TORONTO -- James Reimer thinks about a lot of things. Light Blue Al Woods Limited Jersey Womens . The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender had a premonition and told his wife hed play in Thursday nights game against the Boston Bruins. And he did, replacing the injured Jonathan Bernier. Before that, Reimer considered the possibility that he had played his final game with the Leafs after being in goal for five straight losses before Berniers return from a groin problem. Now that Bernier is lost for the rest of the regular season -- a minimum of three weeks -- with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, Reimer doesnt have to think about riding out the rest of his time in Toronto on the bench. His new challenge is trying to rebound from one of the worst stretches in his career lead the Leafs to the playoffs. "Ive had a lot of success in the past and had to carry the load in different scenarios, and Ive been successful in that," Reimer said Friday. "Youre a competitor and you love the challenges, especially maybe sometimes when the odds are against you. You just go out there and play your heart out and kind of hope that its going to be enough." Even with his best efforts, it might not be enough. With four games left, Reimer and the Leafs have 84 points, one back of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who lost to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night. Columbus has one extra game left, meaning Toronto likely has to win out and hope to get some help, too. The first task at hand comes Saturday night at Air Canada Centre against the Winnipeg Jets. Thats all Reimer, a native of Morweena, Man., is worried about. "The main thing is its not four games in a row," Reimer said. "As a goalie, you cant see it like that. You cant even win 60 minutes. Its about the first five minutes, the first minute, the first shot." Reimer did give up a goal on the first shot he faced Jan. 20 against Tampa Bay, and one within the games first six minutes twice more during a run of five straight regulation losses. The 26-year-old, who allowed 18 goals on 139 shots in that time, was made a scapegoat for the Leafs struggles. That did not sit well with centre Nazem Kadri. "It seems like when the team does not do well, hes the first guy that everyone hops all over, which really that shouldnt be the case," Kadri said Thursday night. "At that point when we were losing, the team in front of him just couldnt bring it together and just couldnt figure things out, and obviously the goalies left out there to dry by himself. We felt bad, and now its about time we have his back and step up to the plate." Itll take more than just Reimer to roll off four more wins, against the Jets in the home finale and then at the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators. But hes undoubtedly at the forefront now and said hell try to do his part. Reimer pointed to Thursday nights 4-3 overtime victory against the Eastern Conference-leading Bruins as evidence of his belief in why the Leafs can do the improbable and make the playoffs. "Maybe sometimes its not the prettiest, but we find ways to win," he said. "We pull together and we lean on each other and thats what it takes. With four games to go, no ones going to ask how we get points, just as long as we get them. I believe fully in this team that weve got what it takes." If Reimer can recapture past form that made him the Leafs starter -- and a good one at that -- hed have a chance to redeem himself and his team for last months losing. Hed also likely make a good case to another NHL team that hes capable of being a No. 1 goaltender somewhere. Saturday, against a Winnipeg team that has had its share of troubles in goal, could be the start of that audition. Reimer cant help but think about the future and what it holds for his career, but thats not at the forefront of his mind. "Honestly right now theres lots of thoughts swirling in your head about a lot of things," he said. "But now its just time to stop the puck. It doesnt really matter what transpires after the season or all that white noise, per se. All Im trying to do is just play my best and get those two points tomorrow and then go on to Florida. I try not to think about all this other stuff." From a team perspective, Berniers injury -- which happened in the third period when defenceman Paul Ranger pushed Bruins centre Patrice Bergeron into the goalie -- just adds to the adversity. "All the time in the NHL youre always provided with challenges through the course of the season, and this is just another one," coach Randy Carlyle said. "Our group has to continue to play to a higher level than we did in the last one. Thats what were going to ask of ourselves." In the process, the Leafs are asking Reimer to be stable and dependable. Beyond that, he doesnt want to put excess pressure on himself with the season on the line. "Obviously its a big game and some people might say its a must-win game and stuff, but when you start putting too much pressure on yourself, you cant perform," Reimer said. "Its a big game and we know whats at stake, but you cant really think about that. Youre just thinking about your own game and what you need to do to be successful." NOTES -- Joffrey Lupul is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, according to Carlyle, who said Thursday night the winger was doubtful to play against Winnipeg. ... Forwards Phil Kessel, James van Riemsdyk and Dave Bolland did not practise Friday because they were given so-called "maintenance" days off. Lights Out Black Zach Brown Tennessee Titans Jerse . Liverpool is at the top at Christmas for the first time since 2008 after scoring 42 goals. Only Manchester City has been more lethal in front of goal, with the team — a point behind Liverpool and Arsenal in third — scoring 51 goals in 17 games. Mens Eddie George Light Blue Jersey . -- Tyreke Evans is still making the adjustment from point guard to small forward for the Sacramento Kings.When last seasons NBA Finals ended, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich was all smiles. For a few minutes, that is. Popovichs first order of business after the seasons final buzzer sounded in Miami was to go and embrace Erik Spoelstra, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, giving everyone hearty hugs and offering genuine words of congratulations after the Heat topped his Spurs in Game 7 of one of the most dramatic, thrilling championship series in league history. The pain of losing started setting in later, and lasted for months. But now, the dream scenario for San Antonio has arrived. Starting Thursday, the Spurs get a rematch in the NBA Finals against the only team to ever beat them in a championship series. San Antonio will be holding home-court advantage, so if another Game 7 awaits, the Spurs will have the decided edge this time around. If that wasnt enough, the Spurs even got basically five full days between games to get healthy and prepare. It is, without question, everything the Spurs could have wanted. "We know what were going against," said Spurs guard Tony Parker, who added that he has great respect for what the Heat have done in this four-year run. "Its a great challenge." There are so many things that would seem like a distinct San Antonio advantage right now. First, while everyones better at home, the Spurs dominate in San Antonio, winning 103 times in their last 123 games there. Over the past four seasons, the Spurs are also 25-5 when having three or more days between games. Maybe most importantly, having nearly a week between the end of the Western Conference finals and the start of the NBA Finals gives Parker plenty of time to get his ailing left ankle ready to go for Game 1. "Ill do my best," said Parker, who didnt practice Tuesday but is hoping to play in the series opener, as the Heat expect he will. This is San Antonios sixth trip to the NBA Finals. The Spurs won it all in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007, the last title in that run coming when San Antonio swept a Cleveland team that featured a young LeBron James making his debut on the leagues biggest stage. James is no finals apprentice anymore. Hes been to the title round three times since, winning the last ttwo. Mens Ropati Pitoitua Tennessee Titans NFL Jersey. And James is quick to point out that the Spurs arent the only team fueled by hunger in this championship round. "Both teams have motivating factors," James said. "They have a motivating factor. We have our own." Losing the finals is one thing. Losing the way the Spurs did last June, thats something else. Forget Game 7 for a moment. Game 6 will be replayed for as long as there are replays, unforgettable for both how the Heat rallied and how the Spurs collapsed. A 10-point lead going into the fourth quarter was erased, in part because Mike Miller scored three points on one shot while wearing one shoe. And a five-point lead with 28.2 seconds left, well, you know the rest. Manu Ginobili misses a free throw. James makes a 3-pointer. Kawhi Leonard makes one of two free throws. James misses a 3-pointer. Chris Bosh out jumps Ginobili for the rebound. Ray Allen started backpedaling to the right corner, hoping for a chance. ABCs Mike Breen described what happened next like this: "Rebound Bosh ... back out to Allen ... his 3-pointer ... BANG!!! Tie game!" The Heat went on to win in overtime that night, then found a way to win Game 7 and the title, 95-88. When this season began, Popovich started camp by showing his team Games 6 and 7, painful as it was. "I try to learn something every game I watch," Popovich said. "Thats what we do." And while there were plenty of teams that looked like contenders this season, neither club was surprised that the end result is the first NBA Finals rematch since 1998. "We got wined and dined with some of the other teams that kind of popped up and showed greatness throughout the year," Allen said. "The Clippers looked great. OKC, they had their issues and then they popped up. Memphis looked good at the end of the year. Indiana was always hovering. But if you go back to the beginning of the year, most people said the same thing. Pop knew how to manage his team to get to this point. Same thing with us." In other words, maybe Spurs-Heat II was meant to be. "It was," Allen said. ___ Associated Press Writer Raul Dominguez in San Antonio contributed to this story wholesale jerseyscheap jerseys ' ' '
