TORONTO -- Like it or not, the Toronto Maple Leafs are well-versed in the shootout. [url=https://www.customjerseysnikebaseball.

TORONTO -- Like it or not, the Toronto Maple Leafs are well-versed in the shootout. Custom Nike Toronto Blue Jays Jerseys . And unlike last season, thats actually a good thing for them. On Wednesday night at Air Canada Centre the Leafs made it through three periods and overtime yet again and managed to beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 for their league-leading ninth shootout victory of the year. It was Torontos third straight win, and three of their past four overall have come via the shootout. Some how, some way, they keep getting there and have it to thank for a playoff position 49 games in. "I think if our team had a choice, wed try to end the game a bit earlier," said defenceman Morgan Rielly, who scored his first home goal this season. "But I think thats just an aspect of hockey nowadays. It just turns out that were pretty good at them." Only the Washington Capitals have gone to the shootout more times than the Leafs (24-20-5), who have showed a penchant for at least forcing overtime. They have just three regulation victories in their past 28 games, yet are right in the thick of the Eastern Conference race. "Obviously were fortunate this year that our record in the shootout is a real, strong positive for our hockey club," coach Randy Carlyle said. "Theres been a lot of extra points gained by it. If we can continue to find a way to get points, thats what our job is." Whereas the Leafs went 0 for 5 and rued shootouts during last years lockout-shortened 48-game season, they keep getting the job done this season. Against the Sabres on Wednesday night, James van Riemsdyk, Joffrey Lupul and Tyler Bozak all scored and goaltender James Reimer stopped one of two attempts. Whether its Reimer or Jonathan Bernier, those shooters have experienced a lot of shootout success, so it has made sense for assistant coach Greg Cronin -- who fills out the lineup -- to keep going back to them. Lupul is six for seven, van Riemsdyk is six for nine and Bozak is three for five. "Think were confident in the guys that we can send out there to score goals and confident in our goalie," van Riemsdyk said. "We seem to have guys that are confident going in with their moves and the goaltenders are confident in the net. It makes it a good matchup in the shootout." The Sabres (13-27-6) dropped to 6-3 in shootouts this season but were thankful to get there thanks to Cody Hodgsons early-third-period, power-play goal and a strong penalty kill in overtime that included a good scoring chance for defenceman Tyler Myers. "That was huge," Buffalo coach Ted Nolan said of the penalty kill. "I thought Tyler Myers, his first game back was probably one of his best games all season long. He played with a little pizzazz. He played with some energy, and he was very aggressive." Goaltender Ryan Miller, who could again be the U.S. starter at the Sochi Olympics after leading the Americans to silver in Vancouver, was strong before the shootout in making 36 saves in regulation and overtime. He gave up goals to Olympic teammate Phil Kessel, Nikolai Kulemin and Rielly. Kessels was a pure goal-scorers goal, a perfect shot that went five-hole on Miller. "He made a nice shot," Miller said. "I didnt see. Good for Phil. Get him going for the Olympics, I guess." In addition to Hodgson, Matt Ellis and Matt Moulson also scored for the Sabres. Moulsons goal at 6:34 of the second wasnt reviewed, though it took several replay angles to show it clearly went in the net. "It went in," Carlyle said. "It hit the webbing on the top. When it hit the bar, it went up and it went into the webbing and then came back down. The angle that the camera had made it difficult to determine if it actually crossed the line because the camera angle was at a bad angle to (see) it. But when you looked at it from where he was shooting it, from behind him, you can see the top of the webbing of the net went up, so that usually indicates its got to be in then net." Just before that, Buffalos Zemgus Girgensons had a quality chance on a second-period penalty shot, which Reimer stopped in what turned out to be more practice for the shootout. Not that Reimer needed it, as he improved to 4-0 in the shootout this season. "Personally Im not a huge fan of shootouts," Reimer said. "Its something I try to practise most days as much as I can. Shootouts are important points, and theyre huge come the end of the year. Obviously regulation wins are most important, but those points are priceless." Theyre especially valuable considering the thin line between the Leafs being in a good position nearing the Olympic break and having to play catch-up in late February, March and April. This was the 16th time Toronto got to at least overtime, which is a boat load of points earned before the game is even over. The Leafs have played 72 minutes and five seconds of overtime, more than an entire extra game. Torontos knack for surviving past the 60-minute mark is hard to explain. "Thats a good question," van Riemsdyk said. "Theres some games where we seem to get a lead and end up losing that lead or games where you battle back and go to the shootout. Its part of the game, and you just come with whats given." So while the Leafs have taken what theyve earned in shootouts, Miller and the Sabres were left to wonder about a point lost. "Unfortunately, I wasnt very good in the shootout," Miller said. "Thats the difference." Being so good in the shootout has made a major difference in the Leafs fortunes this season. "When you win them its a positive, when you lose them its a negative," Carlyle said. "Thats the bottom line. Thats what you play the game to gain points and to win, and a shootout gives you a win." NOTES -- Enforcer Colton Orr returned to Torontos lineup after missing Tuesdays game in Boston with the flu, which has affected several players. Frazer McLaren was scratched to make room for Orr. ... Sabres forward Matt DAgostini left the game early in the first period with an upper-body injury and did not return. DAgostini skated just three shifts for 2:19, and Nolan said he expects him to be out for "a little while." ... This was the fifth and final meeting between the Leafs and Sabres this season. Custom Nike Kansas City Royals Jerseys .ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams. Custom Nike Baltimore Orioles Jerseys . Returning to Davis Cup tennis, Federer cruised past Ilija Bozoljac, winning 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 in less than two hours. Federer faced little challenge from Bozoljac, who served well but still was no match for his Swiss opponent. https://www.customjerseysnikebaseball.com/ . Andrew Luck couldnt believe his ears. Colts fans couldnt believe the scoreboard, and the Kansas City Chiefs couldnt believe their incredibly bad luck.GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Blake Bortles rolled right, crashed into two defenders and floated a pass to an open receiver just before going down. The two players who had a beat on Central Floridas quarterback stayed on the ground, each pounding their hands into the turf as the receiver ran up the sideline. Out of reach all game, the Knights pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the bowl season by outlasting the nations top offensive team in a rousing BCS debut. Bortles stymied Baylor with his arm and legs while accounting for four touchdowns, Storm Johnson ran for three more scores and No. 15 Central Florida turned the highest-scoring Fiesta Bowl into a big-play party by outlasting the sixth-ranked Bears 52-42 on Wednesday night. "Theres not many outside of us who believe we had a chance, but we did and I think we showed what UCF football is all about," Bortles said. Central Florida (12-1) wasnt given much of a chance at all, entering the game as a 17-point underdog. The Knights didnt care about the spread and certainly didnt back down from the big, bad Bears, racing past Baylor with an array of big plays. They took an early 14-point lead and kept rolling, piling up 556 total yards in the second-highest scoring BCS bowl ever. Bortles, the junior who could be weighing a jump to the NFL, was the catalyst, throwing for three touchdowns on 20-of-31 passing and running for 93 yards and another score. Rannell Hall accounted for some of the biggest plays, catching four passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson kept Baylor from ganging up on UCFs passing game, grinding out 124 yards on 20 carries. So much about having no shot. "Its a great win, a great feeling for everyone whos been through the program," UCF coach George OLeary said. Known for its offence prowess, Baylor (11-2) had a hard time keeping up with the Knights. The Big 12 champions finished with 550 total yards, but were uncharacteristically undisciplined, getting 17 penalties for 135 yards. Bryce Petty tried to keep the Bears in it, running for three touchdowns while throwing for 356 yards and two more scores. Lache Seastrunk had some big runs in the first half and finished with 117 yards. None of it was enough the way UCF ran through Baylors defence. "We caught a football team that was hot," Baylor coach Art Briles said. "They played extremely well early, got into us. We tried to play catch up the whole game, never could turn it around when it needed turning." The Fiesta Bowl was the BCS coming-out party for Baylor and Central Florida before college footballls switch to a playoff system next season. Custom Nike Atlanta Braves Jerseys. The Bears had been building toward this since Briles became coach in 2009, winding up his high-octane offence to lead the nation in scoring and churn out the second-most yards in FBS history. Central Florida had a slower rise under OLeary. The coach who was fired by Notre Dame five days after being hired for lying on his resume has built his reputation back up in Orlando, taking a program that went winless in 2004 to the inaugural American Athletic Conference title and automatic BCS berth this year. The matchup was projected to be like the 2011 Fiesta Bowl, when mighty Oklahoma rolled over Connecticut 48-20. The Knights werent listening. They opened with a 76-yard scoring drive capped by Johnsons tackle-breaking 11-yard touchdown run. Johnson scored again on UCFs next possession, this one on a 2-yard run. The early 14-0 lead was expected. The team leading wasnt. Baylor finally revved up its offence late in the first quarter, scoring on a 1-yard TD sneak by Petty and Central Florida looked as if it was ready to fall apart with turnovers on three consecutive plays. Baylor only turned one of those into points: a 30-yard pass from Petty to Levi Norwood. Petty followed Johnsons fumble with an interception in the end zone, just his third of the season. "Unfortunately, that was the turning point in the game," Petty said. "We needed that to save momentum up for us, especially after a turnover. Turnovers in the red zone kill an offence." Then came the spectacular plays, seemingly one after another. Hall darted and dashed through Baylors defence for a 50-yard touchdown on a screen pass, with help from Josh Reeses downfield block. Petty hurtled himself into the end zone, flipping over UCFs Brandon Alexander to cap a 13-yard run. That gave Baylor 659 points, breaking the NCAA record for a 13-game season set by Texas (652) in 2005. The momentum was gone shortly after, when Hall turned a swing pass into a 34-yard touchdown -- assisted again by Reese -- to put the Knights up 28-20 at halftime. Petty scored his third touchdown on 1-yard run in the third quarter and dashed in for the 2-point conversion to tie the game, but Central Florida still wouldnt back down. Bortles hit Breshad Perriman on a 10-yard touchdown pass and opened the fourth quarter by scoring on a 15-yard run to put the Knights up 42-28. Even after Baylor moved quickly for a 9-yard touchdown run by Glasco Martin, UCF had an answer, going up 49-35 on Johnsons 40-yard run through the heart of the Bears defence. ' ' '