Slumping Phillies OF Ben Revere didnt start for th

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NEW YORK - The Leafs wont have James Reimer between the pipes yet again although the team is denying it is concussion-related. The 23-year-old was thought to be ready to return from a minor neck injury – he missed one game – but team doctors have decided to keep him out against the Rangers in their home opener on Thursday night. Jonas Gustavsson is set to make his second consecutive start in goal. "Right now the doctors feel he needs more time, so what can we do?" said Leafs goaltending coach Francois Allaire in a one-on-one conversation with TSN Radio 1050 at Madison Square Garden. "We have to go with the doctors and the doctors decide; they are the last line to take the decision. Thats what it is. "The decision for him is to rest today and see how the thing will progress in the next 24 hours." Reimer is suffering from what the team has described as "whiplash-like" symptoms. An impactful collision to the head with Canadiens captain Brian Gionta in Montreal on Saturday caused him to leave an eventual 5-4 overtime victory after the first period – the team acted cautiously. He missed Mondays game against the Flyers entirely – Ben Scrivens served as Gustavssons back-up – resting for three consecutive days before practicing with teammates on Wednesday afternoon. He pledged to have felt "pretty good" following the practice, but it was shortly thereafter that Gustavsson learned he would in fact get the start against New York. On Thursday morning, the club recalled Scrivens from the Marlies to serve as the back-up. "When he practiced he said he felt pretty good," said Gustavsson, "but with concussions you never know right so I tried to just mentally be ready to go." Gustavssons mere mention of the concussion word created some confusion in the early afternoon hours. Ron Wilson stated that Gustavsson was wrong to arrive at such a conclusion. According to TSNs Darren Dreger, team doctors are not diagnosing a concussion, but his symptoms are being treated as such. The Leafs were hopeful that after 48 hours of rest – following the heavy impact with Gionta – that Reimer would be ready to play against the Rangers, but theyve decided to opt wisely with caution. He is now considered day-to-day. "He didnt feel can be 100% for the game," said Allaire, "so we preferred and the doctor preferred as well to keep him outside and see how hes going to react." Last week during his season debut in Boston, Gustavsson – 1-2-0 with a 4.86 GA, .857 SV% – allowed six goals in a 6-2 loss to the Bruins, followed by a 15-save performance and win in relief of Reimer on Saturday. In his second start of the season against the Flyers on Monday, he stopped one of three Jaromir Jagr breakaways in a 4-2 loss. Monday marked just his third start in the NHL since a six-goal shelling at MSG on January 19th. "We expect him to get better and better," said Allaire. "He hasnt played since January of last year so of course the first couple of games, theres a lot of rust getting out of his body. Hopefully its going to get out as soon as possible and were going to be able to have good goaltending during the time Reims is not there." "Thats part of being a goalie on a team," added Gustavsson, "you have to be ready to go anytime, especially times like this when you know the other goalie has some issues, then you have to be ready." Following Thursdays game in New York, the Leafs will play host to Pittsburgh on Saturday before departing for a Sunday game in Ottawa. Its a damaging blow to Reimer certainly after a strong start to the season – 4-0-1 with a 2.58 GAA, .912 SV%. Hell be assessed again on Friday, but its hard to believe that hell play on the weekend. The team is counting on Gustavsson in the present, but if hes unable to get the job done, Scrivens – a shutout on Wednesday with the Marlies – could get the call at some point. "As long as we feel Jonas has been good enough probably hes going to keep the net," said Allaire, adding that the final decision was up to the head coach. "If another situation happens, why not. I think during the training camp Ben Scrivens was excellent and he got [off to] a good start with the Marlies. "I think hes pretty, pretty close to the NHL. Maybe thats going to come, maybe in a week, maybe in a month, I dont know. We can not expect that. Right now were going day to day. We expect James to be right back as soon as possible so hes going to be in the net." Tim Connolly meanwhile, is set to make his Leafs debut after missing the first eight games with a shoulder injury. Tyler Bozak also returns to the lineup after being sidelined the last two games with a foot injury. Charlotte Bobcats Jersey UK . The veteran guards mere presence was enough for his teammates in their sixth straight win, 93-77 over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night. He had four points -- all on free throws -- while playing 17 minutes, just under the limit set for him after he missed eight games with a strained right groin. Memphis Grizzlies Jersey UK . Thats probably news to Chicago. Anthony Swarzak dominated over six innings, and the Minnesota Twins got back to beating the Chicago White Sox with a 6-3 victory on Sunday. www.nbashopofficial.co.uk/detroit-pistons/ . Initially slated to battle for the bantamweight championship in the main event at UFC 161 in Winnipeg against interim 135lb tourchbearer Renan Barao, those plans were unfortunately scrapped as the Brazillian Barao had to bow out due to a foot injury. Washington Wizards Jersey UK .C. United on Saturday night and boost the Unions playoff hopes. Nick DeLeon scored in the 36th minute for United (3-23-6), which had ample opportunities to build on its lead but went its 10th straight match without a victory. New Orleans Pelicans Jersey UK . Naturally, hes doing it at the expense of the Chicago Cubs. Gomes hit a three-run homer and drove in four overall, and the Cincinnati Reds sent the frustrated Cubs to their seventh straight loss, 8-2 on Monday night. PHILADELPHIA -- The Pirates have been getting contributions from up and down their lineup to win 10 times in the last 13 games. On Thursday, it was Gaby Sanchez, who homered and drove in three runs, and Garrett Jones hit a go-ahead, two-run double to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-4 comeback victory over the struggling Philadelphia Phillies. "You dont try to explain it," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "We just play the game, one at a time. I really like our focus and intensity. "Everybody knows their role. Even if they dont start, they stay prepared and ready to go." Justin Wilson (2-0) pitched two hitless innings in relief of James McDonald and the Pirates won their third straight. Taking the four-game series gave Pittsburgh its first series win in Philadelphia since April 4-6, 2003 at now demolished Veterans Stadium. Ryan Howard went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs and Domonic Brown had a pair of doubles with an RBI for the Phillies, who have lost three straight and eight of 11. And the frustration was apparent in the eighth inning when Phillies manager Charlie Manuel was ejected by third-base umpire Dan Iassogna for arguing that Clint Barmes should have been called out for interference. "Were just not playing good baseball right now," Manuel said. "Were in a bad term, or whatever you want to call it. Were trying and we have a lot of life, but were not getting it done. Were in a period where were not playing good at all." Jones, pinch-hitting for Brandon Inge, laced a double off the wall in right with one out in the eighth against reliever Phillippe Aumont (1-3) to put the Pirates ahead 5-3. After striking out Jose Tabata to start the inning, Aumont hit Barmes with a pitch and allowed consecutive singles to Travis Snider and Marte to load the bases with one out. Chad Durbin replaced Aumont (1-3) and gave up Sanchezs sacrifice fly that made it 6-3. "I think its the way we stayed after it against a real good pitcher," Hurdle said. "We didnt back away. Our hitters came through." That waas plenty for the stingy Pirates bullpen, which entered second in the majors with a 1.dddddddddddd78 ERA. Watson pitched the last two innings for his first career save while closer Jason Grilli had the day off. The Phillies scored a pair of runs in the sixth on Howards RBI single and Browns sacrifice fly before the Pirates tied it in the top of the seventh on two-out RBI singles from Sanchez and Michael McKenry. "I think as a team we know that even though its the seventh or eighth inning, we can put together some good at-bats," Sanchez said. Cliff Lee allowed three runs and 10 hits while striking out seven and walking one. The seventh inning was his undoing. "Thats where I have to do a good job of keeping the lead," Lee said, noting that that both RBIs came on broken-bat hits. "I felt like I made some decent pitches. Things went their way that inning." He tried to steal second base after reaching on an infield single in the fifth, but was thrown out. "Basically I had it," Lee said. "I just got too antsy and took off too early." McDonald allowed three runs and five hits with three walks and four strikeouts in five-plus innings. Brown hit a blooper that fell in for an RBI double in the fourth that made it 1-0 before Sanchez tied it with a leadoff homer in the sixth. Notes: Manuels ejection was his first of the season and 51st of his 12-year managerial career. ... Slumping Phillies OF Ben Revere didnt start for the first time this season. He is batting .207 with 14 strikeouts in 87 at-bats. Ezequiel Carrera went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in his place. ... McDonald, a career .100 hitter (14-for-140) entering Thursday, went 2-for-2 with a pair of singles. ... Phillies RHP Kyle Kendrick (1-1, 3.28) is scheduled to face Pirates righty Dillon Gee (1-3, 5.95) when the teams open a three-game set in New York on Friday night. ... Pittsburgh LHP Jonathan Sanchez (0-2, 11.12) is slated to oppose Cardinals right-hander Lance Lynn (3-0, 3.68) when the teams begin a three-game series at 7:15 p.m. Friday in St. Louis. ' ' '