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  February 22, 2018 7:16 PM PST

  TORONTO - David Clarkson has had so many injuries in just over a year with the Toronto Maple Leafs that three-year-old daughter McKinnley is taking a keen interest in her fathers health on the ice. Yonder Alonso Jersey .Before the game now instead of saying, Good luck, shell say, Dont get hurt, Clarkson said.Last year it was a foot injury followed by an elbow injury. Clarkson also suffered facial fractures last month in a fight with Buffalos Cody McCormick. The 30-year-old right winger couldnt help but think, Here we go again.Instead, Clarkson strapped on a cage mask and then a full shield — doctors orders so he could get back onto the ice. The result has been a strong start to his second season with the Leafs.Its a much different David Clarkson this year than what we had last year, coach Randy Carlyle said Thursday. We said its a reset situation and he felt that he needed that, and then the addition of the ice time and the fit with the line that he plays with and the minutes hes getting, hes getting a chance to make more of a contribution, but hes earning it.The biggest difference is Clarkson has had the opportunity to make a contribution at the start of this season. Last year he was suspended for the first 10 games after leaving the bench during a pre-season brawl with the Sabres.Clarkson made his debut in blue and white on Oct. 25, 2013 on the road against the Blue Jackets. On Friday night he and the Leafs return to Columbus, but this time the Toronto native is healthy and already in a groove.Its tough just to fire into a season 10 games in, Clarkson said. I think right now I feel pretty good. I feel back like myself again.Clarkson has two goals and an assist in a third-line role alongside Leo Komarov and Mike Santorelli and has seen some time on the second power-play unit. He had five goals and six assists in 60 games in 2013-14, a disappointing performance to say the least after signing a US$36.75-million, seven-year contract.But the weight of contract expectations paled in comparison to the way the suspension hampered Clarksons start.Youre coming from a different organization, youre trying to learn a new system, youre trying to learn new things and all of a sudden you get suspended and jump in, Clarkson said. I think I (injured) my foot right away and then my elbow. It was just one of those seasons that I chalk up as a nightmare and (I got) through it and got ready and trained hard this summer and spent time with my kids and got ready for this year.Carlyle praised Clarkson for putting time and effort into building up strength and getting a little thicker in the off-season. Even after a lower-body injury limited him at training camp and the facial fractures halted his progress, Clarkson managed to be in the lineup on opening night and got on track.Nine games in, Clarkson doesnt have a single fighting major after leading the team in the category last season. Thats because his facial injuries prevent him from dropping the gloves.For now I couldnt fight, he said. I think if I got hit there Id be in trouble.Carlyle said it would be foolish for Clarkson not to be over-cautious about his face because those are the types of injuries that one little bump again can set him back.Still, Clarkson is hoping to get back to fighting sooner than later.In Thursdays practice, Clarkson ditched the full shield in favour of a regular visor and hopes he can convince doctors to let him begin the transition in a game, be it Friday at Columbus, Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks or next week against Phoenix or Colorado.I dont think Im allowed yet, Clarkson said. I had something done the other day and I still have some things going on. Im trying to find a way that I could wear maybe a bigger visor — a SWAT team shield — something that is off of my face a little bit because Im having a hard time with this one.Clarkson said the full shield was an improvement from the cage. Problems arise when it fogs up and forces him to look through tiny holes in the mask.Its just tough when the pucks down low in your feet or when youre going for things, Clarkson said. But it was either that option or I didnt play.After his problems last year, not playing wasnt an option for Clarkson, who couldnt help but worry about the lingering effect of another injury.When I found out what was wrong, its tough to swallow, he said. It kind of puts you in a place where you start to think. For me personally that wasnt fun, but I made a decision to come back and play and I feel pretty good. The bones healing, so Im just waiting for the doctors to clear me to get back to normal.Back to normal for Clarkson, in his mind, also includes a return to some fisticuffs. Without Colton Orr or Frazer McLaren, the Leafs dont have an enforcer, and according to HockeyFights.com, their two fighting majors are tied for the second-fewest in the NHL.Clarkson still feels a desire to take exception to hits on himself and teammates but in the back of his mind understands with a full shield he cant do everything. Once he sheds it for good, its his plan to continue his fighting ways.I dont plan on changing, Clarkson said. At the end of the day Im going to go back to fighting and doing the things Ive always done.Notes: Forward David Booth skated Thursday for the first time since fracturing his right foot while blocking a shot in a pre-season game. Carlyle said Booth is working hard but is still a long ways away from making his regular-season debut. ... The Leafs have recalled Stuart Percy from the AHLs Marlies. It wasnt immediately clear if an injury necessitated the call-up or if Percy was just going to be the seventh defenceman in Columbus.---Follow @SWhyno on Twitter. Custom Seattle Mariners Jerseys . Bach, a 59-year-old German lawyer, was elected Tuesday as president of the International Olympic Committee. He succeeds Jacques Rogge, who stepped down after 12 years. Bach, the longtime favourite, defeated five candidates in a secret ballot for the most influential job in international sports, keeping the presidency in European hands. Ichiro Suzuki Jersey . Duhamel, from Lively, Ont., and Radford, from Balmertown, Ont., were second with 77.01 points, just behind Olympic bronze medallists Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany. The four-time world champs lead at 79. MIAMI -- Eager to give himself some run support, New York Mets pitcher Jonathon Niese stepped to the plate with a runner at third and dropped down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt. His teammates, meanwhile, swung away -- and connected. Daniel Murphy hit a three-run homer and the Mets matched a season high with 17 hits Sunday to beat the slumping Miami Marlins 11-5. Niese (4-4), who has been plagued by a lack of offensive help this year, won for the first time since May 22 and enjoyed pitching with a big lead. "It was a good feeling," he said. "We hit them hard and hit them early. Its a lot more comfortable going out there, and youre able to pound the zone." Niese allowed less than four earned runs for the 19th consecutive start, giving up three in six innings. "The offence really busted out, and Jonathon did another great job," teammate David Wright said. "Every time he takes the ball, you think hes going to go nine innings, and offensively we havent done a lot to pick him up. Im glad we were able to do that today." Niese -- batting eighth -- drove in a run with a bunt in the second inning. Manager Terry Collins joked that he hadnt called for a suicide squeeze since 2006, and Niese said it might have been the first of his career. "Luckily was able to get a pitch I could put down," Niese said. Kirk Nieuwenhuis scored without a play for a 2-0 lead. "The squeeze was huge," Collins said. "We dont do that much, but I wanted to see if we could get something started, so we tried something different." The bulk of the offence, however, came from higher in the order. Wright drove in a run for the sixth game in a row. Curtis Granderson thrived again in the leadoff spot, reaching base four consecutive times. He and Lucas Duda each had three hits. Murphy had two hits, including his sixth homer. Nieuwenhuis, making his first start since being recalled from Triple-A, doubled twice. "Weve been waiting a long time to break one open," Collins said. "People think we play ugly game. Were getting beat 4-3 and 3-2. Were hanging in there. Wee get a lot of guys on, we just havent been able to get big hits. Yovani Gallardo Jersey. When you have big hits, you look great." Rookie Anthony DeSclafani (1-2), making his fourth major league start, gave up seven runs in 3 2-3 innings and departed with a 7.59 ERA. He was unable to keep the ball down or throw breaking pitches for strikes. "I fell behind hitters, and the fastballs were flying up in the zone," he said. "When that happens, youre not going to get the results you want." The Marlins (37-38) fell below .500 for the first time since April 30. Ten days ago they had the best home record in the majors, but they went 3-7 on their longest homestand of the year, losing all three series. "You just have to keeping grinding and stay positive," Garrett Jones said. "Its a long season. Every team runs into this type of thing where the offence isnt clicking and the pitching isnt clicking." The Mets had scored a total of 13 runs in Nieses previous five starts, but he led 7-0 before giving up three runs in the sixth. The left-hander then struck out Derek Dietrich with the bases loaded to end the inning and his afternoon. Nieses performance was part of a trend. Mets starters have an ERA of 1.74 over the past six games. The Mets have won four of their past five, but they still trail NL East leader Washington by five games. "If we keep the starting pitching going and keep the offence going, I think we should climb back in this thing," Niese said. NOTES: Marlins SS Adeiny Hechavarria (elbow) sat out his second game in a row but was feeling better available to pinch-hit. ... Marlins Spanish-language radio announcer Felo Ramirez celebrated his 91st birthday. ... The Mets improved to 16-11 in day games. ... The game drew a crowd of 24,613, plus 605 dogs on "Bark in the Park" day. ... The Mets begin a two-game homestand Tuesday when RHP Bartolo Colon (7-5, 3.88) pitches against Oakland. ... The Marlins begin a four-game series at Philadelphia on Monday when RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-3, 3.76) pitches against RHP Roberto Hernandez (3-5, 4.52).       ' ' '