grappled with three consecutive power-plays in the middle period,

DETROIT – Perhaps this is what Brendan Shanahan had in mind. It was early this season that the Maple Leafs president expressed to Nazem Kadri his desire that the 24-year-old evolve into something more than just a “one-dimensional” offensive player, something more complete than that. And of late, Kadri is offering hints of doing just that. The Leafs have recently begun testing him with top line opponents, a challenge that mostly featured Henrik Zetterberg on Wednesday evening (Detroit had last change and used Pavel Datsyuk opposite Phil Kessel) and the dangerous Sedin twins a few nights earlier. Kadri has responded with some of the most inspired hockey of his season (career?), not only helping to slow some of those top-tier talents but breaking out with some offence himself after a quiet start to the season production-wise. “With Nazzie it’s giving him more responsibility and trusting [him],” said Leafs coach, Randy Carlyle, prior to a 2-1 shootout win, the seventh in the past nine games for Toronto. “You’ve got to be able to put a player in some certain situations that you can trust him [in].” Bitten by some bad luck and hit-or-miss play early, Kadri was slow to get going offensively, but he’s come on some of late, totaling eight points in the past seven games while remaining one of the team’s top possession players. “And we always say the best offence is a good defence,” said Kadri, “…especially against those top lines [because] they’d rather be playing offence than defence. We want to force them out of their comfort zone and try to generate some chances.” He led the Leafs with 61 per cent possession in a win over the Flames on Tuesday, also notching a pair of assists. A night later he was one of the few in a white and blue sweater to hold the puck in what was a truly dominant Red Wings effort, one the visitors stole on the shoulders of James Reimer. But rather than the offence it’s the increased engagement in his own zone that has the Leafs encouraged. In one such instance against Detroit, Kadri pounced on a rebound attempt in front of Reimer moments before Zetterberg could tap it in – the Leafs tied the game a few minutes later. Not many could have envisioned this from a player of his flashy, shoot-for-the-moon skill-set nor would the prospect of employing him against top lines have seemed at all likely even six months earlier. Joffrey Lupul, for one, couldn’t have imagined it. The 31-year-old has been tagged to play with Kadri more often than any other player since the latter made it to the NHL. This kind of recent evolution, one Lupul says is more gradual than instantaneous, is not something he could have envisioned a younger Kadri doing or even embracing. “It’s wanting to win and doing what’s necessary to win,” said Lupul. “I’m sure he’d love to be Phil Kessel’s centreman…but he’s playing a role for us now that probably two years he wouldn’t have saw himself playing. He’s doing it and doing it very well and still creating a lot of offence.” “I probably couldn’t have done it as well,” Kadri said of filling similar duties last season, one in which he scored 20 goals and had 50 points. “I think it’s the development and the maturity of your game. Just kind of trying to take steps in the right direction and just watching the little things, whether it’s watching it on film or other games, and trying to pick the best players’ brains and (then) try to add it (all) to your arsenal.” The Leafs want him play with an edge and do so consistently. And they’ve challenged him as such. He didn’t have a power-play point through a quarter of the season and so they proceeded to take him off the power-play entirely to bang that drum. Kadri responded to that prodding positively – he’s now playing the point of the first power-play to mixed reviews – and now the coaching staff is testing him again, this time with more difficult ice and responsibility. It’s something they’ve done occasionally in the past – Zetterberg had four assists in one such occurrence in mid-October – but Kadri now appears ready to engage in the role more often and with more consistency. “I’m proud of the way he’s developed his game the whole way around,” Lupul said. This is the kind of development the Leafs need to see from Kadri, especially at a point in his career when they need to determine exactly what he is as a player and where exactly he may be going. Kadri is up for restricted free agency next summer and figures to ask and be in line for a big raise from the $2.9 million cap hit he earned this season. How much and how long that contract stands to be is what this season will help determine. Five Points 1. Reimer’s Return In his last appearance nearly one month ago James Reimer was pegged for six goals in the Leafs disastrous home showing against Nashville, hit for an additional six three nights earlier in Buffalo. But he was on point Wednesday night even if his teammates were not. “He was just okay,” said Carlyle, mocking the comments he made at Joe Louis Arena nearly nine months earlier. Reimer ended up with 41 saves, turning aside countless opportunities for Detroit. “Reims made big stops all night,” Carlyle added. “He was dynamite.” Reimer improved to 3-0-0 this season when facing 40 shots or more. “In games when you haven’t played in a while it’s all about trying to be mentally ahead of the game, one step ahead,” Reimer said. “That’s how I tried to play and [I] got a couple lucky bounces and ended up with a win.” 2. Long Wait How did Reimer manage to remain sharp in spite of the long layoff? “I think the best practical for me to stay sharp or any goalie is just really game-specific drills,” Reimer said recently. “Sometimes we do drills where we’re breaking out things and obviously they’re good, but maybe they’re a little bit slowed down or almost sometimes maybe a little too quick. So sometimes there’s those drills that are really game-like, just in the way they’re broken down and stuff. Those are the ones that as a goalie when you don’t play for a little while those are the ones where you feel the most ready when you have a couple drills like that in a practice.” The 26-year-old entered the night with an .898 save percentage, that number rising to .908 after the 41-save performance. 3. No Puck The Leafs improved to 7-1-1 since their infamous destruction at home against Nashville, though the past two nights were hardly in the manner their coach would like. Detroit dominated the puck from start to finish Wednesday, finishing the night with an astounding 76 per cent possession at even-strength. Only Reimer’s brilliance kept the action even close. “I think anytime you can get points on the back-to-back you’ve got to take them no matter how it happens,” Carlyle said. The Leafs have allowed 37 shots on average in their past six games. 4. Top Line Mostly non-existent for the better part of a few weeks – despite some power-play success – Toronto’s top line found some offence at a key time Wednesday. Digging a puck free in the neutral zone early in the final frame, James van Riemsdyk proceeded to fend off a Wings defender before dishing to Phil Kessel for the game-tying goal. It was the 15th this season for Kessel and fourth in the past five games. “They’re a dangerous group,” Carlyle said. “The pass JVR made to Kess is a big-league pass. Those are scorers’ passes and those are offensive players that can execute in those situations.” “We were alright,” Kessel added. “We need a couple bounces here or there. [But] we’re winning so that’s the most important [thing].” 5. Shootouts Mike Santorelli went to school about 734 kilometres from Detroit, playing three seasons for Northern Michigan University. And it was the one-time Michigan import who got the call to finish the Red Wings in the shootout, beating Jimmy Howard for the winner. Carlyle said he got the tip to use the 28-year-old from Peter Horachek, the Leafs assistant who coached a younger Santorelli in Nashville. Word from Horachek was that Santorelli was “gold” in the shootout and he proved right in Motown. Santorelli is pushing 45 per cent lifetime in shootouts. Tyler Bozak, meanwhile, has scored on 60 per cent of his opportunities, amongst the best in the league currently. Stats-Pack 3-0-0 – Record for James Reimer this season when facing more than 40 shots. 63-22 – Possession advantage for Detroit. 2-1-1 – Leafs record vs. the Red Wings this season. 27:59 – Ice-time for Dion Phaneuf on Wednesday. 6-4-1 – Leafs record in back-to-back games this season. 37 – Average shots allowed by the Leafs in their past six games. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-4 Season: 20.4% PK: 4-4 Season: 84% Quote of the Night “He was just okay.” -Randy Carlyle, on the performance of James Reimer on Wednesday night. Up Next The Leafs conclude their regular season series with Detroit at home on Saturday. Larry Murphy Jersey . General manager David Poile called signing Ribeiro a great opportunity to add a talented, experienced and creative centre Tuesday when he introduced the veteran at a news conference. Ribeiros contract is worth $1.05 million after being bought out of the final three years of a $22 million contract by the Coyotes recently. Tom Barrasso Jersey .Y. - Major League Soccers independent review panel has taken back the fine and one-game suspension it placed on Toronto FC forward Luke Moore earlier this week. http://www.penguinsauthenticofficial.com/joe-mullen-jersey/ . His team rose to the occasion Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Sweden in the bronze-medal game. "The sting from yesterday is not something we hid from or pretend didnt happen," Dineen said. Bryan Trottier Jersey . The Cavs announced the move Saturday, one day after LeBron James said hes returning to Cleveland. A 12-year veteran, Haywood has played in 794 NBA games, averaging 6. Jake Guentzel Jersey .The seventh-seeded Raonic was scheduled to play U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori of Japan, but was replaced in the Group B pool by Spanish substitute David Ferrer.Raonic, who was 0-2 at the year-end event, said he suffered the injury late in the first set of Tuesdays 6-3, 7-6 loss to Murray.WASHINGTON D.C. – The hole was three goals deep after just eight minutes and 44 seconds. And it would ultimately prove too daunting for the Maple Leafs to overcome in the U.S. capital. Doomed by the drudge of a sleepy start they fell in regulation Sunday afternoon for just the fifth time in the past 23 games (15-5-4), their comeback attempts sullied a 4-2 loss to the feisty Washington Capitals. Coming off a successful swing through the California triangle – they won twice – Toronto mustered just two shots in a stunted opening 20 minutes back east, down 3-0 before the frame was even halfway over. Washington scored twice on its first two power-play attempts, adding another from Jason Chimera at even-strength. “It looked like we were still in for our afternoon nap,” mused head coach Randy Carlyle of the period with some frustration afterward. “We werent good enough in the first 10 minutes,” added James Reimer, appearing in his third straight game. “You cant spot a team three goals. We just werent sharp, myself included, and it cost us. I thought we dominated the second and the third was anyones game, we just couldnt quite climb out of the three-goal hole.” The Leafs did dominate the middle period with the same emphasis as the Capitals did the first. They outshot the home-side 10-1 in the opening 11 minutes and 20-6 overall. But with three power-play opportunities and a slew of chances to score they could only get one by Jaroslav Halak, the eighth this season from Dion Phaneuf. David Clarkson had maybe the best opportunity to even the proceedings at three. Stuck with just one goal in the past 21 games and only four this season, the 29-year-old thought hed beaten Halak only to see the puck trickle off the goaltender and out. “Thats been the story this year,” Clarkson said. “I think even if I didnt celebrate it was still laying there for me to poke in.” Never coming closer he and the Leafs fell for the second time on a season-long road trip that wraps up Tuesday in Detroit against the hurting Red Wings. The momentum of emphatic wins in Anaheim and L.A. failed to carry over on the road back east. Knowing that first place in the Atlantic division is lost – Boston is up 15 points – Toronto has set its sights now on securing second spot and home-ice advantage in the first round. With 13 games to go they have 80 points, one up on Tampa and Montreal, who each carry games in hand. “If we wouldve won this one we wouldve been in a great spot,” said Carl Gunnarsson of the road trip at large. “Weve got a big one coming up here in Detroit to make it a good one.” Five Points 1. First Periods A nemesis on Sunday afternoon and all season for that matter, first periods have been a regular sore spot for the Leafs. Washington scored three unanswered in the opening frame on this day. Troy Bodie added a late goal to cut the deficit to two, just the second of two shots in the period for Toronto. Utterly displeased with his teams performance, Carlyle gathered the entire team for a chat during the second TV timeout. “It was more or less just get going,” Bodie said of Carlyles message. “We didnt have our feet going. We werent ready to play.” The Leafs boast a minus-15 goal differential in first periods this season, by far the worst of the three stanzas. Scoring their second of the night while out-shooting the Capitals 20-6, they improved to plus-13 in second periods. “I think finally we got our legs under us,” said Clarkson. “We started going and we kind of put them back on their heels a little bit.” 2. PK Stumbles The rising Leafs penalty kill entered the day with an 88 per cent success rate in the previous 14 games, turning the corner from an awful first half. “We knew we couldnt give up on it,” Jay McClement told the Leaf Report before the game. “We just had to keep working and wed get better because virtually its the same group of us from last year. I dont know what the reason was [for our struggles], but now it seems like weve got the confidence back.” That is until they faced the second best power-play unit in the league at the Verizon Center. Shadowing Alex Ovechkin, who leads the league with 19 power-play goals, the Leafs gave up a pair on Washingtons first two opportunities with the man advantage, once from an open Troy Brouwer in the slot, a second from Joel Ward on the back-door. “We missed assignments on our coverage,” said Carlyle. “You cant let Troy Brouwer shoot the puck from 10 feet in front of your goaltender. Theres obviously a missed assignment and missed coverage in that situation.dddddddddddd.” 3. Man Advantage Yields Little Boasting just two goals now in the past 11 games – 7 per cent in that span – the Toronto power-play meanwhile continued its dry spell. The Leafs grappled with three consecutive power-plays in the middle period, but failed to score even once. “We believe in our power-play,” said Joffrey Lupul prior to the game. “And theres going to be stretches when you dont get those goals, but as long as we keep doing things right with some of the scorers we have on the team eventually the power-play opportunities are going to turn into goals.” Punch-less on many recent nights, the Leafs did have their opportunities against the Capitals, mustering eight shots. Sneaking in from the right point Cody Franson had maybe the best opportunity to beat Halak, but was ultimately turned aside. The unit currently sits in a four-way tie for third overall at 20.7 per cent. 4. Goalies James Reimer made his third straight appearance Sunday, starting in place of the injured Jonathan Bernier. Fighting the puck early, Reimer yielded three goals on the first five shots, but settled as the night wore on. He made key stops in the final frame, including one on Jason Chimera breaking in partially alone.Citing the now 26-year-olds rebound trouble in that opening frame, Carlyle said he considered pulling Reimer in favour of Drew MacIntyre after the third Washington goal. “We did think about that,” said Carlyle. “But I didnt want to throw Drew into that type of situation without giving him a heads up …Weve got Reims here and weve got to show the confidence for him to fight through some of those situations. We know that Reims is going to start the next game in all probability.” Carlyle had little to offer as far as an update on Bernier, who remained with the team in Washington Sunday ahead of the trip to Detroit. Its clear the 25-year-old will miss his second straight game against the Red Wings Tuesday, the clarity of lower-body injury yet to be fully revealed. 5. Kadris Evolution Nazem Kadri said recently that “I want to become a complete player that this team can trust” and among coaches and teammates that desire for evolution has been seen on the ice. “I think hes maturing as a player,” said Carlyle of the 23-year-old, who established a new career-high for points in Los Angeles this past Thursday night. “I still think theres some room for Nazzie to grow. But I still think youve got to give the kid credit. Hes under a microscope. Hes under a lot of pressure to come in as a young player and play those minutes. We have all kinds of confidence [in him]. [But] maybe not as much confidence as he has if you know what I mean.” “Hes better in his defensive zone for sure,” added Lupul. “Just positioning and using his body and his stick down low. I think everyone probably saw the offensive talents [which] have always been there, but now – Ive been playing on his line for a while now – hes pretty reliable defensively. And as a winger he gets in a spot where youre able to find him, get him the puck.” For Lupul, thats the indicator for when Kadri is at his best. “I think thats one thing for me that when hes playing really well thats what I notice about being on his line is hes putting himself in a spot where hes basically demanding the puck and that he gets it. That shows his confidence and thats how you can kind of tell when hes on the top of his game.” Kadri finished with two shots in 20 minutes against the Capitals. Stats-Pack 35-40 – Toronto penalty kill over 14 games preceding Sunday in Washington. 54 – Consecutive games missed by Dave Bolland, who is still recovering from a left ankle injury, his return status as yet unknown. 15-5-3 – Leafs record in the past 23 games. 2-28 – Toronto power-play over the past 11 games. 29 – Points this season for Dion Phaneuf, eclipsing the mark he set in 48 games last season. Fighting the flu, Phaneuf had a goal and an assist in defeat against the Capitals. 42-57 – Goal differential for the Leafs in first periods this season, favouring the opposition. 8-15-4 – Leafs record this season when trailing after the first period. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-3Season: 20.7% (T-3rd) PK: 2-4Season: 78.4% (28th) Quote of the Night “It looked like we were still in for our afternoon nap.” -Randy Carlyle, on his teams performance in the opening period Sunday. Up Next The Leafs conclude their five-game road trip with a division battle against the Red Wings on Tuesday. 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