WASHINGTON D. John Stockton Jersey .C. – Randy Carlyle, for one, would like to know where such an effort was hiding. Though they dropped their fourth consecutive game in the U.S. capital on Friday night – and 21st in 32 games since the start of November – the Maple Leafs finally played with the fight that had been mysteriously missing in recent days and, really, for the better part of a disappointing season. "Weve been begging, pleading, kicking, kissing, whatever we can do to try and find a way that we can play with some confidence," said Carlyle after a 3-2 loss to the Capitals. "This might be one of the better games weve played in a month. We showed desperation. We showed that we care [and] when we put our effort and our heart into it that there is more in that room than whats been displayed and thats whats been frustrating everybody – and theyre frustrated also." Still embarrassed from their second blowout loss in the past three games – a 6-1 pounding in Carolina just a night earlier – the Leafs at last competed with the necessary gumption and fire that was noticeably absent all week. Why it took so long to materialize and where it had been hiding was a "mind-boggling" and befuddling point for the Leafs head coach. His team was cleaner, crisper and a considerable contrast to the apparent mess that materialized against the Rangers and Hurricanes. A few mistakes and two unlucky bounces – both the Capitals game-tying and game-winning goals deflected off Toronto skates – ultimately saw a third period lead unravel, but there was, nonetheless, an air of cautious optimism afterward. "I think we played harder," said Dion Phaneuf, leading the team with 24 minutes. "No one likes to be embarrassed the way that we were." "We knew we needed it," David Clarkson added of the improved effort. "Weve got to find ways to compete like that every night. Compete. Compete. Win our battles and well be okay." It was the smallest of steps – they still lost for one thing – but a needed step no less for a team thats been light on optimism in the past two months. An unpredictable animal all year, what remains in question is how the Leafs respond when they host the Devils on Sunday night. Inconsistency has been the defining identity of the club so far. One good effort has only rarely translated into two. In fact, Toronto has won back-to-back games in regulation just once since the start of November. The reality of such a lengthy slide has seen them fall out of a playoff position for the first time all season in recent days, now 10th in the East with 47 points. "We need to start to churn some points for our hockey club to feel good about ourselves," said Carlyle, who felt his team was harder to play against, more physical and tighter defensively against the Capitals. "Theres not a lot of easy breathing taking place around our group right now. Thats the reality of it. But thats what happens when you dont have success." "Its not great when youre losing," Clarkson said. "But this is the part [of the season] that were going to have to rally together. Were going to have to find ways to get wins. I think if we play like we did tonight against every single team, I think well be fine." Five Points 1. Source of Trouble Carl Gunnarsson pointed to the Leafs inconsistency, night to night, period to period, shift to shift, as the source of a troubling first half. "Some nights the forecheck has been great and the day after, its been not as good," he said moments before Fridays game. "Its been just inconsistent all over. The only thing thats been good throughout the year, I think the goaltending has been great from both guys back there. They saved us in a bunch of games." Gunnarsson said the team could work well within its respective system, but failed to do so with any semblance of consistency. "When we do it well it works," he said. "So its just a matter of doing it every night, every shift, not only for every other night or 20, 40 minutes per game, its not enough. Its got to be every night and for 60 minutes." 2. The More Consistent Option in Goal Making his seventh start in the past eight games, Jonathan Bernier returned to the form that saw him gripping hold of the crease before a pair of losses earlier this week. The 25-year-old stopped 32 of 35 shots in defeat. Though he and his counterpart, James Reimer, have been equals for the better part of the season, Bernier has certainly proven the more consistent of the two, though Reimer has been dealt his fair share of bad hands, including Thursdays lackluster effort in Carolina. As the table below indicates, Berniers performance has fluctuated only slightly all season. Goaltender Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Bernier .933 .923 .932 .896 Reimer .949 .916 .909 .852 3. Gardiner Sitting for just the second time all season on Thursday night, Jake Gardiner was back in the Toronto lineup against the Capitals, paired with 19-year-old Morgan Rielly for the third time this season. "I thought that was one of Jakes best performances," Carlyle said of Gardiner, who played just under 20 minutes. "He moved the puck, he skated, he didnt turn it over, he made a lot of good plays. Thats what were looking for from him every night." Carlyle hadnt been happy with the 23-year-olds performance against the Rangers and Islanders, pulling him from the lineup in Carolina. "Thats the trials and tribulations of a young player," Carlyle continued. "We know Jake Gardiner has NHL-quality skills, but we believe that theres something there that takes him out of that after four or five games. Whatever that is weve got to find a way to correct that." Of note, Carlyle had Gardiner on the third pairing alongside Rielly, rather than the second grouping with Cody Franson where hes played the better part of the season with inconsistent success. 4. Opting for Optimism Rather than inflame the misery of a perilous slide on Friday morning, Carlyle opted to point out the positives of losses to the Hurricanes and Islanders. "[We] tried to focus on some of the things that were doing well in [Thursday] nights game and some of the games [recently]," said Carlyle after Fridays game. 5. End of a Cold Spell? James van Riemsdyk had his first multi-point outing in more than a month on Friday. Scoring for just the third time in the past 16 games, his 16th this season, while adding a helper on Phil Kessels 21st goal of the season, van Riemsdyk had a pair of points in the same game for the first time since Dec. 7. He sits second on the team in scoring with 33 points in 44 games. "Theres always going to be challenges throughout the year," the 24-year-old said, speaking generally about the team. "Its about how you respond to that. Theres going to be no sulking done by us, throwing a pity party or feeling sorry for ourselves. We know what we need to do. I think the effort tonight was a good response with how we kind of laid an egg [Thursday] night." Stats-Pack 4 – Goals in the past 19 games for James van Riemsdyk, who scored his 16th this season on Friday. 19:33 – Ice-time for Jake Gardiner against Washington. 11-16-5 – Leafs record since the start of November. 22 – Points in the past 32 games for Phil Kessel, who had 18 points in October alone. 6 – Fights this season for Colton Orr, who dueled with John Erskine on Friday. 12 – Points in the past 10 games for Tyler Bozak, who has 18 points in 22 games this season. Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-3 Season: 21.7% (5th) PK: 4-4 Season: 77.5% (27th) Quote of the Night "Weve been begging, pleading, kicking, kissing, whatever we can do to try and find a way that we can play with some confidence." -Randy Carlyle, following the 3-2 defeat in Washington. Up Next The Leafs host the Devils in yet another Sunday night affair at the ACC. Derrick Favors Jersey . -- Wes Welker is unlikely to suit up for Denvers game Thursday against San Diego after leaving Sundays win over Tennessee with his second concussion in four games. Dante Exum Jersey . - Florida State has suspended Jameis Winston for the entire game against Clemson on Saturday, extending its initial punishment of one half after the quarterback made offensive and vulgar comments about female anatomy earlier this week. http://www.officialjazzauthenticstore.com/kids-adrian-dantley-jazz-jersey/ . Kevin Martin and Kevin Love paced the Timberwolves like they do so often. Martin had 27 points with some key baskets down the stretch, Love had his usual double-double, and the Timberwolves snapped a three-game losing streak with a 112-106 victory Saturday night over the suddenly slipping Dallas Mavericks. ARLINGTON, Texas -- Matt Harrison had quite a homecoming for Texas and the Rangers finally shut down the Colorado Rockies. Harrison combined with four relievers on a five-hitter to get his first victory since September 2012, in his first home start since April 2013, and the Rangers won 5-0 Thursday night after being overwhelmed by the Rockies the previous three games. "Its a huge team win for us," Harrison said. "I guess it will hit me more tonight as I get home. But it felt good to get a win after being so long off." Colorado had been the only National League team without a shutout loss. The Rockies, whose 22 wins are tied for most in the majors, had 50 hits and outscored the Rangers 29-5 the previous three nights -- the first two in Denver before the interleague matchup switched to Texas. Harrison (1-0) allowed three singles over 5 1-3 innings, with four walks and two strikeouts. The left-hander made his first home start since April 6, 2013, his last before two operations for a herniated disk in his back. Nick Martinez got out of a jam with a strikeout to end the sixth and Aaron Poreda got two outs facing only one batter. Jason Frasor and closer Joakim Soria both pitched an inning with two strikeouts. "Thats what theyve been giving us. They just hit a bad spell," manager Ron Washington said of his pitching staff. "Harry stepped up and kept them off balance and did a great job, and the bullpen came in and did the rest." Prince Fielder homered for Texas. Alex Rios snapped a 1-for-17 slide with a double in the second before scoring the first run, and also threw out a runner at the plate. Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado extended his hitting streak to 28 games with a single in the third. That broke the team record he matched Wednesday night, and is halfway to Joe DiMaggios major league record of 56 set in 1941. "My cousin was like, Dude, youre halfway! Im like, halfway?," Arenado said. "I feel like this has been forever. This is unbelievable." The Rockies had won the last four starts by lefty Franklin&nbssp;Morales (3-2). Alec Burks Jersey. . He allowed five runs (four earned) with five strikeouts and three walks in six innings. Rios scored on a single by Leonys Martin, who went to second on a balk and came home when he stole third base and catcher Michael McKenrys errant throw went into left field. Fielders third homer was a towering solo shot in the sixth, an estimated 401 feet into the second deck of seats in right field. McKenry led off the Colorado seventh with a double, but that inning ended when he was thrown out trying to score on Charlie Blackmons fly to right field. After Rios threw home, catcher Robinson Chirinos made a sweep tag. Rockies manager Walt Weiss challenged the call, but the out was confirmed in New York after a review of about 2 1/2 minutes on replays that showed the tag was applied a split-second before McKenry touched the plate with his left hand. The Rockies had the bases loaded in the second before 20-year-old Rangers second baseman Rougned Odour, in his major league debut, made a nice play to start an inning-ending double play. Odor went to his left to snag a liner with two runners on to end the third. Arenados hitting streak is one game longer than teammate Michael Cuddyers 27-gamer last season. Arenados streak began April 9, a week before his 23rd birthday. "I was really more worried about winning," Arenado said. "Me having the mindset about me trying to help my team out and doing my job, I think thats what made me get it." NOTES: Rockies 1B Justin Morneau was a late scratch from the starting lineup because of a stiff neck. ... Odor was the youngest player in the Texas League, and at 20 years, 94 days became the youngest to appear in the major leagues this season. ... Odor and Luis Sardinas were called up from Double-A Frisco earlier Thursday, when 2B Donnie Murphy (strained neck) was put on the 15-day disabled list and INF Josh Wilson was designated for assignment. ... Martin has a 10-game home hitting streak. ... Blackmon made two errors in left field in the seventh, one fielding and one throwing. Cheap Philadelphia Eagles Jersesys Cheap Oakland Raiders Jerseys Cheap Minnesota Vikings Jerseys Cheap Los Angeles Chargers Jersesys Cheap Cleveland Browns Jersesys Cheap Chicago Bears Jersesys Cheap Miami Dolphins Jerseys Cheap New Orleans Saints Jerseys Cheap Seattle Seahawks Jersesys Cheap Green Bay Packers Jersesys Cheap Pittsburgh Steelers Jersesys Cheap New York Giants Jersesys Cheap New England Patriots Jerseys Cheap Denver Broncos Jersesys Cheap Dallas Cowboys Jersesys Cheap San Francisco 49ers Jersesys ' ' '