could be a nice fit in the New England offence.New York Jets Can Ryan Fitzpatrick be a reliable long-term option? Biggest Need: Quarterback. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a free agent who is likely to return on a short-term deal but the Jets need to start thinking about their future at the position.Free agent to keep: Muhammad Wilkerson is one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL. The Jets cannot afford to let him leave for nothing, although they may be willing to consider trade offers given their cap situation and their other options at that position.Free agent to target: Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Bruce Irvin would give the Jets an edge pass-rushing presence they have lacked for years.Oakland Raiders How much would Donald Penn (right) be worth? Biggest Need: Secondary help. Future Hall-of-Famer Charles Woodson has retired and will need to be replaced at safety while the Raiders also need to find a cover corner.Free agent to keep: Donald Penn has been a solid presence at left tackle for Oakland since arriving from Tampa Bay and the team will be keen to re-sign him.Free agent to target: Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Sean Smith would be a big upgrade for Oakland at corner.Pittsburgh Steelers Eric Weddle would be a gamble but Pittsburgh need a safety Biggest Need: Cornerback. Two of the Steelers top three corners, William Gay and Brandon Boykin, are free agents.Free agent to keep: Kelvin Beachum is an ascending player at left tackle though a torn ACL suffered in October will limit his value on the open market.Free agent to target: Despite Eric Weddles time with the Chargers in San Diego ending on a sour note, he is still one of top safeties in the NFL and his experience would give a huge boost to the Steelers secondary.San Diego Chargers Joseph Barksdale (left) must be kept on board Biggest Need: Safety. The Chargers need just about everything but particularly a safety or two to replace Eric Weddle.Free agent to keep: The injury-plagued Chargers offensive line was one of the worst in the NFL last season but their most consistent performer was right tackle Joseph Barksdale. He should be re-signed.Free agent to target: The Chargers have struggled to stop the run in recent seasons. Signing New York Jets defensive tackle Damon Harrison would help address that problem and give them a building block in the middle of their defence.Tennessee Titans Centre Alex Mack would be a good fit Biggest Need: Offensive line. The Titans struggled to protect Marcus Mariota in his rookie season. They are widely expected to target a left tackle at the top of the draft and flip Taylor Lewan to right tackle.Free agent to keep: Zach Brown played well for Tennessee at inside linebacker in 2015 and his ability to cover is an asset on passing downs.Free agent to target: Alex Mack voided the last three years of his contract with the Cleveland Browns and he would be a fantastic addition at center for Tennessee. 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