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Joffrey Lupul still didna€?t think hea€?d sleep much on the eve of Wednesdaya€?s opener against Montreal, even at this point in a career that now spans 10 NHL seasons and exactly 600 games. Lupul, now 31, is trying to re-energize that career following the lowest season of what remains a brief Maple Leafs tenure. A first-time All-Star two years earlier, he dipped to just 44 points last season, trailed by a stream of injuries and inconsistency. He is among the many Toronto candidates hoping to rebound this season. Healthy and feeling stronger physically than he has in years, Lupul believes hea€?s capable of much more than he showed last year. a€?I have very high expectations of myself. I can play better than I did last year and Ia€?ll have to play better than I did last year for us to have the success that I feel wea€?re capable of,a€? said Lupul, who did manage more than 20 goals for the fifth time in 2013-14. a€?And therea€?s a lot of guys in the room that I think are saying the same thing that they have to play better and mostly more consistent and more as a team.a€? Though he played in 69 games a€“ the most hea€?s managed since 2008-09 a€“ health was again part of the conversation for Lupul and it began even before the regular season kicked off; back spasms kept him off the ice in the early days of training camp last fall. He continued to be hampered by injuries throughout the year; there was a bruised calf, bruised foot, and groin tear that held him out a couple of weeks. He also played through a bothersome knee injury that would eventually require surgery. Injuries have always been the thing with Lupul. Over the course of the past three seasons, hea€?s missed 59 games due to an assortment of maladies that includes everything from a broken forearm to a dislocated shoulder to a concussion that saw him sandwiched between a pair of Flyers in the spring of 2013. However unlucky in many of those circumstances a€“ he broke that right forearm when a Dion Phaneuf point shot sailed high a€“ Lupul suggests that some of the injuries could have been avoided. He missed two games, for instance, because of a bone bruise on his right foot, an injury he suffered when he blocked a shot at practice; he was not wearing the protective skate covers the team had strongly suggested. It was bumps, bruises and tears of that kind that kept him finding a comfortable rhythm alongside Nazem Kadri on what was a mostly inconsistent second line last season. a€?Right now Ia€?m 100 per cent healthy and Ia€?m going to take every possible step to remain that way,a€? he said. Lupul spent a good chunk of his time on the ice this summer with Barb Underhill, the teama€?s skating coach. The result - an improvement in his skating, he says. Whether that and an offseason of training translates into production on the ice remains to be seen, a€?but from a physical standpoint Ia€?m very happy with where Ia€?m at and ita€?s just a matter of maintaining that.a€? An All-Star for the first and only time back in 2011-12 a€“ he had a career-high 67 points in 66 games a€“ Lupula€?s role with the Leafs has changed over time. Primary, of course, is that hea€?s no longer running with Phil Kessel on the teama€?s top line, which means that hea€?s no longer a benefactor of the attention Kessel receives, the openings he creates,and the top power-play minutes and again, attention, he garners. Replaced by James van Riemsdyk on the left to Kessela€?s right on that top unit a€“ coincidentally while he was hurt in January 2013 a€“ Lupul has teamed with Kadri for the better part of the past two seasons and, while theya€?ve had the occasional spark, the connection has been hit or miss. That inconsistency a€“ not to mention a barely-employed fourth line of little tangible value a€“ has helped to cause an imbalanced Leaf attack, one that saw the top line carrying an untenable amount of weight before sputtering out down the stretch last season. Bolstering the depths of the roster in a busy offseason was designed to aid in that solution. If Lupul and Kadri can, additionally, connect and perform to a higher level, the Leafs could boast the kind of one-two punch up front theya€?ve lacked since the unlikely trio of Grabovski, Kulemin and MacArthur ascended alongside Kessel and Lupul a few years earlier. Possessing the puck more as a group and subsequently defending less would certainly help; Lupul started only 41.8 per cent of his shifts in the offensive zone last season, the lowest of his NHL career. Hea€?s made it a point of paying more attention to the defensive side of the game this season, vowing to become a better all-around player. Lupul is just one of many Leafs hoping to bounce back this season. Therea€?s Cody Franson, who fell off after a career year in 2013; David Clarkson, who had a nightmarish first season in Toronto; Dion Phaneuf, who crumbled under a heavy burden last year; Matt Frattin, who failed to catch on in either Los Angeles or Columbus; and Stephane Robidas, who is coming two serious knee injuries at age 37. Lupul doesna€?t have any targets as far as goals, assists or points are concerned. a€?I just want to do my part to get this team in the playoffs,a€? he says, a€?and Ia€?ll have to do more than I did last year.a€? Wade Boggs Jersey . So much so that even a simple foul pop up to the first baseman turned into a run. Houstons four-run rally in the ninth inning to beat the Seattle Mariners 6-4 on Monday night was capped by a bizarre play that started as Crowe fouled out to first baseman Justin Smoak with runners on second and third. David Price Jersey . -- Jacksonville Jaguars rookie receiver Marqise Lee has agreed to terms on a four-year contract worth more than $5 million. http://www.theredsoxteamshop.com/Red-Sox...ids-Jersey/.ca! Hi Kerry, Im sure youve received many emails wondering what your take is on the Spezza goal that looked like Neil blatantly kicked it in while standing directly in the middle of the crease where, you know, usually a goalie is to make a save but couldnt be due to Neil being there! Thanks! Jon - Westfield, MA Jon: Lets first ask Henrik Lundqvist what he thought of the scoring of the Sens second goal with . Rick Porcello Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins (5) – He had a brilliant game; it was a huge response for his average games before. Jimmie Foxx Jersey .FIFA said its appeals panel ruled the case not admissible.The former U.S. Attorney had objected to ethics judge Joachim Eckerts summary of the World Cup bid investigation, claiming numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of his work.VIRGINIA WATER, England - Thomas Bjorn set a course record at Wentworth with a 10-under-par 62 on the opening day of the BMW PGA Championship on Thursday. Bjorn grabbed an eagle and eight birdies to end his round two shots clear of Shane Lowry of Ireland, who shot 64 on the West Course. However, poor weather forced two separate delays totalling nearly two hours in the European Tours flagship event, and darkness halted play with 33 in the 150-man field yet to complete their first round. It is the third occasion in Bjorns 21-year European Tour career hes shot a round of 62, and the Dane rated it the best in his 434 tournaments. "Absolutely," he said. "You cant ask for much more." Bjorn is contesting his 17th BMW PGA, with his best finish being a share of fifth in 1988, and comes after he missed the cut in the Spanish Open last week with 75-78. "Last week was awful, and I was starting to feel a bit frustrated with things, and to be honest in practice, it hasnt been great, either," he said. "So ... today is a little bit surprising. "I havent had the best record here. I havent had the best round here. Its been a long time since Ive actually had any sort of result on this golf course. Its not a place when I come in here, I think, Oh, this is going tto be a great week.dddddddddddd I guess Ive got to start sticking my head down for the rest of the week." Lowry produced his best round since a Carnoustie course-record 64 last October in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He made only 25 putts with an old putter he found in his Dublin apartment. "I have been messing about here and there with putters, and pulled this one out, got the cobwebs off it," he said. Rafa Cabrera-Bello of Spain was alone in third place with a 65, and Gary Stal of France made the most of his last minute call-up by shooting a 66. Stal was first reserve for the event, and took the place of countryman Victor Dubuisson, who pulled out injured. Rory McIlroys 4-under 68 included holing his second shot for eagle at the par-four seventh hole, and landing his second shot to within six inches for eagle at the par-five 12th. "The two eagles helped, and its a good round for me around this place," he said. "Its a place Ive notoriously struggled on, but it was good to shoot something in the sixties." Henrik Stenson, who can become the new world No. 1 with a good result, also carded 68. However, defending champion Matteo Manassero of Italy slumped to an 8-over 80 that included a quadruple-bogey nine at the 17th. ' ' '