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BROOKLYN - With the NFLs self-proclaimed best cornerback sitting courtside, Patrick Patterson came up with a timely interception. Dion Jordan Jersey . "Patrick looked like Richard Sherman out there with that steal," said Kyle Lowry, who may have set a franchise record for most post-game fist pumps after Patterson picked off an inbound pass and drained the winning jump shot moments later. For the first time in nearly two years, the Raptors were without DeMar DeRozan, as their leading scorer watched on from Toronto, nursing a recently sprained left ankle. Not even 10 minutes after the final buzzer - Toronto defeating the red-hot Brooklyn Nets 104-103 Monday evening - Lowry had already spoken with his injured teammate, via FaceTime. The conversation went as follows: "I cant tell you [what he said]," Lowry informed the enquiring media. Lowry, in the middle of a career season, was all smiles after what may have been his best game as a Raptor. The win and the vindicating feeling that accompanied it in the Raptors locker room were nearly stolen from them. With 19 seconds remaining and the Nets up one, Lowry drove into Deron Williams, a moving target, and was whistled for an offensive foul. The controversial call, made by official Violet Palmer, was the latest in a series of questionable whistles. Lowry, along with coach Dwane Casey, was understandably irate. "Its her call," Lowry said after the game. "She made a great call, I mean thats her call. Hey, she called it." You can read between the lines. Down by three after Paul Pierce sunk a pair of free throws, John Salmons extended the game with a quick layup, leading to an inbound play that the Raptors were prepared for. "We knew exactly what they were going to run," Casey said, crediting the teams scouting staff. "Our defence was set." No excuses. They were missing their best player and on the road against an opponent that had won 10 of 11 games in the New Year, their only loss coming to Toronto. The officials were doing them no favours, but this, of course, is a very different Raptors team than the one that would cower in these very situations. Pattersons first instinct after swiping Williamss inbound pass was to find Lowry, a wise decision, and the Raptors point guard set him up for the winning 12-footer, less than a minute after he air-balled a three-pointer. Patterson started the game wearing a face-mask to protect his broken nose, but by the second half, he had tossed it away. He was putting it all out on the line, in more ways than one, when he made the biggest play of the night. "You know me," Patterson joked. "Richard Sherman, Ed Reed, were all in the same category." Sherman and the rest of the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks were in attendance for what turned out to be a playoff-type battle between two teams vying for top spot in the Atlantic. In a game that saw 18 lead changes and nine ties, the Raptors extended their cushion in the division to two and a half games. Theyre still the only team to defeat Brooklyn in the calendar year. "Its a division game, I think everyone knew how big the game was for us," said Lowry, who took his game to another level in the absence of DeRozan, scoring 31 points to go along with seven assists and five steals. "For me personally I just wanted to try to do my best to keep my guys and keep our team together no matter what happened and try to win the game." DeRozan, who sustained his injury in Saturdays loss to the Clippers, had missed just eight games in his four-and-a-half-year career prior to sitting out on Monday. Theres no timetable for his recovery and, while his teammates anxiously await his return, theyre not relying on it. Often, you can learn a lot about a team and its players when a significant cog is removed. The lesson on this night; the Raptors have an array of viable weapons and Lowry has become their heart and soul. Ethan Pocic Jersey . It was well worth the wait. Manning and the Denver Broncos waited eight long months, then another 33 minutes to get the season started because of a lightning storm. Eddie Lacy Jersey . Blown save in the ninth inning? No problem. http://www.footballseahawksfanatics.com/authentic-...ks-jers ey/ . - Loosening up for their first training camp practice, the Miami Dolphins high-stepped sideways up and down the field while House of Pains song "Jump Around" blared on the loudspeakers.SUNRISE, Fla. -- Henrik Zetterberg didnt wait long to make an impact in his first game back from injury. Zetterberg scored a goal in the first period to lift the Detroit Red Wings over the Florida Panthers 4-3 on Saturday night. Zetterberg returned after missing 11 games with a herniated disk in his back. Zetterberg leads the Red Wings with 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists). "It was nice after a little break here to come back and get a good start. We got two points and we won," Zetterberg said. Gustav Nyquist, Brendan Smith and Daniel Alfredsson also scored for Detroit. Jonas Gustavsson stopped 30 shots. Pavel Datsyuk had two assists. The Red Wings were happy to have their leading scorer back. "Its huge. Hank brings so much to this team, both on and off the ice," Nyquist said. "With him and Pav (Datsyuk) playing you can really feel the difference. Thats why theyre our leaders." Sean Bergenheim scored two goals and Nick Bjugstad also scored for Florida. Scott Clemmensen made 27 saves for the Panthers. The Red Wings have won three of four and beat the Panthers for the first time in three games this season. "We won three out of four here suddenly and some things are better," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. The Panthers lost their third straight game. "We showed a lot of battle," Bjugstad said. "We fought back and worked hard. Unfortunately, it didnt go the way we wanted it to." With the game tied at 2, the Red Wings scored twice in the first 1:20 of the third. Smith one-timed a shot from the right circle that went over Clemmensens head to give Detroit a 3-2 lead at 42 seconds of the period. The goal was Smiths first of the season in 30 games. Nyquist poked in a rebound 38 seconds later that stretched the lead to 4-2. Bergenheims second goal of the game made it 4-3. His shot from the high slot went five-hole on Gustavsson at 44:27. Michael Bennett Jersey . Bergenheim earned his second two-goal game this season. The other was on Nov. 25 against Philadelphia. "It doesnt really mean anything. Disappointment is whats on everybodys mind right now," Bergenheim said. Trailing 2-0, the Panthers scored twice in just over two minutes in the second period to tie the game. Florida closed to 2-1 on Bergenheims power-play goal at 12:52. Bergenheim took a pass from Brian Campbell in front of the crease and backhanded it past Gustavsson. Bjugstad tied the game on a breakaway, bringing the puck to the crease and slipping it past Gustavssons pad at 14:59 to make it 2-all. "I got kind of lucky that puck landed right on my tape. My eyes were real big when I was skating down the ice," Bjugstad said. The Red Wings scored two power-play goals in the first period. The Red Wings scored on their first shot of the game. Alfredssons ripped a shot from the right circle 12 seconds into the power play beat Clemmensen at 3:47 for a 1-0 lead. Alfredsson has five points in his past four games. Zetterberg made it 2-0 when he took a cross-ice pass from Datsyuk at the dot in the right circle and wristed it over Clemmensens glove and into the net at 14:29. Zetterbergs presence seemed to fire up the team. "Its not only all the goals and points he scores, its the small things that helps everyone," Gustavsson said. "It was great to see him back." NOTES: The Red Wings will play six of their next seven games on the road. Their only home game will be against Toronto at Michigan Stadium on New Years Day in the Winter Classic. ... Winger Justin Abdelkader returned after missing five games due to a concussion. ... Panthers goaltender Tim Thomas was activated off the injured list after missing the past seven games with a groin injury and is expected to start on Sunday against visiting Montreal. ... C Marcel Goc got his 100th career assist. 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