Neuigkeiten » Lexie Lou will carry five pounds less than the others

EDMONTON – The mandate is pretty simple when Phil Kessel storms into the kind of zone he currently occupies. Paul Quantrill Jersey . “Just give him the puck whenever you can,” said James van Riemsdyk after the latest Leafs win in Edmonton on Tuesday night. “Thats pretty much what everyone tries to do out there because it seems like everything he touches is going in the net.” Kessel scored for the fourth consecutive game, burying a pair against the Oilers while also adding two assists in a 4-0 victory. The 26-year-old has tallied seven goals on 13 shots in the recent four-game span, now tied for second in league scoring with 18 points. “He puts himself in a good position offensively,” van Riemsdyk said, “and hes been able to capitalize on a lot of those chances and create a lot of offence.” It took only 68 seconds for the first puck to find twine at Rexall Place. Joined at the hip by Nazem Kadri for the second straight game, Kessel burst beyond the Oilers defence, taking a soft dish from his 23-year-old teammate before beating the helpless Richard Bachman five-hole. Setting up van Riemsdyk for his sixth of the year early in the second, Kessel tallied his second of the evening a few minutes later. It was arguably the prettiest of his nine markers so far this season. Hovering to the right of Bachman on the goal-line, Kessel quickly snatched the puck off the end-boards and fired it under the bar. “Thats quick hands,” said Randy Carlyle of the effort. “And we all know he has quick hands. If you give him an open net his eyes get a little bit wider Im sure.” Kessels big night capped the second straight win for the Eastern Conference-leading Leafs (9-4-0) and first of a three-game road trip through Western Canada. “Im getting a couple good bounces right now, some good passes,” said Kessel modestly after the four-point night. “Im fortunate right now.” Five Points 1. Shutout James Reimer stopped every one of the 43 shots he faced from the Edmonton attack for his first shutout of the season. The 25-year-old has turned aside 79 of 80 shots in the past two games after a 36-save outing in a win over Pittsburgh on Saturday. Improving to 4-0-0 on the season, he now sits second among qualifying goaltenders with a .949 save percentage. “Our whole team did a great job of eliminating second chances when I lost the rebounds out there,” he said after another busy night. 2. Compliments to Kadri Kadri had another fine evening playing with Kessel and van Riemsdyk. Notching the game-winning goal in victory over the Penguins three nights earlier, Kadri had a goal and two assists against the Oilers. “He sees the ice really well and has really good offensive instincts out there,” said van Riemsdyk of Kadri, who played 16-plus minutes and has 12 points this season. Stepping in for the injured Tyler Bozak alongside two of the Leafs top snipers, Kadri has made the most of his opportunity thus far. His shifty, unpredictable attack has proved a seamless fit in a prominent role. “Nazzies a guy that enjoys the spotlight,” Carlyle said prior to the game. “He enjoys talking to [the media]. [But] he backs up what he says. Hes not one of those guys that goes out there and makes statements that hes not prepared to go out and try and back up. Youve got to love that in a player because he wants more. Thats what separates good players from great players is they can continually go and grow into the game and grow into a larger role as they get more mature and more games under their belt.” 3. Change in Direction One subtle adjustment Carlyle has asked Kadri to make relates to the direction he moves on the ice. “Hes a little bit of an east-west player,” said Carlyle on Tuesday morning. “The reason were trying to get him away from that is because in todays NHL its a lot about back-side pressure.” “There [are] times where you can go east-west – we understand that – but we just want him to focus on playing north-south as much as possible. Very talented player, can read the ice well, can make plays, has that scoring knack – hes got a lot of things going for him.” 4. Lupul Plays through Pain Joffrey Lupul wasnt about to let Grandma down. Sidelined for two games with a bone bruise (foot), Lupul returned to the lineup against the Oilers, totaling 16 minutes alongside Jay McClement and Carter Ashton. An Edmonton native, Lupul visited with his grandmother on Monday evening. Rather than fly to Mexico for a family wedding she chose to remain in town for an opportunity to watch Lupul play. “That made me feel like I should probably give it my best effort to play tonight,” the 30-year-old said prior to the game. Lupul practiced on Monday afternoon and skated with the team on Tuesday morning, never quite feeling 100 per cent. He lacked explosion and wasnt able to push off the foot comfortably. “Its painful,” he said, “but just as long as you can get in the skate and have the strength and be able to tolerate [the pain], its something youre able to play through without making it too much worse.” 5. Communication Tuesday marked the 12th time in 13 games that the Leafs have yielded 30 shots or more. Edmonton fired 43 shots at Reimer, including 19 in a third frame dominated by the home side. “One of the things that we have to do a better job of is communicating,” said Cody Franson earlier this week. “Last year, I think thats one of the areas that we were much better at is communicating. Id go back for a puck and Id have somebody telling me what was coming, where I could go with it … This year its kind of quiet.” Stat-Pack 7 – Goals for Phil Kessel in the last four games. 4 – Consecutive games with a goal for Kessel. 7 – Points in the last four games for James van Riemsdyk. 12 – Games this season that the Leafs have allowed 30 shots or more. .949 – Save percentage for James Reimer this season, second among qualifying goaltenders. 39 per cent – Leafs on the draw against the Oilers. 18.4 – Shooting percentage for Kessel after 13 games. 43-26 - Shot advantage for the Oilers on Tuesday night. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-1 PK: 1-1 Quote of the Night “Winning covers all sins. Its hard to criticize a win, but we know in here that we can play better.” - James Reimer on his teams performance this season. Up Next The Leafs visit the surprising Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Devon Travis Blue Jays Jersey . Johns, N.L., to Thunder Bay, Ont., after a deal was announced to build a new $106-million "event centre" in the Lake Superior community. Tony Fernandez Jersey .Y. -- Mike Zigomaniss goal at 5:53 of the third period stood up as the winner as the Rochester Americans hung on to defeat the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs 3-2 on Saturday in American Hockey League action. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/416h-jordan-romano-jersey-blue-jays.html . On the day the club activated Casey Janssen from the 15-day disabled list, his return from a strained oblique that cost him the first six weeks of the regular season, it announced Sergio Santos would be placed on the disabled list on Monday with discomfort in his right forearm.TORONTO - Hes one of Canadas most successful trainers but one accomplishment missing from Mark Casses impressive resume is a Queens Plate victory. The six-time Sovereign award winner as the countrys top conditioner will send three horses — including 4-1 early second choice Lexie Lou and 8-1 third pick Matador — postward Sunday in search of his first career win in North Americas oldest, continuously run stakes event at Woodbine Racetrack. Casses best finish in the $1-million, 1 1/4-mile race was second in 11 with Hippolytus. "When you travel around Canada and tell people youre a horse trainer, they want to know if youve won the Queens Plate," Casse said following the race draw Thursday. "So far, the answer is no but hopefully after Sunday Ill be able to say yes. "I would like to win the Kentucky Derby, that one is big too, but this (Plate win) would be No. 1." We Miss Artie is the 8-5 favourite despite running slower than Lexie Lou their last time out. We Miss Artie rallied to capture the 1 1/8-mile Plate Trial in 1:50.78 on June 15 at Woodbine before Lexie Lous impressive 4 1/2-length Woodbine Oaks win in 1:49.77 over the same distance moments later. Lexie Lou will carry five pounds less than the others in the 15-horse field Sunday as the lone filly. "Going a mile and a quarter, five pounds is a big difference," Casse said. "In her last race, she ran a second faster than the favourite and that means something. "I think theres a good shot there will be a female winner this year." Lexie Lou will attempt to become the 35th filly to win the Plate but just the seventh since 56. And only five Oaks winners have also claimed Canadas most prestigious race, the last being Inglorious in 2011. We Miss Artie drew the No. 6 post while Lexie Lou will break from the No. 14 position. Matador starts from the No. 10 post while Majestic Sunset, Casses third horse and the second-place finisher in the Plate Trial, goes from the No. 7 post. "I think this is the strongest hand weve ever brought to the table," Casse said. "With any race you can have the best horses but you still need to have some luck. "Were ready. Sooner or later well get this thing." The field, with post position, horse, jockey and odds, includes: 1) Cap in Hand, Steven Bahen, 50-1; 2) Coltimus Prime, Jesse Campbell 20-1; 3) Athenian Guard, Omar Moreno, 50-1; 4) Asserting Bear, Chantal-Sutherland Kruse, 10-1; 5) Man o Bear, Emma-Jayne Wilson, 30-1; 6) We Miss Artie, Javier Castellano, 8-5; 7) Majestic Sunset, Gary Boulanger, 15-1; 8) Lions Bay, David Moran, 30-1; 9) Heart to Heart Eurico Rosa de Silva, 30-1; 10) Matador, Julien Leparoux, 8-1; 11) One Destiny, Justin Stein, 30-1; 12) Tower of Texas, John Velazquez, 20-1; 13) Niigon Express, Gerry Olguin, 30-1; 14) Lexie Lou, Patrick Husbands, 4-1; 15) Amis Holiday, Luis Contreras. Favourites have won 22-of-58 renewals (37 per cent) since 56 but only two — Wando in 03 and Eye of the Leopard in 09 — have been victoriious in the last 19 editions. Mike Timlin Blue Jays Jersey. . But Casse and Lexie Lou arent the only interesting storylines in this years race. Others include: — Not only is a filly the No. 2 pick but two women will ride Sunday. Sutherland-Kruse, who came out of retirement to ride this year at Woodbine, will be aboard Asserting Bear while Man o Bear, will be ridden by Wilson, who became the only female jockey to win the Plate in 07 with Mike Fox. Also, trainer Josie Carroll chases a third Plate victory with Amis Holiday. — Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield tries for a record ninth Plate win with Tower of Texas. Attfields last Plate victory was in 08 with Not Bourbon. — For the first time ever, a father and two sons will saddle separate entries. Hall of Famer Sid Attard conditions Cap in Hand while Paul Attard sends out Niigon Express and Jamie Attard trains Lions Bay. The Plate is the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. The other races are the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes (July 29 at Fort Erie) and $500,000 Breeders Stakes turf event (Aug. 17 at Woodbine). Thereve been seven Triple Crown winners, the last being Wando in 03. Paul and Jamie Attard have a round of golf riding on Sundays race, but their father hasnt become embroiled in family bragging rights. Sid Attard has never won the Queens Plate but was second in 92 with longshot Grand Hooley, his first Plate starter. "Ive been listening, being quiet," the senior Attard said with a chuckle. "Id like to win but if I cant win I want one of them to win. "Id like to see them do good." Sutherland-Kruse rode Asserting Bear to victory in the Marine Stakes on May 25 but the horse was relegated to third for obstructing Ami Holidays late run. Sutherland-Kruse has finished in the money 69 times this season — 22 wins, 28 seconds, 19 thirds — and amassed over $1-million in purse earnings through 189 starts. The 38-year-old Winnipeg native said shed cherish a Queens Plate victory. "Ive raced all over the world, Ive seen the lArc de Triomphe, Kentucky Derby and Breeders Cup and theyre all huge races," she said. "But for me, the Queens Plate is as big. "I love Canada and am proud to be Canadian and to win it would be so gratifying." A win Sunday would further solidify Attfields status as Canadian racings most prolific trainer, having already amassed more Prince of Wales (five) and Breeders Stakes (eight) victories in the Triple Crown era than any other conditioner. But its an accomplishment that isnt keeping 74-year-old resident of Nobleton, Ont. — who has conditioned three Triple Crown champions over his illustrious career — up at night. "If it happens, it happens," he said matter of factly. "I feel blessed to have won it (Queens Plate) eight times. "Its a good-sized field, which it should be, and theres a lot of horses that it would be no surprise if they popped up and won, in my opinion. I think its going to be a tremendous race, to be honest." ' ' '