TORONTO -- Three days after the Leafs historic playoff collapse in Boston, the
wound was still raw.
Jeff Mathis Jersey . Did it hurt less this
morning when you woke up, goalie James Reimer was asked at the Leafs wrapup
session Thursday. "Not really," he answered. "Sometimes you go through the day
and you forget about it," he added. "Youre doing something, youre talking about
something with some guy. But then all of a sudden, you remember it, and you just
get that sickening feeling in your stomach. And it just doesnt go away." Centre
Nazem Kadri was also having a tough time forgetting Toronto fumbling away a 4-1
third-period lead and then losing 5-4 in overtime in Game 7 Monday. Bostons
comeback, which included two goals with goalie Tuukka Rask pulled for an extra
attacker, marked the first time in NHL history that a team had won a Game 7
after trailing by three goals in the third period. "I had some nightmares the
first couple of nights," Kadri said. "It wasnt fun thinking back to that game."
Added forward James van Riemsdyk: "Its one of those losses that kind of just
eats away at your soul." Flushing away the negatives was one of coach Randy
Carlyles mantras this season. But even he acknowledged this was one memory that
was going to stick. "Time will heal this, but we can never forget it," was
Carlyles message to his players. "How can you ignore it? You cant," he told
reporters. "Its reality." Thursdays wrapup media session was the first time
Carlyle and the players had talked since the TD Garden debacle which was
witnessed by more than 5.1 million Canadian TV viewers. A cloud of frustration
clearly still lingers within the franchise, which had not made the playoffs
since 2004. Toronto finished fifth in the East with a 26-17-5 record. "Were
sitting here and we didnt win a round in the playoffs that we had an opportunity
to seize," the coach said. "And thats the most disappointing part for us as a
(coaching) staff right now. "The feeling is frustration, its lack of
accomplishment, whatever. At times you feel like you were hit between the eyes
with a hammer." The Leafs want to ensure that the players do not pick away at
the scab of the defeat over the summer. The issue was addressed the issue in
exit meetings with the players. "Nobodys feeling good about what happened, but
we cant change what just happened ... Were going about building for next year,"
Carlyle said. "And (you) take what you can from the positives of this year and
reflect upon the negatives. "You just cant turn the page and move 180 degrees in
the other direction without having some touch on the past. Do we want to dwell
on it? No we dont. Were going to move on." While GM Dave Nonis said the manner
of the loss had to be addressed, he played down any lasting effects. "It
happened. We all know it happened. And I dont think it would ever happen again,"
he said. "I dont think we have to do anything differently because I think its
one of those things in sports -- youll see it once in a lifetime and we were
part of it and thats unfortunate. "I think were going to have to deal with the
pain for a while. But our players, most players, are going to focus on next
season once theyre done with their two weeks or three weeks of rest and
relaxation. Theyre going to start focusing on next year, its important that we
get them focused." Carlyle declined to say what areas needed to be strengthened.
But he pointed to goal, defence and centre as key areas in any team. "And if we
can improve in any of those positions, I would think if theres a possibility --
like any other hockey club -- they would do that. And we would be looking to do
that." That did not seem to be a vote of confidence in Reimer, although Carlyle
made a point of saying his words should not be seen as a criticism of any
existing player. "Were not any different than any other hockey club," he said
with no shortage of starch in his voice when pressed on the goaltending issue.
"If you had a chance to get the best goaltender in the world, what would you
do?" Nonis had a slightly different take on Reimer. "At this point, Id say he
would be back as No. 1. He did a very good job for us ... I dont think anyone
can point to goaltending as an issue with our team." But Nonis echoed Carlyles
words that the team wont hesitate to make a move if it can upgrade any area. And
he said there are no untouchables on his roster, although there were some
players "unlikely" to be moved. He did say he would not trade younger talent and
high draft picks for older players. Nonis said he hopes to sign first-line
centre Tyler Bozak, who is due to become unrestricted free agent this summer,
"if there is a contract that makes sense for us and makes sense for Tyler." As
for sniper Phil Kessel, Nonis offered effusive praise, calling him one of the
top players in the league. "I think this is the best stretch of hockey
Phil Kessels ever played," said the GM. "Hes a good person and he cares," he
added. "I dont think there was a player on our team that was more devastated
than Phil." Kessel has a year left on his contract. "Theres no urgency in
getting him signed to an extension," Nonis said. "But Phil Kessels going to be a
good player in this league for a long time and if theres a deal there that makes
sense for both of us, then no question wed like to bring him back for an
extended period." While the salary cap is going down next season, the Leafs GM
said the club is "in a fairly good position cap-wise." Nonis was blunt about his
playoff-green teams performance in the opening game of the Boston series -- a
lacklustre 4-1 loss. "Game 1 of the series you saw a team that had no idea what
was coming our way, that had not been in the playoffs for the most part. And we
looked like a deer in the headlights." Nonis exempted van Riemsdyk from that
list, saying he had been in the playoffs before (with Philadelphia) and was
prepared. "But I think after Game 1, I dont think we had a player take a night
off," he added. "I think, in a lot of ways and a lot of the time, we were the
better team." Nonis said while the team had improved, it needs to add more
pieces and get better. "Weve taken some significant steps but were not there.
Were not playing tonight." But he said the coaching staff got "everything out of
these players." Carlyle, meanwhile, called it a season of both high and low
points. "Were going to have to play the game to a higher level more
consistently," he said. Also Thursday, Bozak revealed that he missed the final
two games of the regular season after tearing his oblique. He played through
that before tearing his triceps on the final faceoff of Game 5 of the Bruins
series. Defenceman Mark Fraser, who didnt play after taking a puck to the face
in Game 4, showed off his battle scars. He suffered a frontal skull fracture.
"Thankfully theres no brain damage, no bleeding," he said matter-of-factly.
Frasers forehead featured a boomerang-shaped trail of stitches, as if someone
had taken a can-opener to his head. Star winger Joffrey Lupul did not talk to
the media Thursday. On Tuesday, he tweeted: "That hockey game will haunt me
until the day I die..."
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. As the crowd erupted, Davis knocked the ball off the glass and back into his
hands. With 1:14 to go in overtime, Davis sixth block also became his 17th
rebound. That, along with his 32 points -- which tied a career high -- proved
too much for Denver to overcome, and the Pelicans held on for their third
straight victory, 111-107 on Sunday night. MACON, Ga. -- Rian Holland scored 18
points, all five Mercer starters scored in double figures and the Bears beat
rival Georgia Southern 80-67 on Sunday in an opening-round game of the Savannah
Invitational.It was the 114th meeting in the series -- but just the first since
2007.Holland, Stephon Jelks (15 points), Desmond Ringer (14 points), Demetre
Rivers (13) and Jordan Strawberry (13) combined to outscore Georgia Southerns
starters 73-46. Andrew Fishler was the only Mercer (2-1) reserve to sccore.
Cheap MLB
Jerseys Authentic. The Bears were just 5 of 21 from distance but
made 27 of 32 free-throw attempts.Ike Smith scored 19 points, B.J. Gladden had
16 and Tookie Brown added 15 for Georgia Southern (1-2). Brown made 5 of 9
3-pointers and Gladden had seven rebounds and four blocks. The Eagles were held
to 36.8 percent shooting.The Invite is an eight-team, two-bracket event. ' ' '