Its possible theyll need five more in a row to make a suddenly

TORONTO -- Just like after previous home victories, "We Cant Stop" by Miley Cyrus blared from the Toronto Maple Leafs locker-room. Custom Milwaukee Brewers Jerseys . The victory song that became synonymous with a season of good fortune was the same, but after beating the Calgary Flames 3-2 on Tuesday night the mood was much more relief than happiness. The result snapped a streak of eight straight regulation losses to keep the Leafs slim playoff hopes alive. "It feels like a lot of weight lifted off of our team," captain Dion Phaneuf said. "We can feel good about ourselves because we won this game." The Leafs allowed themselves to feel good by picking up their first points since beating the Los Angeles Kings on March 13. They improved to 82 with five games remaining and passed the Washington Capitals (81, six games left) but still trail the Detroit Red Wings (84, seven games left) and Columbus Blue Jackets (83, seven games left) in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. Catching either the Red Wings, who play the Boston Bruins on Wednesday, or the Blue Jackets, who blew a two-goal lead and lost in overtime to the Colorado Avalanche, remains a daunting task. But for Toronto (37-32-8), any victory represented a confidence boost. "Its been a long time. Its been too long," coach Randy Carlyle said. "You hope that you can build on it, but I dont want to get too far ahead of ourselves because we didnt paint a Mona Lisa here tonight." In getting goals from Jay McClement, Dave Bolland and then the game-winner from David Clarkson, the Leafs managed to prevent what wouldve been their first stretch of nine straight regulation losses since 1967, the last time this franchise won the Stanley Cup. "We were flat for a big part of that game and gave up three rush chances," said ex-Leafs forward Matt Stajan, who scored his 13th of the season for the Flames on a breakaway. "Thats how that team scores goals. You could say they got a bounce on the one. Im guessing they havent had many bounces the last month so weve just got to be better." A loss of any kind to the Flames (31-38-7) wouldve been devastating to a team that knew it would have to run the table and get some help just to give itself a chance. Step 1 was beating the Flames. "It beats losing, thats for sure," said defenceman Cody Franson, who set up McClement for the games first goal 50 seconds into the second period. Anything beats losing for the Leafs, who not too long ago were in second place in the Atlantic Division before going into this free fall that saw them lose to the Capitals, Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, St. Louis Blues, Philadelphia Flyers and then Detroit again. Calgary didnt make it nine despite goals from Stajan and defenceman Kris Russell. Goaltender Karri Ramo stopped 19 of the 22 shots he faced. "I dont think we got outplayed," Flames coach Bob Hartley said. "Its just they got one goal more than us. They were opportunistic at the right time and we got our chances late and we couldnt capitalize on them but its not by a lack of effort." In the same vein, Clarkson said Torontos losing streak wasnt for a lack of effort. But in a results-oriented business, they simply werent there. They came Tuesday night because McClement drove hard to the net, Bolland banked the puck off Flames defenceman T.J. Brodie and Mason Raymond sprung Clarkson on a breakaway. Jonathan Bernier also made 22 saves for his first victory since March 10. "It wasnt pretty, but well take it," Bolland said. "I dont think we played the prettiest game or we made the prettiest moves. But in a slump like that, just to get out of that, its great to get out of it." One victory wont get the Leafs out of the hole they dug over the past few weeks, but players hope is that this is at least a start. "Hopefully its big," said Clarkson, whose goal was his first point in 17 games. "At this time of the season, you stay positive, you continue to get better and youve got to stick together. Weve got to stick together in here and back each other up." And get some help. Phaneuf was keenly aware of the Capitals 5-0 loss to the Dallas Stars and the Blue Jackets 3-2 overtime loss to the Avalanche on Tuesday night. "Were definitely aware of where were at, and youre aware of the scores and what else is going on around you," he said. "You dont want to be in the position that youre scoreboard-watching, but thats the position that were in. We accept that, and any time you get help around the league, you take it." More than anything else, the Leafs have to take care of business in front of them. The remaining schedule includes home games against the Boston Bruins and Winnipeg Jets and then three on the road at the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators. Its possible theyll need five more in a row to make a suddenly improbable run to the playoffs. But all the talk after beating the Flames had to do with Wednesdays practice and then Thursdays game against the East-leading Bruins. "We know were going to play a Boston team, but we should feel good about ourselves because weve had a lot of things that have been negative for us, so lets enjoy the win and lets get ourselves ready tomorrow to play a real tough opponent in the Boston Bruins," Carlyle said. NOTES -- Phil Kessel played for the Leafs despite a bruised right foot. More than once he took a puck to that foot. "Its like, Here it is, hit me. He had the sign on his foot," Carlyle said jokingly. ... Paul Ranger dressed as the Leafs seventh defenceman in his first game since suffering a neck injury against Tampa Bay on March 19. Forwards Colton Orr and Jerry DAmigo were scratched. ... Bryce Van Brabant made his NHL debut for the Flames, becoming the 10th Calgary player to do that this season. Mike Moustakas Jersey . The 30-year-old Texas native was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 20th round of the 2001 amateur draft. Duke spent six years in Pittsburgh and also had stints with Arizona, Washington and Cincinnati. Josh Hader Brewers Jersey .The surgery was performed by Dr. William Meyers at the Vincera Institute in Philadelphia.Letestu had three goals and two assists in nine games before being injured in late October.The 29-year-old has 54 goals and 65 assists in 273 career NHL games, including 39 goals and 51 assists in 188 games with the Blue Jackets. https://www.cheapbrewers.com/1209y-christian-yelich-jersey-brewers.html . -- So much for concern that running back Marshawn Lynch would be absent from the Seattle Seahawks minicamp.EDMONTON - It didnt take long for Alexander Steen to make the St. Louis Blues investment in him pay off. Steen looks to set a new career high for goals in a season on Saturday night as the Blues visit the struggling Edmonton Oilers. The 29-year-old Steen officially signed a three-year contract extension on Thursday worth $17.4 million and went out that night and scored twice in a 5-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. The extension was a no-brainer for the Blues as Steen leads the club with 24 goals, matching the previous career high he set over 68 games in 2009-10. The forward has 38 points in 34 games this season. Jaden Schwartz, Chris Stewart and Maxim Lapierre all scored for the Blues and Brenden Morrow tallied his 300th assist to help the Blues snap a two-game losing streak and improve to 4-1-1 in the last six games. T.J. Oshie added two assists and Jaroslav Halak came up with 25 saves. "We stuck with it and just played the way we should be playing, the way we were playing early in the season," said Steen. St. Louis, which played on Thursday without Vladimir Sobotka and David Backes due to upper-body injuries, is expected to give Brian Elliott his 10th start of the season tonight. He is 4-3-0 with a 3.05 goals against average in his career versus the Oilers. Edmonton is set to play two straight and three of its next fouur at home after going winless on a four-game road trip. Lorenzo Cain Jersey. The Oilers have lost a season high- tying five straight overall following a 4-2 setback to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins both finished with a goal and an assist for the Oilers, while Devan Dubnyk made 35 saves. Edmonton has been outscored 18-6 over its losing streak. "We played three good games on this trip. It was frustrating losing them, they were all close. We have to be the ones getting the empty-net goals, not them," said Nugent-Hopkins. Ilya Bryzgalov may get the start for the Oilers and is 6-9-1 with a 2.96 GAA in his career when facing the Blues. Also helping Bryzgalovs case is the fact that Dubnyk is 0-7-0 with a 4.72 GAA in his career versus St. Louis. Edmonton forward David Perron is set to play his former St. Louis club for the first time. He was a first-round pick by the Blues in 2007, taken 26th overall, and logged 84 goals, 114 assists and 198 points in 340 games before getting traded to the Oilers on July 10 for Magnus Paajarvi and a 2014 second- round pick. The Oilers had lost five straight to the Blues before notching a 3-0 victory in St. Louis on the most recent meeting on March 26. The Blues are still 11-2-1 in the past 14 in the series and have won two straight and five of their last seven in Edmonton. ' ' '