TORONTO - Under interim coach Peter Horachek, the Toronto Maple Leafs are a conundrum. Bobby Doerr Jersey . The defensive inconsistency that cost Randy Carlyle his job is mostly gone, but at the same time the goals have disappeared.When you think about it, if youre playing better defensively and youre giving up less chances, youre thinking youre going to be in a better position, Horachek said.Youd think that, but the Leafs have scored just seven goals during an embarrassing 0-7-1 slide, including just five at even strength. It has become a baffling stretch of a season thats beginning to look all too much like — to quote former Leafs GM Brian Burke — an 18-wheeler going off a cliff.If youre getting the same number of chances as we were when we were not playing as well defensively, you would think that the message should be: Just finish your chances, Horachek said after Thursdays 3-1 loss to the Coyotes. Because were not getting less chances, were getting the same number of chances.Injuries have played a role, but now that Joffrey Lupul is back and only captain Dion Phaneuf is missing, its no longer a valid excuse.Lupul returned Thursday night against Arizona after missing 11 games with a lower-body injury. Forced to watch a lot of bad hockey, the winger saw improvement at one end of the ice but not much to show for it at the other.Our team game looks better, but individually were struggling to make the big play at the critical time, Lupul said. Were doing some things right, but obviously youve got to score goals.Phil Kessel scored his 20th of the season against Arizona, but it was also his first at even strength in 19 games dating to Dec. 16.Hopefully I can get going, Kessel said. Its frustrating right now.Kessel said he wasnt sure if his goal might jump-start the offence going into Saturdays game at the Philadelphia Flyers, the first of three straight on the road. As a team, hes not quite sure what the Leafs have to do to score.Youve got to bury it, right? Kessel said. I think weve got to get more bodies to the net and create more secondary chances. Get a break, once in a while. Get a good bounce. We dont seem to be getting them.Bad bounces are bothering the bewildered Leafs, but its more than that. Theyve struggled to score since Horachek arrived preaching a more defensively responsible style.Changing systems on the fly is guaranteed to cause some stumbling, but 14 goals in 10 games and only one victory to show for isnt what management wanted to see after firing Carlyle.Perhaps this should have been expected. When the Capitals visited for Horacheks debut, his friend and mentor Barry Trotz offered some thoughts on what happens early in a transition like this, similar to the one he made in Washington months ago.Theres growing pains because youre going to play really well, and even if youre playing well defensively you might not get the wins, Trotz said. You always get tested how far youre going to come off the rail, if you will, to have balance in your game.Balance has been difficult for the Leafs to find. Progress is being measured in tiny increments.In Wednesdays shootout loss at the New Jersey Devils, Horachek was glad his team didnt give up a first-period goal — which had been a trend — and didnt have to play catch-up. He was also satisfied with the quality of scoring chances.Were getting chances from the A areas, Horachek said. We have to spend more time in those areas, whatever you want to call it, the lions den, the house, and get more people in those areas.Sometimes when the goals arent going in, you have to get more of a greasy goal, youre going to have to get more of an ugly goal. Pucks are going (to have) to have more traffic and people slapping in a rebound or going off a skate and youre going to have to find ways to get it in.These Leafs are built more to score on the rush than from the side of the net. With goals hard to come by from anywhere, Lupul said that after a while Im sure guys lose their confidence.Horachek is trying to keep confidence up.You have to take solace in that and say, OK, its moving in the right direction, he said. Were going to stay course, believe in what were doing and hopefully things will be more favourable.---Follow @SWhyno on Twitter Jackie Bradley Jr Red Sox Jersey . Dane Dobbie had four goals and two assists, Karsen Leung had two goals and two assists, and Matthew Dinsdale scored two and helped on another for Calgary (6-3). Shawn Evans and Jeff Shattler had eight-point games with a goal and seven assists apiece, and Jon Harnett and Geoff Snider also scored. Carl Yastrzemski Jersey . - Titans quarterback Jake Locker will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, leaving Tennessee trying to rally with Ryan Fitzpatrick. http://www.officialredsoxfanstore.com/authentic-bill-lee-red-sox-jersey/ . They say things like "stress is when you dont know what youre doing" and "I wasnt hired to motivate players, I was hired to coach motivated players." They ring as true now as they did when Mularkey heard them the first time playing tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame coach 25 years ago.CONROE, Texas - A Texas judge has tentatively set a Dec. 1 trial date for Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson on a charge of felony child abuse for using a wooden switch to discipline his 4-year-old son.Judge Kelly Case set the date Wednesday as Peterson made his first court appearance in suburban Houston for the incident that occurred earlier this year. Peterson did not enter a plea, though his attorney said he will eventually plead not guilty to the charge that carries a penalty of up to two years in prison. Jim Rice Red Sox Jersey. Peterson is on paid leave. The Vikings final game of the season is Dec. 28.Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon indicated he intends to file a motion to recuse the judge after Case allegedly called attorneys in the case media whores. Case apologized, but a Nov. 4 hearing was scheduled on whether to assign a new judge.Defence attorney Rusty Hardin says he wants to try the case as quickly as possible to get Peterson back to playing. ' ' '