r next season. 18. Sunderland (LW- 19) Sunderland seems to

TORONTO – October was a productive month for Phil Kessel. The 26-year-old signed an eight-year extension worth $64 million on the eve of the regular season before posting a bountiful nine goals and 18 points in 14 games. But just as the weather has chilled outside, so too has the Leafs best player. Now tied for 31st in league scoring, Kessel went pointless for the ninth time in the past 11 games in an embarrassing 6-0 loss to the Blue Jackets on Monday night. He has just one even-strength point in November and a scant three points all month (Mason Raymond leads the team with six points, trailed by the now press box-bound Trevor Smith with five). In fact, he has gone 11 straight games without registering even a single assist – he led the team in each of the past two seasons – his last helper coming on Oct. 29. Considering the teams ongoing struggles to produce offence at even-strength – shut out for the second time all year, they have just 10 goals in the past 10 games and sit 20th overall – this lingering dip in production from their top player is no small thing. Kessel may be a streaky goal scorer (most are), but with age and experience in Toronto, has evolved into an incredibly reliable and certainly elite point producer. After stalling at the outset of last season – he failed to score in the first 10 games – he never went more than two games without registering a point. A year before that, he never went consecutive games without a point until January. So what gives? It would be easy to point to the extended absence of Tyler Bozak – who returned Monday after missing 12 games – as the reason for such woes, but that would fail to ignore Kessels history of producing offence without him. In the two games that directly followed Bozak going down with injury in Columbus, Kessel posted three goals and six points alongside Nazem Kadri in wins over Pittsburgh and Edmonton. Of course, the Leafs would lose Dave Bolland to injury four nights later in Vancouver, jumbling their situation at centre further and thereby impacting Kessel. James van Riemsdyk was forced to the uncomfortable middle for four games, replaced on the top line by the incoming and still inexperienced Peter Holland thereafter. Kessel and Bozak certainly have a defined chemistry with one another – the top reason the latter was signed for five years in the summer – and perhaps Kessels slump simply manifested in the absence of a consistent set-up man – though he tends to generate offence himself in many regards, even with Bozak in the lineup. (Though hes played the majority of his games in Toronto with Bozak, Kessel has actually lined up with eight other centres as a Leaf: Kris Versteeg, Matthew Lombardi, Tim Connolly, Mikhail Grabovski, Joe Colborne, Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk and Peter Holland.) "Is he back?" Kessel shouted repeatedly with glee when he saw Bozak being interviewed prior to Mondays game. Save for the absence of Bozak, an injury (or the flu bug, which nearly kept him out of a game last week) would help to explain the recent slowdown and Randy Carlyle didnt exactly refute the suggestion that Kessel may be hurt, noting last week that "all our players have bumps and bruises". It may just be a simple and increasingly rare slump, one that becomes magnified as the team struggles to produce offence. Kessel remains the Leafs leader in goals, points, and even-strength points. Five Points 1. Shelled It was may have been their worst loss all season. The Leafs were spanked 6-0 on home ice by a Blue Jackets squad that was missing two of its best players – Brandon Dubinsky and Marian Gaborik – and had just played on the other side of the country over the weekend (a 6-2 loss in Vancouver on Saturday). "It was a very frustrating game for our hockey club," said a puzzled Randy Carlyle afterward. "It just seemed like we lacked the necessary pace that was required to compete in the game and thats mind-boggling." So boggling for Carlyle was the lack of energy following a complete day-off on Sunday. The Leafs allowed a season-high six goals, were shut out for just the second time all season and mustered a mere 18 shots on Sergei Bobrovsky. They also allowed two power play goals for the third time all season, failing to score on a single earned man-advantage. "Maybe a little bit of a wake-up call for us," said Tyler Bozak. "Were getting a little too comfortable." "We talk about outworking teams and tonight, we got outworked," Dion Phaneuf concluded. 2. Reimers evening Two nights after he stopped 49 of 50 shots in a 2-1 shootout victory over Washington did James Reimer yield six goals on 21 shots, hooked late in the third frame against the Blue Jackets. "What can he do?" said a frustrated Carl Gunnarsson of Reimer. "We had a really [expletive] game and hung him out to dry." Defensive breakdowns and odd-man rushes marked the evening, the Leafs netminder often left with little to no chance of success opposite a club that scored four goals combined in the previous three games. "I think that was on par with the rest of our group," Carlyle said of the goaltending from Reimer. "It was a team effort and it was nowhere near what we needed and obviously goaltendings part of that." The league leader in save percentage entering the night, Reimer dipped to a .934 mark, now 6-3-0 on the year. "I dont really have much to say," said Reimer, following his first loss at home this season. "It just wasnt my night tonight. Youll have nights like that where the puck just eludes you. As hard as you work and as much you try and bear down, it just doesnt work out sometimes. Its obviously disappointing when it happens and frustrating, but its just the way she goes." 3. Lacking offence Never a team that shot the puck often – they average 26 per game, third fewest in the league – the Leafs are finding their early luck drying up in recent weeks. Monday marked the eighth time in the past 10 games that they scored two or fewer, their shooting percentage in that span just seven per cent. "I thought we had a lot of zone time tonight," said Bozak. "We were just trying to be too cute and make the extra pass when we did have a chance to shoot." A frequent complaint of the head coach, Carlyle has harped often on the need for his team to shoot the puck with more frequency. The 18 shots on goal against Columbus were the second fewest his team has managed all season (14 vs. Minnesota on Oct. 15). "Were very selective on when we want to shoot the puck," he said after the shootout victory over the Capitals on Saturday. "I would say we have some thick heads." The Leafs have scored just 10 even-strength goals in the past 10 games and sit 20th overall in that regard this season. Of the 63 goals theyve scored thus far, 18 have come with the man-advantage. 4. Lupul hurt Save for the injured Dave Bolland, the Leafs lineup on Monday was about as full as it has been all season. But just as one returned (Tyler Bozak) did another go down. Joffrey Lupul left late in the middle period with a pulled groin. "I dont know what that means," said Carlyle of the injury. "He just said he pulled his groin." 5. Bozaks Return Bozak said the most frustrating aspect of a hamstring injury that kept him out of the lineup for 12 games was the uncertain healing time for it. "Theres no real timetable for it, I guess," he said. "You kind of heal when you do." Bozak was injured on Oct. 25 in Columbus, returning to the lineup against those very same Blue Jackets on Monday night. There was an expectation – even voiced by Randy Carlyle – that the 27-year-old would play against the Capitals two nights earlier, but he remained out, finally activated off long-term injured reserve on Monday. "I wanted to play last game," he said, "[but] the doctors said I shouldnt play and I couldnt play." "Its been tough sitting out," Bozak continued. The hard part is bagging at practice every day pretty much. Youd rather be playing the games then bag-skating after practice, but [the extra couple days] does help. It should be in good shape when I get out there now." Stat-Pack 1 – Even-strength points for Phil Kessel in November. 9 – Number of games without a point for Kessel in the past 11 games. 2 – Number of times the Leafs have been shut out this season. 10 – Even-strength goals for the Leafs in the past 10 games. .934 – Save percentage for James Reimer this season. 74% – Success rate for the Leaf penalty kill in the past 10 games. 6 – Points for Mason Raymond in November, first on the team. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-1Season: 24.3% PK: 2-4Season: 81.5% Quote of the Night "What can he do? Cant blame him for anything. We had a really [expletive] game and hung him out to dry." - Carl Gunnarsson, questioned on James Reimers performance following the 6-0 loss. Up Next The Leafs travel to Pittsburgh for a Wednesday night affair with Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. Tennessee Titans Jerseys .Y. - Major League Soccers independent review panel has taken back the fine and one-game suspension it placed on Toronto FC forward Luke Moore earlier this week. Curley Culp Titans Jersey . - John Elways philosophy is to address immediate needs in free agency, even though some of his own veterans may prove too pricey to keep around. http://www.titansstoreonline.com/Black-27-Eddie-George-Womens-Jersey/ . Rooneys latest piece of football genius lost in the furore which now stalks David Moyes, and the man who gave the Manchester United striker his start as a 16-year old at Goodison Park back in 2002. Nate Davis Womens Jersey . A 19-game winner with the New York Yankees in both 2006 and 2007, Wang spent most of this year at Triple-A for the Yankees and Blue Jays. The 33-year-old right-hander was 1-2 with a 7. Corey Davis Jersey . What they did need, the Devils got from Patrik Elias. Elias scored a power-play goal 40 seconds into overtime to give the New Jersey Devils a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars.TSN.ca presents its latest weekly power rankings for the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League staff. Rankings were weighted evenly between separate lists made by TSN Radio host and soccer analyst Gareth Wheeler as well as TSN.cas soccer editors. 1. Arsenal (Last Week- 1) The Gunners hold on to top spot despite missing a glorious opportunity to deal Manchester Uniteds title hopes a serious blow. Arsenal remains alone at the top of the table, but are now just two points clear of second-place Liverpool and lost ground to the pack, with six teams now just five points behind or less. 2. Liverpool (LW- 5) The Reds outmuscled Fulham at Anfield thanks to another standout performance from Luis Suarez who has now scored five goals in three League matches since returning from suspension. 3. Manchester United (LW- 8) Dont look now but the Red Devils may be rounding into the title-holders many expected them to be this season. True, they managed just one goal at home against Arsenal, but were able to protect the lead against a hard-charging club in a way theyd failed to earlier on this season. 4. Southampton (LW- 7) The Saints might just be for real. Theyve lost just once this season and have avoided the slip-ups that have dogged supposedly superior teams early-on in the Premiership. No one expected them to be this good, but their record speaks for itself. The real test is coming, however, with road games at Anfield and Stamford Bridge beckoning in their next two fixtures. 5. Chelsea (LW- 3) That Eden Hazard penalty caused immediate ripples, but salvaged a point for the Blues at home against West Brom. The fact that it followed a loss to Newcastle in Week 10 and a very fortunate victory (thanks to Joe Hart!) against Manchester City has Chelsea trending very much in the wrong direction. 6. Tottenham (LW- 2) Spurs home loss to Newcastle probably wouldve made a bigger ripple had it not been for headline-grabbing results involving their fellow London clubs and the Manchester pair. Still, having salvaged just a single point from their last two matches and facing an Etihad date with City in Week 12, optimism isnt exactly running high at White Hart Lane. 7. Manchester City (LW- 4) Did City use up two weeks worth of goals by putting the boots to Norwich City in Week 10? Possibly. Was 19th-place Sunderland the better team in their Week 11 tilt? Most definitely. The loss dropped City from fifth to eighth in the table. 8. Everton (LW- 6) Everton joins Southampton as the only one-loss teams in the Premiership so far this season, but a team that hopes to contend for top-flight status has to do better than a scoreless draw to a relegation-bound team like Crystal Palace. 9. Newcastle United (LW- 10) How do you respond to being the first team to lose to Sunderland in 2013-14? You go out and you beat a pair of London clubs. If the Magpies can play more like the team that blanked Spurs and Chelsea, they could continue their table ascent. 10. West Bromwich Albion (LW- 11) Okay, so you probably got robbed of three points. Still, a draw at Stamford Bridge and sitting top-half of the table at this point of the season are probablly enough positives to salve the wounds inflicted in stoppage time.dddddddddddd 11. Aston Villa (LW- 14) Villa had to have worried their home fans into thinking their goalless drought was bound to continue, but they struck late in their home match against Cardiff City. Leandro Bacuna and Aleksander Kozak made good on a halfs-worth of excellent chances to get back to the score sheet and a well-earned three points. 12. Hull City (LW- 9) The bad news is that Hull suffered their most lopsided loss of the year at the hands of Southampton. Still, the loss came at the hands of a surprisingly strong side and marked the first time the Tigers surrendered upwards of two goals this season. 13. Swansea City (LW- 13) The Swans looked to have three points in hand until Charlie Adams stoppage-time penalty spoiled the fun. That said, Swansea has grabbed points when it can so far, losing only to the likes of Spurs, United, Saints and Arsenal – their Week 10 Welsh Derby loss aside. 14. Cardiff City (LW- 12) Cardiff had a good half before Villa broke their goalless frustration and took the points. Not the way they wanted to chase their Welsh Derby triumph and not a good omen with Manchester United laying in wait. 15. Norwich City (LW- 18) It could really only go up for Norwich in Week 11 as even a loss would have been an improvement if theyd surrendered less than seven goals. Luckily, the Canaries pulled out a win, dropping West Ham at home and ending a four-match winless drought. 16. Stoke City (LW- 16) Stoke managed a reverse of their Week 10 feat, by scoring in the very last minute to salvage a draw. Stoke isnt losing matches at the same clip as Fulham (with whom they sit level at 10 points), but theyd be in a much safer position relegation-wise if they could turn a couple of the draws theyve been earning into victories. 17. West Ham United (LW- 15) The Hammers extended their winless streak to four games with their 3-1 loss to Norwich City. While few will begrudge a loss to a team like Manchester City (see: Week 8), the team must do better against the teams directly ahead of them if they hope to stay up for next season. 18. Sunderland (LW- 19) Sunderland seems to have found a new gear at home, recording their second straight home victory (oh yeah, and their second victory, period) this week against Manchester City. A 1-0 victory may not turn a lot of heads for those that werent watching, but they rode a Phil Bardsley goal and an exceptional defensive performance by Wes Brown to take a step closer to the rest of the pack and a step up in our rankings. 19. Fulham (LW- 17) Fulham got plain out-classed by Liverpool in Week 11, losing to such an extent that one TSN analyst had them dead last in this weeks rankings. Fulham has just three wins this season and two of them have come against the only two teams below them in the table. 20. Crystal Palace (LW- 20) Palace got just their second result of the season, earning a goalless home draw against a strong Everton side. Still, they remain dead last in the table, having gone winless in eight matches and having scored just twice over that span. ' ' '