Toronto Maple Leafs Thread

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  • Rygar
    Rygar Posts: 8,711
    kenshunt wrote:
    Hockey Night In Canada(Saturday)but there in the Big Apple tomorrow, well u know im watching Price closely cause the Leafs wanted him in that draft and ended up with Rask who later got traded for Raycroft:(

    Well I got my fingers crossed again!
  • kenshunt
    kenshunt London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,863
    So have you heard the stupid story about Tavarez joining the Marlies, i didn't include it in this thread because it ain't happening.
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  • kenshunt
    kenshunt London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,863
    Ok i lied here's the stupid story

    Tavares-Leafs story doesn't make sense10/25/2007

    Something doesn't seem quite right about this John Tavares-Toronto Maple Leaf story.

    Two published reports today suggested the Maple Leafs have contacted Tavares' representatives to offer a contract or at least pitch the idea of the 17-year-old Oshawa General superstar signing with the Leafs' American Hockey League farm team in Toronto and play for the Marlies next season instead of playing a fourth and, quite possibly, final year in the OHL before he's finally drafted into the NHL in the summer of 2009.

    Here's what doesn't seem right about it:

    Tavares' reps said this story came at them out of left field and the first they heard about it was when the website reports surfaced today.

    "I have no idea where this is coming from,” Tavares agent Bryan Deasley said when asked if contract negotiations with the Leafs took place. “We have had no (contract) discussions with the Maple Leafs organization, or any other member club in the NHL."

    Sources close to the Maple Leafs, though, vigorously insist contact was indeed made with the Tavares camp.

    When contacted again and pushed on the issue, Deasley acknowledged there was a discussion with the Leafs regarding Tavares but it never got to the stage of an offer or a negotiation.

    Sounds like semantics to me.

    But the other thing that doesn't make sense is the timing.

    Why now?

    Tavares is in the midst of his third OHL season. He's not going anywhere this season, other than to a likely OHL scoring championship, and whether he might go somewhere next season is something that won't become a front-burner issue for anyone until the summer of 2008.

    Some more head-scratchers from the Tavares' stories of today:

    It's said the Leafs' plan was to sign Tavares to a three-year AHL contract, suggesting he could play a year in the AHL, get drafted into the NHL, play two more years in the AHL and then become an unrestricted free agent in the NHL and sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the summer of 2011.

    If I'm not mistaken, Tavares wouldn't be a free agent in 2011. If he didn't sign with an NHL team, he would go back into the draft as a re-entry. At least that is my understanding.

    Besides, this three-year contract scenario would clearly be considered an attempt to circumvent the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement and the league has by-laws to deal with such things. And the notion of Tavares waiting until 2011 to play in the NHL? C'mon, now, Earth to McFly, the kid would prefer to get there a year early, in 2008, instead of having to wait until his draft in 09. Does it make any sense he would wait another two years, to 2011, just for the right to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs?

    (Insert Leaf joke here).

    And finally, the AHL has some age restrictions that currently would prevent a player of Tavares' age from playing there next season. Those would have to be changed, or challenged, to permit the possibility of the more sensible notion of a one-year AHL contract being offered by the Leafs.

    All in all, there's not much in the stories published today that lends much credence or authenticity to this notion of the Leafs' signing Tavares to a three-year AHL contract. Not saying it isn't something the Leafs haven't thought about or perhaps discussed but I am saying it doesn't appear feasible. Not right now, anyway.

    Weird, very weird.

    Meanwhile, Tavares' agent Deasley, thankfully, has dismissed the notion, publicly anyway, that Tavares would like to get an exemption to be eligible for the 2008 NHL draft. Deasley had gone to the NHL and NHL Players' Association this past summer to explore those possibilities, but the party line now is that J.T. will finish out his junior career in Oshawa and patiently wait for his name to be called in the 2009 NHL draft.

    That's a good approach.

    But depending upon how Tavares does this season in the OHL – he currently has 15 goals and 28 points in 12 games – it shouldn't surprise anyone if this talk of Tavares playing somewhere other than the OHL next season is revived in the summer months.

    Tavares' situation is unique. Because he was, on the eve of the OHL draft, declared “exceptional” and brought into the fold a year earlier than scheduled, Tavares is scheduled to play four full major junior seasons before being drafted into the NHL. In the modern-day hockey world, that is unprecedented.

    He is likely a player who might benefit from stepping up a level in the 2008-09 season. No one should begrudge him that, if indeed it's what is best for him. The OHL and the Oshawa Generals will have reaped the benefits of having him for three full years in the league, which for most players is a junior career in itself.

    If I represented Tavares, depending upon how this season unfolds (i.e. if he rips the league apart) and where his game is at, I might be inclined go to the OHL and the Generals and see about negotiating to leave the league a year early.

    It would have to make sense from a hockey development point of view, just as it had to make sense when the OHL deigned to have Tavares enter the league a year early. That was the right call. It's possible letting him go a year early might, and I say might, be the right call, too.

    That judgment couldn't possibly be made until after this season is concluded.

    But if it did happen, the Generals could be compensated (financially) by whichever team signs Tavares for the 2008-09 season. The OHL would prefer not to lose a marquee talent like Tavares, but they saw fit to deem him exceptional to get him into the league a year early, the door should not be closed to deeming him exceptional in allowing him to leave a year early. What is it they say, easy come, easy go?

    There would still be the AHL's age eligibility issue to deal with, which might open the door for a year in Europe. And Tavares is virtually guaranteed to get offers from Europe and elsewhere. In fact, there is every reason to believe he already has them.

    But the point is, none of this can even be legitimately discussed or considered until we see how Tavares fares this season in the OHL and where everyone is at this summer.

    That is one of many things which makes today's wild-fire story regarding Tavares and the Leafs so strange.

    It's not so much bizarre as perhaps premature.

    Stay tuned, chances are we haven't heard the last of this.


    Posted: 5:45 PM by Bob McKenzie - Comments?

    http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/mckenzie/?id=221399
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  • even flow?
    even flow? Posts: 8,066
    Coming off a big shut out the Swede who has been very hot but unlucky in the pipes for the Rangers should chalk up another easy victory on Saturday. If the inflated wages ever start playing the hockey they are paid to do, the Rangers should never lose another game. But that is big league money for ya.

    On the other hand there is the Leafs. Still trying to figure out who is the number one in the net. Should be a long sixty minutes for whoever is the starter on Saturday.

    Rangers in a cake walk.....5 to 2.

    http://www.anotherlongseason.com ;)
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  • kenshunt
    kenshunt London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,863
    even flow? wrote:
    Coming off a big shut out the Swede who has been very hot but unlucky in the pipes for the Rangers should chalk up another easy victory on Saturday. If the inflated wages ever start playing the hockey they are paid to do, the Rangers should never lose another game. But that is big league money for ya.

    On the other hand there is the Leafs. Still trying to figure out who is the number one in the net. Should be a long sixty minutes for whoever is the starter on Saturday.

    Rangers in a cake walk.....5 to 2.

    http://www.anotherlongseason.com ;)


    Vesa Toskala should get a few starts in a row now.
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  • kenshunt
    kenshunt London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,863
    even flow? wrote:
    Coming off a big shut out the Swede who has been very hot but unlucky in the pipes for the Rangers should chalk up another easy victory on Saturday. If the inflated wages ever start playing the hockey they are paid to do, the Rangers should never lose another game. But that is big league money for ya.

    On the other hand there is the Leafs. Still trying to figure out who is the number one in the net. Should be a long sixty minutes for whoever is the starter on Saturday.

    Rangers in a cake walk.....5 to 2.

    http://www.anotherlongseason.com ;)


    Looks like Leafs in a cake walk :)



    Nik & the Leafs Wrangle Rangers
    Scoresheet | Stats | LTV Pre and Post-Game | Game in 6 Minutes

    NEW YORK (AP) -Pavel Kubina's first of the season woke up the Maple Leafs in the second period and started a three-goal binge against the stingy Rangers that carried Toronto to a 4-1 victory over New York on Saturday night.

    The defenceman lifted the Leafs into a 1-1 tie at 8:35, just 2:51 after Jaromir Jagr gave the Rangers the lead. Until then, New York held the advantage on the scoreboard and shot clock with a 20-7 edge.

    The Rangers entered as the lowest-scoring NHL team (15 goals), but on the strength of goalie Henrik Lundqvist, had allowed a league-low 17.

    Kubina's shot from the right point struck something and changed direction on Lundqvist 29 seconds after the Toronto defenceman left the penalty box. It was the first even-strength goal yielded by the Rangers in 230 minutes, 37 seconds, dating to an Oct. 18 loss at Atlanta.

    After giving up only two regulation goals in three games, including a pair of shutouts for Lundqvist, the Rangers surrendered two to the Leafs 1:20 apart.

    Toronto, which entered with the most goals in the NHL (42) and most allowed (44), grabbed a 2-1 edge on John Pohl's first with 4:14 left. Nik Antropov pushed the lead to two goals, sweeping a shot past Lundqvist as he stood untouched in front.

    Chad Kilger added an empty-netter with 15.8 seconds left.

    Despite being strong defensively and thwarting both power plays to give them 44 kills in 50 chances this season, New York has only three wins in 10 games (3-6-1). The Rangers snapped a four-game losing streak Thursday with a 2-0 win over New Jersey.

    The offence, which generated 33 shots Saturday, has been mostly to blame.

    Jagr was the only one to get a puck by Vesa Toskala, who earned his fourth win in eight games since joining the Leafs in an off-season trade with San Jose.

    Taking a crafty bank pass of the right wing boards from Michal Rozsival, Jagr carried into the right circle and used six-foot-seven defenceman Hal Gill to set a screen. Jagr reached out and whipped a shot past Toskala at 5:44 for his second of the season.

    Less than 12 minutes later, the Maple Leafs had turned a one-goal deficit into a two-goal lead _ scoring three times in the period on only 12 shots.

    Lundqvist had himself to blame on the go-ahead goal after he turned over the puck to Boyd Devereaux as he played a wraparound behind the net. Devereaux found Pohl in the slot for a quick shot.

    Leafs defenceman Tomas Kaberle earned his second assist when he spotted the unmarked Antropov at 17:06.

    Notes: Maple Leafs D Bryan McCabe, who played all 82 games last season, missed his second straight (groin). ... New York outshot Toronto 11-5 in the first period and held the Maple Leafs without a shot for 16:05 until Devereaux's short-handed breakaway shortly before Kubina's goal. ... Lundqvist's shutout streak was snapped at 127:33. ... Toronto got its first two shots of the third with under four minutes left.
    http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=Recap&seas=20072008&gtype=2&gnum=149
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  • even flow?
    even flow? Posts: 8,066
    kenshunt wrote:

    Looks like Leafs in a cake walk :)




    How much money did the Rangers spend? Looked like disorganized peewee hockey for the first two periods the other night. A slightly better team won in a game that my buds and I tried not to fall asleep watching.

    A couple of posts back, who said that the road trip would help the Laughs? :D
    You've changed your place in this world!
  • Rygar
    Rygar Posts: 8,711
    Well sir, that was ugly, but it isn't anything new ;)
  • even flow?
    even flow? Posts: 8,066
    PATHETIC!!!!

    Too bad this game wasn't in Washington, I like their cop siren when they score goals.
    You've changed your place in this world!
  • kenshunt
    kenshunt London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,863
    It was pathetic, i dunno what happens at home but they seem to not like to be home.
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  • kenshunt
    kenshunt London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,863
    Capitals embarrass Leafs at home


    Canadian Press

    10/29/2007 11:19:24 PM

    TORONTO - The home schedule for October is in the books for the Toronto Maple Leafs and it's far from pretty.

    Three wins out of nine home dates - and a chorus of boos to cap it off Monday night following a 7-1 drubbing at the hands of the Washington Capitals.

    "Just collectively, for some reason, we're very fragile at home," Leafs captain Mats Sundin said following the latest loss at Air Canada Centre.

    Alexander Ovechkin scored his seventh and eighth goals of the season as the Caps pounded the enigmatic Leafs before an angry crowd of 19,316.



    "We played very well tonight, all four lines played well, everybody scored and our goalie played well," said Ovechkin, who now has nine goals in nine career games against the Leafs. "I think we deserved tonight's win."

    No argument there, Alex.

    Alexei Ponikarovsky scored for the Leafs (5-5-3), who looked nothing like the squad that picked up impressive victories in Pittsburgh and Manhattan heading into Monday's game. Instead, it was the defensively challenged edition of the Leafs that re-surfaced, featuring poor defensive zone coverage, sloppy play and stupid penalties.

    "How do I explain it? I can't," said Sundin. "Just too many breakdowns all over the ice . We did a lot of good things on the road but it seems we're tight at home, we try to do too much."

    That's exactly what Leafs head coach Paul Maurice also offered up, criticizing his players for trying to make too many difficult plays when the simpler ones were there instead. Why not chip it off the boards instead of trying a perfect pass up the middle, for example?

    "Clearly there's still difficulty in accepting to play a simple game," said Maurice. "We just continued to try and make plays that weren't there."

    The Leafs have now given up an NHL-high 51 goals on the season while offering up their worst play at home (3-4-2) where they now have a pair of 7-1 homes losses on their docket, also getting routed by Carolina on Oct. 9.

    "It we're going to be a playoff team we need to win at home," said Sundin.

    The home fans didn't hide their disappointment, soundly booing the Leafs as they left the ice both at the end of the second period and at the final buzzer and several times in-between. They also gave goalie Andrew Raycroft, who replaced starter Vesa Toskala after Washington's fourth goal, several mock cheers after easy saves in the second and third period.

    By the time the third period started, at least one third of the Air Canada Centre was empty and one small section could be heard chanting "Let's Go Raptors!". The NBA season starts Wednesday for Toronto's club.

    Perhaps a return to the road is what's needed for the Leafs and that's just what's on tap, a four-game set starting Friday at New Jersey followed by Saturday at Montreal, next Tuesday at Ottawa and Friday, Nov. 9, at Buffalo.

    "We just have to bounce back and play like we did the last two games on the road," said Toskala.

    It got ugly right in the opening period Monday. Gordon, standing alone in front of the net, re-directed a Bradley pass to make it 1-0 at 3:19. Ponikarvosky gave the home fans some false hope when he tied it 1-1 just 31 seconds later, only to see Pettinger give the Caps the lead for good at 5:26 when he flipped a rebound over Toskala on a Caps power play.

    Ovechkin made it 3-1 at 11:57 when he rifled a wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circle right through Toskala's glove side. Schultz was then allowed to skate into the slot untouched two minutes later and ring a shot off the post and in. The boos began and chased Toskala to the bench, His night was over, but he was hardly the worst player on the ice, his team outshot 13-3 at this point.

    Bradley beat Raycroft with a slap shot while short-handed 8:57 into the second period to make it 5-1 and by now it was clear there would be no Leafs comeback on this night. Ovechkin made it 6-1 at 11:09 when his power-play blast from the point beat Raycroft five-hole - the Russian star's ninth goal in nine career games against the Leafs.

    Sutherby skated in alone at 6:17 of the third period and deked out Raycroft to complete the massacre.

    Notes: Both teams were missing key components. Caps Captain Chris Clark sustained a severely lacerated left ear when he was struck by an Ovechkin shot last Friday night. Star winger Alexander Semin is day-to-day after aggravating his sprained right ankle against St. Louis on Saturday. Defenceman Tom Poti (groin) was also out . Forwards Kyle Wellwood (groin) and Darcy Tucker (knee) and defencemen Carlo Colaiacovo (knee) and Bryan McCabe (groin) remained out for the Leafs.





    http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=221716&hubname=
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  • Rygar
    Rygar Posts: 8,711
    kenshunt wrote:
    It was pathetic, i dunno what happens at home but they seem to not like to be home.


    Were you booing, too?
  • kenshunt
    kenshunt London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,863
    I don't boo on my couch, i just throw in a few "f" bombs at the television.
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  • Rygar
    Rygar Posts: 8,711
    kenshunt wrote:
    I don't boo on my couch, i just throw in a few "f" bombs at the television.

    Nice.
    You oughta get those little foam footballs you can throw at your TV when you're watching home games.
  • thankyougrandma
    thankyougrandma Posts: 1,182
    Hehe, electronics shop will do good business selling tvs this week in Toronto Maple Leafs land (Toronto Leafs land = "World" for Toronto Maple Leafs fans :) )
    "L'homme est né libre, et partout il est dans les fers"
    -Jean-Jacques Rousseau
  • kenshunt
    kenshunt London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,863
    Leafs Looking for W in the SwampNov 2, 2007, 7:00 PM ET
    TV Information


    National TV:
    RIS
    Local Home:
    FSN-NY (HD)
    Local Away:
    SNET-O



    The Toronto Maple Leafs are hoping to return to the playoffs after a two-year absence. Being the league's worst defensive team is not going to help them get there.

    The Maple Leafs look to win their third consecutive road game Friday night when they play the first of four straight away from home against the New Jersey Devils.

    A weak defense and suspect goaltending have been issues for Toronto the past two seasons, and those problems were not corrected in the first month of 2007-08.

    The Maple Leafs (5-5-3) have allowed a league-high 52 goals while neither Vesa Toskala nor Andrew Raycroft have played well enough to seize control of the No. 1 goaltender's job.

    Toskala has four of the team's five wins but his 3.73 goals-against average ranks 41st in the NHL. Raycroft, meanwhile is 1-1-2 with a 3.67 GAA.

    Injuries also have contributed to the team's poor defensive play. Defencemen Bryan McCabe (groin) and Carlo Colaiacovo (knee) are currently out of the lineup, as are forwards Darcy Tucker (knee), Kyle Wellwood (groin) and Mark Bell (suspension).

    Although they already have a pair of 7-1 losses this season, the Leafs have remained mostly competitive due largely to their play on offense, as they rank among the league's best with 47 goals.

    Captain Mats Sundin is off to an impressive start with six goals and a team-best 19 points, while center Nik Antropov is on pace for a career season with eight goals and seven assists.

    Free-agent acquisition Jason Blake has two goals and 11 assists in his first season with Toronto.

    "We've got to play better," said Blake. "We're a .500 team right now and we had nine games in October at home. What does that tell you? It's not very good."

    After beating Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers on the road, the Leafs returned home Monday and fell 7-1 to a Washington team that was missing three of its top players.

    Toronto had the luxury of playing nine of its first 13 games at home but only went 3-4-2 in that span.

    "Just collectively, for some reason, we're very fragile at home," Sundin said. "How do I explain it? I can't. Just too many breakdowns all over the ice. We did a lot of good things on the road but it seems we're tight at home, we try to do too much."

    This will be just the third home game of the season for the Devils (4-6-1), who played their first nine contests on the road while construction of their new arena was completed.

    New Jersey ended a four-game losing streak and recorded its first win at the Prudential Center on Thursday, getting a hat trick from defensive specialist Jay Pandolfo in a 6-1 victory over Tampa Bay.

    The six goals matched a season high and were two more than the Devils had during their four-game skid.

    "It's nice to get confidence," Pandolfo said. "We've obviously struggled this year. If we can keep doing that, and gain some confidence by scoring goals at home, it will be fun."

    Martin Brodeur, who recorded his 497th win Wednesday, is 12-14-1 with seven ties and a 2.48 GAA in 35 starts against the Maple Leafs. They are one of only two teams (Vancouver) against which he has a losing record.

    Toronto is 7-1-1 in the past nine meetings overall, recording at least one point in seven straight visits to New Jersey.



    Associated Press
    http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/team/app?gameNumber=182&gameType=2&page=Preview&season=20072008&service=page
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  • kenshunt
    kenshunt London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,863
    Devils 3, Maple Leafs 2
    : Leafs Nation Pre-Game | Game in Six | Post-Game | Photos | Stats | Box

    NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - John Madden would have handed out a lot of assists on his go-ahead, short-handed goal late in the third period for the New Jersey Devils.

    Every teammate either on the ice or on the bench who screamed at him to break into the Toronto Maple Leafs' zone and score would have been rewarded after the Devils 3-2 win on Friday night.

    Until the screams, Madden was ready to dump the puck into the Toronto zone and end his penalty-killing shift.

    ``When I was racing for the puck, I knew it was (Jason) Blake on my shoulder and I had all intentions of clearing it down the ice,'' Madden said after scoring his 14th career short-handed goal and first in two seasons. ``Then I heard someone on the bench say: `You got him.'''

    Zach Parise, who added what proved to be a much-needed goal less than two minutes later, said everyone on the bench was yelling for Madden to challenge Toronto goalie Vesa Toskala.


    ``You could definitely hear the bench yelling for him to go because he is such a great skater,'' Parise said.

    Madden took their advice after picking up defenceman Andy Greene's pass in centre ice. He skated in on Toskala and beat him with a shot over the glove to break a 1-all tie with 4:12 to play.

    ``I thought Kabby was coming over,'' Blake said. ``But he (Madden) was there and got the puck. I really don't think it would have mattered.''

    The goal was the sixth of the season for Madden, who is now tied with linemate Jay Pandolfo for the team lead. In recent years, they have been the two key members of New Jersey's checking line.

    ``What can I say about that guy,'' Parise said of Madden. ``This year he has been on fire. That's a huge goal shorthanded in a 1-1. That's a backbreaker for the opposing team.''

    Parise added what proved to be the game-winner 97 seconds later on a rebound.

    ``It seemed like I had five (cracks) at it,'' Parise said. ``One shot was blocked by the D, then another, a third and the fourth one went in.''

    David Clarkson added a goal and Martin Brodeur stopped 26 shots and picked up an assist as the Devils won consecutive games for only the second time this season.

    Alex Steen scored a spectacular goal and Mats Sundin banked in a flukey one with 32 seconds to play for the Maple Leafs, who lost their second straight game.

    Coming into the game, the Maple Leafs had one of the worst power plays in the league. They converted on 1-of-5 chances but they also gave up the go-ahead goal by allowing their fourth short-handed goal of the season.

    Sundin made the final minute interesting, scoring his seventh goal by banking the puck off Brodeur from behind the net with Toronto on a power play and their net empty.

    There were only two goals scored in the first two periods and both were set up by long passes off the sideboards by defencemen.

    Steen's game-tying goal was highlight reel material.

    Kaberle started the play with a pass from his own defensive circle up the left boards to Jiri Tlusty. The rookie carried the puck into the Devils' zone and dropped it back. Steen collected the puck, put it between his legs to get past defenceman Vitaly Vishnevski and then beat Brodeur with a backhander with 9:04 left in the second period.

    Devils defenceman Mike Mottau set up Clarkson's first goal of the season with an angled cross-ice pass from his own end to the right blue-line. Clarkson got around Maple Leafs defenceman Andy Wozniewski as the puck bounced off the boards and beat Toskala one-on-one with a backhander.

    Notes: Brodeur's assist was the 28th of his career. ... Devils D Karel Rachunek missed his second straight game because of a groin injury. ... Toronto D Bryan McCabe missed his fifth straight game due to a groin injury. ... Maple Leafs F Mark Bell will be eligible to play on Tuesday against Ottawa. He was suspended for the first 15 games by the NHL for a drinking and driving incident. ... All five of the Devils wins this season have come in games where they scored the first goal.




    Associated Press http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=Recap&seas=20072008&gtype=2&gnum=182
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  • kenshunt
    kenshunt London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,863
    Stajan Scores Winner Late In Third
    Bell, Wellwood Close | Box | Stats | Pics : Pre-Game | Game In Six | Post Game

    (MONTREAL) (CP) -- The sound of puck hitting metal at the back of the Montreal Canadiens net was music to Matt Stajan's ears.

    The Toronto winger drilled a shot that went off defenceman Mark Streit's stick and beat Cristobal Huet with 1:34 left to play as the Maple Leafs earned a hard-fought 3-2 NHL victory over rival Montreal on Saturday night.

    ``I just wanted to get a shot on the net and go for a line change,'' said Stajan after his fourth of the season. ``Then I heard it hit the metal bar and the light went on.

    ``You can't describe the feeling you get when you hear that sound.''

    Tomas Kaberle and Mats Sundin also scored for Toronto (6-6-3), which was kept in the game by a big effort from goaltender Vesa Toskala, who made major stops on Tomas Plekanec, Mathieu Dandenault and Guillaume Latendresse with the score still tied in a tense third period.

    Toronto ended a two-game losing run.

    Mike Komisarek and Chris Higgins scored for Montreal (7-3-3), which lost in regulation time for the first time in seven games.

    ``The difference in this game was Toskala,'' said Montreal coach Guy Carbonneau, whose team outshot the Leafs 34-31 in an end-to-end game. ``We had excellent chances and didn't score.''

    But while Toskala shone, Huet had had trouble with tips and bounces.

    ``They got a lucky bounce on one goal (by Sundin), but I think Cristobal would like to have the others back,'' added Carbonneau.

    Indeed he would _ at least Stajan's winner.

    ``You try to see the puck off the stick, but it slowed down and caught me off guard and got through me,'' Huet said. ``It definitely was not a great goal.''

    It was Toronto's second win in as many games this season over their oldest rival, after their 4-3 overtime win Oct. 6 at the Air Canada Centre. Last season, Toronto went 0-3-1 in Montreal.

    As usual with Montreal-Toronto match-ups, the crowd was raucous, with the many fans in Leafs blue-and-white sending up competing chants for their team against the locals.

    Kaberle and Pavel Kubina logged 27:02 and 28:36 minutes of ice time respectively as the Leafs battled fatigue in their second game in as many nights after their 3-2 loss in New Jersey a day earlier.

    But they came out flying and by the 10-minute mark of the first period, held a 1-0 lead and a 10-1 shots advantage.

    Dandenault was called for tripping Sundin 44 seconds into the game and 34 seconds later, Kaberle took a harmless looking swipe at the puck from the left point and saw it beat Huet to the glove side.

    The Canadiens got back in the game late in the period and Komisarek tied it on a point shot that went through a cluster of players in front of Toskala and may have hit Alexei Ponikarsovsky before going into the net.

    The second period was the reverse, as Sundin was sent off early and, after Boyd Devereaux joined him in the box, Higgins banged in Andrei Markov's rebound with the two-man advantage at 2:33.

    But Sundin got it back at 6:04 as he threw the puck in front and saw his eighth of the season go in off Dandenault's skate.

    Coach Paul Maurice joined in the applause for Toskala, who made his sixth straight start and put together back-to-back strong efforts in New Jersey and Montreal.

    ``We're very happy with how he played,'' said Maurice. ``We played two good road games this weekend but unfortunately, we only got two points,'' said Toskala. ``But I like how we played. I felt pretty good. I got a little lucky a couple of times. They made some cross-ice passes and I was able to get to them.''

    The Canadiens dropped struggling winger Michael Ryder to the fourth line in the third period and promoted Tom Kostopoulos to the first, but Carbonneau said Ryder skated harder and played better after the move.

    Carbonneau used a checking combination of Dandenault, Steve Begin and Bryan Smolinski against Sundin's line and it seemed to work. The opposing trios scored a goal each.

    The Leafs conintue their four-game road trip Tuesday in Ottawa and Friday night in Buffalo. Montreal ends its four-game homestand Monday night against the Sabres.

    Notes: Wade Belak dressed and Bates Battaglia was a healthy scratch for Toronto. ... Bryan McCabe missed a fifth game with a groin injury and Darcy Tucker (knee) missed a sixth game. ... Montreal scratched Mikhail Grabovsky while Francis Bouillon (shoulder) and Garth Murray (ankle) remain sidelined.


    Canadian Press
    Three star selections:
    1st: MATS SUNDIN
    2nd: CHRIS HIGGINS
    3rd: TOMAS KABERLE
    Winning Goaltender:
    Vesa Toskala

    Losing Goaltender:
    Cristobal Huet
    http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=Recap&seas=20072008&gtype=2&gnum=188
    London 2005
    Toronto 2011 night 2
    Hamilton 2011
    London 2013
  • Rygar
    Rygar Posts: 8,711
    Another Habs-Laffs matchup that looked like a local pee-wee pick up league night...
  • kenshunt
    kenshunt London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,863
    What do u mean, it did look like a pond hockey game back and forth, but i was entertained by it.
    London 2005
    Toronto 2011 night 2
    Hamilton 2011
    London 2013

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