TORONTO a€“ It was 10:49 on Wednesday morning at the Air Canada Centre and Randy Carlyle, the Maple Leafs head coach, had his team gathered around the boards in front of the official scorers table. Anthony Miller Jersey . The directive, lasting less than a minute, ended with one succinct message. Its up to you now, Carlyle said to the 23 players assembled around him. But so many of the questions surrounding this version of the Leafs a€“ searching for just their second playoff berth in the past 10 seasons a€“ come down to Carlyle and his ability to adapt and affect change this season a€“ alongside a revamped coaching staff, no less. Will they possess the puck more? Can they defend better? Can they play the speedier style hes talked about implementing this fall? Can they find contributions from four lines? Can he get the group, ultimately, to buy into the product hes selling? The earliest indicators to those ongoing questions took their first form in the Leafs 4-3 season-opening loss to Montreal on Wednesday night. Save an unfortunate first goal from Max Pacioretty a€“ one that fooled Jonathan Bernier a€“ Toronto broke out with the start they were looking for. They were fast, on the attack and in control territorially after 20 minutes, ending up with a one-goal lead on markers from Nazem Kadri and Tyler Bozak. We started the way that we wanted to start the game a€“ the style of play that we want to play, said Dion Phaneuf afterward, his nearly 24 minutes leading the team. But then things went south in the middle period. Feet stopped moving, pucks were given away, speed dried up and the Canadiens held court in the Toronto zone for long stretches. It was akin to the teams many letdowns of last season. One spell saw the top line (which was probably its worst on this night) trapped in its own zone for more than a minute and a half, three shots from Montreals top line of Pacioretty, P.A. Parenteau and David Desharnais fired on Bernier. The Habs struck early in the period to even the score; Plekanec snuck in behind the pair of Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner and deposited the Habs second goal. I thought the second period we got back on our heels and we stood around and watched, said Carlyle. We didnt support the puck, we turned it over a€“ we were continually turning it over and Montreal took the game to us. The teams traded chances in the third, an even 20 minutes that saw the visitors laugh last on the second goal of the night from Plekanec, one that ricocheted off the skate of rookie Stuart Percy and into the goal behind Bernier. It was the capper of the Leafs first regulation loss on opening night since 2006. They had clipped the Canadiens in four straight season openers. For Carlyle, though, it was a generally positive start. Most notable was the balanced lineup. The Leafs were able to roll four lines deep into the third period of a close game, only one forward finishing with less than 10 minutes. His team, stylistically, also looked the part of a speedier, more aggressive unit. In terms of territorial control, too, the Leafs were just about equal with the Canadiens, felled in many ways by the off-night of their top line a€“ on the ice for two of the four Montreal goals a€“ so consistent a force last season. Toronto gave up a fair share of opportunities a€“ burned a couple times because of it a€“ but save for some wobbly, enduring points in the middle frame, they were also far from the mess of a year ago. Some good, some bad in the opener. Five Points 1. Rookies Both Brandon Kozun and Stuart Percy made themselves noticed early in their NHL debuts. The surprise hit of training camp, Kozuns first period attempt on Carey Price was redirected by Nazem Kadri for the Leafs first goal of the season. Late in that same period, it was Percy retrieving his own shoot-in on the power-play and then dishing to Tyler Bozak for the second goal. Of the two, it was the defenceman who made the bigger impression. A first round pick in 2011, Percy played more than 20 minutes alongside Roman Polak. He garnered first power-play duty alongside Phaneuf, killed penalties in tandem again with Polak and rarely looked rattled by the weight of his first NHL game. I thought Stu had a heck of a hockey game, Carlyle said. He moved the puck effectively. Hes very, very calm with the puck. His night ended on the most unfortunate of terms. In attempting to connect with Alex Galchenyuk in front of the Toronto goal, Plekanec fired the puck off Percys skate and into the net with 43 seconds left on the clock. It was an unlucky moment hell surely never forget. Bernier made sure he knew it was luck and nothing more. Obviously its not his fault, said Bernier. He doesnt need to get down on himself after that. 2. Balance In Torontos season opener one year earlier, two forwards a€“ Carter Ashton and Colton Orr a€“ played fewer than four minutes, including just five shifts that amounted to two minutes and forty-seven seconds for Orr (who passed through waivers Monday and is now with the Marlies). Better balance was the idea when the Leafs stocked up the depths of their forward ranks in the summer and that balance was noticeable in the opener. All but one of the 12 forwards dressed garnered double-digit ice-time a€“ Matt Frattin just missing out with 9:24. 3. Philosophy Brendan Shanahans predecessor made no secret of what he wanted his teams to look like when he landed with the Leafs full of thunder in Nov. 2008. We require as a team proper levels of pugnacity, testosterone, and belligerence, Brian Burke said famously at the time. Thats how our teams play. Shanahan has kept bold statements of that kind to a minimum since he was named team president back in April, but allowed a peek into his philosophy on Wednesday afternoon. The puck is something we have to own a little bit more, said Shanahan. Thats the key to the hockey game. Both teams, whether theyre a big, tough, dump-and-chase team or a skilled, quick, puck-handling team, everybodys looking to control the puck, control the game. 4. Robidas Debut One hundred and sixty-three picks after the Ottawa Senators picked Bryan Berard first overall in 1995 did the Montreal Canadiens select Stephane Robidas out of nearby Sherbrooke, Quebec. Robidas was one of six players making their Leafs debut on Wednesday night. The 37-year-old donned an alternate letter in facing his former team, the groundwork for that decision laid during a summer meeting between player and team brass. In his role, we felt that he would be a guy that could provide leadership, not only to our younger players, but some of our older players, said Carlyle, prior to the game. He could share minutes and he could make a contribution, not [only] on the ice. And thats what hes done all his career. So we dont look at it that were asking him to do something hes not comfortable doing. Robidas logged 20 minutes in his debut. 5. Roster Evolution Just how different was the Leafs lineup from exactly one year earlier? Leafs Opening Night 2013-14 van Riemsdyk Bozak Kessel Lupul Kadri *Kulemin *Raymond *Bolland *Bodie *Ashton *McClement *Orr *Gunnarsson Phaneuf *Reimer Gardiner *Franson *Fraser *Ranger Leafs Opening Night 2014-15 van Riemsdyk Bozak Kessel Lupul Kadri *Kozun *Winnik *Holland *Frattin *Komarov *Santorelli *Clarkson Phaneuf *Robidas *Bernier Gardiner *Rielly *Percy *Polak *changes Stats Pack 57-58 a€“ Corsi, slightly favouring Montreal in Wednesdays opener. 20:21 a€“ Ice-time for Stuart Percy in his NHL debut. 11 a€“ Leafs forwards with at least 10 minutes on Wednesday. 7 a€“ Leafs opening night unbeaten streak (5-0-2) snapped with the 4-3 decision. Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-3 Season: 33% PK: 2-2 Season: 100% Quote of the Night Obviously its not his fault. I just gave him a tap on the back. He doesnt need to get down on himself after that. -Jonathan Bernier, on his message to Stuart Percy following Tomas Plekanecs game-winner. Up Next The Leafs host the Penguins at home on Saturday before visiting the Rangers in midtown Manhattan on Sunday. Devin Hester Jersey . The first baseman hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to lead the Mets to a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Richard Dent Youth Jersey . His absence against the Celtics comes a day after he scored 43 points in the Heats 100-96 win at Cleveland. http://www.chicagobearfootballauthentic.com/authentic-akiem-hicks-bears-jersey/ . While coach Doc Rivers high-fived fans and pumped his fist at the crowd, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul quietly congratulated each other. CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Cristie Kerr made a 55-foot par-saving putt after hitting her final approach into the water Saturday at Aviara, giving her a share of the Kia Classic lead with Lizette Salas. Kerr finished with a 2-under 70 to match Salas at 10-under 206. After dropping a stroke on the par-5 17th, Kerr holed out from the edge of the green on the par-4 18th after taking a penalty drop. "Obviously, it was the worst shot I could have hit and then it was the best shot I could have hit," Kerr said. "So go figure, thats golf. It was pretty amazing. It is really one of those moments that you just remember for a lifetime. I was just trying to get it close. Usually thats when those go in." Kerr won the Kingsmill Championship last year for her 16th LPGA Tour title. "I hit two hooks on 17 in a row," Kerr said. "That hole owes me tomorrow. That hole owes me tomorrow, big time." Salas, the former Southern California player from Azusa, had a 69. She birdied the par-5 17th for a share of the lead and matched Kerr with a par on the last. Salas was followed by a spirited gallery wearing "Team Salas" shirts as she tries to win her first LPGA Tour title. "Im just really trying to capitalize on the par 5s," Salas said. "Just staying patient. Thats really my key this week is to stay pattient, even though Im in trouble, like on No. Jim McMahon Womens Jersey. 13, where I hit it into the bunker." She got up-and-down for par, and didnt let a bogey on No. 15 -- her first of the tournament -- bring her down. "One bogey out of three days is not a bad thing," Salas said. Dori Carter, the second-round leader after a course-record 64, had a 74 to drop into a tie for third at 8 under with Thailand winner Anna Nordqvist, Ayako Uehara and Shanshan Feng. "Overall I handled my nerves pretty well," Carter said. "It was my first time playing in the final group." Nordqvist and Uehara shot 67, and Feng had a 69. "I started off really solid," Nordqvist said. "I think the back nine is playing a little tougher, but I hung tough and made a silly mistake on 16. But other than that, Im really happy with my round." Third-ranked Stacy Lewis was 7 under after a 73. She had two late bogeys. DIVOTS: One of the tournaments most bizarre shots came Saturday from Yani Tseng on the par 4 No. 18. Tseng sprayed her approach shot left, deep into the bleacher hugging the green. The ball ricocheted around and spit out, landing on the green where Tseng, the 2012 winner, pared the hole. ... Michelle Wie and 16-year-old Lydia Ko were in a group tied for 28th at 3 under. Wie had a 70, and Ko shot 71. ' ' '