WASHINGTON D.C. – Randy Carlyle, for one, would like to know where such an effort was hiding. Though they dropped their fourth consecutive game in the U.S. capital on Friday night – and 21st in 32 games since the start of November – the Maple Leafs finally played with the fight that had been mysteriously missing in recent days and, really, for the better part of a disappointing season. "Weve been begging, pleading, kicking, kissing, whatever we can do to try and find a way that we can play with some confidence," said Carlyle after a 3-2 loss to the Capitals. "This might be one of the better games weve played in a month. We showed desperation. We showed that we care [and] when we put our effort and our heart into it that there is more in that room than whats been displayed and thats whats been frustrating everybody – and theyre frustrated also." Still embarrassed from their second blowout loss in the past three games – a 6-1 pounding in Carolina just a night earlier – the Leafs at last competed with the necessary gumption and fire that was noticeably absent all week. Why it took so long to materialize and where it had been hiding was a "mind-boggling" and befuddling point for the Leafs head coach. His team was cleaner, crisper and a considerable contrast to the apparent mess that materialized against the Rangers and Hurricanes. A few mistakes and two unlucky bounces – both the Capitals game-tying and game-winning goals deflected off Toronto skates – ultimately saw a third period lead unravel, but there was, nonetheless, an air of cautious optimism afterward. "I think we played harder," said Dion Phaneuf, leading the team with 24 minutes. "No one likes to be embarrassed the way that we were." "We knew we needed it," David Clarkson added of the improved effort. "Weve got to find ways to compete like that every night. Compete. Compete. Win our battles and well be okay." It was the smallest of steps – they still lost for one thing – but a needed step no less for a team thats been light on optimism in the past two months. An unpredictable animal all year, what remains in question is how the Leafs respond when they host the Devils on Sunday night. Inconsistency has been the defining identity of the club so far. One good effort has only rarely translated into two. In fact, Toronto has won back-to-back games in regulation just once since the start of November. The reality of such a lengthy slide has seen them fall out of a playoff position for the first time all season in recent days, now 10th in the East with 47 points. "We need to start to churn some points for our hockey club to feel good about ourselves," said Carlyle, who felt his team was harder to play against, more physical and tighter defensively against the Capitals. "Theres not a lot of easy breathing taking place around our group right now. Thats the reality of it. But thats what happens when you dont have success." "Its not great when youre losing," Clarkson said. "But this is the part [of the season] that were going to have to rally together. Were going to have to find ways to get wins. I think if we play like we did tonight against every single team, I think well be fine." Five Points 1. Source of Trouble Carl Gunnarsson pointed to the Leafs inconsistency, night to night, period to period, shift to shift, as the source of a troubling first half. "Some nights the forecheck has been great and the day after, its been not as good," he said moments before Fridays game. "Its been just inconsistent all over. The only thing thats been good throughout the year, I think the goaltending has been great from both guys back there. They saved us in a bunch of games." Gunnarsson said the team could work well within its respective system, but failed to do so with any semblance of consistency. "When we do it well it works," he said. "So its just a matter of doing it every night, every shift, not only for every other night or 20, 40 minutes per game, its not enough. Its got to be every night and for 60 minutes." 2. The More Consistent Option in Goal Making his seventh start in the past eight games, Jonathan Bernier returned to the form that saw him gripping hold of the crease before a pair of losses earlier this week. The 25-year-old stopped 32 of 35 shots in defeat. Though he and his counterpart, James Reimer, have been equals for the better part of the season, Bernier has certainly proven the more consistent of the two, though Reimer has been dealt his fair share of bad hands, including Thursdays lackluster effort in Carolina. As the table below indicates, Berniers performance has fluctuated only slightly all season. Goaltender Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Bernier .933 .923 .932 .896 Reimer .949 .916 .909 .852 3. Gardiner Sitting for just the second time all season on Thursday night, Jake Gardiner was back in the Toronto lineup against the Capitals, paired with 19-year-old Morgan Rielly for the third time this season. "I thought that was one of Jakes best performances," Carlyle said of Gardiner, who played just under 20 minutes. "He moved the puck, he skated, he didnt turn it over, he made a lot of good plays. Thats what were looking for from him every night." Carlyle hadnt been happy with the 23-year-olds performance against the Rangers and Islanders, pulling him from the lineup in Carolina. "Thats the trials and tribulations of a young player," Carlyle continued. "We know Jake Gardiner has NHL-quality skills, but we believe that theres something there that takes him out of that after four or five games. Whatever that is weve got to find a way to correct that." Of note, Carlyle had Gardiner on the third pairing alongside Rielly, rather than the second grouping with Cody Franson where hes played the better part of the season with inconsistent success. 4. Opting for Optimism Rather than inflame the misery of a perilous slide on Friday morning, Carlyle opted to point out the positives of losses to the Hurricanes and Islanders. "[We] tried to focus on some of the things that were doing well in [Thursday] nights game and some of the games [recently]," said Carlyle after Fridays game. 5. End of a Cold Spell? James van Riemsdyk had his first multi-point outing in more than a month on Friday. Scoring for just the third time in the past 16 games, his 16th this season, while adding a helper on Phil Kessels 21st goal of the season, van Riemsdyk had a pair of points in the same game for the first time since Dec. 7. He sits second on the team in scoring with 33 points in 44 games. "Theres always going to be challenges throughout the year," the 24-year-old said, speaking generally about the team. "Its about how you respond to that. Theres going to be no sulking done by us, throwing a pity party or feeling sorry for ourselves. We know what we need to do. I think the effort tonight was a good response with how we kind of laid an egg [Thursday] night." Stats-Pack 4 – Goals in the past 19 games for James van Riemsdyk, who scored his 16th this season on Friday. 19:33 – Ice-time for Jake Gardiner against Washington. 11-16-5 – Leafs record since the start of November. 22 – Points in the past 32 games for Phil Kessel, who had 18 points in October alone. 6 – Fights this season for Colton Orr, who dueled with John Erskine on Friday. 12 – Points in the past 10 games for Tyler Bozak, who has 18 points in 22 games this season. Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-3 Season: 21.7% (5th) PK: 4-4 Season: 77.5% (27th) Quote of the Night "Weve been begging, pleading, kicking, kissing, whatever we can do to try and find a way that we can play with some confidence." -Randy Carlyle, following the 3-2 defeat in Washington. Up Next The Leafs host the Devils in yet another Sunday night affair at the ACC. Minkah Fitzpatrick Jersey . Gonzalez participated in his final game on Sunday, Atlantas 21-20 defeat at the hands of the NFC South champion Carolina Panthers, having posted four catches for 46 yards. Mark Duper Jersey . Right-hander Todd Redmond took the loss. Jose Bautista hit his second home run of the spring. Here are a handful of tidbits from around camp: Hutchison impressive The Blue Jays are being cautious when talking about their young arms but internally, excitement is building over the way Drew Hutchison is looking and performing this spring. http://www.dolphinsrookiestore.com/Dolph...-Csonka-Jersey/. Tottenham claimed top spot in Group K by winning 2-0 at Tromso after defender Adnan Causevic scored an own goal before Mousa Dembele put the result beyond doubt. Valencia made sure it will finish first in Group A with a 1-0 win at Swansea thanks to an early goal from Dani Parejo. Jason Taylor Jersey . - The Jacksonville Jaguars are leaning more toward playing injured quarterback Blake Bortles against Tennessee on Thursday night. Michael Deiter Jersey . "Opinion: Womens World Cup is the best Soccer of the year," Hanks tweeted to his 8.73 million followers on Friday. "Hey FIFA, they deserve real grass. Put in sod.BERLIN -- Bayern Munich routed Hannover 4-0 away to increase its Bundesliga lead to 19 points and extend its league record unbeaten run to 47 games on Sunday. Bastian Schweinsteiger made his first start after recovering from ankle surgery and the Germany midfielder had a hand in both his sides first half goals, as Bayern strolled to its 14th win in succession. Earlier, 10-man Werder Bremen held on for a 0-0 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt, a result that leaves both sides just three points off the relegation zone. Hannover made the better start and Bayern reserve goalkeeper Tom Starke, replacing the rested Manuel Neuer, had to be alert to deny Artjoms Rudnevs in the 15th minute when Szabolcs Huszti played the Latvian striker through. "It took us a while to get into it but once we scored it went very well," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said. Bayern gave the home side a lesson in efficiency and scored with its first attack of note in the 25th when Schweinsteiger spotted Rafinha on the right and the Brazilian crossed for Thomas Mueller to head inside the right post. Schweinsteiger played a great ball over the Hannover defence for Thiago Alcantara to make it 2-0 with a confident finish nine minutes later. "It was great to play from the beginning, to get the practice back and play without any problems," Schweinsteiger said. "I still have to get into my rhythm. The foot feels good and I hope it stays that way." Hannover threatened briefly after the break, when Rudnevs fired over and Starke saved from Mame Biram Diouf before blocking Husztis effort. Mueller killed any hopes of a comeback with his second goal in the 59th after Mario Mandzukic laid the ball off with his heel. It was the Bayerrn wingers 10th strike of the season.dddddddddddd Mandzukic celebrated his 100th Bundesliga appearance by meeting Rafinhas cross to complete the scoring in the 66th. Schweinsteiger went off shortly afterward, when he vented his frustration at not receiving the ball from substitute Arjen Robben after making a run. "When you get to a certain age you dont like to run as much," Schweinsteiger joked. "I know what Arjen is like." Bayern can wrap up the title in record time with closest challengers Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund losing on Saturday. Fourth-placed Schalke also slipped up by drawing on Friday. No other side has had such an advantage after 22 games in 51 seasons of the Bundesliga. Bayern can theoretically seal the title on March 15. "I look at the table but in the end its only important what we do," Guardiola said. Frankfurt dominated its game Sunday but failed to make the most of its numerical advantage after Felix Kroos was sent off with his second yellow card in the 34th minute. "Were not at all happy with the point," Frankfurt coach Armin Veh said. "We were the better team even before the sending off." Joselu should have scored in the ninth but was thwarted in a one-on-one by Bremen goalkeeper Raphael Wolf. Frankfurt attacking midfielder Alexander Meier grazed the outside of the right post with a free kick in the 29th, shot wide from a promising position in the 78th, and then headed the best chance against the other post with two minutes remaining. "This little victory for morale can help us," Bremen coach Robin Dutt said. "We dont yet know what the point is good for but it will be good for something." ' ' '