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. 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. Yeezys vs. Fake Yeezys . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Darcy Kuemper, Minnesota (5): He was calm, poised, and looked comfortable all game. Wholesale Yeezys Boost .J. -- Travis Zajac of the New Jersey Devils took a lot of grief considering his scored the first of his career-best three goals just 12 seconds into a crucial game against the Florida Panthers. http://www.fakeyeezyshop.com/. Ricciardo made it only halfway around the Jerez track before his RB10 rolled to a stop and began spouting smoke from the back. After team mechanics tended to the car, Ricciardo went back out for a mere two trips around the circuit before calling it quits. What are the best fake yeezys under $100 . Many of those eyes are in the United States of America, a country that the sport has wanted on its side for some time. On Sunday the football Gods delivered once again, only this time it was time for good old USA to experience as much heartache as joy. Real Yeezy Boost Cheap . Bjoerndalen, who had failed to win any major race for two years before Sochi, writes in a Facebook entry that he is "full of energy and inspiration" after winning the 10-kilometre sprint and mixed relay at last months Olympics.HAMILTON, Ont. -- The Hamilton Tiger-Cats re-signed kickers/punters Justin Medlock and Brett Lauther on Wednesday. The six-foot, 208-pound Medlock, a native of Fremont, Calif., spent the 2011 season with Hamilton before signing with the NFLs Carolina Panthers on March 6, 2012. Last year, Medlock attended the Oakland Raiders training camp. In 2011, Medlock hit 49-of-55 field goal attempts, a club-record 89.1 per cent success ratio. He also averaged 41.6 yards per punt and was named Hamiltons top special-teams player. "Justin is a big addition to our football team," Ticats head coach and GM Kent Austin said in a statement. "Hes a proven player who is familiar with our organization and has performed at a very high level." Medlock aalso has previous CFL experience with the Edmonton Eskimos and Toronto Argonauts.ddddddddddddHe also spent time with the Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs, who selected Medlock in the fifth round, No. 160 overall, in the 2007 NFL draft out of UCLA. Medlock has hit on 96-of-111 field-goal tries (86.5 per cent) over his CFL career. "Im excited to return to the Tiger-Cats and the CFL," Medlock said. "Winning is a huge priority for me, and I feel this team is in position for long-term success. "Im looking forward to contributing in a big way in 2014 and beyond." Lauther hit on 6-of-10 field goals last season, his first in the CFL, and also averaged 59.8 yards per kickoff. ' ' '