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TORONTO -- Randy Carlyle called Nazem Kadris performance Thursday night the best hes seen in a long time. Kadri had three assists extending his point streak to four games as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Florida Panthers 6-3. Nikolai Kulemin one-timed a Kadri feed at the four-minute mark of the third period for the game-winner. The assist was Kadris 100th career N.H.L. point. "Its a great achievement for myself, but hopefully theres a lot more to come," said Kadri, who has two goals and five assists on his current point steak. "You got to think to yourself when the points are coming easy, its just not all about that, you got to make sure youre good in your D zone, bearing down on face-offs and just allow the coaching staff to put you on the ice in those crucial situations." With the Leafs trailing 2-0 in the first, Kadri set up Cody Franson at 16:49 to get Torontos comeback rolling. Then with the Leafs leading 4-2 in the third, the 23-year-old London, Ont. native set up Joffrey Lupul at 6:22, on a power play, for the insurance marker. "Nazy was a difference maker tonight," said Carlyle. "Thats probably the best game hes played in a long time and at both ends of the rink obviously with the points and distributing the puck, that was making some big league plays." Toronto (29-21-6) also got goals from Mason Raymond, James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak as they extended their win streak on home ice to five games. Florida (21-26-7) got first period goals from Nick Bjugstad and Sean Bergenheim. Dmitry Kulikov had the other Panthers goal. "When a team comes out after theyve lost the period, theyre probably getting some bad words from the coach," said Kulikov. "We knew they were going to come out strong in the second period and we didnt handle it." Scott Clemmensen made 26 saves for his fifth loss of the season. Jonathan Bernier made 35 saves in the win. Toronto won five in a row on home ice from Oct. 22 to Nov. 19. The Leafs have just two regulation losses in their past 11 games. Florida scored twice on their first seven shots to open a 2-0 lead in the first period. Bjugstad opened the scoring 1:39 into the first, beating Bernier with a backhand blocker side for his 12th goal of the season. Bergenheim finished off a 2-on-1 feed from Brad Boyes at 13:50 to give the Panthers a two-goal lead. The assist was the 250th of Boyes career. "We were kind of stunned," said Carlyle. "The first shot on goal was in our net. It set us back a little bit and we werent really moving our feet. We seemed to find a way to get it going." It was all Toronto after that as the Leafs scored five unanswered goals. After Franson cut Floridas lead in the first, the Leafs scored twice in the first minute of the second period to take a 3-2 lead. Raymond scored off the rush, with a wrist shot, glove-side on Clemmensen 27 seconds into the period for his 14th of the season. Van Riemsdyk tipped a Phil Kessel shot past Clemmensen at 57 seconds of the second period, on a power play. With the goal, van Riemsdyk surpassed his previous single-season goals total of 21 set during the 2010-11 season while he was a member of the Philadelphia Flyers. Bozak finished off a 2-on-1 feed from Kessel at 18:37 of the third. "A few weeks ago, it felt like the sky was falling in Toronto," said Kadri of the four-game losing streak. "We understood that it was nothing to panic about, we just rallied around each other. " Added Franson: "Were moving in the right direction and I dont know if you can call it a swagger, but our play is getting better and at the end of the day thats all youre looking to do is progressively progress." Toronto concludes its three-game home stand Saturday against the Ottawa Senators. Notes: Leafs coach Randy Carlyle expects David Clarkson (elbow) to return during the teams two-game road trip in Florida. a Toronto forward David Bolland (ankle) is 50-50 to return to the lineup prior to the Olympic break according to Carlyle. a Florida forward Shawn Matthias (illness) returned to the lineup Thursday. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Jersey . Starters, when they struggle, have to live with it for five days. For Sergio Santos and Steve Delabar, two of the three men who authored one of the ugliest pitched innings in Blue Jays franchise history on Thursday night, the bounce-back chance came right away. Jonathan Davis Blue Jays Jersey . Messis 75th-minute goal answered some of the criticism the clubs all-time leading scorer had received for his lacklustre performances in the teams recent losses in the league, Champions League and Copa del Rey final. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/2066h-hector-perez-jersey-blue-jays.html . During halftime, Love told The Associated Press he would receive treatment Saturday night and hoped to play Monday night against Houston. "I knew that my quad was bothering me pretty bad so I went out there and tried to move around a little bit and it just wasnt quite right," Love said. Tim Johnson Jersey . Hawkins severely sprained his left ankle while making a diving catch during training camp and went on injured reserve with a designation he could return midway through the season. He was back at practice Wednesday. Juan Guzman Blue Jays Jersey . As Valanciunas was whistled for a rare technical toward the end of the third quarter - a result of waving his hand at an official after being called for a foul - Lowry pulled the Raptors sophomore aside, corralling him by his jersey and patting him on the back. SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco 49ers know Aldon Smith still has plenty of work to do in order to repair his tarnished image and stay on track away from the football field. They want to be an integral part of his self-improvement project, exercising their 2015 fifth-year contract option for the star linebacker on Friday. The team made the decision despite Smiths long list of legal trouble that included an arrest at Los Angeles International Airport just more than two weeks ago. San Francisco faced a Saturday deadline to decide on Smiths immediate future, and general manager Trent Baalke suggested last week the team would keep the fearsome pass-rusher around for the near future at least -- for 2015, "and 16, and 17 and 18." The 49ers will provide Smith with the support he needs to deal with his rash of off-the-field issues. Yet Baalke has made it clear there must be positive change, and soon. San Francisco realizes Smith still could face a suspension from the NFL for his DUI last September, and is expected to look for depth at linebacker during next weeks NFL draft. "Well, that remains to be seen. You prepare for the worst and hope for the best," Baalke said of a potential suspension for Smith. "There are still a lot of things that are going to factor into that decision at the league level and the club level. Were working very diligently in the background trying to make sure the right decisions are made long term, not only for Aldon but for this club." In his latest run-in with the law, Smith was arrested April 13 at Los Angeles International Airport. Police say the 24-year-old NFL star was randomly selected for a secondary screening and became unco-operative with the process, telling a TSA agent that he had a bomb. The district attorney has referred the case for misdemeanour consideration. That followed Smiths five-game absence last season to undergo treatment for substance abuse after a September DUI arrest. In November, he pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of illegal possession of an assault weapon, stemming from a June 2012 party at his home. Investigators say several shots were firred, two partygoers were injured and Smith was stabbed.dddddddddddd In the subsequent investigation, prosecutors say detectives found five unregistered, illegal weapons in Smiths house, including two Bushmaster rifles and an Armalite AR-10T. Yet, what Smith brings on the field makes him one of the NFLs best at chasing down and pressuring quarterbacks. Smith emerged as one of the leagues most-feared pass rushers in 2012. He had a franchise-record 19 1/2 sacks that year, but failed to record a sack in his final six games including the teams post-season Super Bowl run. Smith finished with 8 1/2 sacks and 34 tackles in 11 games last season, making eight starts. His 42 sacks are second-most in the NFL since he entered the league. He and former teammate Delanie Walker were named in a lawsuit last September filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court by a Northern California man who said he was shot at a party at Smiths house on June 29, 2012. The players charged a $10 admission and $5 per drink, the lawsuit said. Smith and now-Tennessee Titans tight end Walker were allegedly intoxicated on Smiths balcony when they fired gunshots in the air while trying to end the party, the lawsuit said. Smith, selected seventh overall in the 2011 draft out of Missouri, had previously been arrested on suspicion of DUI in January 2012 in Miami shortly after the 49ers lost in the NFC championship game. Baalke and the rest of the 49ers hope Smith will learn a lesson at last, and become a better person because of it. Smith said during a January interview with The Associated Press he was encouraged by his strides and confident he had made positive changes in his life. "Im a firm believer in the humanistic approach to everything. You continue to work just like you would with any family member," Baalke said. "Were a family. You dont just open the door and toss people out of it. You continue to work until they leave you no choice. Thats what were going to do. Were going to continue to work with him, were going continue to find ways to support, not defend, we cannot defend the actions of others, all we can do is support." ' ' '
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