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Depending on ones level of optimism, the Toronto Maple Leafs are either running out of time or are completely out of it in their search for a playoff berth. The Leafs have lost eight straight games and have tumbled all the way from second in the Atlantic Division to two spots back of the final Eastern Conference wild card position. Reminiscent of the teams struggles in February of 2012 that saw them drop 10 of 11 games and fall from fourth in the Eastern Conference all the way to 10th, it appears that the proverbial 18-wheeler is going off the cliff once again, to borrow former Leafs general manager Brian Burkes immortal turn-of-phrase. The 2011-12 failure would cost head coach Ron Wilson his job, with Randy Carlyle taking over before the Leafs March schedule even began. Burke, too, would become a casualty in the seasons aftermath. He would be replaced by his colleague - Dave Nonis – prior to the lockout-delayed start to the 2012-13 season. The Leafs are still mathematically in the thick of the wild card hunt – two points back of the Columbus Blue Jackets entering Monday night. But with games-in-hand to be factored, the hill could become steeper still. Regardless of whether the team makes the playoffs or not, they have certainly done themselves no favours with the slide. With the skid, the Leafs have lost the possibility of home-ice advantage against the likes of the Montreal Canadiens or Tampa Bay Lightning and have painted themselves into a black-and-gold corner that would likely see them draw the Boston Bruins (again) in the first round - that is, if they even make the playoffs. So who takes the blame this time around? Traditionally, the coach is the first to shoulder the ................. So does Carlyle wear the horns? He has been a polarizing figure if former players like Mikhail Grabovski are to be believed and as the old adage goes, "you cant fire the team." Dion Phaneuf has drawn his share of criticism over the streak as well, making notable on-ice gaffes against both the Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues and taking additional heat after refusing to speak to the media after the streak hit seven. He has posted a minus-8 rating in the Leafs past three games. Nonis, too, could shoulder some of the blame for failing to add to a team that many had predicted was overachieving earlier in the season. Not only did Nonis not make a trade leading up to the Mar. 5 trade deadline, the Leafs war room was shown deserted in the minutes leading up to 3pm et that day. A lack of deadline activity is nothing new to Toronto as the team has avoided big name additions in each of the last three seasons, but should Nonis have pressed harder to improve his club? Or does the blame fall to the teams long-term core? The Leafs have five forwards - Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul, David Clarkson, James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak – locked up over the next four seasons beyond 2013-14 at a combined cost of just under $27 million. While Lupuls productivity has actually trended upwards during the slump (three goals in his last five games and six points over the eight games), the big line of Kessel, van Riemsdyk and Bozak has not been up to the lofty standards it set earlier this season. Kessel has scored just twice in eight games and the entire line has combined for just 12 points with only one player (Bozak) having managed a multi-point game over the stretch, and that only once. As for Clarkson, his career lows in goals and assists this season speak for themselves. The blame game could go on and on. The team has given up three goals or more eight straight games. That statistic could be pinned on the defence corps, overall team defence, or a four-game stretch without Jonathan Bernier. So who takes the blame for the Leafs late-season struggles? As always, its Your! Call. jerseys from china . 1 status and was unable to prevent a late season collapse, James Reimer said he wants to put the past behind him and is looking forward to spending the next two years in a Maple Leaf uniform. jerseys wholesale .Y. -- Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire will have less time to remain eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot under changes made Saturday. http://www.jerseysv.com/. At this point, even he isnt sure when it is going to stop. The right-hander dropped his fourth straight decision in Los Angeles 6-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night, leaving his status very much in doubt as the Dodgers prepare for the stretch drive. cheap jerseys . His chance at winning a Stanley Cup in Philadelphia is over. Same with Jeff Carter. And Brian Boucher. Throw in Ville Leino and Dan Carcillo. stitched nfl jerseys . Manager Alex Ferguson says the injury was sustained while the player tried to hit a volley toward the end of training on Tuesday.St. Paul, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Nino Niederreiter scored the winning goal with 4:33 to play as the Minnesota Wild rallied in the third period to take a 5-4 win over the New York Islanders. Mikko Koivu and Thomas Vanek each posted a goal and an assist while Jason Pominville and Erik Haula also scored for the Wild, who have won two of their last three. Niklas Backstrom made 15 saves for the win. We were able to collect ourselves and have much better focus in our game after the first period, said Wild head coach Mike Yeo. Weve got to stop having these bad starts because its not always going to end this way. Josh Bailey, Matt Martin, Brock Nelson and Michael Grabner all lit the lamp for the Islanders, who have lost their last two. Chad Johnson allowed all five goals on 30 shots. Weve got to learn from these losses, said New York head coach Jack Capuano. Its not like we played a terrible game, but I dont like the fact that they were throwing us around our net tonight. Trailing by three goals entering the third, the Wild got one back 2:51 in after Koivu skated from the right of the net to the circle and used a defender as a screen to zip a wrister past Johnson. The next goal didnt come until 11:03 when Haulas turnaround shot from the right side went off the skate of New Yorks Thomas Hickey in front and went in. Just 45 seconds later, the Wild tied the game as a right circle faceoff win saw the team control the puck, and a shot on net from the riight point saw Vanek eventually jam home the rebound.dddddddddddd Niederreiter scored the winner less than four minutes later as the bouncing puck wound up in front and he tapped home his own rebound. The Isles were given a power play with 2:28 to play and pulled Johnson to skate 6-on-4 for much of the advantage, but were unable to pot the equalizer. It was all New York in the first period as Grabner scored on a wrister from the slot 8:31 in, and Nelson tipped in a Nick Leddy shot at 17:15 on the power play. Just 32 seconds later, the Isles made it a 3-0 game when Martin shot home a rebound from the left side. In the second period, Minnesota defender Keith Ballard was checked into the mid-ice boards by Matt Martin and stayed on the ice for several minutes. He was eventually helped into the dressing room and taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. No penalty was called on the play. The Wild got one back at 9:01 of the second on the power play thanks to Pominvilles tip of a Ryan Suter shot. New York didnt have its first shot of the second period until there was 2:43 left in the frame, but the team made it count as Bailey buried a backhand for his fourth of the year. Game Notes Minnesota hits the road for the next three games starting Thursday in San Jose ... New York plays in St. Louis on Thursday ... Each team went 1-for-5 on the power play ... Suter had three assists in the contest. Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '