TORONTO -- It was nothing new to see these Toronto Maple Leafs beaten. A 4-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings was their eighth straight in regulation. But Saturday night in the home locker room at Air Canada Centre, the Leafs looked defeated for the first time during this losing streak or this once-hopeful season that has quickly gone off the rails. "I cant describe it right now," winger Joffrey Lupul said. "This was as close to a do-or-die as you can get. But obviously were not going to throw out hope until its mathematically set in stone. But we pretty much had to have this game." Seven losses piled up and yet the Leafs still sounded like a team that had hope. Giving up huge leads in the standings to the Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals to fall into a four-way tie at 80 points was one thing. Squandering the most important game of this stretch so far to a fellow Eastern Conference wild-card competitor felt like the breaking point. "This loss is the most disappointing out of the eight. Theres no hiding that," captain Dion Phaneuf said. "We come tonight against a team that was battling for that same spot and they win this hockey game. This is the toughest loss for sure." Detroit (34-26-14) got a hat trick from Darren Helm and another from the NHLs hottest goal-scorer, Gustav Nyquist, to reach 82 points. "It was the first hat trick I ever had, which is pretty special," Helm said. "Big game to win, too. I was happy to win the game, first off, but the hat trick is a nice thing to take home." The Red Wings werent the only ones in the race to win Saturday night, as the Blue Jackets beat the Carolina Hurricanes in overtime to take over the top wild-card spot in the East at 82 points. Columbus leads Detroit because they have more regulation and overtime wins (33 to 29). With just six games remaining -- two less than each of the three teams theyre competing with for two spots -- the Leafs are fourth among those teams and know the difficult task in front of them. "Weve got to win the rest of our games and get help now, I think," said Lupul, who scored the Leafs second goal of the night late in the second period to give some life that evaporated in the third. "All we can control right now is winning the rest of our games, and were going to have to have every one, probably." Phaneuf didnt want to consider that daunting task. The defenceman whose miscues cost the Leafs in previous defeats didnt want to think too far ahead but also called this a "very trying" time for a group that was in second place in the Atlantic Division as recently as Mar. 16. This was the first time in franchise history that Toronto (36-32-8) went eight straight games without a point since 1996 and the first time it lost eight consecutive in regulation since 1985. "Its not like were playing bad hockey, its just one of those things where every mistake that we do make ends up (in our net)," said defenceman Cody Franson, who opened the scoring 10:57 into the first period. "Its the end of the season, everybodys clamping down and your little mistakes end up costing you. Plain and simple." Mistakes like a turnover by Phil Kessel on the power play early in the second that led to Helms first, a short-handed goal. Or like the puck taking a bad hop off Franson and right to Helm for his third. "It just isnt meant to be for us right now, and this is the tough ones," coach Randy Carlyle said. Asked what he figured the difference was in the loss, his third straight since returning from a groin injury, goaltender Jonathan Bernier (24 saves on 28 shots) said: "Odd-man rushes." Lupul agreed. "We gave up odd-man situations repeatedly for whatever reason," he said. "Its tough to say from the bench, thats something you notice when you watch the game again. But the try is there, just we didnt get the job done and we have to pay for that now." The Leafs have been paying since they last won a game, Mar. 13 at the Los Angeles Kings. Most importantly they havent been picking up valuable points with the games whittling down to the end of the regular season. On the other hand, Detroit has picked up 11 points and gone on an impressive run without star forward Pavel Datsyuk and captain Henrik Zetterberg. The injuries have piled up, but the Red Wings have gotten 21 goals in 26 games from Nyquist and continued solid performances from goalie Jimmy Howard (25 saves) to remain in the playoff race. "Weve been devastated this year, no question about it, but we found all these kids and were better for it going ahead, so thats a positive thing," coach Mike Babcock said. "Weve had a lot of fun doing it. Weve been in the grinder since day one, theres no question about it, but weve had a lot of fun doing it and weve got a big game against Tampa tomorrow." Every game down the stretch is big for the Leafs now. They return to Air Canada Centre on Tuesday night to face the Calgary Flames before hosting the Atlantic Division-champion Boston Bruins on Thursday and the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. They finish the season with three on the road: at the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators. But unless they manage to string together a home winning streak, those games will be too late. The task in front of them is to prevent doing even once more what theyve done eight consecutive times. As the Leafs seemed to realize Saturday night, they can no longer afford to lose. "Weve won six in a row in the season," Bernier said. "Obviously its hard to snap the long losing streak like that, but weve got to find a way. If not, then well be home very soon." NOTE -- Winger Phil Kessel took a pass from James van Riemsdyk off his right foot in the first period and laboured to the bench in pain. Kessel was seen limping after the game, but Carlyle did not have any information on his condition. ... Bernier started on back-to-back days for the first time this season and just the second time in his NHL career. The only previous time was March 5, 2013 with the Los Angeles Kings, when Bernier was pulled after giving up three goals on eight shots. ... Defenceman Paul Ranger and enforcer Colton Orr were scratched for the Leafs, who recalled forward Jerry DAmigo earlier in the day from the AHLs Toronto Marlies. ... The Red Wings were playing their 14th straight game without Datsyuk (knee) and 16th straight without Zetterberg (back). Theyve played 35 total without Datsyuk and 29 without Zetterberg. ... The game was broadcast live on CCTV in China. Kerryon Johnson Jersey . - Jordan Addesis shootout goal helped the Plymouth Whalers to a 3-2 win over the Sault Ste. Marvin Jones Jr Jersey . - The Florida Panthers are getting some Army training to finish off their preparations for the season. http://www.cheaplionsjerseysonline.com/?tag=barry-sanders-jersey-online. Despite Arsenals financial firepower, the 31-year-old midfielder was the only arrival in the January transfer window. Signed until the end of the season as injury cover, Kallstrom might not be fit until mid-March after arriving Friday at Arsenal having injured his back earlier in the week while training with Spartak Moscow. Ameer Abdullah Jersey . Ortiz hit a pair of two-run homers, including his 400th shot in a Red Sox uniform, and drove in a career high-tying six runs to power Boston past the Houston Astros 10-7 on Saturday night. Brandon Powell Jersey . -- Canadian mens rugby coach Kieran Crowley has made four changes to his starting roster for Saturdays Pacific Nations Cup clash against the United States.(SportsNetwork.com) - Mike Zimmer is approaching the waning days of what he hopes is the first of many years as the Minnesota Vikings head coach. Joe Philbin is likely in the death throes of his three-year stint in Miami. Such is life in the NFL where 6-8 is considered progress in one city and being a tick better at 7-7 is a disappointment in another. The Dolphins and their lame-duck head coach will try to halt a two-game losing streak on Sunday when they host a Vikings team excited about the development of rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, a Miami native. Philbins ultimate fate was probably sealed last weekend when Miami faltered in the second half and was doused by AFC East-rival New England, 41-13, in Foxbrorough. Tom Brady threw a pair of touchdown passes during a 24-point third quarter, as the Patriots clinched their sixth straight division title. Ryan Tannehill completed 29-of-47 passes for 346 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for Miami, which had beaten New England in the season opener 33-20 but saw its already slim playoff hopes dashed further with the second straight loss. The Dolphins outscored the Patriots 23-0 in the second half back in September but had the tables turned this time to the tune of 27-0 in the final 30 minutes of this one. We have to play 60 minutes of football, Philbin said. You cant make the mistakes that we made. Miami is technically still alive in the postseason race but must win its final two games -- against Minnesota and the New York Jets -- and receive plenty of help elsewhere to get in. I believe in the players, Philbin said. I have confidence in the players. We have an outstanding locker room. The Vikings, meanwhile, had 10-4 Detroit on the ropes last weekend but faltered thanks in large part to a blocked, fourth-quarter field goal. The Lions Matt Prater hit his late field goal to lift Detroit to a 16-14 victory over Minnesota in the NFC North matchup. Bridgewater went 31-for-41 for 315 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Vikings, who had won their previous two coming into the game. Leading by one Minnesota went on an impressive long drive that covered 75 yards over 18 plays and ate up 11 minutes, but the team came away empty as Blair Walshs 26-yard field goal was blocked by Jason Jones. Detroit then countered with the march that won the game, culminating with Praters 33-yard field goal for a 16-14 lead with 3:38 to play. The Vikings had chances, getting the ball back near midfield thanks to a big return from Cordarrelle Patterson, but Patterson fell on a fourth down passing play to give the ball back to Detroit. Minnesota forced a punt and got the ball back with 45 seconds, but they were only able to get to midfield and Walshs 68-yard field goal attempt fell well short to end the game. We led almost all the way, but we cant turn the ball over twice and we cant miss field goals, Bridgewater said. Were just going to continue to try to get better. The Dolphins lead their all-time series with Minnesota by a 6-4 margin, winning the last two. The teams havent played since Sept. 19, 2010 when Miami edged the Vikings, 14-10, in Minneapolis. They havent tussled in South Florida since 2006. WHAT TO WATCH FOR Philbin has been the definition of mediocre as the Dolphins coach, compiling a 7-9 record in 2012 and upping that to 8-8 last season before settling in at 7-7 with two weeks left in the current campaign. A 5-3 start annd some improvement by Tannehill has many thinking Miami was ready to take the next step this season but thats been tempered in the last two weeks as the Dolphins have been outscored by a 69-26 margin in losses to playoff- caliber teams, Baltimore and New England.dddddddddddd Players were disappointed. Coaches are disappointed. Owners are disappointed. I think thats understandable, Philbin admitted. The main issue has been the offense which cant get the running game going and hasnt topped 16 points in any game during the month of December. The Dolphins have mustered only 71 yards on the ground per game this month, making the team one-dimensional and easy to figure out especially when it falls behind. With opposing defenses content to pin their ears back Tanneheill has been sacked 10 times during Miamis two-game skid. The Vikings strength, meanwhile, is its defense, not a surprise considering Zimmers reputation as a blitz doctor. Minnesota has improved from 31st in the NFL to 11th in defense in one-year under Zimmer, who is on the verge of turning young players like defensive end Everson Griffen, defensive tackle Shariff Floyd, linebacker Anthony Barr and cornerback Xavier Rhodes into stars. Safety Harrison Smith, meanwhile, is already entrenched as one of the NFLs best. The unit has continued to be stingy despite being without Floyd and Barr recently due to knee injuries, holding Detroit to a season-low 233 yards. Offensively Minnesota isnt very dynamic because of the year-long absence of Adrian Peterson due to off-the-field issues. Things are starting to click for Bridgewater, though, who will be aiming for a third straight game with a completion percentage over 70.0 and more than 300 yards passing. The good thing is Teddy is getting a lot of these experiences, Zimmer said. The on-the-job training hes getting I really believe will bode well for him in the future and for us as an organization and as a team. Bridgewater, meanwhile, is excited for his chance to play in South Florida. Im pretty loved back home in Miami and a lot of people tell me that Im a role model in my community, Bridgewater said Wednesday. So itll be amazing to see how many turn out there and get to see me play in person for the first time for some people. The Vikings may have found something in first-year receiver Charles Johnson, a lengthy and speedy target who has an innate feel for running routes and creating separation. Johnson has quickly become Bridgewaters favorite target, snaring 20 balls for 355 yards and two TDs over his last five games. The Dolphins defense is talented but has stalled recently, forcing just five turnovers in the past six games as the pass rush has slowed. Miami has also struggled against the run in recent weeks because of injuries at the linebacker position. Part of my job is to get the team to play up to their potential each and every week, Philbin said. To that degree, certainly I feel like we could do better. OVERALL ANALYSIS The Vikings are headed in the right direction but still havent figured out how to close in tight games. Figure on the growing pains to continue here on the road as Miami wins a field-gal game late. Right now whats relevant is getting our team to play up to their potential for 60 minutes against the Minnesota Vikings, the embattled Philbin said. Thats really all that is important to me right now. 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