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GLENDALE, Ariz. – Mats Sundin was the captain. Paul Maurice was behind the bench. Andrew Raycroft was starting in goal. And Alex Steen was scoring the game-winning goal as the Maple Leafs reeled off their fifth consecutive win in St. Louis. That was Feb. 6, 2007, a long and often dark run of seven years since the club last won five in a row. But with another standout performance from Jonathan Bernier, among other things, they would finally match the mark again in the Arizona desert on Monday night. “Its always nice to get a couple wins in the backpack,” said Carl Gunnarsson after a 4-2 victory over the Coyotes, “but weve got a long ways to go here. Were not satisfied. We just know that if we keep doing this we can continue this win streak.” The Leafs have been a different team since they were dropped handily by the Hurricanes in Raleigh earlier this month. What was then their third straight loss (en route to four) and a low point in a season veering off the rails seems to have proven a turning point. “We found out winnings fun,” said Jake Gardiner with a large grin. “Practice the other day was light – we had a three-on-three scrimmage and we want more of that. Hopefully we can keep winning.” Though they were outplayed by the Coyotes in the back half of Mondays outing – outshot 29-15 over the final two periods – a once lackadaisical group has found, in recent days, the necessary will to start earning wins with more consistency. Compete was the word head coach Randy Carlyle tossed around repeatedly as the losses mounted in the early days of 2014, but of late, that tenor has changed for the better. “We knew we were a great team – we just didnt compete enough,” said Bernier, who made 39 saves. “Thats the main thing. I think were doing it right now.” Continued brilliance from the 25-year-old between the pipes has also helped, not to mention a scorching run from Phil Kessel, who scored his team-leading 24th goal in the win. “We feel that this group can continue to grow and play to a higher level, but its enough talking about it,” said Carlyle. “Action speaks louder than words. Weve got to continue to grow this group to be a playoff hockey club. That was a statement we made before and were going to continue to make it because we believe in this group; we believe we can play to a higher level; we believe weve got more; and I think they believe theyve got more.” The win streak has nestled the club into the first wild card position, now with 57 points in 51 games. Five Points 1. Berniers Zone Bernier improved to 3-0-0 lifetime against the Coyotes while bumping his save percentage up to .927 this season with the 39-save performance at Jobing.com Arena. His efforts throughout the night were the ultimate difference in the game. “We had some turnovers tonight that were pretty juicy and he definitely bailed us out,” said Gardiner, bailed out in one such instance by Bernier in the opening frame. “I think this is probably one of his better games.” Entrenched as the Leafs first option in goal at the moment, Bernier stopped all 27 shots in the opening two periods, including 15 in a one-sided second frame. His stop on Radim Vrbata with just over eight minutes to go in the third kept the score at 3-1. Nazem Kadri would increase the lead back to three just a few minutes later. “I thought I was seeing the puck pretty good tonight,” said Bernier, who owns a 17-14-4 record this season. 2. Five Straight Only five players from the last Leafs squad to win five straight are even in the league today: Steen, Matt Stajan, Carlo Colaiacovo, Hal Gill, and Nik Antropov. 3. Kessels Scorching Run Phil Kessel had two points before the first period even closed in Phoenix, extending his point streak to six games. The 26-year-old has four goals and 12 points in that span, now up to 50 points in 51 games this season – good for seventh (tie) in league scoring. “When he gets hot hes one of those guys that everything he shoots has a chance to go in,” said Carlyle of Kessel. “Hes got a skill-set that the puck follows him around. Those are signs of great players.” 4. Source of Success Cody Franson described what he believed to be the source of the teams recent success. “I think weve played a tighter brand of hockey,” said Franson before Mondays game. “Weve managed the puck a little better and weve really just had everybody get on the same page and buy in. We havent had any nights where guys were trying to do a little too much or we didnt have any passengers. Just the whole team coming together as one has made it a little easier for us to execute our game-plan.” 5. Gardiners Showing Jake Gardiner had yet to post a multipoint night this season before boasting his fourth goal of the season and an assist against Phoenix. But despite the fine offensive numbers, the 23-year-old had his share of struggles in the desert, especially with the puck. A giveaway early in the first preceded a terrific opportunity for Vrbata – one that was turned away by Bernier – and then later that period another giveaway led to Lauri Korpikoski ringing one off the cross-bar. Gardiner would score the games opening goal moments later. “I had some good plays, had some bad plays,” said Gardiner, who played just under 19 minutes. “Both Morgan [Rielly] and I werent very happy about the way we played, but we got the win and as a team we played pretty well.” Stats-Pack 19-6-3 – Leafs record when scoring first this season. 6 – Consecutive games with a point for Phil Kessel, who has four goals and 12 points in that span. 82 – Games between goals for Carl Gunnarsson, who scored his first of the year on Monday. 6 – Power-play goals for the Leafs in the past five games. 11 – Games between goals for Nazem Kadri, who scored for the first time since Dec. 23 against the Coyotes. 3 – Consecutive games with a point for Kadri, who has five points in that span. 10-7-1 – Record versus the Western Conference this season. Special Teams Capsule PP: 2-6Season: 22.8% (4th) PK: 3-4Season: 77.3% (28th) Quote of the Night “We found out winnings fun.” -Jake Gardiner, on the difference in atmosphere around the team in recent days. Up Next The Leafs head to Colorado for a Tuesday date with the Avalanche. Nike Roshe One Blu .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. Air Jordan 11 Retro Prezzo . Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC failed to make the postseason while Montreal Impact fell at the first hurdle losing heavily to Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round. http://www.airjordanshopitalia.it/ . It is a cliché dragged out by fans and pundits regularly when discussions take place around which teams are better than others. Nike Roshe Run Saldi Uomo . -- Linebacker Myles Jack ran for four touchdowns, defensive end Cassius Marsh caught a scoring pass, and No. Nike Air Max 2016 Scontate .05 million next season unless Graham and the Saints subsequently agree on a long-term deal. The designation was released Monday after the deadline passed for NFL teams to use franchise or transition tags on players becoming free agents. TAMPA, Fla. -- Martin St. Louis tied a Tampa Bay scoring record, it just wasnt enough to lift the Lightning to a win. Just two minutes into the second period, St. Louis had matched the club mark with four goals on the game. The Lightning had the lead, but it wouldnt last. Joe Pavelski scored three straight goals of his own in the second period to help the San Jose Sharks rally for a 5-4 victory on Saturday. Pavelski beat goalie Ben Bishop twice in a span of 21 seconds midway through the period, and then added the winner a minute before the intermission. St. Louis struck three times against goalie Antti Niemi in a span of 7:34 in the first period for his eighth NHL hat trick. His fourth goal early in the second equaled the team mark set by Chris Kontos against Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Ed Belfour and the Chicago Blackhawks in Tampa Bays inaugural game on Oct. 7, 1992. St. Louis scored twice on the power play against a penalty-killing unit that hadnt allowed a goal in six consecutive games. His four goals were one more than San Jose had allowed in its previous four games combined. "I did appreciate them, until we were down and the game was over," St. Louis said. "Its tough to really be happy about it (when) at the end of the day you lose the game." Tampa Bay sustained its fifth straight one-goal loss at home. "Spotting him with four goals, its lucky we won the game," Sharks captain Joe Thornton said. "Hes been a great player for a lot of years. He kknows what to do when he gets the puck.dddddddddddd." Thornton also reached a milestone, joining Hall of Famer Bobby Hull in 48th place on the NHL career list with 1,170 points with his assist on Pavelskis winner. "Right place right time," Thornton said. "He just has a knack for finding the back of the net. For us to come back down 4-2, it was big for us." Matt Nieto and Patrick Marleau put San Jose ahead 2-1 with goals three minutes apart midway through the first period. St. Louis scored his first goal in between, then struck twice more before the intermission. His record-tying score 2:09 into the second period gave him eight goals and 11 points in the NHLs longest current point streak at seven games. "I thought we put ourselves in a good spot, up 4-2 against a pretty good San Jose team," St. Louis said. "We didnt keep pushing, we took penalties, and next thing you know, we are down a goal, so its deflating. We just didnt get it done." NOTES: San Jose has won eight of 10 in the series. . Bishop earned his second assist of the season from the Tampa Bay net. ... Lightning D Victor Hedman was helped off the ice after sustaining a lower-body injury early in the third period. . Tampa Bay fell to 7-1-1 at home against Western Conference foes. . St. Louis entered the game one point behind Hall of Famer Larry Robinson on the NHL career list. He also vaulted past Kirk Muller into 86th place with 961. . The Sharks are 22-2-5 when they score first. Cheap China Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China ' ' '
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