Beitrag Di 23. Apr 2019, 05:36

TORONTO – Amongst the data gathered by the Maple Leafs coach

TORONTO – Amongst the data gathered by the Maple Leafs coaching staff and available to the team at large after every game is the total number of scoring chances created by each individual player (not to mention those generated by the opposition). And so despite the fact that James van Riemsdyk has scored just once in the past 10 games and has just three goals since the start of December, the 24-year-old believes he is generating opportunities that, for the time being, are going unrewarded. "Im creating a lot of chances," said van Riemsdyk, following a grueling Sunday practice which followed an ugly 7-1 showing at the ACC a night earlier. "As long as thats there I know Im going in the right direction. I know that its going to go in eventually." van Riemsdyk has blossomed into a bona-fide force during his brief tenure in Toronto. In 89 games with the club, hes scored 33 goals, totaled 62 points and was named to the U.S. Olympic team for the first time following Wednesdays Winter Classic in Ann Arbour. He remains on pace this season for career-highs in goals, assists, points, ice-time and just about every other offensive category. But after a torrid start – 12 goals in the first 25 games – he, like a number of Leafs, has cooled off into something of a slumber offensively. van Riemsdyk managed his 15th of the year against the Red Wings during the snowy New Years Day bash. The goal snapped an eight-game drought and was just his third since the outset of December. "Its a long season," he said. "You go through ebbs and flows; youve just got to stick with it." Luck has not been on his side amid the cool spell. A career 11 per cent shooter, van Riemsdyk has been successful on just 5 per cent of his 59 attempts during the 16-game struggle. A flurry of chances opposite Cam Talbot in the opening moments of Saturdays embarrassing showing against the Rangers ultimately went unfulfilled – as they have been in the past month. A confident personality, his swagger doesnt appear rattled. "Obviously its a game of bounces," said van Riemsdyk, who remains second on the team in scoring with 30 points in 41 games. "Its weird how sometimes you can get a lot of grade-A chances and the goalie makes big saves and you cant buy one. And then you maybe throw one at the net from a crazy angle and it hits off something and goes in. Youve just got to stick with, stay positive and go from there." That advice could well be served for 23-year-old Nazem Kadri. Kadri is lumbering through one of the driest spells of his short NHL career. He has just one point in the past nine games and only four points in the past 14 outings. His growing pains have been notable after a quick start of 13 points in 14 games. "He seems to be in a little bit of a funk," said Randy Carlyle, observing that Kadri had been standing still too often in recent weeks and not moving his feet. "Our advice to him is commit to the time off the ice and when youre on the ice you work extremely hard and then you do extra and thats what hes doing right now." Kadri has seen some of his luck flounder this season - he posted an impressive 44 points in 48 games last year while owning the highest on-ice shooting percentage of any player in the league - while facing a nightly barrage of increased competition. A year ago, he lined up in the Leafs no. 3 centre hole, but with the offseason departure of Mikhail Grabovski and long-term injury to Dave Bolland, has been forced to rise up the depth chart, squaring off with a new level of talent every night. He even saw 12 games on the top line with Tyler Bozak sidelined by an oblique injury. Paired almost exclusively with Phil Kessel since he was traded to the Leafs, van Riemsdyk endured a similar challenge when he landed in Toronto. "Obviously being on [Kessels] line you see a lot of that [increased competition] and its a great challenge," said van Riemsdyk. "[But] its definitely a little bit different. When I was in Philadelphia I was definitely in more of a secondary role where youre expecting to play against probably their third [defence] pairing and not obviously their top checking line; you get a little bit more room out there." Carlyle pulled Kadri aside for a brief word at the end of Sundays practice, preaching persistence and hard work. "When things arent going well for yourself you have to be selfish and take a look in the mirror and say Hey Ive got to work myself out and the old adage was you put your nose to the grindstone and work your way through it," said Carlyle of Kadri, who wasnt available for interview on Sunday. "And I dont think that is too far from the way young players today should approach it." "Youve just got to stick with it I think," added van Riemsdyk, trying to break free from a slump himself. "You cant beat yourself up too much. Its a game of confidence and youve got to try to keep that confidence high throughout the whole year, get to work, and improve upon the things you can improve upon." Trent Brown Patriots Jersey . Johnson shared an update after his surgery Tuesday on Twitter. He also wrote, "now lets get on the grind." The running back told The Tennessean he was having surgery in Pensacola, Fla. Adrian Clayborn Jersey . Viewers in the Jets region can watch the game on TSN Jets at 6:30pm ct/7:30pm et. The game is also avialable on TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg at 7pm ct. http://www.authenticpatriotsfanatic.com ... ersey.aspx. But the young forward is more than willing to shed a little blood if thats what it takes to make the team this season. "It caught me pretty good, dazed me for that shift, but I didnt want to be off the ice for too long," he said after practice, his lip still bleeding a little despite the plastic stitches holding it together. Patriots Jerseys .com) - The Milwaukee Bucks will try to get another win on this homestand Thursday night when they welcome the Utah Jazz to the Bradley Center. Trent Brown Jersey . The Thornhill, Ont., native, who is ranked 11th in the world, said hed hoped he would be ready when Canada begins its World Group first-round tie against Japan in Tokyo on Friday.TORONTO -- Canadians turned out by the hundreds to watch Germany beat Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday, with many braving either a scorching sun or heavy downpour. Supporters gathered in public spaces across the country to cheer on their teams, watching Germany beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time to claim its fourth World Cup win. In Toronto, hundreds of sweat-drenched fans gathered downtown near the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and watched tensely as the game went through a scoreless 90 minutes. While many donned the striped jerseys of Argentina, Germanys supporters seemed to be greater in number and a lot more vocal. Chants of "Germany!" and "Deutschland!" filled the air and grew louder each time either goalkeeper blocked off a shot. "If youre German, you just cheer for every moment," said Nicole Hauvisen, who has lived in Toronto for five years. While Germanys supporters -- many with their faces painted and some shirtless -- erupted into dance at the end of the match, Argentinas supporters slinkered away silently, with some declining interviews. One man who was cheering for Argentina, Rhys Wakeham, said he thought the game was done as soon as Germany put in its single goal with just seven minutes left in the game. "It was like hopeless," he said. "I though that was it. I though that was the end right there, when they scored... Germanys defence was just too strong." In Montreal, several hundred people braved overcast skies for an outdoor party at Montreals Parc Jean Drapeau, which is on the same island where the Montreal Grand Prix is held. Rain spat at the enthusiastic crowd gathered before two large screens before turning into a downpour as the match went into the final minutes. The mob erupted with cheers as Germany was declaared the winner and then scattered amid the driving rain.ddddddddddddSome hung around to savour the win. Jonathan Lohe Chung, who had supported Argentina, said he didnt expect it to take so long for someone to score. "I was expecting two or three goals in this whole game but how they played everything was pretty conservative on both sides," he said. "Great game no matter what." In Vancouver, there were mixed feelings about Germanys win amongst the hundreds who gathered to watch the game. "Vancouver is the city of bandwagons," said Patrick Koo. "Im pretty sure everyones a Germany fan now." "I was rooting for Germany, I bet a little bit of money on them." said Craig McKimm. "I think Ill win $26 or something like that -- dont tell my girlfriend though." In Edmonton, where sports hoopla is typically reserved for hockey or the other type of football, hundreds gathered under a baking Prairie sun to watch the final on a big screen in the citys downtown. "Im from Toronto and I didnt expect this much support for the World Cup in Edmonton," said Arsh Sidhu, who was wearing an Argentina jersey. Rob Welte and his family, who were on their way back to Fort McMurray after a holiday in B.C., were also surprised to see such a large crowd. Welte, a Germany supporter, explained that his family were such big soccer fans that they took a break from camping during their trip to drive to Kamloops to watch Germany beat France in the quarter-finals. "This is perfect for World Cup," Welte said as he sat among the crowd in Edmonton. "You get a lot of people in public rooting for their country. Its just awesome." With files from Steven Chua in Vancouver, Nelson Wyatt in Montreal and Rob Drinkwater in Edmonton. ' ' '