Funkerstation » ts like to get hurt and you kind of know

EDMONTON -- Their quarterback went down, but the defence was there to pick the Edmonton Eskimos back up on Saturday afternoon. Linebacker Dexter McCoil scored a pair of touchdowns and backup quarterback Matt Nichols was solid when called upon as the Eskimos held on to win their third game in a row, defeating the Toronto Argos 41-27. The Eskimos improved to 7-1 on the season, something they last accomplished in 1989. That was the same year Edmonton started 9-1 and finished with a CFL record 16 victories (16-2). The win looked to have come with a high cost. Quarterback Mike Reilly suffered a hand injury early in the game and was unable to return, putting the ball in Nichols hands for the majority of the contest. However, post-game reports indicated it is not expected to be a long-term absence. Nichols said he was relieved to be able to help the team capture the win, despite having a bit of rust to deal with. "Aside from the pre-season, where you get a lot of basic looks, this was my first game action since 2012 where the defence was changing things on the fly and bringing different blitzes," he said. "I felt like, overall, I handled it pretty well and executed our game plan. "We were able to get first downs when we needed to, the defence obviously kept us in it, but that last drive, we went out there and got three first downs and really sealed the game for us." Eskimos head coach Chris Jones wasnt thrilled that his team had to come up big at the end of the game to seal the victory, especially after holding a commanding 31-10 lead at the half. "The second half, we didnt play as good," he said. "We were, quite honestly, a little bit flat in the third quarter, had some turnovers and things like that. But still, youve got to come out and shut the door on people." The Argos lost their second straight game to drop to 3-6, but remain in first place in the struggling East Division. "The way we played in the first half, the next thing you know we are down by three frigging scores," seethed Toronto head coach Scott Milanovich. "You cant do that against a good team. You have to come out of the tunnel ready to go. You have to have the guys cranked up. "I was not pleased." Toronto quarterback Ricky Ray agreed that his team did a lot of damage to themselves. "We just had too many bad plays there and kind of dug ourselves a hole," he said. "Our defence got us a couple of early turnovers and we just didnt capitalize on that. Then we turned the ball over and they had some big plays. We dug a hole that was hard to fight back out of. Its tough to do against a good team like them, to give them that much. "They are a good defence and when you play a good team like that, you cant spot them a lot of plays early on and expect to come back and win." Ray fell short of his goal of becoming the youngest quarterback in CFL history to hit the 50,000 yards passing mark, only getting 277 of the 369 yards he needed to reach the milestone. Both teams defences looked sharp in the early running, with Toronto catching the first big break when Nichols had the ball knocked loose into the arms of defensive lineman Tristan Okpalaugo, although the Argos couldnt make any headway after the play. Nichols came in early after Reilly left the field to have his throwing hand looked at, eventually going for X-rays in the second quarter and not returning to the game. Edmonton coughed the ball up again in their own territory with six-and-a-half minutes to play in the opening quarter as Devon Bailey reeled in a Nichols pass but then fumbled on his own 41, with Argo Brandon Underwood recovering the ball. This time Toronto took advantage, as the turnover eventually led to a 17-yard touchdown pass from Ray to Jason Barnes for a 7-0 Argos lead with three minutes to play in the first. The Eskimos pulled even less than two minutes later, though, as Kendial Lawrence took a handoff and slipped off a tackle before turning on the jets and burning 61 yards into the end zone. It was Edmontons longest offensive play of the season to date. The Eskimos got the ball back at the Toronto 48 early in the second quarter on an interception by McCoil. On the next play Nichols hit A.J. Guyton with a hitch pass and Guyton sped across the goal-line to put Edmonton up 14-7. Edmonton added to its lead midway through the second frame on a 49-yard Grant Shaw field goal. The Eskimos defence got in on the scoring with a highlight reel play with six minutes to go in the second. Odell Willis blocked a Ray pass and then plucked the ball out of the air and headed 18 yards towards the end zone before pitching it back to McCoil, who took it the remaining 28 yards to give the Green and Gold a 24-7 lead. Edmonton padded its lead with a minute left in the first half as third-string QB Pat White came in and called his own number for a five-yard TD run. Toronto responded with a 36-yard Swayze Waters field goal to make for a 31-10 score at the midmark. The Argonauts added another field goal to start the third quarter on the heels of an Underwood interception, then Waters kicked his third field goal of the game midway through the third quarter from 42 yards out to close the score to 31-16. Toronto kept coming and made it a ball game again with three minutes to play in the third as Ray hit Chad Owens with an 11-yard TD pass to make it an eight-point game. Toronto cut that to seven points on a punt single early in the fourth. Edmonton finally got some positive momentum going the other way as Ryan King forced a fumble on a punt and J.C. Sherritt picked it up on the Toronto 30-yard-line. The turnover led to a 26-yard Shaw field goal to make it 34-24 for the Esks. Waters kicked a 46-yard field goal with 1:44 remaining to put the Argos within a touchdown once again, but Edmonton put the game away for good as McCoil picked off Ray and ran the ball back for a 19-yard touchdown with 12 seconds remaining. Both teams return to action on Labour Day Monday, as the Argos travel to Hamilton and the Eskimos head down the highway to face the Stampeders in Calgary. Notes: The Argos had a key component back in the lineup as receiver Chad Owens returned after missing the last four games with a left foot injury. Owens was the CFLs leading receiver and punt returner when he got injured in Torontos 34-15 loss to Calgary in Week 3. ... One of Edmontons top receivers, Fred Stamps, missed his third consecutive game with injury. ... The Eskimos also saw the return of a key component as linebacker J.C. Sherritt, the 2012 most outstanding defensive player, came back for just his second game this season due to a foot injury. Sherritt was limited to primarily special teams work. ... The Esks came into the contest leading in 13 of the leagues 25 defensive categories and ranked second in another nine. ... Eskimos head coach Chris Jones was hit with a $5,000 fine on Friday for "disregarding pre-game timing protocol during their last three road games." The last straw in the tardiness getting onto the field for games came in their last game in Ottawa when the Eskimos failed to make it out in time for the national anthem. ... It was the first home game at Commonwealth Stadium in a month, due to a bye week and then the U-20 Womens World Cup soccer hitting town. ... The attendance for the game was 33,767. Austin Hedges Jersey .com) - Ben Lovejoy tallied a goal and an assist as the Anaheim Ducks cruised into the All-Star break with a 6-3 victory against the Calgary Flames. Garrett Richards Jersey . Minutes before the final whistle of Sporting Kansas Citys 3-0 victory over a shorthanded Montreal Impact squad on Saturday afternoon, Saputo tweeted: "Our fans deserve better. https://www.cheappadresjerseys.us/513m-b...sey-padres.html. -- Josh MacDonalds second goal of the game kept his team alive as the Peterborough Petes edged the host Kingston Frontencas 6-5 in overtime on Friday in Ontario Hockey League playoff action. Gerardo Reyes Jersey . The Montreal Canadiens goaltender has won three of his four games since returning from a lower-body injury that kept him out from the end of the Olympic break until March 15. Brian Giles Jersey .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch.TORONTO – Before his unlikely heroics on this night, James Reimer wondered whether he had played his final game in a Maple Leafs uniform. And then he had an odd feeling as he left his home in the greater Toronto area on Thursday afternoon, a feeling that he was going to play that night against the Bruins – a game that Jonathan Bernier was to start. He told his wife April as much. “I didnt know why,” he said afterward. “Sometimes you just get those feelings.” His premonition proved on point. Reimer stepped in for the injured Bernier on Thursday night and helped the Leafs keep their slim playoff hopes alive with a 4-3 overtime win – their second straight against Boston. “He gave us a chance,” said head coach Randy Carlyle afterward. “And good for him. We needed that and he needed that. Its great.” It was the second time in less than a month that Reimer came to the rescue for the Leafs. Back in mid-March, he stepped in for Bernier at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and delivered a perfect 31-save performance in what seemed then to be a defining win. But he struggled mightily in the days that followed – .871 save percentage in five starts – a cloud of negativity building as the losses piled for both him and the team. Pulled 10 minutes into a Mar. 23 start in Jersey, his career as a Leaf appeared over. The former No. 1 had become the scapegoat what for ailed the sinking Leafs – his obvious struggles notwithstanding. “I was just focusing on playing the best I can for my teammates and trying to grind out a win,” he said of relief duty against Boston, stopping 10 of 11 shots. “Obviously those are thoughts that kind of go through your mind, but you cant be thinking about that when youve got Chara standing in front of you.” He hopped off the bench and into the net with less than 12 minutes left in the final frame and the Leafs up a goal at 3-2, another third period lead hanging on by a thread. Boston had a power-play too, Paul Ranger punished from shoving Patrice Bergeron into Bernier and thus injuring the 25-year-old netminder. Cold, save for a few stretches in front of the Toronto bench, Reimer jumped in and stopped all three Bruins shots with the man advantage. Bergeron, an infamous nemesis, snuck one by to knot the score at three, but from there Reimer held strong, keeping his teams playoff hopes alive until Nazem Kadri won it in overtime. “Hes the first guy that everyone seems to hop on when our team doesnt do so well,” Kadri said of finger-pointing in Reimers direction last month. “At that point when we were losing the team in front of him just couldnt bring it together and figure things out and obviously the goalies left out there to dry by himself. We felt bad. Now its about time we have his back and step up to the plate.” Cast aside countless times in his Toronto tenure, Reimer might have an opportunity to salvage some good and redeem himself in what are likely his final days as a Leaf. He may just be the guy – with Berniers status in question – the Leafs have to lean on one last time as they fight for playoff hopes that remain thin even after Thursdays timely win. Toronto remains a point back of Columbus – who also won Thursday and holds two games in hand – with just four games left. “Im going to try and go in there and just give the guys a chance,” he said. “Ive got belief in this team. I know weve got the passion and the desire to get it done. Were going to pull together and give it all we got.” Five Points 1. Biggest Goal Kadri played the fewest minutes of his season Thursday, but scored what was easily the biggest goal. The 23-year-old deposited a Cody Franson rebound beyond Bruins backup Chad Johnson. “That was unbelievable,” he said of his 19th marker this season. “Its probably one of the bigger goals of the year that weve scored. We needed it. That was a good Boston team that is relentless. We knew that coming in we werent safe with a one or two-goal lead; that we had to keep fighting to the end and thats exactly what happened.” Dropped to the fourth line against Boston, Kadri played alongside Jerry DAmigo and a rotating cast of wingers. He finished the night with 11 minutes and 40 seconds, given an opportunity on the power-play in overtime. “Obviously I dont control that sort of thing,” Kadri said of his ice-time, which has dipped over the past couple weeks. “Its out of my control and I just worry about trying to bring everything I can for the team every single day, no matter if Im on the first line or fourth line, it doesnt matter to me. Im going to still play my game and try and contribute as much as possible.” Carlyle explained Kadris decreasing opportunity prior to the game. “We felt that Nazzie wasnt moving his feet and he wasnt playing the north-south game, he was playing more of the same east-west game and he was getting caught a lot by back-side pressure,” Carlyle said. “Weve talked to him about it. Weve had discussions about it. Hes got to be stronger down-low.” 2. Injured Bernier, who missed the aforementioned five ggames in March with a groin injury, put no weight on his left leg as he was helped off the ice in front of a stunned ACC crowd.dddddddddddd. Labeled a lower-body injury – Carlyle wouldnt say if it was a re-aggravation of the groin issue – he was due to go for an MRI as soon as possible. Seeing his crease counterpart hunched on one knee in the crease, Reimer knew something was wrong and figured hed be going in. “I know what its like to get hurt and you kind of know the body language of a goalie,” Reimer said. “I tried to hop over the bench as soon as possible and start getting warmed up. Obviously youre hoping that hes going to be alright and that he can stay in there because he was doing a heck of a job for us, but obviously wasnt the case. I just tried to do my best and hopefully he can get back soon.” 3. Freeze Catchphrase It was déjà vu of sorts for the Leafs in the final period as the Bruins raced all the way back from a 3-1 lead, scoring twice on goals from Milan Lucic and Bergeron. Under siege for the better part of the frame – they were being outshot 10-1 at one point – Toronto was just hanging on for life – much like Game 7 last spring. Carlyle told his club – which has gone into “freeze mode” on many occasions – to breathe. “Thats been our catchphrase now because you cant do anything if you dont breathe. And thats whats happened to our hockey club is when were freezing were paralyzed,” he explained, before repeating what would seem to have been his advice. “‘Just breathe. Just breathe. Take it easy. Breathe. Well get through it. Do the things that youre accustomed to doing. Believe in the system. Commit to it and just breathe. Relax.” 4. Top Line Scorching in the opening months of 2014, Torontos top line had cooled considerably coming into Thursdays game, specifically their two top guns, Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk. Kessel had only four goals and 10 points in the previous 16 games, van Riemsdyk totaling five and eight in that same span. Both, along with Tyler Bozak, came alive against the Bruins. Kessel initiated a pair of goals from the line, firing a pass off the midsection of Bozak for the Leafs second goal and then finding van Riemsdyk in front of Johnson for the third marker. The latter was the 30th goal of the season for the 24-year-old van Riemsdyk, the first time hes hit that mark in the NHL. “Obviously it was a nice milestone,” he said afterward. As to whats ailed the Leafs top pair, fatigue might be one factor – along with the subsequent bumps and bruises. Both Kessel and van Riemsdyk actually saw their ice-time increase after their Olympic experience with Team USA to nearly 22 minutes per game in March. Carlyle, however, saw the struggles of the man advantage as one reason for their slowdown. “Obviously the power-play is a big part of their opportunity to give us more offence,” he said. “And I think the power-play has been up and down at times for us. Some nights we look real good on it and then some instances within the game it actually has taken energy away from us with our inability to execute on it and not even create scoring chances.” True enough. Empty on Thursday, van Riemsdyk has now gone 22 consecutive games without a single point on the power-play, his last goal coming all the way back on Jan. 30. Kessel has just one power-play point himself in the past 21 games and hasnt scored a power-play goal since Feb. 1. The duo remains 1-2 in team scoring this season. 5. Still Alive Of the Leafs still tepid playoff chances, Carlyle wouldnt jump too far ahead after back-to-back wins. “Were alive,” he said, “but theres a lot of things that have to go our way. All were going to focus on is what we can control and we can control our effort and our commitment to our team game and thats what were going to focus on.” Asked if his team needed to run the table in the remaining four games – opposite Winnipeg, Tampa, Florida and Ottawa – Carlyle responded, “I just worry about the next one.” And that next one comes Saturday against the Jets. Stats-Pack 30 – Goals for James van Riemsdyk this season, the first 30-goal campaign of his career. 11:40 – Ice-time for Nazem Kadri, his lowest of the season. 22 – Consecutive games without a power-play point for van Riemsdyk. 2-2-0 – Leafs record versus Boston this season. 20:29 – Ice-time for Troy Bodie, a career-high and the most of any Leaf Thursday save for Kessel. 79 – Points for Kessel this season, now third in league scoring. 10 – Stops for James Reimer in relief of Jonathan Bernier. 5 – Points in the past 13 games for Kadri, third in team scoring with 49 points. Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-3Season: 20.5% (5th) PK: 2-2Season: 78.8% (28th) Quote of the Night “Wed like to win, thats for sure. Wed like to win as consistently. Those are models that every organization aspires to.” -Randy Carlyle, on replicating the Bruins success. Up Next The Leafs host the Jets Saturday in their final home game of the regular season. ' ' '