Kevin Muscat keeps reading that Melbourne Victory are inconsistent.But now in second place, with a game in hand and a win finally over Melbourne City, the coach is hell-bent on expunging that tag as he ramps up the hunt for runaway A-League leaders Sydney FC.Just as Besart Berishas record-equalling winner told critics hes still the leagues best big-game player, Victorys 2-1 derby triumph at AAMI Park proved Muscats men can no longer be overlooked as genuine title threats.The win - their first in five crosstown meetings - marked Victorys sixth in their last eight games and propelled them past City into second, seven points adrift of the summit after the Sky Blues trounced Perth 4-1.With an extra game still to play against Wellington in January, the 2014-15 champions have the perfect springboard to mount their push for silverware.But Muscat was adamant hard work throughout the season - not Saturdays drought-breaking display - had laid the platform.We still keep reading, Victory the inconsistent, Muscat said.Weve still got a lot of improvement in us.Ill identify where we can improve and Ill demand that from the playing group.More importantly, they want information where they can improve.Theres a real steel in the group of players that want to be successful.Berisha, fellow goalscorer Marco Rojas and James Troisi were instrumental in Victorys fightback after a signature Tim Cahill header.The Albanian marksman, whose 90th A-League goal brought him level with former teammate Archie Thompson as highest-ever scorer, felt Victory were starting to play to their full capacity.The way were creating chances and dominating games, collectively were playing fantastic, Berisha said.This is what was missing (earlier in the season when) some players were playing fantastic and half of the team were not good.Now were playing collectively great football in every area.When we play like that, its very hard to stop us.Sydney recorded their 11th successive win over stuttering Glory in a clinical come-from-behind display underlined by Danny Vukovics heroics in goal.Brisbane also leapfrogged City into third and on equal points with Victory after beating Central Coast 2-1, but its over-achievers Newcastle who have added the most intrigue to the race.The battlers from the Hunter Valley, whove endured six seasons devoid of finals action, crept into the top six via Friday nights last-gasp 2-1 home win over last-placed Adelaide.Courtesy of Perths third loss in four games the Jets are now fifth, ahead of the sixth-placed Glory and seventh-placed Western Sydney on goal difference.The Wanderers continued their frustrating run by throwing away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Wellington in Auckland.Before the game a point is good away from home, but after youre leading 2-0 its disappointing, said coach Tony Popovic, who again left striker Kerem Bulut out of his squad. Bryan Rust Penguins Jersey . LOUIS -- Valtteri Filppula assisted on three of Tampa Bays four goals, and the Lightning beat the St. Paul Coffey Jersey . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. http://www.penguinsauthenticofficial.com/patric-hornqvist-jersey/ . Murray beat Sam Querrey 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3 to clinch Britains opening-round victory against the United States on Sunday at Petco Park. "Im proud of the way Im playing just now, because I had to do a lot of work to get back to where I want to be," Murray said after celebrating with his teammates on the red clay court in a temporary stadium in left field of the downtown home of baseballs San Diego Padres. Bryan Trottier Penguins Jersey .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday. Paul Coffey Penguins Jersey . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Hawks needed 14 days to win a game. Dwight Howard hopes to never go through a stretch like that again.All weve been thinking about since the last game was how we can come in and get this game, he said. I thought our effort and our energy were in the right place, and we got a win.Howard had 23 points and 17 rebounds, Paul Millsap added 21 points and the Hawks snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 103-95 victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.Dennis Schroder had 17 points for the Hawks. They are 2-10 since starting the season 9-2.Tyler Johnson scored a career-high 27 points and Goran Dragic added 21 for the Heat. Miami, which used just eight players because of injuries, has lost three straight.It wasnt an easy night for Atlantas offense as the Hawks settled too often for jumpers and struggled to make crisp, timely passes.Coach Mike Budenholzer was clearly frustrated and called a timeout with a 10-point lead late in the third. The next three possessions resulted in a backcourt violation and an airball 3 by Malcolm Delaney and Howards offensive foul, but Atlanta led by 15 to begin the fourth.The Heat pulled within three on two free throws by Dragic with 7:05 remaining before Thabo Sefoloshas putback dunk two possessions later gave the Hawks some momentum, but not enough to put the game away.Miami made it a six-point game with 2:40 remaining when Sefoloshas fast-break dunk put the Hawks up 10 at the 1:53 mark.I think at the root of this has been our practice schedule, Atlanta guard Kyle Korver said. We had a great training camp, a great preseason and we came out of the gates 9-2. But the way our schedule was, we had so many back-to-backs and literally didnt have a practice for three weeks. Practice matters. Were glad were done with that part of the schedulee.ddddddddddddHowards dunk midway through the second put the Hawks up 15, but the Heat trimmed the lead to seven at halftime.Miami couldnt handle the inside matchups against Howard and Millsap and was outscored 58-26 in the paint.Were working with what we have right now, Heat center Hassan Whiteside said. Guys are giving their all right now. Im proud of our guys. Theyre doing their best.BE REASONABLEMiami coach Erik Spoelstra wasnt pleased when referee CJ Washington called Johnson for a foul against the 6-foot-11 Howard in the first quarter. Spoelstra couldnt believe Johnson, whos 7 inches shorter, affected the shot. He cant even jump that high! Spoelstra said. Washington smiled, but Spoelstra held firm. Im dead serious!TIP-INSHeat: Johnson scored 14 points in the first half. ... Dragic played 34 minutes despite having a stinger in his shoulder from Tuesdays home loss to New York. ... Whiteside had 12 rebounds and has led the team on the boards in all 22 games. ... Wayne Ellington scored 19 points. ... Josh McRoberts had two points, two rebounds and five turnovers in 30 minutes.Hawks: G Kent Bazemore was sidelined with a sore right knee. Hes expected to miss at least one more game. An MRI Wednesday morning showed no structural damage. ... Tim Hardaway Jr., who replaced Bazemore in the starting lineup, limped off the floor and into the locker room with a leg injury late in the fourth. ... Howard and Millsap combined for 26 of Atlantas 53 points and for 12 of its 25 rebounds in the first half.UP NEXTHeat: Visit Cleveland on Friday night and Chicago on Saturday night.Hawks: Visit Milwaukee on Friday night and theyre off until next Tuesday at home against Orlando. ' ' '