INDIANAPOLIS - Coming off a pair of disappointing losses, the most recent ending in controversy, the Raptors look to put an end to their first skid of the season Friday while handing the Pacers their first loss. Catch all the action live on TSN2 starting at 7:00pm et. Torontos most recent loss, a 92-90 defeat to the Bobcats Wednesday, came down to a divisive final possession in which Dwane Casey and the Raptors chose not to foul the home team, down two with less than 27 seconds remaining and a 1.9 clock differential. They had a second opportunity to commit the foul on a reset with five seconds left, after the Bobcats retained possession on an out of bounds play and called a timeout. Thats where Casey acknowledges his team made a mistake. "Ill take responsibly for miscalculating on that out of bounds play, not the 27 seconds because you still have a differential going back," Casey said Friday after his teams shoot around prior to a meeting with the undefeated Pacers. Casey felt and still believes it was best to play out the possession once Charlotte rebounded a DeMar DeRozan miss with 27 on the clock. Instead of extending the game Casey said he was confident in his teams ability to get one final stop having shut the Bobcats down on the previous possessions. The foul, as he revisited the scenario, should have been given when Charlotte caught the ball off the inbound pass. "We talked about it as a staff," Casey continued. "We gambled and we missed. I stand by not fouling once they got possession in that situation." As Casey pointed out Wednesday, the Raptors would not have been in that position if not for a slow start in that game and hope to bounce back right out of the gate against much stiffer competition Friday evening. Although they played the Pacers (5-0) competitively last year, having had some recent success in Indiana, the Raptors (2-3) face another tough test on the road against the NBAs last remaining undefeated team. Indiana is off to its best start since beginning the 1971-72 season 5-0, en route to an ABA championship, and can match a franchise record - set the year prior - by opening the season with six straight wins. The teams split their four-game series last season, each winning a couple on the road with three meetings - including both in Indiana - decided by two points. The Raptors overcame a five-point fourth quarter in Indiana Nov. 13 of last year to win 74-72 and came away with a 100-98 overtime victory on Feb. 8 after Rudy Gay hit a game-winner in the final seconds. "We match up with them pretty well," Casey said of the Pacers. "I love the way they play. Thats the way I want to play. Thats what wins in the NBA and its a great challenge for us. Weve got to come in with that mindset, the way they play, and take it right back at them because if we dont its going to be a long night." Fresh off an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals where they took the Heat to seven games, the Pacers have picked up right where they left off. Although they still havent scored 100 points in a game - ranking 21st in scoring, averaging 95.4 per - they also havent allowed more than 91. Giving up just 84.4 points per game and holding all five of their early-season opponents below 40 per cent shooting, Indianas defence, once again, is the best in the league. Trends and Tidbits The Pacers have also had to overcome slow starts, trailing at halftime in four of their five games but that hasnt been a problem for them so far. After falling behind 43-37 at the break on Wednesday, Indiana outscored the Bulls 60-37 in the second half, including a 34-18 advantage in the final quarter to remain unbeaten. Toronto has out-rebounded each of its opponents to begin the season, ranking fifth in the NBA averaging 45.6 boards per game. Through five games they have a plus-45 rebounding differential. Jonas Valanciunas has scored 30 points on 28 shots in 47 first-quarter minutes. He has totaled just 19 points, launching only 16 shots in 72 minutes combined in quarters two through four. Although Torontos bench has been a pleasant surprise, helping the team narrow large deficits both in Charlotte and Atlanta early in the season, that hasnt been reflected in the box score. The Raptors bench has been outscored by the oppositions reserves in each of the first five games, 162-113 overall. Toronto ranks 27th in the league in bench score with its second unit averaging 24.6 points per contest. Toronto is 9-24 all-time against the Pacers in Indiana. Who to Watch For Tyler Hansbrough Hansbrough has had an immediate impact off the Raptors bench after signing with the team as a free agent during the summer. The Raptors super sub was drafted 13th overall by the Pacers in 2009 and spent his first four seasons playing in Indiana, where he averaged 8.9 points and 3.6 rebounds. In five games as a Raptor, Hansbrough has brought his trademark energy and physicality to Toronto, traits his new team are going to need Friday against his old one. "Im trying to get a win tonight so thats the only way Im looking at it," Hansbrough said, downplaying his return to Indiana. "Im not looking to catch up with friends." Paul George Signed to an extension in the summer, coming off a breakout year last season, George continues to take his game to the next level and put himself in the conversation with the leagues best. George has scored at least 21 points in each game this season and is averaging 25.8 per contest, good for fifth in the NBA. A dangerous two-way player, George averaged 18.5 points, 12.0 rebound and 4.3 assists, going 11-for-23 from three-point range in the four meetings with Toronto last season. "Its very difficult," Casey said of Georges rare ability to dominate at both ends of the floor. "Thats why hes one of the top players in the league. Hes playing at a very high level on both ends of floor. Weve got to get ready for him, not only his offence but his defence." Injury Report Raptors forward Steve Novak has been inactive for four of the teams first five games nursing a sore back. His status is unknown ahead of Fridays game. Starting point guard George Hill has missed the Pacers last three games with a sore left hip but participated in shoot around Friday morning and is a game-time decision. Back-ups C.J. Watson and Donald Sloan have combined for 51 points, 25 assists and just five turnovers in Hills three-game absence. Cheap Jerseys From China . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Cheap Jerseys China . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete. http://www.cheapjerseysown.us/ . Hey!" The lower tier of the School End of Queens Park Rangers Loftus Road was packed solid with a very festive-sounding Chelsea choral section in this particular part of South Africa Road London, W12. Cheap Jerseys . Gather a group of friends, or find a league to join online, draft your team, set your lineup and compete in a number of different formats.MONTREAL – When Max Pacioretty scored the fourth straight Montreal goal, a shorthanded marker that squeaked through the pads of Jonathan Bernier, he holstered his stick in celebratory fashion on the ice surface of the Bell Centre. "Thats when we finally got involved in the game, we got emotionally mad," said Leafs coach Randy Carlyle of the late goal in the middle period. "What we have to question ourselves is why wouldnt we have that from the first 20 minutes." The Leafs would score 22 seconds apart after the Pacioretty goal and celebration, but their inspired rallying attempts would ultimately fall short. They would lose a season-high fourth straight game and fifth in the past six, edged 4-2 by the Habs on Saturday evening. It was the conclusion of a turbulent month of November for the Leafs, one that saw them drop nine of 13 games (4-6-3), falling into the fifth seed in the Atlantic division, two points back of Montreal. Only 58 seconds had elapsed in this one before another storm began to brew. Somehow sneaking in behind the Toronto defence on an early power-play, Pacioretty took four whacks at Bernier before he beat the Leaf goaltender for the quick strike and lead. The Habs would add three more unanswered, including the shorthanded goal from Pacioretty that seemed to ignite the Leaf bench, albeit a response that fell short on this night. "Again, there are times that we didnt play as well as we couldve and those are the times that probably cost us the game," said James van Riemsdyk, who scored for the third time in three games. "They buried their chances, we hit some pipes…those tend to be the difference when two hard-fought teams play the game." "Were having good spurts, but were not putting together 60 minutes," said Mason Raymond, the last Leaf to beat Carey Price, who made 34 saves. "Weve got to figure out how to create more opportunities, feed off good opportunities and ultimately get leads and run with them." Fortunate to win a string of games early in the year on the backbone of superb goaltending and special teams, both elements have fallen off somewhat in recent weeks and once more on this night. Bernier made 35 saves, but was less effective than Price, who stopped all but two shots. The Habs meanwhile, scored once on the man advantage and again shorthanded, the Leafs coming up dry in their four power-play opportunities. "If you look at our games weve been giving up a lot of shots, and at a certain point you cant have luck on your side all season," Bernier told reporters in French, according to NHL.com. "There will be highs and lows, and right now we need to find the little spark we had at the beginning of the season and be excited to come play hockey and find a way to score. If we give up four then score five. I think thats what we had at the beginning of the season." The success of October (10 wins) is but a memory after the increasingly sour vibes of November. As the calendar turns to December the games only get tougher for the Leafs with a string of top opponents, including the San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins on the docket. Adversity has hit hard and is demanding a response. "Weve got to continue to push for our group to stay with the program, build on some of the positives," said Carlyle. "Obviously theres negatives that we need to clean up and well continue to do that, but thats the way were going to look at it." Five Points 1. Goalie Regression As was to be expected following a boiling start to the season – one that saw the tandem steal game after game early along with special teams – Leaf goaltending has tapered off somewhat in recent days. Still ranked fourth overall this season, James Reimer and Jonathan Bernier have combined to post an .894 save percentage in the past six games. In his first start against the Canadiens this season, Bernier, a native of nearby Laval, yielded four goals on 39 shots. The 25-year-old has allowed four goals or more in each of his past three starts. "Ive got to be better," said Bernier. "Obviously giving up four goals Ive got to find a way to keep it a tight game." All alone on the opening goal from Pacioretty, Bernier was then beaten by a P.K. Subban wrist shot through traffic, Tomas Plekanec back-door and Pacioretty once more on a shorthanded rush. 2. Offensive Struggles Scoring only the pair against Price, the Leafs finished with two goals or fewer for the ninth time in November. They mustered only 17 even-strength goals in 13 games all month, still struggling to consistently brand themselves as the cycling group Carlyle envisions them to be. "Teams dont score very much on the rush anymore in the NHL," said Carlyle. "A lot more goals are created with offensive zone time, cycling, a lot more deflections, a lot more second and third opportunities from shots and rebounds." The Leafs have gotten almost no offence from their bottom-6 forwards all season and very little (as noted in more detail below) froom their defence.dddddddddddd. In fact, a group seven forwards has combined to score 82 per cent of the teams 72 goals this season. Kessel leads the way with 14, followed by van Riemsdyk at 12, Raymond at nine, Joffrey Lupul and Nazem Kadri at seven apiece, Dave Bolland at six and Tyler Bozak at four. 3. Offence on Defence Considering those struggles to generate offence the lack of firepower from the Leaf defence is certainly worth noting. The group has totaled just three goals – two from Dion Phaneuf – one of those coming into an empty net. Their most poignant struggle has been an inability to get pucks through to the net from the point, thereby creating second and third opportunities and subsequent chaos for opposing netminders. Phaneuf, who led the Leafs with nine goals in 2013, has just two on the year, shooting the puck with far less quantity than in previous years. The 28-year-old is averaging only 1.45 shots per game, by far the fewest of his nine-year career. Season Shots Per Game 13-14 1.45 13 1.83 11-12 2.46 10-11 2.88 09-10 2.78 08-09 3.46 07-08 3.21 06-07 2.91 05-06 2.95 The Leaf captain appeared to score his third of the year midway through the opening frame on Saturday, but the goal was waved off immediately. The officials determined that van Riemsdyk was in the crease. "I thought we were just jockeying for position," said van Riemsdyk, who disagreed with the decision. "But its the refs call. At least he was nice enough to explain it to me without reaming me out." 4. Moving the Puck A subtle aspect of the Leafs overall game that could certainly stand to improve lies in their ability to break out of their own zone effectively. "I think it all starts with how we play (the opposition) when theyre coming into the zone," said Carl Gunnarsson, who played 20 minutes against Montreal. "If we can be more aggressive from the start, not give them time (then) that usually gives us an advantage." "Its obviously a five-man thing," added Jay McClement. "Its a lot of moving parts. Its a huge difference if we can get out of our zone clean and we have fresh legs going up the ice and you have a better chance to forecheck and get the puck back." 5. Franson injured The Leafs had to make due against the Canadiens without Cody Franson. Franson, believed to have suffered the lower-body injury during a scuffle with Matt Moulson on Friday, was forced to depart the pre-game warmup on Saturday, limping notably as he did so. To fill the void of the 26-year-old, Carlyle reinserted Morgan Rielly back into the lineup, the 19-year-old sitting a night earlier against the Sabres. Already a point of instability, the Leaf defence can ill afford an injury to Franson, who leads the group with 13 points and sits second in ice-time. Jake Gardiner, who replaced Franson alongside Mark Fraser at the outset and was eventually paired with Paul Ranger, led the group with a season-high 25 minutes. Stat-Pack 0-3-0 – Career record for Jonathan Bernier versus the Canadiens. 4-6-3 – Leafs record in November. 25:30 – Ice-time for Jake Gardiner on Saturday, a season-high. 18 – Points for Mason Raymond this season, four off the 22 he had in 46 games last season. 15 – Number of power-play goals the Leafs allowed in November. 25:32 – Ice-time for Phil Kessel on Saturday, a season-high. .894 – Save percentage for Leaf goaltenders in the past six games. 83% - Percentage of offence from the Leafs top seven goal-scorers this season. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-4Season: 23.2% PK: 1-2Season: 78.6% Quote of the Night "I dont know what they thought. They didnt tell me what they thought. They dont come close to you when those things are happening out there." -Randy Carlyle, on the explanation (or lack thereof) that he received from officials after Dion Phaneufs seemingly good goal was waved off in the opening period. Up Next The Leafs kick off December on Tuesday when San Jose visits the ACC. wholesale jerseys authentic wholesale jerseys store cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys china wholesale jerseys ' ' '