Team- & Athletenerfolge » Florida and Buffalo. So far this season, i

Pumping tires became a trending topic involving goalies Roberto Luongo and Tim Thomas at the 2011 Stanley Cup Final between the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks. For the first time since that matchup, the two goalies face each other tonight as the Canucks host Thomas new team, the Florida Panthers. Going into Game 6, Luongo had an infamous rant in which he used the term to describe the praise he was showing Thomas in the media, but complained about not receiving the same from his Bruins goaltender. "I never did have any animosity toward him. I wasnt thinking about him. I was thinking about doing my job," Thomas told the Vancouver Sun on Monday. The series went seven games and Thomass 37 saves outdid Luongos 17 to a 4-0 championship clinching win at Rogers Arena. The Canucks are in danger of posting their longest losing streak in nearly five years, so now seems like a good time for a visit from the Panthers. The Canucks try to avoid a fifth straight defeat overall and just their second at home all-time against the Panthers. Vancouver has been held to a single goal during each game of its current 0-3-1 slide. That includes a setback in the first two of a six-game homestand, with the Canucks losing an overtime decision to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday prior to Sundays 2-1 loss to the Dallas Stars. Roberto Luongo had 21 saves and Henrik Sedin got the Canucks onto the board just over three minutes into the third period. Sedin, though, also had a potential game-tying goal on the power play waived off near the midway point of the second period when it was ruled twin brother Daniel Sedin made incidental contract with Dallas netminder Kari Lehtonen. Though Canucks head coach John Tortorella said afterwards that no one play costs a team a game, it was a sequence he would have liked to have been reviewed. "Its a big play in the game. I think we need to get the call right. If you can review that, I think you get the call right. But its unreviewable," said Tortorella, who said he did not get an explanation of the call. "All the crap we review, and they dont review an important thing like that. I just think that needs to change. Its the wrong call." That leaves the Canucks in danger of their longest losing streak since an 0-5-3 skid from Jan. 9-31, 2009. That makes this visit from the Panthers well timed. Florida has not won in Vancouver since its inaugural 1993-94 season, going 0-5-1 with five ties since. The Canucks are also 8-1-1 with a pair of ties in their previous 12 meetings with the Panthers overall, though Florida did snap a three-game series losing streak with a 2-1 win at home in the most recent encounter on Jan. 9, 2012. Luongo is 4-1-1 with a 1.79 goals against average in six career games versus the Panthers, who he played with for five seasons before getting traded to Vancouver ahead of the 2006-07 campaign. The Panthers are looking to get rolling under interim head coach Peter Horachek, having gone 2-3-0 since he replaced a fired Kevin Dineen on Nov. 8. Florida defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 on Saturday, its second win in three games following an 0-5-4 slide and first on the road since its season- opener in Dallas on Oct. 3. The club had gone 0-8-1 on the road following that victory, but got a goal from Brad Boyes in the first period on Saturday, one from Brian Campbell and Tomas Kopecky in the second and a fourth from Jonathan Huberdeau in the final frame. Tim Thomas made 32 saves for his 200th career win and Tom Gilbert had three assists. "We didnt commit many turnovers and we kept the puck deep in their zone," Gilbert said. The Panthers will play the third of a five-game road trip tonight and could stay with Thomas in net. He has had success in his career versus the Canucks, going 3-1-0 with a 1.26 GAA in four regular-season meetings. He also helped the Boston Bruins knock off the Canucks in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, notching a pair of shutouts and winning the Conn Smythe Trophy. Cheap Air Max 95 For Sale .J. -- John Elway says Peyton Manning cannot stamp himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history even if he wins the Super Bowl on Sunday. Cheap Air Max 95 Free Shipping . Mission accomplished. Now the Royals will take the field on Saturday with a World Series lead for the first time in team history when they play Game 4 of the Fall Classic against the Giants at AT&T Park. http://www.airmax95cheap.net/ . Louis second-period goal increased the New York Rangers lead but Dustin Brown has countered for the Los Angeles Kings who now trail the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final at Madison Square Garden. Cheap Air Max 95 Mens .com) - There may be a debate in Philadelphia about who should be the starting quarterback of the Eagles. Cheap Air Max 95 China . -- Two nights after losing to the Eastern Conferences worst team, the Phoenix Coyotes handled the best.COLUMBUS – Where Phil Kessel has gone the past two seasons so, too, has James van Riemsdyk. But its now with Joffrey Lupul sidelined indefinitely (with yet another unfortunate injury) that the Maple Leafs need their ever-improving 24-year-old to become a force without Kessel. In light of balance concerns, Randy Carlyle opted to split the duo even before the injury to Lupul – a broken right hand – but its now especially, with the 31-year-old likely out weeks, that van Riemsdyk has to emerge from the shadow of his fellow American winger and offer Toronto a consistent secondary threat. I dont control who I go out there and play with, said van Riemsdyk of the split from Kessel earlier this week. [But] if were a better team this way, then obviously thats great. The pair has been almost inseparable since van Riemsdyk joined the Leafs from Philly in the summer of 2012. In fact, more than 80 per cent of the nearly 2000 even-strength minutes van Riemsdyk has accumulated in Toronto have come with Kessel. Theyve been a mostly terrorizing offensive force, scorching together even beyond the NHL shores. Representing the U.S. at the Sochi Olympics, van Riemsdyk and Kessel finished 1-2 in scoring. The Leafs battled depth concerns even with Lupul in the lineup and they will no doubt need more pop from the likes of Nazem Kadri, David Clarkson and the rest of the depth they added this offseason. But van Riemsdyk is perhaps the only talent on the roster besides Kessel who may have the gifts to drive a line himself. Hes big. Hes fast. Hes powerful. And hes certainly talented enough to give the Leafs a real second threat beyond Kessel, someone to make the opposition think twice about. I know that James has played to a higher level and he can continue to grow as a hockey player, Carlyle said before a 4-1 win over the injury-depleted Blue Jackets on Friday. Hes done very, very well in the situations that weve put him in. Van Riemsdyk played the part of triggerman with Kessel – a scorer yes, but underrated playmaker, too – feasting on the openings and opportunities he creates. Usually when youre playing with Phil, hes going to have the puck a lot of the time, he said. Im more going to the net and trying to bang in rebounds, that sort of thing. He scored 19 goals at even-strength last year, adding 13 in 48 games the year prior. Many of those came off the rush and if theres a subtle shift in the style of whats now the Leafs second line – though they led the team in ice-time against Columbus – its that. With Clarkson taking the place of Kessel alongside van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak, the unit is likely to become more conservative in terms of the chances it takes in transition, increasing its emphasis instead on the cycle game. Previously just an intriguing experiment, the Leafs now need van Riemsdyk to emerge sans Kessel. Carlyle couldnt say Friday morning how long hed keep the pair apart, but given the injury to Lupul and need for balance, it seems likely to go on for at least the immediate future. Van Riemsdyk, who finished last season with a career-high of 30 goals and 61 points, has been quieter so far this fall. Unable to find the scoresheet Friday, hes tied for third in Leaf scoring, totaling six points in 10 games. Five Points 1. Lupuls Luck Joffrey Lupuls odd and unfortunate injury history as a Leaf added another chapter. At practice Thursday in Toronto, Lupul fell on his stick and jammed his right hand rather innocuously. Or so he thought. The 31-year-old finished the final 40 minutes or so of the session and came to the rink Friday night prepared to play against the Blue Jackets. But then the results of an x-ray taken in the Columbus area came back and revealed that a bone was indeed broken – Carlyle didnt learn hed be unavailable until 6:10pm. The severity isnt yet known. Lupul was admittedly in some shock after yet another fluky injury. I dont know what to say really, its part of the game, but it certainly is tougher mentally than it is physically I will say, he said, appearing noticeably upset. Kind of just…right now a little bit shocked. Hopefully its not something thats going to keep me out too long. Hes had a stretch of bad luck, theres no question about it, said Leafs general manager, Dave Nonis. Theres nothing he couldve done different. It was a freak accident. The list of injuries Lupul has suffered as a Leaf is wide and varied. The Injury Bug Date Injury Games Missed Mar. 2012 Dislocated Right Shoulder 16 Jan. 2013 Fractured Right Forearm 25 Apr. 2013 Concussion 5 Oct. 2013 Bone Bruise, Right Foot 2 Nov. 2013 Groin Tear 7 Apr. 2014 Knee Surgery 4 Oct. 2014 Broken Right Hand Indefinitely 2. 500 Daniel Winnik was asleep when he was drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes nearly 10 years ago. A centre for the University of New Hampshire, Winnik had to be shakenn awake by his parents, his agent calling that Sunday morning with the good news.dddddddddddd I was like oh great! What round? Fourth? Fifth? the now 29-year-old recalled of the conversation. Ninth, his agent responded. And I was like what? It was a bit of a shock that I went that late. Fast-forward to Friday night in Columbus and Winniks 500th career game in the NHL, quite a feat for a player picked 265th overall. I think I always thought I had the chance to do it, Winnik said of hitting 500 games, but obviously my position being drafted – ninth round – it probably looked pretty grim. He had quite the performance against the Blue Jackets on what was a momentous night. Replacing Lupul alongside Kadri and Kessel on the teams top line, Winnik potted his first goal as a Leaf and 50th overall – sneaking behind the Blue Jackets defence – also adding two assists. Earlier in the day, Winnik spoke to his versatility as the main reason hes made so far in the NHL, that trait on display again on this night. Hes been a welcome addition to our group so far, said Carlyle. 3. Kadris Luck The possession numbers were strong for Nazem Kadri heading into the Leafs final game of October, but the luck numbers, well, not so much – his PDO was the lowest among Toronto forwards. Paired with Kessel for the second straight night, that luck started to change against the Blue Jackets. Kadri posted his first assist of the season in the 4-1 win, adding his first goal in seven games in the final period on a tap-in from Kessel. As for luck, Kadri agrees, he wasnt getting much of it. I definitely did feel that, yeah, because normally some of those pucks are in the back in the net, he said. Its finally nice to find the back of the net and just get a road win. 4. Without Kessel II No player – with either the Bruins or Leafs – has spent more time on the ice (and perhaps off it) with Kessel than Bozak, the third wheel of whats now a second line featuring van Riemsdyk and Clarkson. Bozak has basically played with no one else but Kessel since he joined the Leafs from the University of Denver, a rotating cast of left wingers running shotgun with the duo over the years. You lose a pretty dynamic player obviously, Bozak said of Kessel. I think Davids a great player, too. He gets in there on the forecheck and creates a little space for us. So I guess my role changes a bit, Ill have the puck a little bit more when Im not playing with Phil whereas when I am with him, Im trying to get him the puck as quick as I can. Like van Riemsdyk, he too, noted the lines stylistic changes without Kessel. Me, James and Phil were more of a rush line and creating opportunities like that, said Bozak, but I think with me, James and Dave, well try and get some pucks deep and get in on a cycle. I think youre a little bit more apprehensive to make a change when you know theres been a long history with the two players, but its not about two players, its about our hockey club, Carlyle said. We have a team and youve got to make decisions that are in the best interest of the team. Bozaks numbers, historically, have dipped considerably in those rare instances when hes played without Kessel. And it will indeed be curious if he can maintain production – he entered Friday tied for the team-lead in scoring – without him. The Leafs, meanwhile, improved to 5-0-0 when Kessel records a point. The 27-year-old had three points Friday in just 12 minutes and 39 seconds – his lowest as a Leaf – now with 13 points in 10 games this season. 5. The Road Actually quite strong for the most part at home a year ago despite talk of nerves and the like recently, Toronto finished last season as one of the worst road teams in the Eastern Conference. They had a goal differential of minus-29 away from the ACC and their 14 victories topped only the lowly tandem of Florida and Buffalo. So far this season, its been just the opposite. The Leafs picked up just their second home win in six tries on Tuesday, winning for the third time in four trips on the road Friday in Columbus. Jonathan Bernier, who was impressive in victory, improved to 2-0-1 in such trips, boasting a .954 save percentage in three road starts. Stats Pack 6 – Games without a goal for Nazem Kadri, who broke that spell against the Blue Jackets. 9 – Games without an assist for Kadri, who registered his first of the season on Friday. .954 – Save percentage for Jonathan Bernier on the road in three starts this season. 50th – Career goal for Daniel Winnik in his 500th career game Friday. 12:39 – Ice-time for Phil Kessel against Columbus, his lowest as a Leaf. 5-0-0 – Leafs record this season when Kessel records a point. Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-2 Season: 18% PK: 3-4 Season: 84.2% Quote of the Night Probably Nazzies thanking him because he saves his butt too many times. -Randy Carlyle, speaking on Nazem Kadris admitted admiration for Daniel Winnik and his poised all-around play. Up Next The Leafs return home to face the Blackhawks on Saturday. ' ' '