TORONTO – Mason Raymond doesnt much like talking about himself. Gabriel Jesus Brazil Jersey . "First of all, Im not a guy that [is] going to sit here and blab about myself," Raymond said in conversation with the Leaf Report, asked if he had something to prove this season. "You go and you play hockey. Thats the way it goes. Theres not much more to say than that." Fortunately for the Maple Leafs, his play on the ice has done all the talking. Raymond has 11 goals and 25 points in 37 games this season and is on pace to either match or exceed career-highs in goals, assists, points and ice-time. The 28-year-old has been one of the few bright spots in Toronto this season. Drafted and developed by the Canucks – he was a second round pick in 2005 – Raymond spent his first six NHL seasons in Vancouver. But he went unsigned by the organization this past summer and found himself without a job right up until the eve of training camp, a victim no doubt of the cap crunch in 2013 – which saw the caps upper-limit fall to $64 million. He landed with the Leafs on an unlikely pro tryout and was signed subsequently for a very modest $1 million on a one-year deal. The deal has proven a bargain thus far and his adjustment to Toronto – at least on the ice – has appeared seamless. "Sometimes change is good," said Raymond, who played 374 regular season games with Vancouver. "For me here, [Im] getting different opportunities, playing with some good players and playing minutes. "Id only known one thing – Id only known Vancouver," he continued. "I went from one city to this city; different coach, different players, different systems, different everything, so theres things to adjust to and thats part of being a pro and adjusting to it and learning." Raymond chalks up his exit from the Canucks to business, though he concedes that "youre out to prove that possibly they made a mistake in not signing you". "I was a free agent and they chose not to pursue with me anymore and so be it," he said. "Thats hockey and thats just the way it went." His addition, a strike for speedy depth initially, has been of considerable importance for the Leafs, who have struggled to find their way this season. Be it because of injuries – mostly down the middle – or suspensions, the club has needed every bit of offence it has received from Raymond, who sits third in team scoring, trailing only Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk. Among the more consistent and versatile options in the Toronto lineup, Raymond has not gone more than four games without a point and is tied for second in December scoring after leading the team in November. He is averaging what would be a career-high of more than 18 minutes. With the increased opportunity, Raymond is on pace to best the career year he had in 2009-10. That season, playing mostly alongside Ryan Kesler, he totaled 25 goals and 53 points, numbers hes in line to match or even exceed this season. Is he a better player now? "I like to think I have more experience and have learned from a lot of situations that Ive been through," said Raymond, his recovery from broken vertebrae in his back and a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2011 among the challenges and experiences. "All those things, any person will tell you in any aspect of life, having experience will help you in many situations." Raymond may not like "putting the spotlight" on himself, but the Leafs have to hope his play keeps doing it anyway. Philippe Coutinho Jersey . Both sides came closest to scoring in the first half, when Roma had a goal from Mattia Destro waved off for offside and Inters Rodrigo Palacio headed high. "A draw was a fair result. Neither squad had many chances," Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic said. Brazil Jerseys .C. Lions. The clubs former starting quarterback, assistant and head coach returned Thursday as its receivers coach. http://www.soccerbrazilonline.com/Neymar-Jr-Copa-America-Jersey/ . Granlund scored 2:04 into the first period. Max Reinhart, on his first NHL shift of the season, neatly stripped the puck from Zack Smith at the Senators blue-line. As he moved in, his attempted shot deflected into the slot where Granlund buried a shot past Craig Anderson.BATA, Equatorial Guinea - Unfancied Republic of Congo went top of Group A at the African Cup of Nations with a surprise 1-0 win over Gabon on Wednesday after host Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso played out a 0-0 draw.The Congolese ground out a victory — their first at the tournament in over 20 years — that will re-energize their campaign, with Prince Oniangue poking in from close range early in the second half and against the run of play.The result was unfair, Gabon coach Jorge Costa said, as the Gabonese did most of the attacking and couldnt find a finishing touch to follow up their impressive win over Burkina Faso in the first round of games.Football is like this ... When you make mistakes, you lose games, Costa said.The loss dropped Gabon to second in the group, with Equatorial Guinea third and Burkina Faso, the 2013 finalist, last. But just three points separate the top team from the bottom team ahead of the final round of games.Still, Republic of Congo is in a good position to make the quarterfinals after qualifying for the African Cup for the first time in 15 years. Its last appearance in the quarters was in 1992. It won the title in 1972.Having missed out on seven successive African Cups before this year, Republic of Congo only needs a draw against Burkina Faso in their last group game to make the last eight.Goalscorers had problems in the days first match at Bata Stadiumm, too, as Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso wasted chance after chance in their stalemate. Philippe Coutinho Brazil Jersey. That left the home fans frustrated after Equatorial Guinea survived waves of pressure from the Burkinabes in the first half — when Alain Traore hit the post twice — and emerged the better team in the second.Javier Balboa set up two clear chances for his teammates, but both were wasted. Equatorial Guinea now has a tough assignment against Gabon in the last round of matches to try and claim a place in the quarters at its tournament.It was a bad day all round for the local fans, with some of them clashing with riot police outside the stadium around the time Equatorial Guineas game was kicking off.Equatorial Guineas preparations for the African Cup have come under scrutiny after it had just two months to organize the tournament following Moroccos late withdrawal as host. The tournament had been going OK, but some fans tried to force their way into Wednesdays game, according to witnesses, when they clashed with police near a gate at the outer perimeter of the stadium complex.Ticket control at the main Bata Stadium — where the final will be held on Feb. 8 — appeared to be slack, with ticket machines closer to the stadium not functioning and fans able to wander in and out of them without tickets being checked.___Gerald Imray is on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP ' ' '