COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - Juninho and Chad Barrett scored to lead the short-handed Los Angeles Galaxy to a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night. The Galaxy also got an own goal in the 25th minute. Juninho got his third goal of the year in the 42nd minute for the Galaxy. Barrett added a goal in the 80th minute. Los Angeles (9-2-7) didnt have midfielder David Beckham, who was left home with back spasms. Captain Landon Donovan and goalie Donovan Ricketts are playing with their national teams. "Those are never excuses because it is a team game," Los Angeles coach Bruce Arena said. "We have to win games without Beckham, Donovan and Ricketts and thats what we did." Conor Casey had his third goal of the year as Colorado (5-4-7) had its unbeaten streak snapped at nine. "We just were lacking in the first half," Colorado coach Gary Smith. "They didnt get out of their half for 25 minutes until then we looked to be the stronger team." Los Angeles hadnt come close to a scoring chance when the Galaxy scored in the 25th minute. After receiving a pass from Miguel Lopez, Chris Birchall sent a cross from along the end line that deflected off Rapids defender Drew Moor and past goalkeeper Matt Pickens. "We knew we could get them on the break," Birchall said. "The ball came down right, I tried to catch it before it went out and took a shot from a tough angle and luckily it went in." "That goal was vital," Birchall said. Los Angeles defender A.J. DeLaGarza erased Colorados best scoring chance of the first half. Sanna Nyassi got behind the Galaxy defence only to have DeLaGarza race back and knock away the ball before Nyassi got off a shot in the 41st minute. Juninho increased the lead to 2-0. He intercepted a clearing pass and sent a low drive past Pickens from 25 yards. "Birchall took a good ball in there, one that was difficult for Moor and Juninhos strike was a special one," Arena said. "So, having a two-goal cushion going into the second half was critical." The Rapids made it 2-1 when Omar Cummings hit the left post. The ball bounded right to Casey, who scored easily in the 65th minute. Caleb Folan of the Rapids received a red card ejection late in the second half for a hit on Juninho. Barrett missed the net from close range in the 79th minute. Barrett didnt miss on a cross from Todd Dunivant in the 80th minute. "When you know that Beckham is not playing and Donovan is not playing and Ricketts is not playing, of course the initial thought is this is a great thought to get back-to-back wins," Smith said. "Events didnt unfold whether it be decisions or opportunities that we had." cheap jerseys from china wholesale . Ferrer, ranked No. 4, is a strong favourite to win his second tournament of the young season. He won in Auckland, New Zealand, last month. "I was ready to get going, and get going with a victory," Ferrer said. cheap jerseys china . The leagues Competition Committee voted unanimously to recommend the change from the current 2-3-2 system and owners will vote on it next month at their meetings. http://www.cheapjerseyschina.cc/ .Y. -- Wil Myers has spent this week making a major name for himself in minor league baseball. cheap jerseys from china . -- Adam Scott and Steve Stricker dont have much in common except for how infrequently they play golf tournaments. www.cheapjerseyschina.cc . On The Attack - Newton instantly became one of the most exciting players at his position early in 2011. TORONTO -- Like it or not, the Toronto Maple Leafs are well-versed in the shootout. And unlike last season, thats actually a good thing for them. On Wednesday night at Air Canada Centre the Leafs made it through three periods and overtime yet again and managed to beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 for their league-leading ninth shootout victory of the year. It was Torontos third straight win, and three of their past four overall have come via the shootout. Some how, some way, they keep getting there and have it to thank for a playoff position 49 games in. "I think if our team had a choice, wed try to end the game a bit earlier," said defenceman Morgan Rielly, who scored his first home goal this season. "But I think thats just an aspect of hockey nowadays. It just turns out that were pretty good at them." Only the Washington Capitals have gone to the shootout more times than the Leafs (24-20-5), who have showed a penchant for at least forcing overtime. They have just three regulation victories in their past 28 games, yet are right in the thick of the Eastern Conference race. "Obviously were fortunate this year that our record in the shootout is a real, strong positive for our hockey club," coach Randy Carlyle said. "Theres been a lot of extra points gained by it. If we can continue to find a way to get points, thats what our job is." Whereas the Leafs went 0 for 5 and rued shootouts during last years lockout-shortened 48-game season, they keep getting the job done this season. Against the Sabres on Wednesday night, James van Riemsdyk, Joffrey Lupul and Tyler Bozak all scored and goaltender James Reimer stopped one of two attempts. Whether its Reimer or Jonathan Bernier, those shooters have experienced a lot of shootout success, so it has made sense for assistant coach Greg Cronin -- who fills out the lineup -- to keep going back to them. Lupul is six for seven, van Riemsdyk is six for nine and Bozak is three for five. "Think were confident in the guys that we can send out there to score goals and confident in our goalie," van Riemsdyk said. "We seem to have guys that are confident going in with their moves and the goaltenders are confident in the net. It makes it a good matchup in the shootout." The Sabres (13-27-6) dropped to 6-3 in shootouts this season but were thankful to get there thanks to Cody Hodgsons early-third-period, power-play goal and a strong penalty kill in overtime that included a good scoring chance for defenceman Tyler Myers. "That was huge," Buffalo coach Ted Nolan said of the penalty kill. "I thought Tyler Myers, his first game back was probably one of his best games all season long. He played with a little pizzazz. He played with some energy, and he was very aggressive." Goaltender Ryan Miller, who could again be the U.S. starter at the Sochi Olympics after leading the Americans to silver in Vancouver, was strong before the shootout in making 36 saves in regulation and overtime. He gave up goals to Olympic teammate Phil Kessel, Nikolai Kulemin and Rielly. Kessels was a pure goal-scorers goal, a perfect shot that went five-hole on Miller.dddddddddddd "He made a nice shot," Miller said. "I didnt see. Good for Phil. Get him going for the Olympics, I guess." In addition to Hodgson, Matt Ellis and Matt Moulson also scored for the Sabres. Moulsons goal at 6:34 of the second wasnt reviewed, though it took several replay angles to show it clearly went in the net. "It went in," Carlyle said. "It hit the webbing on the top. When it hit the bar, it went up and it went into the webbing and then came back down. The angle that the camera had made it difficult to determine if it actually crossed the line because the camera angle was at a bad angle to (see) it. But when you looked at it from where he was shooting it, from behind him, you can see the top of the webbing of the net went up, so that usually indicates its got to be in then net." Just before that, Buffalos Zemgus Girgensons had a quality chance on a second-period penalty shot, which Reimer stopped in what turned out to be more practice for the shootout. Not that Reimer needed it, as he improved to 4-0 in the shootout this season. "Personally Im not a huge fan of shootouts," Reimer said. "Its something I try to practise most days as much as I can. Shootouts are important points, and theyre huge come the end of the year. Obviously regulation wins are most important, but those points are priceless." Theyre especially valuable considering the thin line between the Leafs being in a good position nearing the Olympic break and having to play catch-up in late February, March and April. This was the 16th time Toronto got to at least overtime, which is a boat load of points earned before the game is even over. The Leafs have played 72 minutes and five seconds of overtime, more than an entire extra game. Torontos knack for surviving past the 60-minute mark is hard to explain. "Thats a good question," van Riemsdyk said. "Theres some games where we seem to get a lead and end up losing that lead or games where you battle back and go to the shootout. Its part of the game, and you just come with whats given." So while the Leafs have taken what theyve earned in shootouts, Miller and the Sabres were left to wonder about a point lost. "Unfortunately, I wasnt very good in the shootout," Miller said. "Thats the difference." Being so good in the shootout has made a major difference in the Leafs fortunes this season. "When you win them its a positive, when you lose them its a negative," Carlyle said. "Thats the bottom line. Thats what you play the game to gain points and to win, and a shootout gives you a win." NOTES -- Enforcer Colton Orr returned to Torontos lineup after missing Tuesdays game in Boston with the flu, which has affected several players. Frazer McLaren was scratched to make room for Orr. ... Sabres forward Matt DAgostini left the game early in the first period with an upper-body injury and did not return. DAgostini skated just three shifts for 2:19, and Nolan said he expects him to be out for "a little while." ... This was the fifth and final meeting between the Leafs and Sabres this season. cheap jerseys from china ' ' '