Spurs in mind, is there anybody who will claim its unfair if Ca

BUFFALO – In about half as many games, the Toronto penalty kill has already allowed more power-play goals this season than it did all of last year. A once dominant unit that finished second best in the league in 2013 (87.9%) has fallen to 20th overall (79.4%) after two months this winter. The groups increasing woes were highlighted on Wednesday night by a season-high three-goal outburst from the Penguins power play in an eventual 6-5 shootout loss. "We havent changed anything," Jay McClement told the Leaf Report on Thursday afternoon. "Were just not getting the job done. I dont know what it is, but weve gotten away from the basic things that made us successful. You can say that weve had a couple bad bounces here and there, but were getting too many [scored] on us the last little while to say that." Over the past 11 games – a stretch that began at the outset of November – the Leafs have allowed 13 power play goals, hovering at just 71 per cent in that span. Already this season, theyve given up 20 power play goals or one more than all of last season. The sure-fire attitude once owned by the group has gradually taken a hit. "Thats a confidence were going to have to build back up over a big stretch of games here," said McClement, who leads the NHL in average ice-time shorthanded. "It seems like we have a couple good kills and we start to get it, start to build on it and then we give one up. [Its] something we just have to stick with and try not to lose all our confidence and get frustrated with it." A confident bunch last season, the Leafs rarely allowed sustained opportunity for opposing power plays, typically clearing the puck and changing personnel with seamless precision. The job hasnt gone quite so smoothly so far this season, be it because of positional mistakes, failed clears, easy entries, or simple confusion. Increasingly, the unit has relied far too heavily upon its two goaltenders. Consider that in 48 games last season, the Toronto penalty kill allowed 193 shots against; already this season, in just 25 games, the same unit has given up 182 shots. Under increased strain, the goaltending has been good, but not quite as good as a year ago. James Reimer and Jonathan Bernier have combined to post a .890 save percentage shorthanded this season, slightly worse than the .902 mark set by Reimer and Ben Scrivens last season. "I think theres some trends that have come in," said Randy Carlyle of the penalty kill. "I think weve vacated the critical areas. I think weve won faceoffs and not cleared the puck. I think weve given up the middle of the ice too many times, gotten on the wrong side of the puck. "Those are things that were going to continue to try to fix because it has been a staple of our game. When those staples go away it reveals that youre not playing anywhere near where youre capable of playing." Not helping matters either is the discipline of the group. The Leafs have taken more minor penalties (113) than any team but the Ottawa Senators this season; up to 4.52 minors per game from 3.69 last season. A string of five straight such penalties helped propel the Penguins to come back from a 4-1 second period deficit on Wednesday night. "When youve got a good PK," said Carl Gunnarsson, third on the team in shorthanded minutes, "you feel good going out there and you know youre going to kill it probably 80, 90 per cent of the time." Just as the strut of the penalty kill has gradually diminished from the stronghold of last season, so too have a few key parts. Most prominently absent this year is Leo Komarov, an energetic and effective component in 2013 who returned to the KHL this season. Two additional pieces who made significant contributions, Mark Fraser and Nik Kulemin, missed nearly a month with injuries. "I think right now when you go through a spell like were going through, its tough to have that attitude," McClement said. "Its just really up and down right now. I guess more downs than ups right now. I think the biggest thing is we cant lose our confidence in it. We know what were doing works, weve just got to do it better." Wholesale 49ers Jerseys . Assistant coach Glen Gulutzan said Thursday that Edler, who played Tuesday in Nashville, is out indefinitely. 49ers Jerseys Authentic China . Maria Silvia Bastos Marques, president of the EOM (Municipal Olympic Company), will be leaving her post but will remain as an advisor, a city hall statement said Tuesday. http://www.cheap49ersjerseysauthentic.com/ . Future Hall of Famer Ricky Ray is in his prime and back for a third season in double blue. The 34-year old was magnificent in 2013, throwing for just under 2,900 yards despite missing eight games, tossing an impressive 21 touchdowns against just two interceptions, completing 66 per cent of his passes in the process. Cheap 49ers Jerseys China . Canada was placed in one of the easiest groups during Saturdays live televised draw in Montreal. Cheap 49ers Jerseys Authentic . The Bruins forward has been fined $5,000 by the National Hockey League for spearing Red Wings defenceman Danny DeKeyser in the groin.2. If, at the start of the NBA playoffs, you picked Kawhi Leonard to be the MVP of the Finals, could you please produce a witness or some other form of proof?3. Its pretty hard to avoid asking it like this, so here goes: Didnt it do your heart good to see Erik Compton qualify for the Masters with his runner-up finish at the U-S Open?4. Already charged with killing three men, Aaron Hernandez is also charged with threatening to kill a jail guard and his family and with assaulting a handcuffed inmate. Of course, we presume Hernandez is innocent until proven guilty, but what are the chances hes innocent on all counts?5. I say this every time a new team picks a nickname that doesnt seem to fit—"Well get used to it". So are we comfortable yet with "Ottawa Redblacks"?6. And not to pick on Ottawa, but what are the chances that Erik Karlsson will play his entire career as a Senator? When Daniel Alfredsson leaves one year and Jason Spezza asks to leave the next, and when the sagas of Dany Heatley and Alexei Yashin are remembered, it makes you wonder, doesnt it?7. You know how Oscar recipients react with that "I never expected to win" expression? That was USA soccer coach Jurgen Klinsmann at the 32-second mark vs. Ghana. The difference? The actors are acting.8. If its wrong to mention a no-hitter in the 8th inning, should I not point out that Mark Buehrle has made 443 career starts without spending a day on the disabled list?9. Would you like to pass on some sound advice to the general manager of your favourite NHL team? Tell him to spend a lot more time thinking about what to do on draft day than on July 1st. Use the Los Angeles Kings as an example of a team built largely with draft picks and players acquired in trades and hardly at all with free agents.10. How many ways can you dislike a human being, and how close is Donald Sterling to the maximum?11. Conversely, when a person is described as "nice", it is considered a compliment, but because there are too many of the other kind, dont youu think it should be regarded as high praise? One of the nicest people I ever interviewed was Tony Gwynn.dddddddddddd2. Just wondering—have you seen a car flying the flag of Cameroon? Your answer—"maybe". 13. How do you argue that a pitchers win total is a meaningful stat when Randy Choate of the St. Louis Cardinals records a win by throwing one pitch? Well, you argue that Choates one pitch got the Cardinals out of a bases-loaded jam in a 1-1 tie and it was the most important pitch of the game….I guess.14. If you liked Spain or Portugal to win the World Cup, are you now trying to remember how many people you told?15. If the NHLs "compliance buyout period" sounds too cumbersome, what do you say we refer to "Ville Leino Days"?16. If the Blue Jays arent impressing you quite as much these days, can you name another American League East team that seems likely to overtake them?17. With the San Antonio Spurs in mind, is there anybody who will claim its unfair if Carmelo Anthony signs with the Miami Heat?18. The National League may be a pitchers league, but can you name a pitcher who is about to face Gregory Polanco, Starling Marte and Andrew McCutchen 1-2-3 in the Pittsburgh Pirates batting order who would feel confident?19. After being three wins away from the Stanley Cup, do you think the New York Rangers begin next season as a strong championship contender or as just another team in the Eastern Conference? Heres something to know—in the last 30 years, the number of teams that lost the Stanley Cup final one year and won the Stanley Cup the next year is one—Pittsburgh Penguins 2008-09.20. And finally, we learned from Martin Kaymer that Fathers Day in Germany was two weeks ago. Does it make you wonder how many other Fathers Days there are in how many other countries? Me neither, but thanks to Martin Kaymer, and apart from Erik Compton, it was the most interesting part of the U-S Opens final round.Video—"My Fathers Eyes"—Eric Clapton. ' ' '