Aufträge » - Carter Verhaeghe scored the winner with 41 seconds t

TORONTO - With his teammates primed to go their separate ways after Wednesdays game, many of them playing like it in the first half, DeMar DeRozan took one final opportunity to validate his upcoming trip to New Orleans. Logan Woodside Bengals Jersey . For the better part of the opening 24 minutes, the Raptors played like a team that was ready to start its long weekend one day early by succumbing to a popular pre All-Star break pitfall; the letdown game. "I think both teams were on vacation before the game started," Dwane Casey said of his teams flat start, hitting just one of 12 field goals at the outset of a crucial meeting with the Hawks and trailing by eight early, until DeRozan sparked the Raptors slumbering offence. Were the Raptors looking ahead to some much needed time off? "I wouldnt say that necessarily, we probably thought they (were)" replied DeRozan, who scored 14 of his game-high 31 points in the first seven minutes of the third quarter, spearheading a lopsided second half and leading Toronto to a 104-83 win over Atlanta. "We picked it up," he continued. "We understood they were going to come out play hard because we are neck-and-neck in the race in the conference. We understood how much this game meant." The Raptors overtook Atlanta for third place in the Eastern Conference standings last month and the Hawks have been knocking on the door ever since. With the victory, Toronto handed the Hawks - who now hold the fifth seed - their fifth straight loss and padded their own cushion over fourth-place Chicago going into this weekends All-Star festivities. At 28-24, the Raptors sit atop their division at the break for the second time in franchise history and first since they won the Atlantic in the 2006-07 season. "It means a lot to be where were at right now," DeRozan said, "but it really dont mean nothing unless we keep it up. Weve got to keep it growing, we cant be comfortable with it because teams in our division (are) definitely still coming." Leading by one at intermission, the Raptors outscored the struggling Hawks 59-39 in the second half, holding them to 30 per cent shooting and forcing eight turnovers while committing just one themselves. DeRozan made seven of his 10 field goal attempts, and all four of his free throws, in the half. Most importantly the Raptors executed their game plan defensively, rotating and closing out hard, limiting one of the better three-point shooting teams in the league to four treys on 20 attempts from beyond the arch. "We had to make sure we were there and the way the game started I (didnt) think we got the memo before the game," Casey said. "We continued to grind it, stuck with the game plan, guys stuck together and grinded it out." It wasnt their most ascetically pleasing victory but its one that fell right into the Raptors wheelhouse, one that played into the identity and personality Casey has urged his team to carry into the seasons unofficial second half. "Like I told our guys," he said, "the second half is going to be a grind. Its not going to be pretty (but) we dont want it to be pretty. Its going to be hard and everybody has to be committed in the locker room." The break comes at a perfect time for the Raptors. Although they go into it with confidence having won two straight, both at home - overall theyve won 10 of 12 at the Air Canada Centre - many of them could use the rest and relaxation time. For the second straight game Amir Johnson was a spectator - fashioning a personalized Raptors jersey on the back of his vest as he watched from the bench - still nursing a sore right ankle. Hell have over 10 days of rest before the team reconvenes in Washington for Tuesdays game against the Wizards. For the rest of the team this five-day layoff is an opportunity to heal various aches and pains that accumulate over a long season and refocus heading into the stretch run. "Me personally I need the rest," said Kyle Lowry, who had another double-double - 16 points and 13 assists - on Wednesday. "I know everybody needs the rest. You get to mentally relax and physically relax also and its always important to take care of your body at this time (of year). You rarely get a five-day stretch in the season so (we have to) take advantage of it." Billy Price Jersey . Coach Randy Carlyle didnt know the severity of Bozaks injury. Bozak left the bench and went down the tunnel early in the second period, returned to play a handful of shifts and then did play in the third. Malik Jefferson Jersey . - Carter Verhaeghe scored the winner with 41 seconds to go as the Niagara IceDogs edged the North Bay Battalion 3-2 to even their first-round series at a game apiece in Ontario Hockey League playoff action on Sunday. http://www.bengalsauthenticproshop.com/Youth-Mark-Walton-Bengals-Jersey/ . Orlandos Glen Davis tried to get in the way, only to be driven back into the padding under the basket as the Pelicans forward slammed home a windmill jam.Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - Brad Marchand and Loui Eriksson each scored twice to lead the Boston Bruins over the Nashville Predators, 5-3, on Tuesday. David Krejci also lit the lamp for the Bruins, who avenged a 3-2 shootout loss in Nashville last Tuesday. Tuukka Rask made 22 saves. Calle Jarnkrok and Taylor Beck each had one goal and an assist for Nashville, which had a three-game winning streak snapped. Carter Hutton stopped 20-of-24 shots. Eriksson gave the Bruins a 3-2 lead at 5:53 of the middle stanza, finding the back of the net off a beautiful pass from Matt Bartkowski. Marchand scored his second goal of the night at 10:51. A shot from the right point deflected off a player in front of the net and the puck bounced to Marchand, who scored his 10th goal of the season. Nashville pulled within one on Becks shot from the left circlle at 6:48 of the third, but Eriksson put the game away on an empty-netter with 37. Malik Jefferson Bengals Jersey. 2 seconds remaining. Marchand got the Bruins on the board at 2:01 of the first period. He took a pass from Patrice Bergeron and scored from in close. Wilson buried a backhander past Rask at 7:35 to make it 1-1. Boston took the lead back on a power-play goal from Krejci at the 9:43 mark when his one-timer from the top of the left circle got past Hutton. The Predators once again were quick to answer. Jarnkrok scored on Rask with a shot from the top of the left circle at 11:31 of the opening frame. Game Notes Nashville has lost five straight in Beantown ... Bergeron had three assists for the Bruins, who have won two in a row for the first time since a three- game win streak from Nov. 15-21. Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Jerseys From China Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap NFL T-shirts Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Discount NFL Jerseys ' ' '