Navarro sports the striped, red and blue home jersey. Currently, with Messi c

LOS ANGELES – Anze Kopitar looked skyward, unable to comprehend how exactly he had been robbed by the Toronto goaltender. Only it wasnt the extended right pad of his old teammate Jonathan Bernier early in the final frame, it was James Reimer, who stole a night that was supposed to belong to the former King. “Amazing,” said Nazem Kadri of the performance. Replacing an injured Bernier for the final two periods Thursday night, Reimer helped halt the Kings eight-game win streak with 31 saves, steering the Leafs to their second victory in the California triangle and perhaps biggest all season. He was brilliant from start (a late one in this case) to finish. The 25-year-old stopped every shot he faced in 40 busy minutes, including one other rewind-and-replay save on Kopitar in a hectic 17-save second frame. Reimer very nearly had to leave the game himself with an injury (more on that in Five Points), but remained in there to guide the Leafs to their 15th win in the past 22 games (15-4-3) and his first personally in nearly two months. His memorable right-pad stop on Kopitars doorstep attempt in that final frame came on a Kings power-play, the save setting the stage for Mason Raymonds eventual game-winner just seven seconds later. “That was probably the TSN Turning Point where he made that huge save and then we went down on the two-on-one and next thing you know were up a goal and we were able to hang on for the rest of the game,” Kadri said. Formerly the Leafs No. 1 in goal, Reimer has endured a trying season, relegated to the undesired backup position for the better part of the 2014 calendar. He was playing in just his third game since late January, making just six starts in the new year. It was two nights earlier on the second stop through California that he and his teammates were shelled by the Sharks, thumped 6-2 at the SAP Center in San Jose. But here on this night against the Kings, who were gunning to match a franchise record with nine straight wins, they found the means to elude the leagues hottest team on the shoulders of an unlikely candidate. Doubted and dissected constantly throughout his relatively brief NHL career, Reimer had not won a game since Jan. 21. His future with the organization, in light of Berniers ascendance, remains an open question certain to be settled in the summer. “I just came in and did my job,” he said. “Every time you get in there its an opportunity, whether its a full game or half a game or 10 minutes or whatnot. … It was just `Go in there and take care of business – dont think about the future or the past or anything like that. You kind of get those thoughts out of your head because they dont help you very much. So I was just trying to focus on what I had to do technically and mentally to stay sharp.” Coming off a terrific 43-save showing in Anaheim on Monday, Bernier was forced to exit his long-awaited return to the Staples Center after just 20 minutes, pulling himself because of a lower-body injury. It was a disappointing return to say the least. “He was a little sore before the game,” said head coach Randy Carlyle of Bernier, who did not speak to reporters afterward. “And we just said if you cant go let us know and after the first period he felt he wasnt going to be able to give us what we needed and we made a decision that wed go with Reimer.” Randy Carlyle said Bernier had been sore before the game. Bernier told them after the first that he wasnt able to continue. Carlyle was unsure of the extent of the injury (lower-body) and couldnt say whether the team would recall Drew MacIntyre from the Marlies for an upcoming game in Washington. Carlyle also defended the decision to keep Reimer in the net after getting his bell rung in a collision with Jarret Stoll, arguing that Stoll had actually hit the shoulder area. The value of owning two quality goaltenders was never more apparent. Five Points 1. Concerning Collision Two nights after James van Riemsdyk remained down on the ice for a moment or two after a thunderous collision with Dion Phaneuf, Reimer experienced a scary collision himself. Racing to corral a loose puck, he was run over by Jarret Stoll, the left leg of the Kings centre catching him square in the head. “It probably wasnt a very good choice,” said Reimer, “but I went for it, tried to shoot it away and he kind of dove for it and I think his knee or his skate or something just hit me in the head and just kind of rang my bell, thats all.” Reimer remained down on the ice for a few moments after the collision before consulting with the teams medical staff in the TV timeout. He opted to remain in the game without undergoing concussion tests. It was a questionable decision considering his injury history which includes a relatively recent battle with concussion and neck concerns – concerns which date back to an incident with Montreal captain Brian Gionta. “Well I dont think he really actually got kicked in the head,” said Carlyle defiantly. “If you really look at the replay, he didnt really strike him in the head. He hit him more in the shoulder area ... And he said he was fine.” “Obviously there [were] thoughts of coming off,” Reimer said, “but I didnt feel that it really warranted that. Obviously you have a little bit of a headache and stuff like that when you get hit in the head like that, but I felt that I was capable to keep going so I stayed in.” 2. Backup to the Backup There was definite chatter on the Toronto bench about what might happen in the event that Reimer could not continue with Bernier already sidelined for the night. “I was sitting beside Bernie and as soon as that happened I told him to take off his pads I might have to throw ‘em on,” said Kadri with a grin. “It would be somebody, but I dont know who it would be,” said Carlyle, joking that goalie coach Rick St. Croix and former goaltender and assistant coach Scott Gordon both declined. “I asked Colton Orr if he ever played goal and he said no.” Carl Gunnarsson was Reimers choice. “I think his dad was a goalie,” Reimer said. 3. Kadris Follow-up Campaign It took 64 games for Kadri to exceed his exploits of last season, registering his career-high 45th point of the year against the Kings before adding a second point later in the evening. While not nearly as explosive productivity-wise as his first full season in the NHL, Kadri has, nonetheless, had a solid follow-up campaign, on pace for more than 20 goals and 50-plus points. “I think so,” said Kadri, asked if hed taken the desired step forward in his second full season. “Especially just matching up against a lot of those top lines and going against those top centremen. Im still a young player whos trying to figure out what my boundaries as a player [are]. I think just matching me up against the best is only going to make me better.” On this night in L.A, Kadri saw a lot of two former Canadian Olympians, matched up against Mike Richards (2010) and Jeff Carter (2010/2014). He created the Leafs first goal on the power-play, finding a diving Dion Phaneuf in the slot, adding a second point – his 23rd in the past 25 games – on Gunnarssons second goal of the year. “The points are going to come,” said Kadri. “I know that. But I want to become a complete player that this team can trust, offensive zone, neutral zone, defensive zone. Thats really what Im striving towards.” 4. Kadri on the Dot Still only 23, Kadri remains a youthful work in progress, the finer points of the game an ongoing challenge. One such challenge has been the faceoff circle. Kadri is amongst the worst regulars in the league (at about 45 per cent), but feels hes slowly starting to figure it out. “Thats the same as all the young guys, Giroux, Crosby, top centremen in the league, their first couple years they were in the league they were under 50 per cent and thats right where I was hovering,” said Kadri prior to Thursdays game. “I think the last few weeks Ive definitely been able to figure out some tendencies and get a lot better in that area.” Seven-of-17 against the Kings, Kadri has won 51 per cent of his draws over the past five games. He ties the recent improvement to watching film “and just being around the league a little more, knowing what certain centremen are going to do … Just a lot of things Im working out as we go.” 5. Rangers Progression Torontos seven-defender lineup has worked in large part because of Paul Ranger, who has become the roving option for Carlyle. The 29-year-old has finally found a fit in the defensive role envisioned by the coaching staff at the beginning of the season. “Its just a will and a determination that I want to be in the lineup,” said Ranger ahead of Thursdays game. “I want to play. I want to be a part of things. Personally, for me, I want to be able to play and I want to play consistently. I want to play to the best of my ability, to continue to rise, to continue to improve my game every day. Just contribute as much as I can.” Ranger was a healthy scratch in 14 consecutive games before he was reinserted into the lineup as the seventh defender on Feb. 6. He had struggled to that point to establish himself as a viable option on the back-end. Bigger physically than his first go-around in the NHL, he is also being asked to perform with more of a defensive lean, a shift from the offensive player he was for the most part in Tampa. His game now is dependent on physicality and an aggressive “body-first mentality”. “Its an adjustment, a process,” he said. “Adjusting to the style of play here has been a challenge, but it is something that Ive accepted and taken on that challenge. Now I feel like for me its almost instinctual now, to play that way.” Dressing seven against the Kings, no Leaf defender played 20 minutes on Thursday. Stats-Pack 35-40 – Toronto penalty kill over the past 14 games. 256 – Shots for Phil Kessel this season, second behind only Alex Ovechkin. 46 – Points for Nazem Kadri this season, a career-high. 19:29 – Ice-time for Dion Phaneuf against the Kings, most among the Toronto defence. 15-4-3 – Leafs record over the past 22 games. 13-22 – Mark for Jay McClement in the faceoff circle on Thursday night. Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-3 Season: 21% (3rd) PK: 3-4 Season: 78.8% (28th) Quote of the Night “I was sitting beside Bernie and as soon as that happened I told him to take off his pads I might have to throw ‘em on.” - Nazem Kadri, on what the Leafs might do in the event of an injury to James Reimer. Up Next The Leafs continue their five-game road trip in Washington on Sunday afternoon. Jordan Matthews Jersey . Its the second time this season that Milan has been sanctioned by the league judge, after fans also subjected Napoli supporters to discriminatory chants. The ban will come into effect for Milans next match, against Udinese on Oct. Nick Foles Jersey ... as usual. Even with the salary cap being set lower than many general managers expected and hoped for at $69 million and whats considered a shallow pool of top-end players available, this unrestricted-free-agent period figures to follow the familiar script of teams bidding up prices to keep up with each other. http://www.officialphiladelphiaeaglesfootball.com/authentic-brian-dawkins-jersey-womens . -- Chris Crawford hit a 3-pointer with 1:36 left to put Memphis ahead to stay, and the 21st-ranked Tigers beat seventh-ranked Louisville 72-66 Saturday, sweeping the season series from the Cardinals. Seth Joyner Jersey . Pironkova, who was ranked outside the top 100 despite reaching the Wimbledon semifinals in 2010, beat three top 10 players in Sydney, 2012 French Open finalist Sara Errani, 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and Kerber. Avonte Maddox Jersey .com) - The Golden State Warriors have started another winning streak and theyll try to pad it Tuesday night when they head to Staples Center to face the Los Angeles Lakers.CINCINNATI – The late, great Earl Weaver once was asked about momentum and whether it existed in baseball. “Momentum is only as good as the next days starter,” the long-time Baltimore Orioles manager famously quipped. Blue Jays skipper John Gibbons was smacked in the face with that truth on Saturday. Less than 24 hours after his club staged the second biggest comeback in franchise history, winning 14-9 on Friday night in a game it had trailed 8-0, J.A. Happ (6-4) imploded on the mound and the Reds won a laugher 11-1. “He didnt have it today,” said Gibbons. “We really never had a chance. You know, just kind of sucked the wind out of us right away but, hey, we move on. Show up tomorrow.” Happ got the first two outs of the first inning. Reasonably quickly, too, as Billy Hamilton grounded out and Todd Frazier lined out. Then, inexplicably, Happ fell apart. He walked Joey Votto. He walked Brandon Phillips. He walked Jay Bruce to load the bases. Ryan Ludwick smacked a two-run single to centerfield, scoring Votto and Phillips. Happ walked Devin Mesoraco. Finally, Ramon Santiago grounded out to end Happs 37-pitch first inning. Whatever the events of Friday night had done to ease the burden of an ugly sweep in New York, Happ had put his team in another hole and this time the offence couldnt climb its way out. “I was trying to be too fine, maybe, or what Im not sure,” said Happ. “I let three guys go and then the base hit, kind of a tough way to start. I tried to be aggressive after that, but we didnt have a ton for them today and that started with me.” Jay Bruce hit a solo home run in the third, the Reds scored four more times on three singles and two doubles in the fourth and Happs day was done. So was the Blue Jays afternoon; they could muster only a Colby Rasmus solo home run in the seventh off of Reds starter Mike Leake (5-6). REYES LEAVES WITH KNEE BRUISE Jose Reyes wont start on Sunday after fouling a ball off his left knee in the fifth inning of Saturdays loss to the Reds. He didnt take his shortstop position after finishing his at-bat, replaced by Steve Tolleson. He doesnt think its serious. “I hit it pretty good there, but its not a big deal,” said Reyes. Reyes confirmed hed already been approached by manager John Gibbons, who informed him that he wouldnt be in Sundays starting lineup. Reyes is hitless in his last 12 at-bats and Gibbons suggested a breather could do his shortstop good. RASMUS ON A ROLL Colby Rasmus is off to a nice start since coming off the disabled list in time for Wednesdays game at Yankee Stadium. In four games, hes 6-for-14 with a home run and two doubles. He drew a walk, a crucial one at that, leading off the ninth inning of Friday nights improbable come-from-behind, 14-9 victory over the Reds. He scored the winning run on an Erik Kratz double. Rasmus missed 33 games with a strained right hamstring. He didnt waste time while he was hurt. He went to work in the gym and he credits his easy transition into the lineup to increased strength. “Going on the DL, Im able to put a little weight on and get stronger and lift (weights) and do a lot more things that Im not able to do when Im playing because, when Im playing, its hard to get those good lifts in where you can be sore the next day,” said Rasmus. “You dont want to mess yourself up. I was able to get stronger and that helps.” The Blue Jays went 23-10 in Rasmus absence, for most of the stretch maximizing the potentiall of the Anthony Gose-Kevin Pillar centrefield platoon.dddddddddddd What Gose gave the Blue Jays with speed on the bases and defensively in centre, he couldnt make up for the power threat of Rasmuss bat. As the club began to struggle and the power numbers regressed to normalcy, it became clear how much Rasmus was missed. Hes back and hes resumed the same approach he brought into spring training. “Im not letting any pressures make me feel pressure,” said Rasmus. “In the past, when I was younger, people tried to always light a fire under me because Im kind of chilled and just kind of laid back, quiet and they always tried to make me get real amped up and it didnt help me none because I drove myself crazy wanting to do good. Id get myself so amped up and then not do good and the let down can break you down over time. I try to stay away from that, put me some country music on and stay relaxed, slowed down and then the game will speed me up.” On that crucial walk Rasmus drew against Reds flamethrower Aroldis Chapman on Friday night, he went up to the plate looking to greet one of Chapmans famous heaters, which consistently top 100 miles per hour. “Im looking for cheddar cheese balls,” said Rasmus, referencing one of his many nicknames for the fastball. “I mean, it is what it is, you cant worry about his offspeed stuff even though hes got a good slider, a good change-up.” NAVARRO JUBILANT AS MESSI SCORES Dioner Navarro is a fan of Argentine soccer great Lionel Messi. That, in fact, may be an understatement. Navarro wears a Messi jersey underneath his batting practice jersey everyday. Hes got the schedule laid out, too. When Messi is playing for his club team, FC Barcelona, Navarro sports the striped, red and blue home jersey. Currently, with Messi captaining Argentina in the World Cup, hes wearing Messis Argentine attire. When Messi scored in extra time to lead Argentina over Iran, 1-0, on Sunday afternoon, Navarro sprung up from a clubhouse couch and did a lap of the room, high-fiving teammates along the way. For Navarro, the game was too close for comfort. “I just got a few more greys on my head,” said Navarro. “What a goal.” Navarro admits his infatuation with Messi is strange, especially because its uncommon for one professional athlete to fawn over another. The admiration began about a decade ago. “Back home, Venezuela, we grew up and we didnt have much money,” said Navarro. “We had only the local (television) channels and my parents were trying to get us as far away from whatever they were showing us on TV, violence and all that stuff back home. We used to get the games from Spain and I kind of grew up watching the games from Barcelona and, when Messi stepped in, he was 17 years old the first time. Every year he keeps growing. He keeps doing unbelievable things.” Argentinas win was as much a relief to Navarro as it was a thrill. Hed been getting grief from his teammates. “They were all over me, oh my gosh,” said Navarro. “The last thing I wanted was it to be tight because I knew everybody was going to be talking smack to me. Messi came through.” ROSTER MOVE The Blue Jays optioned right-handed pitcher Liam Hendriks to Triple-A Buffalo before Saturdays game. Left-handed reliever Rob Rasmussen was recalled from the Bisons, which marks his second stint with the Blue Jays this season. Rasmussen made four appearances from May 20-29. He pitched two innings, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out two. 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