Devils 4 - Leafs 1 -- Six Points Out
Starting off on the wrong skate?
It is just another Manic Monday, Tuesday, or sometimes Wednesday. The Toronto Maple Leafs have failed to capitalize on the standings by again starting the week off slow. Throughout the year, this team has notoriously been unprepared for timely games, part in parcel to that issue may have something to do with their inability to start each week off strong. In the first game played of each week the Leafs began the season 0-8 and sit today at an unimpressive 7-15. This is a very arbitrary and seemingly meaningless stat, but to me, it speaks volumes to the lack of control this coach has over this team.
Only when you fail to prepare should you prepare to fail, and that is just what this coaching staff has done with a tremendous amount of help form ownership. Paul Maurice’s inability to communicate while invoking fear in his players is his greatest downfall, sitting underperforming players has not even been considered, with exception to an injured Wellwood and Tucker, where is the logic in sending a message to an injured player? In conjunction, he has a tendency to misuse strategy to players and players to strategy. Now it is no secret that I have been against the promotion of Paul Maurice since day one, what is not known is how much respect I have for his hockey intellect, and how good a coach I think he will be in 10 or so years. The fact remains that the impulsive promotion not only lost us a great coach, and the right coach for this team in Quinn, but it has inherently lost us a potentially great coach in Maurice, who would have better served himself and this Franchise if he remained in the AHL. That said, Greg Gilbert has made a believer out of me, and he is poised to be the man down the long road, I just hope he takes it, and walks it. As for Maurice, it is clear that his grip on these players had slipped a long time ago, and when his coaching is put to task like it was tonight, he unfortunately comes up short, and this continual reoccurrence is why players can not find it within themselves to skate through walls for these coaches.
During the Leafs/Devils game, the first 10 minuets were wonderfully played by both teams, it was extremely fast hockey with tape to tape stretch passes that opened up both conservative teams, chances were traded, but for the most part the Leafs took it to the Devils, with all 4 lines contributing. Even through the PK, the Leafs had there feet moving and were extremely effective with a quick fore-check and no sign of the stagnant diamond. What also caught my eye was Kubina not being involved on either PK unit, however the following period the following PK he was on the unit when Jersey scored. Maybe Kubina needed a skate sharpened during the first PK, or maybe the continuity is still being neglected, not to mention the relationship between the Coach and Kubina.
It was after the first penalty was taken that the rolling of 4 lines ended as quickly as it started, and all that equalled were longer shifts for the other 3 lines, ultimately slowing themselves down physically, speed wise, and to a point mentally as some pressures are lifted with less in-house competition for ice-time.
As for the top 3 lines, while I did like the scoring and speed that each line combination was capable of, they were still defensively suspect. This team has led itself away from what was a strong staple in its game, its checking line. With the exception of Sundin’s line, there was not one other line that could properly check or contain New Jerseys big line. Conversely, New Jersey was able to match Sundins line with its best checkers for each and every shift.
Stajan is not a second line center, he is a checker, a penalty killer, and is good at what he does, Maurice is forcing Stajan to be something he is not while the team is desperate for some checking line defensive help, not to mention Antropov who is ready to take on a centermans role, both scenarios would enable the team to make better use of its call ups and slot a Tlusty, Williams or Earl on a top line role that they all have been accustom to playing in the AHL.
The defence was again all over the map; D pairings were continually juggled in order to find time and the proper playing partners for both White and Stralmen. This occurred even after McCabe and Colaiacovo started the game together, just another example of how the coach disenfranchises himself from his team with odd decisions.
Toskala looked a little out of place and seemed be dealing with some mental fatigue, Raycrofts invisibility and being situated in no position to come in and help as a result of they way his season has transpired has not made things easier for Toskala. This however is the risk you run when playing a goalie this much.
Honourable mention goes to the kid line, despite being embarrassed with 2 and a half minutes of ice time, Newbury and Williams played inspired effective hockey each of their 4 shifts, while also drawing an important penalty at the beginning of the third period. Tlusty who was also effective on that line saw a few more shifts and skated quite well on the top line his one shift there. Dishonourable mention to Dominic Moore, prior to the 3rd goal against, Moore had the puck in deep at the half boards, Ponikarosky was waiting patiently wide open in the low corner, Moore instead of cycling the puck low decided to turn the other way, getting checked, he lost the puck leaving all forwards caught deep, the three on two resulted in the third goal againts, in other words the nail in the coffin.
It will be a true test of character Thursday and Saturday as the Leafs left 2 points on the table versus the Devils. Winning both games is as important to the playoff push as any game this year, a loss in either game would be an extremly tough road to travel.
It is just another Manic Monday, Tuesday, or sometimes Wednesday. The Toronto Maple Leafs have failed to capitalize on the standings by again starting the week off slow. Throughout the year, this team has notoriously been unprepared for timely games, part in parcel to that issue may have something to do with their inability to start each week off strong. In the first game played of each week the Leafs began the season 0-8 and sit today at an unimpressive 7-15. This is a very arbitrary and seemingly meaningless stat, but to me, it speaks volumes to the lack of control this coach has over this team.
Only when you fail to prepare should you prepare to fail, and that is just what this coaching staff has done with a tremendous amount of help form ownership. Paul Maurice’s inability to communicate while invoking fear in his players is his greatest downfall, sitting underperforming players has not even been considered, with exception to an injured Wellwood and Tucker, where is the logic in sending a message to an injured player? In conjunction, he has a tendency to misuse strategy to players and players to strategy. Now it is no secret that I have been against the promotion of Paul Maurice since day one, what is not known is how much respect I have for his hockey intellect, and how good a coach I think he will be in 10 or so years. The fact remains that the impulsive promotion not only lost us a great coach, and the right coach for this team in Quinn, but it has inherently lost us a potentially great coach in Maurice, who would have better served himself and this Franchise if he remained in the AHL. That said, Greg Gilbert has made a believer out of me, and he is poised to be the man down the long road, I just hope he takes it, and walks it. As for Maurice, it is clear that his grip on these players had slipped a long time ago, and when his coaching is put to task like it was tonight, he unfortunately comes up short, and this continual reoccurrence is why players can not find it within themselves to skate through walls for these coaches.
During the Leafs/Devils game, the first 10 minuets were wonderfully played by both teams, it was extremely fast hockey with tape to tape stretch passes that opened up both conservative teams, chances were traded, but for the most part the Leafs took it to the Devils, with all 4 lines contributing. Even through the PK, the Leafs had there feet moving and were extremely effective with a quick fore-check and no sign of the stagnant diamond. What also caught my eye was Kubina not being involved on either PK unit, however the following period the following PK he was on the unit when Jersey scored. Maybe Kubina needed a skate sharpened during the first PK, or maybe the continuity is still being neglected, not to mention the relationship between the Coach and Kubina.
It was after the first penalty was taken that the rolling of 4 lines ended as quickly as it started, and all that equalled were longer shifts for the other 3 lines, ultimately slowing themselves down physically, speed wise, and to a point mentally as some pressures are lifted with less in-house competition for ice-time.
As for the top 3 lines, while I did like the scoring and speed that each line combination was capable of, they were still defensively suspect. This team has led itself away from what was a strong staple in its game, its checking line. With the exception of Sundin’s line, there was not one other line that could properly check or contain New Jerseys big line. Conversely, New Jersey was able to match Sundins line with its best checkers for each and every shift.
Stajan is not a second line center, he is a checker, a penalty killer, and is good at what he does, Maurice is forcing Stajan to be something he is not while the team is desperate for some checking line defensive help, not to mention Antropov who is ready to take on a centermans role, both scenarios would enable the team to make better use of its call ups and slot a Tlusty, Williams or Earl on a top line role that they all have been accustom to playing in the AHL.
The defence was again all over the map; D pairings were continually juggled in order to find time and the proper playing partners for both White and Stralmen. This occurred even after McCabe and Colaiacovo started the game together, just another example of how the coach disenfranchises himself from his team with odd decisions.
Toskala looked a little out of place and seemed be dealing with some mental fatigue, Raycrofts invisibility and being situated in no position to come in and help as a result of they way his season has transpired has not made things easier for Toskala. This however is the risk you run when playing a goalie this much.
Honourable mention goes to the kid line, despite being embarrassed with 2 and a half minutes of ice time, Newbury and Williams played inspired effective hockey each of their 4 shifts, while also drawing an important penalty at the beginning of the third period. Tlusty who was also effective on that line saw a few more shifts and skated quite well on the top line his one shift there. Dishonourable mention to Dominic Moore, prior to the 3rd goal against, Moore had the puck in deep at the half boards, Ponikarosky was waiting patiently wide open in the low corner, Moore instead of cycling the puck low decided to turn the other way, getting checked, he lost the puck leaving all forwards caught deep, the three on two resulted in the third goal againts, in other words the nail in the coffin.
It will be a true test of character Thursday and Saturday as the Leafs left 2 points on the table versus the Devils. Winning both games is as important to the playoff push as any game this year, a loss in either game would be an extremly tough road to travel.
posted by LEAFER at
7:05 AM
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