TORONTO – Rock bottom only seems to grow deeper. Odell Beckham Jr Jersey . "Its adversity at its worst right now," Cody Franson said hopelessly. Game 82 is the only obvious end in sight as the losses continue to mount in stunning fashion for the Leafs, now an unthinkable 20 in the last 25 games (5-17-3). Thursday night offered yet another disastrous decision at the Air Canada Centre – their 11th straight defeat on home-ice – a 7-1 thumping at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers. "Its snowballing," Franson continued. "No matter what we try to do to get in the way of the snowball and stop it, we get ran over with it." The Leafs can seemingly do no right, the life completely drained from a group almost resigned to its devastating fate. Spiraling all the way down to 26th in the overall standings – the lottery drawing near – with only four games to go, there is little that can brighten the dark of the past two months in Toronto. "Were just not playing well," Phil Kessel said quietly before delving deeper into his teams woes. "I dont know what our record is here in the last how many games, [but] were just not playing a good game. Were not creating chances, were not playing good defence, were not doing little things to win hockey games. I mean how many shots did we have tonight? When you play like that and they have 35-40, how do you win a game? Were just not doing anything right. Its disappointing for us. We expect better ourselves. Hopefully in the last four games we can prove that were better than this because its not what we want to be." "Its embarrassing," Franson concluded of the latest one-sided result. "It doesnt get much more embarrassing than that." Five Points 1. Perhaps most disappointing to Randy Carlyle was his teams fight in front of a rookie goaltender thrust into the starters role. 24-year-old rookie Jussi Rynnas – who has bounced between the Marlies and Reading Royals of the ECHL this season – was forced into his first NHL start when Jonas Gustavsson went down with a left knee injury in the pre-game warm-up. Rynnas was all but hung out to dry on a number of occasions, yielding seven goals. "I wouldve expected more from our group from a protection standpoint against the hockey club that we played tonight in the Flyers," Carlyle said. "I was anticipating more of a pushback from that standpoint, make sure that Jussi had an opportunity to shine." 2. Rynnas took over for Gustavsson in his first NHL game on Tuesday, left on an island several times in his first start two days later. "You never want to give up seven goals," he said after facing 30 shots. "Im not happy about that, but I just try to get good things with me and leave the rest of it behind." Nicknamed "The Bus" (six-foot-five, 205 pounds), Rynnas knew the moment Gustavsson went sprawling to the ice in warm-ups that he would be starting that night. "I was ready to play," he said. "It doesnt matter when it happens, I was ready." 3. It was a scary scene just minutes before puck-drop, Gustavsson laying face down on the ice for several moments before being helped off by teammates and trainers. The 27-year-old had taken a Clarke MacArthur wrist shot on the side of his left knee, a stinger that hit bone. "He was walking and hopefully with some treatment hell be able to practice [Friday]," Carlyle said, indicating no firm plans had a further injury happened to Rynnas. Gustavsson arrived on the bench as the back-up in the second period, but its doubtful he would have been fit to play. "I was looking at a couple of coaches that could possibly put the gear on," Carlyle said, managing a smile. 4. Much like his predecessor, the new Leaf head coach has been left scratching his head with a winding road of futility. "Theres not a lot we can say," Carlyle said of his message to the group. "Weve said everything we can say. Youre really looking to the inner self of the individuals to say Hey how can we continue to allow this to happen?" He later added, "In my history and my coaching career and playing career, it always went back to that if you can defend usually you give yourself a chance. If your specialty teams can give you a chance in the games and win that special teams game within the game usually you have a chance to win the hockey game. Those are the things that turn the game or turn the tide of the game in your favour, but we didnt give ourselves a chance with the number of turnovers we committed in the hockey game. Its unacceptable." The Leafs managed just 17 shots on Sergei Bobrosky, the fifth time in the last seven games theyve mustered 20 or fewer. Thursday also marked the 13th time in the 25-game slide that the club has allowed four or more against. 5. Its been nearly two months since the Leafs last won on home-ice (February 6 vs. Edmonton). Jeers of "Lets Go Blue Jays" thundered down from a sour ACC crowd. "Were not playing well so what do you expect?" Kessel said. "I dont remember the last time we won a game in this building." The Leafs have been outscored 43-19 during the eleven-game winless skid in Toronto. Steve Weatherford Jersey ." Hextall was promoted to general manager by the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday to replace Paul Holmgren, who was elevated to president. Jon Beason Jersey . The 11-year NBA veteran scored 18 of his 28 points in the third quarter and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Phoenix Suns 104-96 Tuesday to match their season best of five victories in a row. TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers began to overhaul their roster on Tuesday, agreeing to contracts with Pro Bowl cornerback Alterraun Verner, defensive end Michael Johnson and two other potential new starters on the first day of free agency. In addition to landing Verner, who had five interceptions for Tennessee last season and Johnson, who had 11 1/2 sacks for Cincinnati two years ago, the team announced Tuesday through its website that it also had reached deals with former Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Clinton McDonald and ex-New York Giants tight end Brandon Myers. The club planned a news conference Wednesday to introduce the additions. Meanwhile, efforts to trade cornerback Darrelle Revis continue. Tuesdays contracts are the first major moves for new coach Lovie Smith and general manager Jason Licht, who were hired in January following the firings of former coach Greg Schiano and GM Mark Dominik. The Bucs finished 4-12 in 2013. One of Smiths top priorities is improving a pass rush thats been one of the least productive in thee NFL in recent years. Quintin Demps Jersey. Adding Johnson, who received a five-year deal, and McDonald, who had 5 1/2 sacks for the Super Bowl champion Seahawks, could help. Verner, 25, has 11 career interceptions in four seasons. He agreed to a four-year contract and could wind up being a replacement for Revis, who was obtained in a pre-draft trade from the New York Jets last spring, a deal that cost the Bucs a first-round draft in 2013, as well as a fourth-rounder this year. If Revis remains on Tampa Bays roster at 4 p.m. Wednesday, he is due a $1.5 million bonus and the 2014 pick the Bucs owe the Jets becomes a third-rounder. That has led to speculation that Revis, who was recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee when he joined the Bucs and was given a six-year, $96 million contract, will be released if the team isnt able to find a suitor. Despite not being 100 per cent physically, Revis appeared in all 16 games and was selected to play in the Pro Bowl last season, when he had two interceptions, a sack and two forced fumbles. Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
