Leafs 4 - Panthers 3 -- Six Points Out
Ownership did what they could, but they couldn’t do enough to break to spirit of this team, as the season gets shorter, this teams bonding grows stronger. Leading the way none other the Mats Sundin, the guy is bordering superhuman status after last nights game, but we still have 17 more to go.
Sunrise Florida, a city and arena I once visited where I seen the Leafs take on the Panthers in a half empty building, full of Leafs faithful. It was no different last night as many die-hards filled the building to help fuel of the Blue and White victory.
This game was different, wearing number 33, Wade Belak suited up for the opponent for the first time in over seven years. It was quite the site to see him in the warm ups, when I heard Belak got his immigration papers in order, I was very worried of what he might do to this Leafs team. When he finally jumped over the boards, he was in the back of everyone’s mind as he created havoc during his time on the ice. Causing a few hiccups during that shift, he followed it up by doing the same, and after calling out Ian White before the game, jokingly saying he better keep his head up, it was against White that the aggressive fore-check broke the Leafs down and Belak helped create a goal.
The better news was that just before that goal, Brian McCabe was left to fend for himself while facing a 2 on 1 break. It was just last week that McCabe misplayed Mike Peca on a 2 on 1 that ended up resulting in a goal against. However, last night, McCabe could not have reacted better to the situation, ensuring that the pass would not get through him, thus leaving the shooter for the Toskala on a short angle, textbook.
The Panthers took a 2 – 0 lead into the second, with the loss of some gritty rough and tough veterans, it looked as though ownership may have gotten to this team. The new class coming up were obviously out of sync with new roles on the big club, as well as the defence, as Maurice chooses to break up Colaiacovo and McCabe, an experiment that didn’t work, it puts Carlo on the left side, and thankfully didn’t last long. A disjointed Ian White who was shaky all game long, had a terrible giveaway in the neutral ice resulting in a semi-breakaway the other way, that is until Colaiacovo came back, and yep you guessed it, dove with a sliding poke check to take away that scoring chance, it was amazing and it has lead me to finally try and come up with a name for that action that has Carlo sweeping the National Hockey League, literally. It was at that point Maurice broke up his pairings and went back to what has really turned this team around, the big 4, Kaberle and Kubina, McCabe and Colaiacovo, two pairings that eat a lot of minuets, control the puck, create scoring, and use the body, it is vital the big 4 sees a tonne of minutes.
After success down low, the Leafs began to change their fortunes up top, Sundin found himself doubled shifted with new comer Jeremy Williams, leading goal scorer from the Marlies. With a magical hesitation move behind the net, Sundin slide the puck through the legs of the defender and right on the tape of Williams where he made no mistake and buried to cut the lead in half, and in only his third NHL appearance, he lit the lamp for a third consecutive time, 3 years, 3 games, 3 goals. Williams is what you call a sniper, after he was first drafted his size, strength and skating were all areas where he needed to improve his game, but the one thing he always had was an ability to shoot the puck, and it has improved just as the other facets of his game have as well.
2 – 1 and with more life coming out of this intermission then last, the Leafs look to do something very uncharacteristic of this team, that is to come from behind to win. Who else would lead them but Mats Sundin 3 minutes into the period and on a PP, Sundin doubles his shift and stays on the ice in a crucial point of the game to replace a struggling Stajan on the draw, Sundin grabs the puck down low and works his way through the checking defence to find a small area between Vokouns shoulder and crossbar, the push to the net as well as the finish were pure magic.
Unfortunately, as soon as the Leafs tied it, 3 consecutive penalties resulted in a goal against, and with 8 minuets remaining in the game, the Leafs found them selves down another goal. It stayed this way right to the wire and in the final 2 minuets after finally sustaining pressure in the Panthers zone, the Leafs pulled their goalie and guess who stepped on the ice, none other then Captain Clutch. Off the bench, Sundin strides inside the blue line only to burry it shot side after taking a great pass from Wellwood who set up shop behind the net. Captain Clutch, with a minuet and half to go in the game and maybe the season, Sundin ties the game. Tlusty may have deflected the shot, regardless, he provided good traffic in front, and gave Vokoun enough to think about to forget about the puck. The Leafs play a strong OT, then win it in a shootout with a great goal by Kaberle and continued strong play from Vesa Toskala.
Moving forward the Leafs play the Lightning on Friday, they may pose a threat as Mike Smith would love get his fist win for the Lightning since being traded for Brad Richards. The Leafs need to sure up what they want to do on defence after the big 4, and the forward lines could use a shake-up as the top line is getting hit and being stymied with tough checking, although doubling shifting Sundin was successful in this scenario, I still think they would be better served to use more of Newbury and Williams and all 4 lines.
10 13 48
16 14 55
11 80 42
54 19 52 checking line
15 31
24 8
? ?
I do not like the inexperience and lack of defence with the last two, we need to find a pairing that can fill this role together. White and Stralmen are both Right D, with Kronwall hurt, that leaves the door open for Walser(L) and Harrison(R). It could even mark a return for Andy Wozniesky, who has played some of his best hockey of his life in the last month down in the AHL, but considering he had his chance and failed, its time for Harrison and Walser to have a shot.
Sunrise Florida, a city and arena I once visited where I seen the Leafs take on the Panthers in a half empty building, full of Leafs faithful. It was no different last night as many die-hards filled the building to help fuel of the Blue and White victory.
This game was different, wearing number 33, Wade Belak suited up for the opponent for the first time in over seven years. It was quite the site to see him in the warm ups, when I heard Belak got his immigration papers in order, I was very worried of what he might do to this Leafs team. When he finally jumped over the boards, he was in the back of everyone’s mind as he created havoc during his time on the ice. Causing a few hiccups during that shift, he followed it up by doing the same, and after calling out Ian White before the game, jokingly saying he better keep his head up, it was against White that the aggressive fore-check broke the Leafs down and Belak helped create a goal.
The better news was that just before that goal, Brian McCabe was left to fend for himself while facing a 2 on 1 break. It was just last week that McCabe misplayed Mike Peca on a 2 on 1 that ended up resulting in a goal against. However, last night, McCabe could not have reacted better to the situation, ensuring that the pass would not get through him, thus leaving the shooter for the Toskala on a short angle, textbook.
The Panthers took a 2 – 0 lead into the second, with the loss of some gritty rough and tough veterans, it looked as though ownership may have gotten to this team. The new class coming up were obviously out of sync with new roles on the big club, as well as the defence, as Maurice chooses to break up Colaiacovo and McCabe, an experiment that didn’t work, it puts Carlo on the left side, and thankfully didn’t last long. A disjointed Ian White who was shaky all game long, had a terrible giveaway in the neutral ice resulting in a semi-breakaway the other way, that is until Colaiacovo came back, and yep you guessed it, dove with a sliding poke check to take away that scoring chance, it was amazing and it has lead me to finally try and come up with a name for that action that has Carlo sweeping the National Hockey League, literally. It was at that point Maurice broke up his pairings and went back to what has really turned this team around, the big 4, Kaberle and Kubina, McCabe and Colaiacovo, two pairings that eat a lot of minuets, control the puck, create scoring, and use the body, it is vital the big 4 sees a tonne of minutes.
After success down low, the Leafs began to change their fortunes up top, Sundin found himself doubled shifted with new comer Jeremy Williams, leading goal scorer from the Marlies. With a magical hesitation move behind the net, Sundin slide the puck through the legs of the defender and right on the tape of Williams where he made no mistake and buried to cut the lead in half, and in only his third NHL appearance, he lit the lamp for a third consecutive time, 3 years, 3 games, 3 goals. Williams is what you call a sniper, after he was first drafted his size, strength and skating were all areas where he needed to improve his game, but the one thing he always had was an ability to shoot the puck, and it has improved just as the other facets of his game have as well.
2 – 1 and with more life coming out of this intermission then last, the Leafs look to do something very uncharacteristic of this team, that is to come from behind to win. Who else would lead them but Mats Sundin 3 minutes into the period and on a PP, Sundin doubles his shift and stays on the ice in a crucial point of the game to replace a struggling Stajan on the draw, Sundin grabs the puck down low and works his way through the checking defence to find a small area between Vokouns shoulder and crossbar, the push to the net as well as the finish were pure magic.
Unfortunately, as soon as the Leafs tied it, 3 consecutive penalties resulted in a goal against, and with 8 minuets remaining in the game, the Leafs found them selves down another goal. It stayed this way right to the wire and in the final 2 minuets after finally sustaining pressure in the Panthers zone, the Leafs pulled their goalie and guess who stepped on the ice, none other then Captain Clutch. Off the bench, Sundin strides inside the blue line only to burry it shot side after taking a great pass from Wellwood who set up shop behind the net. Captain Clutch, with a minuet and half to go in the game and maybe the season, Sundin ties the game. Tlusty may have deflected the shot, regardless, he provided good traffic in front, and gave Vokoun enough to think about to forget about the puck. The Leafs play a strong OT, then win it in a shootout with a great goal by Kaberle and continued strong play from Vesa Toskala.
Moving forward the Leafs play the Lightning on Friday, they may pose a threat as Mike Smith would love get his fist win for the Lightning since being traded for Brad Richards. The Leafs need to sure up what they want to do on defence after the big 4, and the forward lines could use a shake-up as the top line is getting hit and being stymied with tough checking, although doubling shifting Sundin was successful in this scenario, I still think they would be better served to use more of Newbury and Williams and all 4 lines.
10 13 48
16 14 55
11 80 42
54 19 52 checking line
15 31
24 8
? ?
I do not like the inexperience and lack of defence with the last two, we need to find a pairing that can fill this role together. White and Stralmen are both Right D, with Kronwall hurt, that leaves the door open for Walser(L) and Harrison(R). It could even mark a return for Andy Wozniesky, who has played some of his best hockey of his life in the last month down in the AHL, but considering he had his chance and failed, its time for Harrison and Walser to have a shot.
posted by LEAFER at
8:34 AM
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