become a stiffer defender, stating his intent to work on thin

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Matt Read, Michael Raffl and Claude Giroux scored in a span of 2:45 early in the third period to erase a one-goal deficit and lead the Philadelphia Flyers past San Jose 5-2 on Monday night for their first win over the Sharks since 2000. Mark Streit and Jacob Voracek also scored and Steve Mason made 20 saves for the Flyers, who had 11 losses and two ties in the series since beating the Sharks on Dec. 21, 2000. Sharks rookie Matt Nieto scored twice in the first period for his first career multigoal game, but that lead was erased in a flash early in the third period when Antti Niemi was sent to the bench as San Jose lost for the fourth time in five games. The Sharks have just four goals in those five games but were in position to get the win before the Flyers took advantage of shaky goaltending by Niemi and lacklustre overall play from San Jose to set a franchise record with their 10th win this season when trailing in the third period. Read started the onslaught when his shot on the rush deflected off defenceman Matt Irwins stick to tie the game 1:11 into the third. The Flyers took the lead just 1:18 later when Niemi gave up a big rebound on Erik Gustafssons point shot that went right to Raffl in the slot. A neutral-ice turnover by Irwin led to Girouxs 18th goal on a shot that deflected off Niemis glove, stunning the home crowd 1:27 after Philadelphia took the lead. Giroux also set up Voraceks late goal that sealed the win, finishing the game with a goal and two assists. The Flyers had controlled play since the first period but were unable to get the equalizer until early in the third. Niemi made a nice save early in the second against Wayne Simmonds, and Scott Hartnell and Gustafsson each missed the net on good chances later in the period. The Sharks almost extended their lead on a late power play but Mason robbed Brent Burns with a glove save to keep San Joses lead at 2-1 heading into the third. The teams traded power-play goals early in the first period, with Streit scoring on a point shot through a screen by Simmonds after Nieto was called for hooking in the offensive zone. Nieto more than made up for his transgression the rest of the period. With Nicklas Grossmann in the box for hooking, Irwin shot the puck into the corner from his own blue line. Tommy Wingels raced to the puck to negate an icing call and sent a perfect feed to Nieto in front of the net for the deflection on his first career power-play goal. Nieto was the recipient of another nice pass later in the period, when Burns set him up with a blind, backhand pass from the corner that led to his second goal. That gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead that lasted until the third. NOTES: Flyers D Kimmo Timonen was scratched for the second straight game with a foot injury. ... The Sharks snapped an 0-for-16 slump on the power play with Nietos first goal. C. J. Cron Jersey . Sixteen teams have moved on. Sixteen teams have gone home. Blake Parker Twins Jersey . According to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, the New York Rangers winger skated with extras and goalies today. http://www.twinssale.com/twins-mitch-garver-jersey/ . The German has taken the pole for three straight races -- winning the first two. Hes aiming for a third consecutive win at the Yeongam circuit and, most importantly, a fourth consecutive F1 championship. Justin Morneau Twins Jersey . Although taking two of three from the Baltimore Orioles wasnt nearly as uplifting as winning the World Series, it still felt pretty darn good. Felix Doubront and four relievers combined kept Baltimores potent lineup in check, and David Ortiz had three of Bostons 12 hits off Wei-Yin Chen in a 4-3 victory Thursday night. Custom Minnesota Twins Jerseys .The Canadian teenage golf sensation announced Thursday shell join the LPGA Tour in 2015 instead of attending the University of Florida.TORONTO – On draft day in the summer of 2012, the Maple Leafs parted with a defenceman they once viewed as an anchor of the future, a top-five overall selection they traded up to land in the first round of the 2008 draft. Luke Schenn was picked 12 spots ahead of Jake Gardiner. Looming this summer for Dave Nonis and Toronto management is a decision similar to the one faced when it came to Schenn - deciding when to cut bait with a high-upside, but potentially flawed prospect. Then-Leafs general manager Brian Burke made the choice at just the right time with Schenn, who is back in town on Saturday, sending him to Philadelphia for James van Riemsdyk, the one-time second-overall selection who had yet to blossom as a Flyer. Gardiner has stalled in his third NHL season, only sparingly resembling the emphatic, change-of-pace defender he was in the playoffs last spring and before that, as a rookie, under then-head coach Ron Wilson. Like Schenn, the 23-year-old was viewed very recently as a concrete piece of the Leafs future, a status that has muddied with each game gone by, his performance wavering uncertainly in each of the past two seasons. Gardiner, whose name has been floated in trade rumours constantly, is a restricted free agent this summer and its at that point that a choice will definitively be made on his future with the Leafs. Though he still leads the team in even-strength ice-time this season, he has seen his opportunities consistently plummet; from a season-high of nearly 24 minutes nightly in December down to less than 21 in January to fewer than 19 in February and now to a season-low of about 17 in early March. Theres upside there – his elite skating ability most prominent – and the Leafs know it, but in some doubt now is whether that upside can be unlocked or whether the former Wisconsin star is too flawed in other areas to make him worth hanging onto, especially with younger defenders like Morgan Rielly, Stuart Percy and Matt Finn already in the prospect chain. Unlike Nazem Kadri, who tested the organizations patience, but eventually offered sustained stretches of development, Gardiners play has been mostly erratic since his rookie debut. There was a six-game spell in the playoffs against Boston with other hints proving infrequent. Its well established that defencemen typically take longer to mature than forwards – Drew Doughty and Erik Karlsson among the notable exceptions – all of which complicates the decision-making process when it comes to Gardiner. His inconsistent play in the past two seasons may be just be part of the development curve. Once a defenceman himself, head coach Randy Carlyle joked that it took "too long" for him to finally mature into a well-rounded NHL defender, offering insight into why the process lingers at the position.dddddddddddd "I think because you handle the puck more," said Carlyle, who won a Norris Trophy in his fifth season. "Theres more pressure on a defenceman in the game to handle the puck and make the right decision with the puck and youre constantly under pressure from the opposition trying to strip you of the puck, body-check, all of those things…" Tim Gleason, a 31-year-old and member of the 2010 U.S. Olympic team in Vancouver, said it was only a few years ago that he found his bearings at the NHL level. His response as to why it took as long as it did mirrored Carlyle. "The more you do it the more used to it you get and it slows down a tiny bit," he told the Leaf Report. "Its different than being a forward; you have pressure on you instead of giving pressure. As a forward, youre taught to pressure the puck as quick as you can, as fast as you can. As a defenceman, your job is to protect the puck, get the puck out being under pressure. I think thats a big deal." Gardiner has struggled in that regard. His decision-making with the puck and, even without it, has been flawed. Hes made wholehearted attempts to make "smarter plays with the puck," "not making so many turnovers and or, at least, not in bad areas," but its remained an ongoing issue anyway. At Carlyles prodding, hs also tried to become a stiffer defender, stating his intent to work on things such as "having one hand on my stick, body position, finishing checks." Hes watched a lot of video, too, even pulling his performance from that memorable series against the Bruins at one point earlier this year. Its tantalizing performances like that – when he had five points in six games – that surely give Nonis and his team pause when it comes to moving on from Gardiner. Schenn was dealt only nine months after he signed a rich, five-year deal with the Leafs. It was determined that his shortcomings – foot speed specifically – would ultimately keep him from reaching the promise that saw the club move up two spots to select him in the 08 draft. With his value still at a point where it could seemingly fetch some sort of return, Gardiners shortcomings could force another such decision in the months ahead. The Toronto defence has been a source of instability all year and will certainly require an upgrade or two in the offseason. Whether Gardiner and Cody Franson, a fellow restricted free agent, fit into that mix remains to be seen. Four members of the Leaf back-end are signed beyond this season – Gleason, Rielly, Dion Phaneuf and Carl Gunnarsson – all seemingly on more solid ground within the organization than either Gardiner or Franson. Theres upside there with the Minnesota native. In question is whether the Leafs will keep waiting for it. ' ' '