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NEWARK, N.J. - Dont write off the New Jersey Devils playoff chances, just yet. The Devils are getting good goaltending from Cory Schneider and Martin Brodeur, and anything is possible when the guy in the nets is on his game. The Toronto Maple Leafs are another story. Theyre struggling in goal with Jonathan Bernier out with a groin injury and they are barely hanging on to a playoff spot. It was on display Sunday night. Schneider made 21 saves and withstood a furious late attack and Devils posted a much-needed 3-2 win over Toronto, sending the struggling Maple Leafs to their fifth straight loss without Bernier. The win moved the Devils within five points of Toronto for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Washington is a point behind the Maple Leafs with a game in hand and Columbus is two points back with two games in hand. "I know the statistics dont say that but I really feel we can win every game," Devils coach Pete DeBoer said of the Devils playoff chances after winning for only the second time in six games. "You look at our schedule and if our goaltending continues to play the way it is, I think we can win every game." The Devils won this matchup by taking advantage of Toronto mistakes to take a 3-0 lead early in the second period. Rookie defenceman Jon Merrill set up a second-period breakaway goal by Patrik Elias and scored 32 seconds later to build the lead. Damien Brunner had scored in the first period. "Anything is possible," Devils captain Bryce Salvador said. "We are not looking 10 games ahead. Were just looking at the next game. Were trying to play every game like its the last game." Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel scored for the Maple Leafs, who saw embattled goaltender James Reimer give up three goals on 10 shots in less than 22 minutes of action. The skid ties Torontos longest of the season and it could not have come at a worse with nine games left in the regular season. New Jersey, which was shut out twice in its recent slide, capitalized on bad plays by the Maple Leafs. Brunner, who had been a healthy scratch the past two games, gave the Devils the lead with his 11th goal of the season. Defenceman Marek Zidlicky started the play with a pass up the ice to Adam Henrique that started an off-man rush. Henrique found Brunner coming down the right side and his shot from the circle went over Reimers glove. The game changed in the opening two minutes of the second period and Merrill was the catalyst. Controlling the puck in his own end, he made a stretch pass that got Elias behind defenceman Morgan Rielly. Elias skated in on Reimer and made a move to his backhand that deked the goaltender out of position for a shot into an empty net. Defenceman Peter Harrold, who had not dressed in the Devils 12 games following the Olympic break, carried the puck low into the Maple Leafs right circle and sent a pass toward the net. Ryane Clowe had it hit off him and go to the left point, where Merrill unloaded a shot that squeezed through the goaltender and rolled into the net. "I think that was the best 30 seconds of my career so far," Merrill said with a laugh. "Everyone in here believes. We know if we keep playing our game and doing things right, we are going to get wins and points and we can make it." Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle sent Drew MacIntyre to replace Reimer after the third goal. He had been playing for the AHLs Toronto Marlies this season before being recalled after Bernier was hurt. He finished with 14 saves. The Maple Leafs played a lot better the rest of the game. Bozak put them on the board at 5:26 of the second period, redirecting a pass by Rielly on a power play into an open net. Kessel got his 36th of the season with 1:31 to play after Toronto pulled its goaltender with more than two minutes left in regulation. Kessel crashed into the net after the goal but returned for a wild final 91 seconds in which Schneider made two big saves. "We have lot of games left we have to come together as a team and battle," said Bozak, who repeatedly said that the team let Reimer down and it wasnt fair to blame the goaltender. Carlyle refused to discuss his goaltending situation. "We have to find a way to stop the bleeding here and do everything in our power to regroup with this hockey club and get them playing to a higher level," he said. "When we do play for stretches, we look like a team that could play with anybody, and then we are inept in some areas where the puck doesnt bounce our way, or hits a post. All the good fortune we had earlier seems piled against us." Toronto had plenty of good scoring chances the rest of the way with none greater than a two-man advantage for 1:16 late in the period. Dion Phaneuf and Cody Franson had big shots that Schneider stopped in winning his second straight after losing the previous three. Schneiders best saves might have been early in the third period when he came across the crease and stopped James van Riemsdyk in close and made a glove save on Bozak after the Leafs pulled their goaltender. The game was David Clarksons first in New Jersey since signing with the Maple Leafs as a free agent after last season. NOTES: Bernier did not make the trip to New Jersey in missing his fifth straight game. ... Harrolds assist was his first point since Nov. 12 against the Rangers. ... For the second game in a row, Jagr hit a post with a shot. ... Van Riemsdyk has one goal in his past 11 games. ... The Devils dressed seven defencemen. Eric Gelinas got the odd shift with the fourth line. Josh Reddick Jersey . 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Authorities now say it is almost certain it crashed in the Indian Ocean, killing all 239 people aboard. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Auburn doesnt have to worry about passing to remain in the running for a Southeastern Conference title. Nick Marshall rushed for 214 of Auburns 444 yards Saturday as the seventh-ranked Tigers needed just nine pass attempts to roll to a 55-23 victory over Tennessee. Auburn also scored on a kickoff return and a punt return - the first time the Tigers have ever done both in the same game -- and set an NCAA single-game record by averaging 44.85 yards on seven combined kickoff and punt returns. "I still believe we can throw the football," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "Theres no doubt in my mind we can, but when you dont have to, you dont." Auburn had attempted just nine passes last week in a 35-17 victory over Arkansas. Marshalls third and final pass completion Saturday was a 25-yard touchdown pass to C.J. Uzomah with 6:36 remaining in the first quarter as the Tigers (9-1, 5-1 SEC) earned their sixth straight win to remain in control of their destiny in the SEC Western Division race. Marshall ran for two touchdowns on just 14 carries and threw for a third score. Tre Mason rushed for 117 yards and three touchdowns as Auburn averaged 8.4 yards per carry and had the most yards rushing by a Tennessee opponent since Alabama ran for 457 in a 56-28 victory over the Volunteers in 1986. "They couldnt really stop the run, so we just kept our foot on their throat and just ran it down their throat," Marshall said. Chris Davis put Auburn ahead for good and broke a 13-all tie in the second quarter with an 85-yard punt return, Auburns longest since 1970 and the third-longest in school history. Corey Grant returned the second-half kickoff 90 yards for another Auburn touchdown. According to Auburns sports information department, the Tigers average of 44.85 yards on seven combined kickoff and punt returns set an NCAA single-game record, breaking the previous mark of 41.8 per return set by Florida State in a 56-21 loss to Virginia Tech in 1974. "Weve got one of the best kickers in college football, one of the best punters in college football," Malzahn said. "Now were starting to get the return game right." Rajion Neal rushed for 124 yards and Michael Palardy kicked three field goals for Tennessee (4-6, 1-5), which dropped its third straight game. The Vols must win the rest of their games to become bowl eligible and avoid their fourth consecutive losing season. Tennessee hosts Vanderbilt on NNov.dddddddddddd 23 and closes the regular season Nov. 30 at Kentucky. Tennessee hasnt had four straight losing seasons since 1903-06. "This senior class now, theyre going to be defined by how they finish," Tennessee coach Butch Jones said. "How do they finish their careers?" Tennessee was playing its fifth straight opponent ranked 11th or higher and was facing a ranked foe for the seventh time in eight games. According to STATS LLC, Tennessee is the first team since Pittsburgh in 1993 to play seven ranked teams in an eight-game stretch within the same season. Auburn entered the day leading the SEC with 306.2 yards rushing, 69 more than anyone else in the league. Tennessee was allowing 5.1 yards per carry and a league-high 201.7 yards rushing per game. Both trends continued Saturday. Every time Tennessee seized the momentum, Auburn regained control by running the ball. "Our mindset is to score every time we touch the ball," Mason said. "We believe. And when you believe, you can achieve." After Neal broke at least three tackles on a spectacular 17-yard touchdown run in the first play of the second quarter to put the Vols ahead 13-6, Auburn tied the game less than a minute later on a two-play, 75-yard drive. Marshall started the drive with a 62-yard keeper and Mason followed by running 13 yards around the left end without getting touched. Marshall made a rare mistake when he threw an interception that Jacques Smith returned 18 yards for a touchdown that cut Auburns lead to 27-20 with 1:28 left in the half, but the quarterback redeemed himself 37 seconds later by racing 38 yards around the left end untouched for a touchdown that restored Auburns 14-point advantage. "Even when we had individuals in position, we couldnt get him down," Jones said. Tennessee also couldnt slow down Auburns returners. The Vols entered the day ranked 27th among all Football Bowl Subdivision teams in punt coverage, but they gave up two long punt returns Saturday. Davis fumbled one punt at the Auburn 15, then picked the ball up and raced down the left sideline for an 85-yard touchdown. Davis also had a 42-yard punt return that led to Auburns first touchdown of the game. Mason set up Auburns final touchdown of the first half by returning a kickoff to the Tennessee 45. Grant extended the Tigers lead to 41-20 with his 90-yard kickoff return that opened the second half. Tennessee never threatened again. ' ' '