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WINNIPEG -- Dustin Byfugliens versatility is proving to be highly valuable to the Winnipeg Jets. Kevin Shattenkirk Jersey . Byfuglien, who was moved to forward from defence earlier this month but sometimes plays both positions in a game, scored the winner in a 5-4 overtime victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. The six-foot-five Byfuglien took a pass from captain Andrew Ladd and fired a wrist shot over goalie Jonathan Berniers glove 2:44 into the extra frame for his 12th goal of the season. "They (the Leafs) backed off a little bit," Byfuglien said. "They didnt know we were trying to regroup type of thing. "It was tough for them, but I just got the puck on the net." Rookie Mark Scheifele, defenceman Zach Bogosian and both Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little on the power play scored for the Jets, who outshot the Leafs 31-27 after regulation play and 32-28 following overtime. Little also had an assist and Ladd added two assists for Winnipeg (24-24-5). Toronto (27-21-6) got a power-play goal from defenceman Dion Phaneuf, centre Troy Bodie scored his second of the season and defenceman Tim Gleason marked his first goal of the year. Jets coach Paul Maurice said Byfugliens versatility is a big plus for the team. "Its a huge, huge luxury," Maurice said. "It makes us run our bench. It makes my pairs right coming off the bench up front. You get all your best offensive players on the ice that way." Byfuglien was moved to forward by former coach Claude Noel in his last game before he was fired and replaced by Maurice on Jan. 12. The Jets are 5-1 under Maurice, but they let a 4-1 second-period lead get away that seemed a little reminiscent of the past. Phil Kessel tied the game 4-4 with 1:33 left in the third period on a sharp-angled shot that beat goalie Ondrej Pavelec. "I know the scoring progression is going to say we blew a 4-1 lead, but I didnt feel we didnt generate anything and that they were all over us," Maurice said. "They had some flurries, they have some real good players. And we had some great chances, too." Little said his team didnt lose its confidence as the scoreboard shifted. "Its never fun when you start to let a team back in the game," Little said. "When they scored that fourth (goal), I tell you we handled it real well. We stayed pretty level-headed. Even if it took longer than 60 minutes, I thought we felt we were going to get the job done." Pavelec stop 24 of the 28 shots he faced. James Reimer started for the Leafs, but let in four goals on 18 shots and was replaced by Bernier midway through the second period. Bernier stopped 13 of the 14 shots he faced. "We felt that it would be the decision to let a guy play in his hometown," Toronto coach Randy Carlyle said of the decision to go with Reimer, who was born in Morweena, Man. The Jets went up 2-0 early in the first period after scoring on their first and fourth shots of the game. Toronto coughed up the puck in its own end and Jets forward Evander Kane got it and sent a pass to Scheifele. Reimer got a piece of Scheifeles shot, but not enough as the Jets went up 1-0 at 3:10 on the rookies 10th goal of the season. Winnipeg made good on its first power play of the game, courtesy of a hooking penalty on Leafs defenceman Morgan Reilly. Pavelec got things started with a pass out to defenceman Jacob Trouba, who then sent the puck to Wheeler just outside Torontos blue-line. Wheeler raced in alone on Reimer and put a shot through his pads at 6:34. "Obviously, the first two goals were goals that I thought that were scored in the middle of the net and those are tough ones," Carlyle said. "I contemplated whether to do something at that point, but I felt get him through the period and give him an opportunity to fight and battle himself back. "And then he did that because he came out in the second period and made some big stops. He made a stop on a breakaway. He battled hard for our hockey club." A five-goal second period saw each team scoring twice in a span of 3:01. The Leafs used a power play for Phaneufs fifth goal of the season, a long one-timer straight at the net through traffic at 6:13 while Jets defenceman Keaton Ellerby was in the box for boarding. Littles 17th goal of the season came just over a minute later as he redirected a shot by Toby Enstrom to make it 3-1. Bogosians shot 37 seconds later beat a partially screened Reimer and sent the goalie to the bench in favour of Bernier, who entered his 100th career game with his team down 4-1. "Well, it was more mercy because one was a deflection and the another one was posted in," Carlyle said. "We just needed a little bit of a change." Toronto made it 4-2 on Bodies goal 61 seconds later at 9:14 and then made it a one-goal deficit at 16:44 when Gleasons shot hit Trouba and went through Pavelecs pads. James van Riemsdyk assisted on Kessels goal and saw a silver lining in falling just short of a successful comeback. "We got down and were able to battle back and showed character," van Riemsdyk said. "But again, well take the point." Al Macinnis Jersey . The deal, filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, calls for the NCAA to toughen return-to-play rules for players who receive head blows and create a $70 million fund to pay for thousands of current and former athletes to undergo testing to determine whether they suffered brain trauma while playing football and other contact sports. Alexander Steen Blues Jersey . The game has been rescheduled for Tuesday at 4:05 p.m. Tickets for Monday will be honoured Tuesday. The forecast Monday calls for heavy rain throughout the day. BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Buffalo Sabres enforcer John Scott was suspended indefinitely by the NHL on Thursday. And teammate Patrick Kaletas appeal to reduce his 10-game suspension was denied by league Commissioner Gary Bettman. Scott was suspended pending a disciplinary hearing for a blindside hit to the head that levelled Boston Bruins forward Lou Eriksson in Buffalos 5-2 loss a day earlier. Scott has been given the opportunity to attend an in-person hearing, which has not yet been scheduled. The hearing is offered when a suspension has the potential to exceed five games. The news didnt get any better for Buffalo, which is now down two roster spots because of suspended players. Bettman issued a 17-page decision outlining why he turned down Kaletas appeal to reduce a 10-game ban for an illegal hit to the head on Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Jack Johnson on Oct. 10. In supporting league disciplinarian Brendan Shanahans initial ruling, Bettman noted Kaleta was a repeat offender, having been previously suspended three times, and added that Kaleta could have avoided hitting Johnson. "I do conclude that he could have and should have avoided the hit altogether," Bettman wrote. "As Mr. Shanahan testified at the hearing, I think there was also the option of not throwing the check. That (is) always an option." Kaleta wasnt penalized, and Johnson did not miss any ice time. Kaleta has already missed six games and stands to lose $152,439 in salary. He has one last option to appeal Bettmans ruling by taking his case to neutral discipline arbitrator James Oldham. Scotts suspension came aftter he was issued a match penalty for charging and ejected for his hit on Eriksson early in the third period of Bostons 5-2 win Wednesday. Jaden Schwartz Blues Jersey. Eriksson was skating through the neutral zone and had just dumped the puck into the Sabres zone when Scott skated in from the players right and struck him with a shoulder to the face. Eriksson was dazed and didnt return. He stayed in Buffalo overnight as a precaution. The Bruins released a statement from general manager Peter Chiarelli, who said "he has been diagnosed with a concussion and will be out indefinitely." Chiarelli also said Eriksson returned to Boston earlier Thursday and was examined by team doctors. Scott was apologetic after practice Thursday. He called it "a bad play" and added he didnt mean to aim for Erikssons head. "I kind of feel really upset," he said, noting that he texted an apology to Eriksson. "I was sick to my stomach last night knowing what happened. And watching the video, I kind of regret the whole situation." The Sabres (1-9-1), off to their worst start in franchise history, made two roster moves Thursday in preparing for a two-game road swing that opens at Florida on Friday. Fourth-line forward Cody McCormick was activated after missing two games with a leg injury. The Sabres waived forward Kevin Porter for assignment to the minors, according to a person familiar with the move. The person informed The Associated Press of the decision on the condition of anonymity because coach Ron Rolston declined to say how the team was going to free up a roster spot to add McCormick. ' ' ' |
