MONTREAL – The question was posed to Jonathan Bernier, perhaps the busiest netminder in the National Hockey League this season and a man who has witnessed the strength of terrific defensive hockey in Los Angeles firsthand en route to a Cup in 2012: Can his Toronto Maple Leafs, currently the top wild card in the East, threaten a deep playoff run without raising their substandard level of defensive play? "Goalies got to be good," Bernier said with an almost uncomfortable laugh. "I personally dont think so," he continued frankly. "Because some games [the goalie] wont get those bounces and [the puck is] going to go in somehow. But we know weve got it in this room. Weve just got to pay the price to play better defensively and, if we do, Im pretty sure we can be one of the top teams in this league." Its an uncomfortable truth for a team that wrung up 11 wins in 14 games before the Olympic break and has designs on making noise in the playoffs after a long-awaited return last spring. This is a hockey club that struggles badly to defend and relies most nights on terrific goaltending and an incredibly potent offence to win. Its a formula that might yield success in the regular season, and it has for the Leafs thus far, but is unlikely to gain much steam when the hockey tightens in mid-April. Head coach Randy Carlyle has been beating the drum loudly on the topic all season, but doesnt have much to show for it. His group remains a work in progress. "Weve been trying and stressing that defensive hockey is whats going to give your team the best chance to qualify for the playoffs," said Carlyle after an instructive practice in Brossard, Quebec. "[But] were in the qualification mode. Were not in the playoff mode [yet]." Only five teams have been worse than the Leafs defensively this season and only one of those teams, the Ottawa Senators, has any hope of qualifying for the playoffs. Toronto has allowed a bloated three goals per game despite boasting some of the finest goaltending in the league with the 25-year-old Bernier. No team, in fact, puts more pressure on their goaltender to be great than do the Leafs. Only Mike Smith in Phoenix has faced more shots than Bernier thus far and hes started 10 more games than the native of Laval. "I think weve seen it," said Bernier of sturdy defensive play. "I think everyones seen it, but I dont think weve seen it consistently enough." Hurting the effort is a bad penalty kill, one thats allowed the most goals (tied) in the league this season, an unstable defence which includes young and growing parts like Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner and a high-end forward group that has shown only spotty attention to defence. A pile of goals and timely goaltending have been required most nights to win. That was true during an 11-2-1 run before the 18-day Olympic stoppage. Running, then, behind the all-world efforts of Phil Kessel, who has been the hottest player on the planet in 2014, the club scored 51 goals – 3.64 per game – but also allowed 41 on the other end. Theyve won despite being outshot in 36 of 48 games – they have a record of 21-10-5 in those games – and despite the fact that theyve allowed a league-high of more than 36 shots per game. Cody Franson, second on the back-end in minutes, believes the instability is tied to confusion in the defensive end, too much thinking rather quick instinctual reaction. "I think were still a little indecisive on things sometimes," he said. "We try and play a quite aggressive style of defence and sometimes when you think too much you end up being a half second slow compared to where you should be. That comfort level just isnt quite there with us yet. I think we still think about things too much." They allowed five in their most recent affair against the Islanders on Thursday night, an overtime loss to a struggling club that was without its best player and leading scorer, John Tavares, and their third leading point-getter in Frans Nielsen. Two of the goals came by way of short circuiting on the power-play with Michael Grabner scoring twice shorthanded in a span of 48 seconds on the same power-play. Another found the back of the net via the aforementioned penalty kill with two more coming on defensive breakdowns, including the overtime winner. "Gifts," said Carlyle after the 5-4 defeat. "Ive got no other word to describe the goals that we gave up." A drastic reversal at this late stage in the year seems unlikely, though Carlyle and the coaching staff continue to push and prod. They did so with any available ice during the Olympic break and continued at practice Friday, narrowing their sights on a tighter neutral zone and improved forecheck – efforts aimed at spending less time in the defensive zone. But with just 21 games to play, including a division clash with the Canadiens on Saturday, its probably safe to say that this is what these Maple Leafs are. The question now is whether they can, as currently constructed, make a little noise in the postseason (assuming they get in) or whether their defensive liabilities will prove too onerous to overcome. Last spring, they nearly toppled a Bruins giant, but required some lightning in a bottle and forgotten brilliance from James Reimer in Games 5 and 6. History points emphatically in the direction of those that can defend. In fact, the last three Stanley Cup winners finished the regular season as either the best or second-best team defensively. And though the Leafs are not yet in the Cup conversation, that remains the goal somewhere down the road. Dave Nonis and the Toronto management team have to be mindful of that fact as it relates to the larger construction of the roster, both now with the Mar. 5 trade deadline looming and over the longer term with the core thats being put into place. Are these the foundations of a club that can eventually win the ultimate prize? "You always see it every year, strong defensive teams win," said Jay McClement. "I think we have the make-up for it. But not without being strong defensively. Obviously, youre not going to win a lot of games 5-4 in the playoffs. We have the goaltending for it and have had it all year. Weve just got to cut down on these mistakes and well be fine. "Were not changing the way we do it, weve just got to do it better." Nick Buoniconti Jersey .com) - The Los Angeles Dodgers made it official Tuesday and signed pitcher Brandon McCarthy to a four-year contract. John Henry Johnson Jersey . Seth Smith hit a towering drive for a tying homer leading off the eighth and Chris Denorfia singled home two runs to give the Padres a 3-1 victory against the rival Dodgers in baseballs North American opener Sunday night. http://www.custompatriotsjersey.com/custom-richard-dent-jersey-large-1501f.html . After Mondays comments by Coach Claude Noel that its work first and skill second, and that more “A” games are needed, the Jets responded with a 47-shot effort. If not for terrific goaltending by Braden Holtby the Jets would have had two points in regulation. Troy Brown Jersey . Dwyane Wade took over in the fourth quarter. Kevin Faulk Jersey . Striker Dario Mandzukic scored the opener in the 22nd minute but was given a red card nine minutes later for a reckless tackle and left Croatia with 10 men for the remainder of the match.WINNIPEG -- New Winnipeg Jets coach Paul Maurice had a message for the team after they swarmed the Phoenix Coyotes on Monday night. "I went in and talked a little bit about what I saw, congratulated them on facing some tough adversity and winning, thanked them, and then proceeded to cancel the day off that they had tomorrow," he said after the Jets 5-1 victory that snapped a five-game losing streak. "It was good enough tonight but we cant rely on that being good enough in our next game. Weve just got to get better." It was his first night behind the bench after taking over from Claude Noel, who was fired as the Jets struggled lately to beat even teams below them in the standings. The Coyotes (21-15-9) dont fit into that category although they too have struggled recently after a strong start. They opened the season at 14-4-4, have gone 7-11-6 since and Monday was their third loss in a row. "It cant get much lower and we have to get better," said captain Shane Doan. "It seems that we find new ways (to lose) every time. We havent really had an issue with discipline so far this year with penalties and this time we did. You cant create much offence when youre shorthanded." Phoenix handed the Jets eight power plays, although with one of the worst records in the NHL with the man advantage Winnipeg only managed to capitalize on one of them. Fans who have been booing the lacklustre play of the home team lately were on their feet cheering and clapping for much of the game. They didnt even wait until the game started to show how they felt about the coaching change. Maurice got his first cheer during the national anthem when his face showed on the scoreboard. "Its a whole lot nicer being on the home bench when you win Im sure, but it was a very special moment for me in my career and Ill cherish it," said the coach. Olli Jokinen, Eric ODell, Blake Wheeler, Michael Frolik and Devin Setoguchi scored for the Jets (20-23-5), who outshot the Coyotes 38-19. Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored for Phoenix but it was the only shot Ondrej Pavelec would let in and he won praise for his play from his new coach.dddddddddddd "I felt safe with him," said Maurice. Ekman-Larsson scored on the power play at 12:16 but the Coyotes didnt have much time to celebrate. "They did the one thing that we had talked about," said Maurice. "That when adversity came to the door, that next goal was huge." Jokinen batted a behind-the-net pass from Dustin Byfuglien past Mike Smith at 12:52 to tie it up and then ODell scored his second of the season as he dashed in to snap in another at 18:00. Thanks to four power-play opportunities the Jets outshot Phoenix 12-7 in the first period but both their goals were even strength. Winnipegs power play is ranked 25th in the NHL. The Jets kept up the pressure in the second until Wheeler backhanded Mark Scheifeles rebound past Smith to make it 3-1. At the halfway mark of the period the Jets had outshot Phoenix 9-1. They finished the game ahead 38-19. Frolik made it 4-1 at 4:18 of the third when his angled shot beat Smiths glove. Winnipegs power play continued to be toothless until midway through the third when Setoguchi dropped to one knee as he slammed one past Smith and Byfuglien picked up his second assist of the night. "To a man we did a good job of being ready tonight and playing the right way," said captain Andrew Ladd. "I thought we did a good job of getting a lot of pucks to the net and keeping it simple." Setoguchi, who broke a goal-scoring drought that stretched back to Dec. 2, couldnt say whether the coaching change made the difference. "I think everyones work ethic was there and thats what gave us a chance to win the game," he said. Notes: This was only the third time the new Jets have played the old Jets since the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg, but with realignment they face each other twice more this season as part of the Western Conference. ' ' 'aul Anderson accused referee Joe Cobb of succummbing to pressure.ddddddddddddAnderson claimed Cobb changed the way he refereed the game after being approached by Wigans acting captain John Bateman at half-time about the ruck speed.Thursdays defeat was Huddersfields 10th loss in 12 Super League games this season. They remain bottom of the table and face Leeds Rhinos at the John Smiths Stadium next Friday, live on Sky Sports. Also See: Anderson furious with referee Wigan edge out Huddersfield Rugby League on Sky Follow @SkySportsRL ' ' '