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HOENDERLOO, Netherlands -- Louis van Gaals Netherlands team will likely play with five defenders at the World Cup, in a departure from his preferred 4-3-3 system thats been forced on him by the season-ending injury to key midfielder Kevin Strootman. The AS Roma star injured his left knee in March, ruling him out of the tournament in Brazil. Van Gaal said Tuesday that "we do not have another Kevin Strootman in the Netherlands." The 62-year-old coach, who is widely expected to be the manager of Manchester United next season, has been experimenting in recent days with a new formation which he says may sound more defensive -- but will be executed according to the "Dutch school" of attacking football. That comment is likely an attempt to allay fears of Dutch fans who watched their greatest teams use the hallowed 4-3-3 system as the foundation of their "total football" philosophy. Van Gaal later named a preliminary 30-man squad Tuesday night that included four Feyenoord defenders who play the 5-3-2 system he is expected to use in Brazil. One of the biggest surprises was the absence of Paris Saint-Germain right back Gregory van der Wiel, a starter in the World Cup final four years ago. The squad, which has to be reduced to 23 players, includes six players from the 2010 World Cup final starting lineup. Van Gaal acknowledged it is a gamble trying to get many of his players to adopt the new system so soon before a major tournament. Most Dutch footballers grow up learning the 4-3-3 system and it has been the national teams preferred way of playing for years. "Its a big risk," Van Gaal told reporters at his teams secluded training camp in the central Netherlands. He added that he is not wedded to the new system and could easily revert to 4-3-3 during the tournament. He is expected to test the new system Saturday night in a friendly against Ecuador in Amsterdam. "It has to have a chance of succeeding," he said. "This coach wants to win." Van Gaal has been working for a week with a group of potential World Cup squad members, mainly defenders, while he waits for the seasons of overseas stars like Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben to finish. He said Van Persie and Robben are his two captains and are guaranteed a place in his starting lineup. He added that he has "more than five names" for his starting lineup for the Netherlands highly-charged World Cup opener on June 13 in Salvador, a repeat of the ill-tempered 2010 World Cup final which Spain won 1-0 in extra time. Van Gaal, who declined to comment on his possible move to Manchester, named a preliminary squad that mixed inexperience -- six players with only one international to their name and three making their debuts in the full international squad. The most experienced players include Netherlands top scorer Van Persie, Robben, 2010 World Cup joint top scorer Wesley Sneijder and midfielder Rafael van der Vaart. Surprise selections included uncapped 20-year-old Angola-born Feyenoord defender Terence Kongolo and his 19-year-old club teammate Tonny Vilhena. -------- Squad: Goalkeepers: Michel Vorm (Swansea City), Tim Krul (Newcastle United), Jasper Cillessen (AFC Ajax), Jeroen Zoet (PSV Eindhoven). Defenders: Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa), Daryl Janmaat (Feyenoord), Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord), Daley Blind (Ajax), Paul Verhaegh (FC Augsburg), Karim Rekik (PSV), Joel Veltman (AFC Ajax), Patrick van Aanholt (Vitesse Arnhem), Terence Kongolo (Feyenoord). Midfielders: Rafael van der Vaart (SV Hamburg), Wesley Sneijder (Galatasary), Nigel de Jong (AC Milan), Jonathan de Guzman (Swansea City), Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord), Leroy Fer (Norwich City), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV), Tonny Vilhena (Feyenoord). Forwards: Dirk Kuyt (Fenerbahce), Robin van Persie (Manchester United), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04), Jeremain Lens (Dinamo Kyiv), Memphis Depay (PSV), Jean-Paul Boetius (Feyenoord), Quincy Promes (FC Twente). Mark Messier Jersey . The 36-year-old said a few months ago he would hang up his boots at the end of the season, but has since changed his mind. "Its a pity the season is ending now, as I am in good physical shape and enjoying myself," Di Natale said. Ryan Smyth Jersey . -- Omar Infante walked past the visiting clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium, where he dressed so many times as a member of the Detroit Tigers, and slipped on a crisp, new Kansas City Royals jersey. http://www.officialoilersfanstore.com/authentic-mark-fayne-oilers-jersey/ . Not because it was right, but because referees werent allowed to determine it was wrong. Benoit Pouliot Jersey . Bryce Harper? He also came into Wednesday without a long ball and hadnt driven in a run. He was hitting .160, had nearly three times as many strikeouts as hits and was dropped to seventh in the batting order. Grant Fuhr Jersey . -- Stanley Johnson scored all 18 of his points in the second half, T.TORONTO – Doing just enough to lose hockey games, the Maple Leafs playoff chances are dangling on an ever-thinning thread. They matched their second-longest losing skid of the year on Saturday evening, making an error too many in their fourth straight loss, a stinging 4-3 defeat to Montreal at the ACC. Falling further back of the Canadiens – now a five-point gap – and the surging Lightning for the final two spots in the Atlantic division, Toronto is hanging onto to the first wild card position in the East, in danger of falling out altogether if change doesnt come soon enough. “Weve been close, but close isnt good enough right now,” said Dion Phaneuf of four straight losses, all against fellow Eastern contenders vying for a spot in the post-season. Like in narrow losses to Washington, Detroit and Tampa previously, the Leafs shot themselves in the foot just a time or too many on this night, dropping the season series to Montreal in the process. “The margin of error now in these games is so, so, so close that one bounce or one misplay or one unfortunate mistake cost us points,” said head coach Randy Carlyle afterward. A stumbling start and more ineffective goaltending certainly didnt help matters, but it was simple errors in execution that ultimately set the stage for another defeat. Most notable among them were mistakes from two of the teams best players. There was an early and careless neutral zone turnover from Phil Kessel that fed the Canadiens first goal and a later failure from Dion Phaneuf to clear the puck that found the back of the net on Tomas Plekanecs eventual game-winner. “We worked hard,” said Carlyle, his team rallying from a pair of deficits. “[But] we have to work equally as hard and clean up some of the mistakes that we make. Turn the puck over in the neutral ice and it comes back to haunt you. Make a mistake on a turnover penalty killing and it comes back and haunts you. Those are difference-makers in the games and thats what happens when the intensity ramps up in all these games.” Running wild with points in the weeks before and after the Olympic break, Toronto had not lost four straight since the early days of January. They vaulted to 11 wins in 14 games after that stinging streak, requiring a similar resurgence now to keep hold of a second straight playoff berth. The sky may be falling in certain pockets of the city with memories of the infamous 18-wheeler still fresh, but in reality the Leafs situation is not dire to the point that they cant right themselves with 10 games to play. Theyve lost a series of close games of late, doing just enough to lose on each given night. Losses count the same though and that tide – now trending in the negative with clubs in Detroit, Washington and Columbus hunting them down – has to start shifting for the better in a hurry with the Devils up next on Sunday night. “Were still in a good spot,” said Phaneuf, ever optimistic afterward. “Obviously weve slid a little bit because of not winning games, but were still right there.” Five Points 1. Stunted Starts Toronto allowed the first goal for the sixth consecutive game and 37th time this season, actually falling behind by two for the fourth time in those six games. And while they managed to erase that deficit in short order, the trend of digging early holes is a definite negative at this point in the year and any point for that matter. “Its tough coming back,” said James Reimer of the constant need for rallies. “Weve proven that we can do it. Weve got enough character and desire in here to fight back in games, but it obviously makes it a lot tougher on ourselves.” Capitalizing on Kessels giveaway on the opener from Max Pacioretty, Montreal jumped ahead by two on a Rene Bourque breakaway, the Canadiens winger storming by the pair of Cody Franson and Jake Gardiner before beating Reimer with a weak shot glove-side. “I think maybe we just all need to be a little sharper when it starts and obviously me included,” said Reimer. The Leafs dropped to 11-22-4 when yielding the first goal this season. 2. Just Okay Reimers inability to fill the hole left by Jonathan Bernier continued Saturday with the 26-year-old yielding four goals on 36 shots. He owns a .899 save percentage during six appearances in place of the teams injured No. 1. Though he made some fine stops in allowing his team to rally from the early 2-0 hole – including a glove stop just moments before Joffrey Lupul scored the Leafs first goal – Reimer ultimately could not deliver enough of the timely big saves required for victory. This was evident on Plekanecs game-winner. Reimer slid right to left on Andrei Markovs cross-ice feed to Plekanec, but could not keep the shot – from just above the goal-line – from finding a slight hole. “I feel like its a tough bounce,” he said. “Obviously they made a good play to put it through the seam, but I thought I gave myself a chance to get over there, but it just found a way through.” Reimer remains winless on home ice since Jan. 15, last winning a start on Jan. 21. Bernier meanwhile continues to inch back from a groin injury, but not quickly enough for the teams recent fortunes. The 25-year-old skated for a third straight day Saturday morning, but will miss his fifth straight game Sunday against the Devils. “He still has some issues as far as hes not 100 per cent,” said Carlyle, &lldquo;so until hes 100 per cent hes not available to us.dddddddddddd” 3. Slow Ride A slogging rehabilitation of nearly five months finally came to an end Saturday for Dave Bolland, who returned to the Toronto lineup against Montreal. It was the first game for the 27-year-old since Nov. 2, when a tendon on the outside of his left ankle was sliced by the skate blade of Canucks forward Zack Kassian. He missed 56 games. “Hes progressed along over the last three weeks to a point where he feels and the doctors feel medically thats he close to a 100 per cent ready,” said Carlyle, wary of driving up expectations for Bolland, a favourite of his upon landing with the Leafs last summer. “I dont want to put too much emphasis on him specifically because when a player hasnt played in 60 games its a lot to ask of him to come back in and be where he wouldve been coming out of training camp and playing with our hockey club early in the season.” Bollands addition gave Carlyle his first full group of forwards at any point this season with neither injuries nor suspensions on the docket. All of which allowed him to comfortably employ four lines in the fashion he may have imagined at the start of the year. Indicative of a balanced attack and a considerable shift from recent weeks and much of the year, Colton Orr was the lone forward to play fewer than eight minutes against Montreal. “It gives you a little bit more depth throughout your lineup, a veteran guy, and it kind of slots people more into where we envisioned them at the beginning of the year,” said Carlyle, who reunited Bolland with Mason Raymond and David Clarkson. Bolland, whom the Leafs made room for by sending Carter Ashton and Peter Holland to the Marlies, was lost to injury in early November just a week after Tyler Bozak went out with a hamstring issue, drastically affecting the teams depth at centre ice. He played nine minutes against the Canadiens, keeping his shift lengths short at just 33 seconds. “That first shift was probably the hardest,” Bolland said. “Its getting the timing and figuring things out out there. You sort of got to get used to it. I think the heartbeat was hurting a little bit too.” 4. Secondary Offence Joffrey Lupul and Nazem Kadri had combined for four goals in the previous 14 games, but landed a pair against the Canadiens. Lupul fired a rocket by Carey Price for the Leafs first goal midway through the first, Kadri depositing a feed from his 30-year-old teammate on a power play goal later which evened the score at three. With Phil Kessel and the teams top line cooling some in recent days – they did account for the second Toronto goal with Tyler Bozak notching his 16th – contributions from the likes of Lupul and Kadri will be required in the final weeks of the regular season. Toronto forwards had only seven goals in the previous six games, but accounted for all three on Saturday. 5. Ranger on the Mend Paul Ranger was in predictable shock in the immediate aftermath, but realized hed be okay when he was able to move his legs, hands and feet. Reversing to his left with less than five seconds remaining in the first period of a Wednesday tilt with Tampa, the 29-year-old was drilled from behind by Lightning forward Alex Killorn. He was helped off the ice on a stretcher, his teammates looking on with concern. “I remember just feeling pain,” said Ranger, suffering a neck injury on the play. “I know that my body and my mind just went into preservation mode. All I could think was just dont move, stay straight and breathe. I just kind of breathed three in, three out for the next 3-4 hours.” Ranger was taken to a local hospital that night, assessed and discharged. He remained off the ice for a third straight day Saturday and did not play against the Canadiens, his impending return to the line-up uncertain. Though he received word from Killorn in the aftermath of the collision, believing that no harm was intended, the Whitby, Ontario native nonetheless hopes that hits from behind receive more attention and study for improvement. “I think its something that happens a lot in our game and its dangerous,” he said. “Im thankful Im really strong physically and really fit and I think that really helped and probably saved me a little bit in this situation. I wouldnt want anyone else to go through that period, but especially someone whos maybe not as strong or not as heavy you could say.” Stats-Pack 212 – Man games lost to injury for the Leafs this season, including 56 from Dave Bolland, who returned from an ankle injury against Montreal. 2-2-1 – Leafs record versus the Canadiens this season. 9:01 – Ice-time for Dave Bolland in his first game since Nov. 2. .899 – Save percentage for James Reimer since Jonathan Bernier went out with injury. 5 – Number of 20-goal seasons for Joffrey Lupul, who scored his 20th of the year against Montreal. 8:54 – Ice-time for David Clarkson on Saturday, his lowest of the season. 11-22-4 – Leafs record this season when they allow the first goal. Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-2 Season: 20.7% (T-4th) PK: 2-2 Season: 78.5% (28th) Quote of the Night “Weve been close, but close isnt good enough right now.” - Dion Phaneuf, following the Leafs fourth straight loss. Up Next The Leafs visit the Devils in a Sunday night affair at the Prudential Center. ' ' '