TORONTO -- Connor Brown is having fun playing for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs.On Thursday night, the 22-year-old rookie came through with the best game of his career in from of the home fans.Brown had two goals and two assists for a career-high four points to lead the Maple Leafs to a 6-1 victory over the Florida Panthers for their seventh win in nine home games.It really is a dream come true playing in your home city, Brown said. I was a Toronto Maple Leaf fan my whole life. Its a pretty awesome experience.Mitch Marner had another impressive goal, and Leo Komarov, James van Riemsdyk and Jake Gardiner also scored for the Maple Leafs. Nazem Kadri had two assists and Frederik Andersen stopped 27 shots.All but one of Torontos eight wins this season have come at home.I think every time you step on home ice you still cant believe it, said Marner, who grew up in nearby Thornhill, Ontario. A hundred years of this team and luckily enough were part of that now.The win spoiled Florida goalie James Reimers first start in Toronto since leaving the Maple Leafs in the offseason. Reimer finished with 24 saves an d Aaron Ekblad scored the lone goal for the Panthers.The Maple Leafs got to their former goalie quickly, scoring three times in the first period -- including two by Brown.Brown deflected Morgan Riellys point shot past a surprised Reimer nearly six minutes in. The goal was initially ruled off for a high stick, but was later overturned on video review.After Ekblad evened the score at 1-1 with only his fourth point of the season -- all goals -- Brown scored again. This time, he eluded a check along the boards by Ekblad, continued a hard drive down the right side of the ice and then flung a shot on goal as he avoided a diving Jason Demers.Brown crashed into the boards and popped up with a visor full of snow after the shot beat Reimer, who was taken aback by the goal once more.Signed to a five-year, $17 million deal in the summer, Reimer is 2-3-1 record in his first seven games with Florida.Marner padded the lead to two as he gained control of the puck just inside the Florida blue line, took a step on defenseman Michael Matheson and then made a series of dekes to beat Reimer.He was still fighting off the advances of Matheson prior to scoring, waiting until the last possible moment to slide the puck from backhand to forehand, tucking it just around the left pad of the goalie.I was really committed on going to the backhand, Marner said. Last second, I kind of just wanted to try and make a move and see what happens.Marner now has six goals and 10 points in his last seven games, trailing only Winnipeg winger Patrik Laine in rookie scoring (16 points).Brown added his third point when he lofted a pass to Komarov on a Toronto rush, the Finnish winger flipping a shot past Reimer for the 4-1 lead. He notched his fourth point on Gardiners third of the year late in the third.The line of Brown, Komarov and Kadri not only managed to score a bunch but shut down the Panthers top unit, which features Aleksander Barkov and 44-year-old Jaromir Jagr.We can play him against real good players, which is positive, Leafs coach Mike Babcock said of Brown, who was playing in only his 24th game.Van Riemsdyk, coming off his first hat trick as a Leaf on Tuesday, got the Leafs fifth goal late in the second. He picked off a flubbed pass by Dylan McIlrath in the Florida zone and beat Reimer.Game notes Van Riemsdyk has a team-leading eight goals and 17 points. ... Toronto rookie sensation Auston Matthews remained without a goal for the 11th consecutive game. The 19-year-old has only two assists in that span. ... Browns previous career high of three points also came against Florida late last season. ...UP NEXTPanthers: At Ottawa on Saturday night.Maple Leafs: At Montreal on Saturday night. Panthers Jerseys 2021 . Its an influence in football and a big part of the game. Shawn Matthias Jersey . 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LOUIS -- Cardinals cleanup hitter Allen Craig says hes recovered from a foot injury and ready to be put on St. CHICAGO -- For all the jokes about loading up for a run at the 2011 championship, give the Chicago Bulls this: Next season wont be a dull one.They got a whole lot more interesting by adding Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade this week.We didnt want to go into an absolute rebuild, but we did want to get younger and we did want to get more athletic, general manager Gar Forman said. And at the same time, we want to be able to compete and put as good a team as we can out there on the floor.Wade is finally coming to Chicago after turning them down six years ago to stay in Miami and form a Big Three with LeBron James and Chris Bosh.As good as Wade is, he is also 34 years old. At 30, Rondo is not exactly young by NBA standards, either. So for Formans talk about a youth movement, the additions raised a few eyebrows and led to some quips about building a contender for 2010-11 season.Rondos deal became official on Thursday. While the Bulls did not announce the terms, a person with knowledge of the negotiations previously told The Associated Press that the four-time All-Star agreed to a $30 million, two-year deal.Wade is coming home to Chicago after 13 seasons, 12 All-Star selections and three championships with Miami. He agreed to a two-year contract worth about $47 million -- $7 million more than the Heat offered -- on Wednesday night. While Forman would not discuss Wade because the deal had not been announced, he did talk about the direction of a transitioning franchise that missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years.Former MVP Derrick Rose was traded to the Knicks before the draft and he will be joined by Joakim Noah. Pau Gasol is headed to San Antonio. Coach Fred Hoibergs freewheeling offense will now get Wade and Rondo, who is three years older than Rose.We didnt want to rebuild where we become possibly a lower lottery team long term, Forman said. Weve studied the NBA, weve studied the history of the NBA, and when you make a move to go that direction, it sometimes can take six, seven years to get out. That wasnt our goal.Rondo is known as an intelligent player who also has a history of clashing with coaches, most notably Rick Carlisle in Dallas.I think a lot of it is perception, Rondo said.dddddddddddd Not to knock anything -- you make the bed, youve got to lay in it.The question is: Just what are the Bulls getting into? After all, Hoiberg got called out last year in his first season by All-Star Jimmy Butler, and the Bulls just added a player with a checkered history when it comes to getting along with coaches.Is Rondo different now?I think Im the same player, he said. Youd probably consider me stubborn. But I think Im really intelligent. I put a lot of work into this game. I dont B.S. around about my craft; I put a lot of work in. I watch a lot of film. I study. People may look at it as a knock, but I really look at it as what makes me great.He said he doesnt lose sleep over his reputation. But the Bulls at least had some questions about it before they decided to sign him.We were very honest and transparent, as was he, in our conversations, as far as how he would fit with this team and how he would fit within the culture that weve created here, Forman said. We thought the dialogue was really, really positive.Rondo had a sort of resurgence this past season with Sacramento, averaging 11.9 points and an NBA-best 11.7 assists. It was the fourth season in which he averaged a double-double and the first since 2012-13, when he made his fourth All-Star team with the Celtics. Wade averaged 19 points.But some of the biggest issues that brought down the Bulls last season remain. One is that they still dont have a guard who consistently hits from long range.That was a problem when Rose and Butler were on the court together. Both also wanted the ball in their hands.Then again, Rondo won a championship with Boston in 2008. Wade, the Chicago-area native, is bringing three rings home from Miami.The Bulls also figure to have the cap space to sign a star next summer in what could be a loaded class with stars such as Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and Blake Griffin.We think weve got a lot of positives to sell, but obviously the more good players we attract, its going to help attract players down the road, Forman said. ' ' '
