otes and water bottle at him. ... Former San Antonio centre DeJuan Blair received mostly boos | Forum

BUFFALO – Maple Leafs general manager Dave Nonis has a pretty good understanding of all that Mason Raymond can offer. Bradley Roby Jersey . But when it comes to determining if Raymond will find a place on the Leafs roster when training camp concludes in a week, well, that decision will ultimately fall to the head coach. “Its not really me,” Nonis said, minutes before the Leafs and Sabres squared off at First Niagara Center on Saturday. “Im comfortable with Mason. I know what hes like as a person and I think everyone is comfortable with him as a player. Its where Randy sees him. Where does he fit in the lineup?” Nonis and his management team will certainly have their input in the series of roster decisions still looming for the Leafs, but according to Nonis, Carlyle will have the final say. “I cant tell him to put someone into the lineup that he doesnt want in the lineup,” Nonis opined of the decision-making process. “He has full control over who makes this team and who doesnt. But we all spend a lot of time discussing the benefits of certain people and their strengths and weaknesses. I think its a pretty healthy relationship and open dialogue both ways to make sure that were all on the same page and were all pushing toward the same goal with the same pieces.” Signed to a professional tryout on the eve of training camp and a second round selection of Nonis in Vancouver, Raymond is among the more intriguing pieces vying for a place on the Toronto roster. With loads of speed and a fair amount of skill, the now 27-year-old offers Carlyle the prospect of depth and versatility in the forward ranks. Scoring twice in his first two exhibition matches, he has made an immediate impression. Surely a more complex case for the head coach is 19-year-old Morgan Rielly, whom the Leafs can either keep in the NHL or return to the junior circuit in Moose Jaw. “Hes making it as hard as I thought hed make it,” Nonis said of Rielly, who suited up for the first three exhibition games, sitting out in Buffalo. Carlyle suggested at the outset of camp that the determination process with Rielly would lie in whether he could capably contribute 12-15 minutes a night or was better off dominating with the Warriors, conceding the value of both options. “Randy knows what hes looking for,” Nonis continued. “He had a different player but a pretty good example of that in Cam Fowler. I think he was always looking for [Fowler] to falter and he never did and Randy used him more and more. And if he wouldve faltered Im sure Randy wouldve pulled him out. Thats the same kind of scenario here with Morgan. If hes ready then hell go in.” Though Nonis stated explicitly that Carlyle has final say on roster decisions, the coach, for one, seems to value the opinions of those around him, taking stock of a range of voices across the organization before settling on a decision. “We converse daily, sometimes two or three times a day,” Carlyle said of his conversations with management after a lengthy 3-2 shootout victory. “If its not [Dave Nonis], its [Dave Poulin], its Claude Loiselle, Cliff Fletcher, Bobby Carpenters here, Steve Kaspers around; theres an armada of management that we make sure that we all have a voice and an opinion. We as a coaching staff talk behind closed doors quite a bit ourselves about what our feelings are and we want to make sure were consistent with what we see and we voice our opinion to the management staff. “When youre in the situation were in I think that you try to take everybodys opinion.” “Well have long discussions about it,” Nonis concluded. “Its probably the same way that I use Randy when were trying to make a trade, I seek his opinion. And at the end of the day we do what we need to do as a staff. I think its the same way from his standpoint; hell seek our opinion, but hes picking the team.” Five Points 1. Rangers shootout attempt The shootout lasted 15 rounds and exactly 30 shooters on Saturday, capped by Jay McClements eventual winner. But the highlight of the exhibition proceeding had to have been Paul Ranger, who offered a truly creative attempt against the Sabres goaltender. “Its a kick-shot,” Ranger said afterward of his failed effort on Jhonas Enroth. “I dont know how else to describe. I learned it when I was probably 10 or 11 years old.” With the shootout dragging with no end apparently in sight, shot after shot turned aside, Ranger decided that when his name was eventually called he would attempt the unusual and unpredictable. “Thats the cool part of it is that I have no idea where its going and the goalie doesnt either ‘cause I sure dont,” he grinned. 2. Reimers second effort James Reimer made his first full outing of the exhibition season, stopping 38 of the 40 shots he saw from the Sabres before adding 15 more in the shootout. “I felt a lot better today compared to London,” Reimer said, referring to his first start a week earlier, which lasted about half the game. “Im feeling better every day on the ice, really seeing the puck better, reading situations and plays better. In the game I felt a lot more comfortable today than I did in London. But having said theres still some situations where you werent as sharp as youd like to be.” Though just an exhibition game, Reimer was pleased with his perfect performance in the shootout, a source of some struggle last season and throughout his career. “Weve been working on some stuff,” he said. “Not going to give away my secrets or anything, but it is something obviously I worked on a bit this summer and tried to really improve on.” Reimer is 0-5 career in the shootout with a .625 save percentage. 3. Lupul nearing exhibition debut The exhibition debut is drawing near for Joffrey Lupul. Returning to practice earlier this week following a bout with back spasms, Lupul remained out against the Sabres on Saturday, but projects to play when the two teams meet again in Toronto on Sunday. “Whats 24 more hours?” Leafs coach Randy Carlyle asked rhetorically before the game. “Well, 24 more hours is a practice underneath [him], an opportunity to stretch, an opportunity for more rest and for his body to tell him that hes 110 per cent, ready to go.” Lupul began experiencing trouble with his back in the days leading up to training camp, remaining off the ice for the first week of camp. Troubled by injuries over the course of his career, including last season when he played in just 16 games, Lupul appeared to have put his most recent back difficulties behind him with four consecutive days of practice. “Wed love to see him in our lineup on a regular basis,” Carlyle said of Lupul. “Weve tried to maintain that he has to change some of the things that he does from a standpoint of maybe being less reckless. I commented on it last week, I thought it was more not being so much reckless, but I think he was just dying to make a contribution.” Lupul fractured his right forearm in the third game of 2013, the victim of a flailing Dion Phaneuf point shot. He returned to the lineup 25 games later, offering two weeks of mesmerizing hockey before suffering a concussion, crunched by Jay Rosehill and Adam Hall. 4. More Rielly Watch Questioned further on the junior option for Rielly, Nonis said the coaching staff in Moose Jaw certainly factored into the Leafs equation. “If he does go back he has a good coach there,” Nonis said of Warriors head coach Mike Stothers. “I think thats one area you look at and say is he being coached by a quality staff and the answer is yes. Would he have a major impact on the World Junior team? I think the answer there is yes. Theres some things that could happen to him that would be good for him. That doesnt mean that he should go back. If he really is ready to play here and he can play a significant role then theres nothing wrong with keeping him at 19.” 5. Smiths dream Vying for a job with the Leafs in a depth capacity, Trevor Smith was born in Ottawa, spent a few years of his youth in Thornhill, Ontario, before finally settling in Vancouver. And he grew up a Leafs fan. “A lot of my buddies were giving me some cr**,” he said of signing with the organization this summer, “but for me personally this is a huge opportunity and something Ive dreamed of as a kid. Im really excited to be here.” Smith spent last season in the Pittsburgh organization – he dressed for one game with the Penguins – a member of the Lightning organization the year prior to that. The 28-year-old has played in 24 career NHL games, his AHL resume chalk full of gaudy offensive stats. Smith has the ability to play both centre and the wing, realizing that his versatility is perhaps the best asset to finding a job with the Leafs at this point. “I think if Im going to play in this league I need to be able to kill penalties and be really good at it,” he explained, “be able to block shots and be versatile, not only five-on-five defensively but on the PK as well.” Authentic C.J. Anderson Jersey . - Chris Tierney snapped a tie with a power-play goal late in the third period as the London Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Erie Otters 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action on Wednesday. Paxton Lynch Jersey .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. http:///...by-navy-blue-jersey/ .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. SAN ANTONIO -- Tony Parker and Tim Duncan provided the San Antonio Spurs with the physical and emotional lift they needed on the second night of back-to-back games. Parker scored 25 points and Duncan had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and San Antonio never trailed, cruising past the Dallas Mavericks 112-90 Wednesday night. Both teams were on the second night of a back-to-back, with San Antonio winning in overtime at Memphis and the Mavericks topping the Los Angeles Lakers in Dallas. Parker got off to a hot start despite playing 40 minutes Tuesday night, and finished 10 for 15 from the field with seven assists in 29 minutes. "When I woke up this morning, obviously everything hurts and you feel like youre 45 years old and think about Man, I should not play in the summer, " Parker said. "But it worked out. We played great. We had good energy." The Spurs turned to Marco Belinelli with super sub Manu Ginobili unable to play after straining his left hamstring against the Grizzlies. After starting 11 consecutive games, Belinelli had 17 points, going 3 for 5 on 3-pointers as a reserve. Kawhi Leonard added 12 points and Patty Mills scored 11 for San Antonio (28-8), which recaptured the Western Conferences best record ahead of Oklahoma City (27-8). Monta Ellis had 21 points and Vince Carter added 14. No other player scored in double figures as the Mavericks (20-16) lost their seventh straight to the Spurs. Dirk Nowitzki was limited to eight points, shooting 3 for 14 and making his only two free throw attempts while engaged in a physical battle with Boris Diaw. "(Boris) did all the little things out there and did an excellent job on Dirk," Duncan said. "He gave us a chance to get some space in the game and control Dirk without having to double team him and that was a big advantage for us." Duncan also provided a huge lift, going 5 for 8 from the field and picking up 10 defensive rebounds and blocking two shots. He also helped lift his teammates spirits. From encouraging and joking with teammates during timeouts to teasing the Spurs commentators, Duncan was in high spirits and it reflected in the teams energgy. John Elway Jersey. The Spurs outrebounded the Mavericks 55-32. "The rebounding killed us all night long," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "We were down 36-18 at halftime and thats just not good enough." Duncan grabbed five rebounds and Leonard had four in the first 7 minutes of the game, as San Antonio took advantage of Dallas undersized lineup. Duncan, Leonard and Boris Diaw had 11 points and 12 rebounds to open the game. The lack of rebounding was made worse by the Mavericks woeful shooting. They were 6 for 24 in the first 10 minutes while falling behind 23-12. With Shawn Marion missing the game due to a bruised right shoulder he hurt against the Lakers, Parker had a series of jumpers over Wayne Ellington to open the second half. He scored eight of the Spurs 10 points as they took a 55-42 lead 3 minutes into the third quarter. "He made a bunch of shots," Carlisle said. "He really diced up whoever was guarding him. Our team didnt do a good job. The third quarter was a demolition." Belinelli had five consecutive points, including his first 3-pointer, in putting San Antonio up 76-59 with 1:20 left in the third quarter. He missed a free throw following the 3 after being fouled by Carter. He scored seven consecutive points to give San Antonio a 93-68 lead with 8 minutes remaining. "I was happy to sit in the fourth quarter tonight," Parker said. "Especially after last night, playing 40 minutes; it was a long time. So I was happy this time." NOTES: Ginobili was a late scratch, missing his second game of the season, but first due to injury. ... Spurs television analyst Sean Elliott fell off his stool after Duncan playfully gave him a two-handed slap in the back during pregame warm-ups. Elliott, preparing for the teams local pre-game show, groaned loudly and laughed as Duncan sprinted off smiling as he tossed in a layup. Duncan returned to torment his former teammate during a timeout, crumpling and tossing Elliotts notes and water bottle at him. ... Former San Antonio centre DeJuan Blair received mostly boos when he was introduced in Dallas starting lineup, but there was a smattering of applause. 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