Black- and Whitelist » will do a nice job and put the

DALLAS – Standing behind the visitors bench at the American Airlines Center as his team was being pummeled, Randy Carlyle muttered under his breath some of the frustration and disappointment that goes hand in hand with such a thoroughly one-sided defeat. "It gets passed a point of mad and frustration," said Carlyle, bearing the look of a baffled head coach. "It just gets to a point of disappointment and what the heck is going on out there. Those are the things that bring you back to Earth in a hurry. "This is the thud." Toronto hadnt won seven straight in more than 10 years. Thumped 7-1 by Jamie Benn and the Stars in Big D on Thursday night, theyll have to wait at least a little longer to do it once more. The Stars exploded for four goals in an imbalanced middle frame – Benn with a pair of assists – wrestling complete control of a tilt that featured on a whole lot of ills from the visiting hockey club, including a host of turnovers and slew of lost battles. "We didnt really have anything going for a good part of the hockey game," said Carlyle. "We turned the puck over. We didnt make strong plays. We looked like we were a step behind the Dallas hockey club tonight. They skated and we didnt." Considering their recent string of success – the longest win streak by the club in more than seven years – the lacklustre effort seemed to come out of nowhere and was more in line with much of the disappointment and inconsistency that plagued the seasons first half. "It might help put us back down to even-keel here," said Tyler Bozak afterward. "We were pretty confident and maybe a little overconfident after that win streak we had." "Its the management of success as well as well as management when youre not having success of how to remain on an even-keel," Carlyle said. "Obviously we didnt do a very good job of that in our performance tonight." All the elements that flourished so prominently during the six-game win streak disappeared in a hurry. The goaltending had a rare off-night. The previously scorching top line was silent and burned often on the other end. And the power-play, so prominent in the past week and really all season, was a large negative, empty in three attempts with a shorthanded goal against. Blown out in Carolina two weeks ago to the day, the Leafs responded with some of their best hockey, eventually rallying with this most recent win streak. Theyll be looking for more of the same when they visit the suddenly resurgent Jets to conclude the road trip on Saturday. "Weve got to find a way to pick ourselves back up because we cant let this linger with our group," Carlyle concluded. Five Points 1. Rare Off-Night in Goal Between Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer, goaltending has been a strong point for the Leafs all season and more recently during the six-game win streak. But on this night that elite level of performance was nowhere to be found (though they lacked much help). Bernier was bounced for just the second time all season following the third Dallas goal – 13 shots – a redirected Benn point blast that snuck through the five-hole of the 25-year-old. He was replaced by Reimer, who fared no better, yielding four more goals on just 15 shots. "I think they fit in with the rest of our team," said Carlyle of the goaltenders. "Im not going to throw those guys [under the bus] any more than the rest of the group. We just didnt have anything going. We just didnt have it." Leaf goaltenders owned an impressive .932 save percentage during the six-game run, but were hammered for seven goals on 28 shots against the Stars. 2. Top Line Finally Silenced The trio of Phil Kessel, James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak combined for 12 goals and 25 points during the win streak, but they were completely silenced in Dallas. The line failed to generate much of anything against the Stars – combining for just four shots – while also being burned for four goals against on the other end. "We werent skating. We werent winning battles. We were getting outsmarted pretty much all over the ice," said Bozak. "Especially our line – we were terrible. They outplayed us in every facet of the game. Its just one that weve got to put behind us." Prior to the game, Carlyle described their recent success as more expectation than surprise. "Check the size of their pay cheque," said Carlyle with good humour. "Arent they supposed to do that? Thats what theyre paid to do. Thats the bottom line. The reality of it is they are paid to provide offence and I guess theyre doing their job." Kessels potent seven-game point streak was snapped in the loss. He had six goals and 14 points in that span, but was held to two shots on Thursday. 3. Lupul at LW After residing on the right wing for the better part of a month – mostly due to injuries – Joffrey Lupul has, in recent days, returned to his more comfortable left wing. Lupul spent the past three seasons on the left side, moved there at the request of former Leafs head coach Ron Wilson. Randy Carlyle noted Thursday morning that Lupul "seems to be much more comfortable on the left side than the right side". The reasons why, as explained by Lupul himself, start in the defensive zone. "Im better in my own zone for sure," he told the Leaf Report on Thursday morning. "I find it easier to get the puck out on the wall – which a lot of guys dont. I dont why necessarily I do, [but] I find it easier to protect the puck and play better in my own end." Additionally, the 29-year-old believes he is a more dynamic threat offensively streaking down his off-wing. "I think Im a much better passer off the left side," said Lupul. "[Playing there] just gives me a chance to use my body again to protect the puck whereas on the right wing I feel like Im kind of skating with the puck exposed and it can get knocked off a lot. And it just gives me a chance to buy myself that extra second, whether it be to shoot or to pass." 4. Wrong Direction Hes unquestionably been felled by some particularly rough outings from his teammates, but Reimers season has gradually turned in the wrong direction just as Bernier has clutched hold of the crease. The 25-year-old burst out of the gate with a .949 save percentage in October, but has trended downward ever since. Reimer has started three games in January, while stepping in for Bernier in two others, owning an unflattering .875 save mark in the opening month of 2014. Month Save Percentage October .949 November .916 December .909 January .875 5. Clarkson & Other Injury Updates Missing his fourth consecutive game with an elbow injury, David Clarkson isnt due to return to the Toronto lineup until next week. Clarkson had been playing with an infection in his elbow since December and required minor surgery last week to alleviate the issue. Frazer McLaren meanwhile, out the past five games with a bruised shoulder, was due to meet the team in Winnipeg on Friday. Trevor Smith, sidelined since the middle of December with a broken right hand, is expected to start skating with his teammates next week. Stats-Pack 4 – Goals scored against the Leafs top line on Thursday. 2 – Number of times in 32 starts that Jonathan Bernier has been pulled this season. 7-14-2 – Leafs record when failing to score the first goal. 2 – Number of games this season in which the Leafs have allowed seven goals. .750 – Save percentage for the goaltending duo of Bernier and Reimer against the Stars. 11-8-1 – Leafs record versus the Western Conference this season. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-3Season: 22.5% (4th) PK: 1-2Season: 77.5% (28th) Quote of the Night "This is the thud." -Randy Carlyle, on being brought back to Earth in Dallas. Up Next The Leafs conclude their four-game road trip in Winnipeg on Saturday night. Bernie Parent Jersey .com) - Patrik Elias registered the winner in the shootout as New Jersey nipped Toronto 2-1 at Prudential Center on Wednesday. Nolan Patrick Jersey . With his father watching from the stands, Harrison homered, doubled, single and drove in a career-high five runs to lead the Pirates to a 8-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. http://www.nhlflyersproauthentic.com/jam...-hockey-jersey/. He was still a kid, going into his senior year of high school. Thursday, the point guard stood in front of a couple dozen members of the media and spoke with poise about how much hed grown since then, and how hes ready for the next level. Michael Raffl Flyers Jersey . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork. Scott Laughton Flyers Jersey . According to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, Brodeurs agent Pat Brisson has spoken to six teams so far regarding the veteran goaltender.A night after reaching the top of the Eastern Conference, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be back on the ice trying to avoid handing that status to the streaking Montreal Canadiens. If the result is anything like its been between the two teams over the last four seasons, the Penguins wont have to worry about being passed by the visiting Canadiens tonight. The Penguins (24-9-5) joined the New York Islanders at the top of the East with Fridays 6-3 win over Tampa Bay as Steve Downie announced his return with two goals after missing five games with the mumps. Downie has nine points in seven games, while Sidney Crosby broke out with four assists after a 12-game stretch during which he had five points. Chris Kunitz scored for a second straight game, and Evgeni Malkins goal and assist snapped a three-game streak without a point. We have guys coming back slowly and I think that gave us a boost, Crosby said. As we get guys back, hopefully we can feed off that and continue to play the right way. More forward help could come against the Canadiens (25-11-2), who have won five straight and eight of nine while limiting opponents to 12 goals. David Perron could debut for the Penguins after being acquired Friday for Rob Klinkhammer and a 2015 first-round pick. Perron had career highs in goals (28) and points (57) a season ago but has failed to continue at that pace this season with five goals and 19 points in 38 games. At the stage Im at in my career, I think the first few years youre just happy to be in the league and to get more ice time and more opportunities. After a few years you just want to win, Perron told the leaguees official website.dddddddddddd Obviously its not going to happen this year in Edmonton. Its nice to get an opportunity in Pittsburgh and to have that kind of trust they did to acquire me. Should Carey Price be in goal, Perron might have to wait on his first goal with his new team. Price made 22 saves in Fridays 4-2 win in New Jersey, the 200th of his career, to help put Montreal in a position to complete a perfect five-game road trip and match its best winning streak of the season. The Canadiens are a point back of the Penguins and Islanders. Price has won four straight starts and hasnt allowed more than two goals in a game over a 7-1-0 span during which he has a 1.38 goals-against average and .952 save percentage. Its a lot of fun to be able to accomplish that tonight, Price said of win No. 200. There have been ups and downs along the way, but to finally get this means a lot. The organization will do a nice job and put the puck on a plaque. Its just fun right now to come to the rink, and play with these guys. Its been a very different story against Pittsburgh. Price has a 4.20 GAA over a 1-4-1 span. That includes the Penguins 4-0 win in Montreal on Nov. 18 as Pittsburgh improved to 8-1-2 in the series with 3.91 goals per game since the start of the 2011-12 season. Montreal backup Dustin Tokarski has never faced the Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury will start for Pittsburgh after getting the night off against Tampa Bay. Fleury had a 1.25 GAA in eight home starts in December, and he made 27 saves in the November shutout of the Canadiens to improve to 7-1-2 in his past 10 starts in the series. ' ' '