Seven Defenceman Seven Games

One of the things I was looking forward to most during the summer was seeing the Leafs best six defenceman healthy and suiting up together for the first time. As the Leafs jumped out to a four-and-oh start, there was no disappointment, only promise. True, small problems were identified (Komisarek in the first game, Gunnarsson in the 4th), but overall the defence looked terrific through those first four wins.

Then, in game five, a line-up change was made - 7th defenceman Lebda in place of the sophomore Gunnarsson. Personally, I thought it was too early to break up a defensive unit that I'd waited 17 years to see. Especially one with a perfect record. And lo and behold, the wheels came off. An overtime loss to the Islanders, and then a one-goal loss to the Rangers, and so Gunnarsson was re-inserted for Lebda the martyr. The defence then responded with their worst showing of the year, a 5-2 mistake-filled drubbing to the Flyers.

I'm not here to point out individual errors or bad decisions - that's somebody else's gig and I'd rather not get too specific. By now, all the defenders have made a blunder or two, with the exception of Luke Schenn who's having an outstanding start. Instead, here's a simple overview of the seven Leafs defenceman and their performances thus far.

Kaberle. A good start but not great. His attention to detail seems improved and his skating and stickhandling are as smooth as ever. I'm noticing a trend now, when Kaberle gets the puck between the blue lines, opposition players just completely backing off and giving him an uncontested lane up to their zone. Effectively, Kabby can just waltz his way into the other teams territory but the side-effect is that they're taking away his first pass by guarding everyone else but him. I think he should start driving the net and seeing how far he can go.

Kabby has 4 assists to lead the defenders, all on the powerplay, no goals, and no points at even strength. He is a moderately surprising and pleasing +2 and has yet to take a penalty. The statistic that troubles me the most is the 10 shots-on-goal. Kaberle needs to shoot more, as it seems to me, the powerplay was most effective and dangerous when Kabby was firing the puck most often - the first two games of the season and the last 2 games of the pre-season. Right now Kaberle is averaging less then two shots per game - I'd like to see him somewhere between 3 and 4.

Kaberle leads the team in ice-time per game (23:42) after 7 games.

To summarize: Kabby playing well, needs to shoot more.

Luke Schenn is kinda awesome. In his 3rd year, he appears to blossoming into a complete defencman ahead of schedule. Three assists, all at even-strength, and a +2, Schenn is also tied for 2nd among hits with Freddie Sjostrom, just one below team leader Phaneuf. Schenn's defensive play has been rock-solid and his puck-movement on the transition has been eye-opening. In the midst of the most talented blue line the Leafs have seen in years, Luke Schenn is the one playing nearest his full-potential, and impressing the most.

The only knock against him, and I'm not sure it counts, Luke leads the defenders thus far in minor penalties taken.

To summarize: Luke Schenn is kinda awesome.

The Captain usually logs more ice-time then any other Leaf, and has in 4 out of 7 games, though he saw his ice-time drastically reduced in the last game against the Flyers. Of all the defenders, Dion seems to be struggling the most, though much of the weight of that comes from his last performance. Offensively, Phaneuf isn't lighting it up yet, just 3 assists, 1 at even-strength, and yet to hit the back of the net. He has hit the net 24 times, most among defenders and 2nd among all skaters only to Kessel's 26. I have no stats for missing the net, but judging by how many times he's hit the net, I'd guess that he's taken about 72 shots from the blue-line thus far.

His 12 penalty minutes is the most among the defenceman, but that's largely due to the 10-minute misconduct he received at the end of the Ottawa game. His 24 hits is the most on the team.

Most troubling is his team worst minus 5, though again that's heavily weighted by the minus 3 he earned in Philadelphia. That last game was a complete dud for Dion who looked terrible on more then one goal against and was held without a shot on goal for the first time this season.

Personally, my biggest complaint with Dion is how ill-prepared he seems for passes. I'm not refering to Briere's goal, on which Kaberle shares equal blame, but often this season I've noticed Phaneuf seem startled by a puck coming his way and reacting way to slow to deliver a one-timer or continue a dangerous looking play.

To summarize: The Leafs most important defenceman has thus far underwhelmed, but the season is young and there's a C on his sweater for a reason.

I can't say I really notice Francois Beauchemin a whole lot, despite his high ice-time totals, which is an indication that he's doing his job. I've caught him looking clumsy a couple times now, but as I've said, everyone but Schenn seems to have made a brutal mistake or two by now. Overall, I think Beauchemin has been moving the puck well and plays hard against the oppositions best players. Beauchemin's best attribute is consistency.

Beauchemin scored an important goal in Pittsburgh and picked up his first assist in the last game in Philadelphia. The game against Pittsburgh was Beauchemin's strongest of the year as he led the team in ice-time that night and helped preserve a 1-goal lead through the final 20 minutes against the dangerous Penguin offence.

Beauchemin is now a minus 1 on the season, after starting out +2 through 4 games, but then going minus 1 for three consecutive games.

To summarize: Reliable defender, but I'd love to see more games like the one in Pittsburgh.

Komisarek has fallen into the 5th spot, mostly due to Schenn's elevated play and Komi's inability to click with Kaberle. Despite the reduced ice-time and a few shaky moments with the puck, I think Komisarek is doing fine in the 5-spot and is starting to find his game. His aggressiveness seems well-controlled as he's picked up just one minor penalty in the first 7 games. He's also contributed 4 points, a goal and 3 assists, all at even-strength.

Komisarek is a +3, best among the defenders.

Komisarek's average time-on-ice is 14:07, lowest among the defenders.

To summarize: Komisarek should have more ice-time.

Carl Gunnarsson is having a rough start. The Sophomore Jinx seems to be upon him, but maybe he's just getting it out of the way early. Gunnarsson hasn't excelled through the pre-season and the first 3 games of this season, and then saw his ice-time dramatically reduced in the Leafs 4th game, their last win of the season. After sitting two games, Gunnarsson's return was less then spectacular as the Leafs were humbled by the Flyers. For certain, the start to this season has been a humbling experience for Gunnarrson.

“Confidence is something that doesn't come that easy,” said Gunnarsson. “Once you lose it, it's tough to get it back.”

Um. Uh-oh.

The positive side is that Gunnarsson's stats don't look awful other then he hasn't contributed yet to the offence with a point. He hasn't looked horrific, just not as good as the Gunnarsson we're used to, but again, perhaps that could be said of any of our defenders except Schenn, though it's probably truest for Gunnar. The Sophomore Slump, or whatever you want to call it, if such a thing exists, might end tomorrow (or tonight, depending on when you're reading this, maybe even yesterday), and we know that Gunnarsson's potential is to be an equal contributor on a dynamic and highly talented blue line.

To summarize: Give him time.

Brett Lebda must die!!!6

No, just kidding. But he's not off to a great start and hasn't won many fans in his first two appearances in a Leafs uniform. In fact, he unwittingly walked into the scape-goat's shoes when Wilson made the fatal line-up change that jinxed our perfect record.

"If I go in there and we lose, I don’t know what’s going to happen."

Well, we'll all blame you, that's all. No, just kidding. If we lose because of a ridiculous goaltender-interference penalty in overtime to give the Islanders a 4-on-3 powerplay and they score on that powerplay to end our perfect run, and you were the bozo that was sitting in the box, then uh-huh, we might go out to the shed and find our old rusty pitchfork and stare at it in the moonlight for a while, until, in the silence of the cool night air, the word "Lebda" emerges with a bitter whisper from cracked and weathered lips. That could happen or did.

All kidding aside, despite Lebda's unspectacular debut, in two games he is yet to be on the ice for a goal against, but has picked up a minor in each game. He hasn't contributed anything to the offence and his time-on-ice has been equal to Gunnarsson's, only slightly more then Komi's average.

Imagine if Lebda had tipped that shot into the goal instead of falling awkwardly into Roloson? One can wonder. That's what you get for taking Todd Gill's number, I guess.

My feeling is, as long as the defenders are healthy and none of them is seriously struggling and the Leafs are winning, then the best six defenders should be in the line-up as much as possible. And that means No Lebda. It's a rare occasion to have six defenceman this good (or expensive) and the players should be able to have a bad game or two individually and work things out on the ice. Especially during winning streaks, it's a lot to ask of Lebda to step in and replace one of these guys if they're only struggling and not injured, and it raises the temperature in the room unnecessarily.

To summarize: Lebda-rage takes glancing blow at Wilson.

And on we go. It's only 7 games. Lots more in store with 75 games to go.

Have I Really Waited Seventeen Years For This?

This is a post that I've wanted to do for a while.

Just 3 days after Phaneuf was acquired, it was announced that Komisarek's season was finished for shoulder surgery. Since then I've been anxiously waiting to see the Leafs top-six defenders suit up together, though I thought it would never come. After enduring the summer-long agony of Kaberle's trade window in solemn isolation, I can finally look forward to opening night and seeing the most promising six-man unit on the blue line since 1993.

Or is it ever?

Dimitri Mironov vs. Carl Gunnarsson

Mironov was a rookie in the 92-93 season with just 7 NHL games under his belt before that. He had a decent impact in the regular season with 31 points in 59 games, but he appeared in just 14 of the Leafs 21 playoff games, registering only 3 points in very limited ice-time. The following season, a greatly improved Mironov would play in all 18 post-season games, racking up 15 points.

After an injury-riddled 3rd season, Mironov was shipped out in the summer, along with a 2nd round pick to Pittsburgh for Larry Murphy. Pittsburgh would then flip Mironov to Anaheim in November for three players and Mironov would go on to have his break-out season, recording 52 points. The following season he recorded 43 points, got traded at the deadline to Detroit, and won a Stanley Cup. Mironov then finished his career with three seasons in Washington under head coach, you guessed it, Ron Wilson.

There's not too much to say about Gunnarsson. Seems to have what it takes. 43 games played in his rookie campaign, 15 points, and a team leading plus 8. Sky is the limit for this kid's potential right now.

Jamie Macoun vs. Luke Schenn

Jamie "Crazy Legs" Macoun came to the Leafs from Calgary on January 2nd, 1992 as part of the Gilmour-blockbuster, and immediately gave them a savvy veteran presence on the blue line. Currently, Luke Schenn is entering his 3rd season in the NHL and what he lacks in veteran savvy he makes up for with poise and diligence.

Schenn is a strong, hard-hitting, stay at home defenceman, a cornerstone of the future here in Toronto. Jamie "Crazy Legs" Macoun had crazy legs. They wiggled and wobbled this way and that, like elastic bands wrapped around jellO. It was very difficult to get the puck past or through Macoun's awkward defensive style, for even when he was on his rump, his feet were still moving, legs flailing about. He wasn't dirty, but he was crafty, and often matched up against the league's top stars.

Macoun gave the Leafs more then 5 solid seasons before being traded to Detroit in '98, and winning a Stanley Cup, his second, alongside former teammate Dimitri Mironov. The 4th round pick the Leafs received in return for Crazy Legs turned out to be Ponikarovsky.

Sylvain Lefebvre vs. Francois Beauchemin

Sylvain Lefebvre only played 2 seasons for the Blue and White, but his impact was enormous. He was one of the most poised and reliable stay-at-home defenceman the Leafs have ever seen. His first season in Toronto he had 2 goals to go along with 12 assists and 90 penalty minutes and he was a major presence defending the Leafs goal in the magical playoff run of '93. The following year, Lefebvre chipped in 2 goals again, along with 9 assists, 79 penalty minutes, and a team leading plus 33. Once again, Lefebvre was a significant part of the '94 blue line that went back to the final four.

Lefebvre was also involved in one of the '93 team's most iconic moments, and were it not for Joe Bowen's masterful eruption, one wonders where we would all be? For how could there be a blog called DownGoesBrown if that had never happend? And truthfully, if there was no DownGoesBrown, I probably wouldn't be blogging and YOU wouldn't be reading this. You'd be doing something else, just think about that. And then thank Sylvain Lefebvre.

In the summer of '94, Lefebvre was traded to the Nordiques with Wendel Clark as part of the huge Sundin-blockbuster. After one season in Quebec, the team was moved to Colorado where Lefebvre won (ho hum) a Stanley Cup.

Beauchemin is entering his 2nd season with the Leafs and gives them the same quiet, reliable depth on the blue line as Lefebvre once did, often counted on to be the shut-down specialist in tight games.

Bob Rouse vs. Mike Komisarek

Bob Rouse was a very hard-nosed, low maintenance, reliable defenceman. Like Lefebvre, he seemed quiet and unassuming, but played a tough physical game that was hard as nails. Rouse was another stay-at-home defenceman that stood up for his teammates on many occasions. In '92-'93, Rouse's 2nd season with the team, he had 14 points and 130 penalty minutes. The following year, 16 points and 101 penalty minutes in 63 games.

Rouse, of course, also assisted on one of the Leafs most important and iconic goals of the '93 playoff run. In the summer of '94, after his second consecutive trip to the final four, Rouse was signed as a Free-Agent by Detroit and went on to win the Stanley Cup in 1997, and again in 1998 with former '93 teammates Dimitri Mironov and Jamie Macoun. Why, Lord, why did we let these guys go?

Mike Komisarek is coming back from shoulder surgery and is expected to be the physical, nasty presence that the Leafs need. As long as his health holds up, Mike is a hard working soldier that backs down from no one. If Komisarek can play a more refined, retrained game, he'd make a good version of a bigger, better, stronger Bob Rouse.

Todd Gill vs. Tomas Kaberle

Todd Gill is awesome and don't you dare say otherwise. Same goes for Kabby.

After that there's not much in the way of similarities between these two. Maybe there's a perception that they give the puck away a lot. I think it's over-exaggerated. Who cares. Awesome. I could write a million posts about it so don't get me started!

What Todd Gill lacked in talent he made up for in heart. And when you think of how much talent he lacked, you realize that's a whole hell lotta heart. Gill was a in his 9th season as a Maple Leaf in 1992-93. He wore the blue and white proudly, as proud as any Leaf before him or since. The 92-93 season was his break out year as a better-then-atrocious defender, scoring 11 goals and 32 assists for 43 points in 69 games, leading the defence in scoring and good for 4th on the team overall. You better believe it. Gill gave the Leafs timely contributions and gritty shifts game-in, game-out and was the embodiment of the Leafs' Never Say Die spirit.

Todd Gill appeared in 19 NHL seasons - after 12 with the Leafs, he had stops in San Jose, St. Louis, Detroit, Phoenix, Detroit again, Colorado, and finally Chicago, but never did win a Stanley Cup. This year Kaberle is entering his 12th season as a Maple Leaf - the 2nd highest scoring defenceman in Toronto's history, and perhaps the most under-appreciated.

Another interesting thing to note about the career path of Gill, is that he was one of only 3 players in '93 still with the Leafs since the last time they'd made the playoffs in 1990. Can you name the other two? Wendel is the easy one. And the other is a trick question - the returning Mark Osborne, who'd been traded to Winnipeg for Dave Ellett, and then reacquired.

Dave Ellett vs. Dion Phaneuf

Dave Ellett came to the Leafs in November 1990 as part of a trade that saw popular Leaf forwards Ed Olczyk and Mark Osborne heading to Winnipeg. After suffering through two terrible seasons and missing the playoffs twice, things finally came together in the 1992-93 season with the additions of Lefebvre, Rouse, Macoun, and Mironov. And while Ellett was suddenly surrounded by a solid group of capable defenders, he remained the top dog, and the most steady puck-carrier on the blue line.

In 92-93, Ellett had 6 goals and 34 assists for 40 points, and was an impressive plus 19, The following year, Ellett put up similar numbers, 7 goals, 36 assists, 43 points. In the 39 playoff games from those two seasons, Ellett contributed 30 points; 7 goals and 23 assists.

Ellett patrolled the Leafs blue-line for more then 6 six seasons until he was finally traded, along with Doug Gilmour, to New Jersey, bringing Steve Sullivan, Jason Smith, and Alyn McCauley to Toronto. His NHL career spanned 16 seasons, 1129 games, scoring 568 points.

Dion Phaneuf is now not only the top-dog on a stacked blue line, this year he comes to camp as the team's first Captain in three seasons. Expectations include ending a six-year playoff drought and restoring some semblance of pride and glory, not to mention some fine truculence, to this beautiful, loved, and yet oft-forsaken franchise. Phaneuf is entering his 6th NHL season with 238 points in 404 career games.

Well, so this post was not really a comparative analysis so much as a lazy, self-indulgent juant through nostalgia-town, but I had fun with it anyways. I loved all those guys from the '93 and '94 playoffs, and that six-pack on defence under Burns' first two seasons was the best group of defenders from top to bottom that I can ever recall playing for the Blue and White.

That is, I'm hoping, until this year.

This September, the one thing I'm excited about most is seeing a group of defenders together for the first time that might become the best group of Maple Leafs defenders I've ever seen.

The Blood Of My Chief, Vol. VI: The Dawn

A full two seasons after The Long Departure of our last Chief, the tribe has finally wandered out of the wilderness. No longer aimless and uncertain, the Toronto Maple Leafs have once again found themselves a worthy leader. A noble and honourable warrior to carry on the tradition, to lead us into battle, to lift us to victory. A Captain to guide us out of the miserable gloom of apathy and deliver us into the illuminating light of hope.

A man who reminds us of our destiny unfulfilled.

A clear path to follow. The tribe awakens. A Nation hungers and thirsts to reclaim its glory, to resume the quest. There's a connection... Continuity...

They can feel it...

A link to the past...

And so begins a new era...

And so continues the Legend...

Born April 10, 1985, Dion Phaneuf was just 25 years of age on June 14th, 2010, when he became the 17th Captain in the illustrious history of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Having joined the team mid-season last year, Dion has appeared in just 26 games with the tribe, yet his impact and influence were immediately present. The Leafs were once again defiant, no longer afraid to lose, and asserting their ambition to win.

“That, to me, was where he was making a statement to everyone in the building that he wanted to be a captain here,”

-Brian Burke

Our Captain arrived on one of the most explosive days in Leafs history, emerging from the dust of the incredible shake up that became known as The Great Overhaul. Cast adrift were Hagman, Stajan, and the noble Ian White, yet also launched overboard was the anti-productive trio of Mayers, Blake, and Toskala, along with the dead weight of a losing atmosphere. Clearing the air and breathing new life into the team were Sjostrom, Conn Smythe trophy winner Giguere, and standing tallest of all, Dion Phaneuf.

"I believe January 31 will go down as a critical day in the timeline of this team. That’s when things started to change. You could see it."
-Brian Burke

"As soon as he came in he had a major impact on our room. I think it was obvious to everybody."

-Ron Wilson

“He made a big impact... ...took over the room a little bit. A guy that plays hard. Plays whistle to whistle the right way, holds his teammates accountable."

-Luke Schenn

404 NHL games played. 77 goals, 161 assists, 238 points. 556 penalty minutes. 22 of his 77 goals are game-winners.

His first historic goal as a Maple Leaf:

His second goal as a Maple Leaf, the very next game, the last game of the season, in overtime:

"I think the best way to lead is you don't have to be the loudest guy but you definitely want to be the guy who's working the hardest day in and day out."

-Toronto Maple Leafs Captain, Dion Phaneuf

The past, the present, the future. The circle is once again complete. Ahead of us is only a focal point with no horizon. The Dawn Is Here Now.

The time of In-Between-Pride is at an end. A new era truly begins - one that promises to be a long and ambitious adventure - with honour restored, and glory awaiting us. The Captain has thankfully returned, and with him perhaps, the passion and spirit that will reunite the Nation and make our adversaries crumble with dread. Be it known from this point on that a hero has been chosen to rally behind, the only purpose is victory, and that war shall be declared if ever even one drop is spilled from the blood of my Chief.

(And that's a complete set, I think. I can't imagine there'll be a 7th volume. If you want to read the whole series, they're all here, though a lot of the pictures are missing now.)

4 Things About This Season That Didn't Suck Too Bad

Only four?

Ya, that's about the size of it.

But there is reason for quiet optimism throughout Leafs Nation, and it really only takes one good thing that doesn't suck too bad to hang our pride and our hopes upon. Well here's 4. More then just a silver lining or a bright side, they're like reasons to go on living, like rays of sunlight piercing through the darkness with a breathe of fresh air after you've been buried alive by an avalanche of suck.

1. Brian BurkeFor the most part, he's done what he said he was going to do. Even if the players didn't do what he said they were going to do, Burke has held up his end of the bargain. Veteran players were given ample opportunity to succeed but eventually a line was drawn in the sand and The Great Overhaul was under way. Most notably, Blake and Toskala have miraculously played their last games for the franchise. Today's line-up consists of only one player who has worn the Leafs uniform since before Wilson became head coach - Tomas Kaberle. Thus far, Burke has been a straight-shooter, and if he says his inclination is to do something, my inclination is to believe him.

2. KesselThe Leafs have a 30-goal scorer again for the first time since Mats Sundin. With just 4 games left, Kessel has a seemingly insurmountable 6-point lead over Kaberle for the team scoring title, despite missing the first 12 games of the season. While Burke may have gambled and lost, overestimating on our team's chances to finish out of the draft lottery, it's obvious now that Boston GM Chiarelli vastly under-appreciated Kessel's ability to lead an attack and generate the scoring chances as well as finish them. Finally, if you wanna talk about difference makers, the Leafs record when Kessel scores a goal or gets an assist in a game this season is 21-14-3, and 9-0-1 since the break.

3. The MonsterOctober: 280 minutes, .892 Sv%, 3.21 GA, 1-2-2

November: 521 minutes, .901 SV% 3.22 GA, 4-3-3

December: 290 minutes, .928 SV% 1.86 GA, 2-1-2

March: 495 minutes, .923 SV% 2.06 GA, 7-1-0

Those stats say it all right there. Aside from a small setback in January - (Gustavsson made only one appearance in February) - there's been a marked improvement in Gustavsson's performance and results. It hasn't been an easy road either, following the death of his mother last May, then two heart ablation procedures between September and Christmas. As if that wasn't bad enough, the rookie goaltender then feels the weight of having to rescue a franchise's playoff hopes thanks to the catastrophically unreliable goaltending of it's veteran starter. It probably hasn't gone the way he'd hoped or imagined, but it has been an admirable season for the Monster. A noble effort with promising results.

4. YouthThe Leafs are the youngest team in the NHL now, and it's made a big difference to the overall enjoyment of each game, win or lose. Speed, hustle, desire... enthusiasm is the team's new persona. The Leafs have an amazing nucleus of young talent - Bozak (24), Caputi (21), Hanson (24), Kessel (22 - man, he's young), Kulemin (23), Stalberg (24), Gunnarsson (23), Phaneuf (24 - for 7 more days), and Schenn (20), all under the age of 25. Not yet included but on their way someday are Didomenico (21), D'Amigo (19), and Kadri (19). I have to believe that's a bright future 'cause it already feels better in the present.

So the next time somebody tells you that the Leafs suck, or you hear a fellow Leafs fan groan and moan about how the whole team sucks, or how they totally sucked this season, or how they're so full of suck sometimes it hurts, just tell them to cheer up and remind them that the Leafs in fact don't completely suck, that their suck-ratio is really less then 96% now, and falling rapidly.

BoOBbB 2009-2010: Episode IV

It's not often that we get a window into the personal lives of the public figures we follow. Just two months ago, many hockey fans were introduced to Brendan Burke, and given a glimpse of his relationship with his father Brian. It is a profound tragedy that Brendan's life then ended so suddenly this Friday night, for many of us, beyond respecting and admiring his father, appreciated and were enlightened by his own story. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that I feel deeply grieved for Brian Burke's loss and wish him the very best.

Our previous night's defeat to the Devils was defintely one of the toughest results of this difficult season, and that's saying a lot. While the sad news of Brendan Burke's passing simply can't be measured, perhaps getting back to hockey quickly again will do some good for the fans and players alike. The Battle of (yawn) Ontario resumes with the Sens coming into Toronto riding a ridiculous 11-game winning streak.

Before the game begins there is a moment of silence for Brendan Burke.

Bob Cole's voice calling tonight's game on CBC. Wonderful.

First Period

18:59 Penalty. A holding call behind the Ottawa goal. Leafs go to the powerplay early as Carkner goes to the box.

18:24 Good shot by Phaneuf on a one-timer from Kaberle, stopped by Elliotte.

17:30 Phaneuf blast blocked by Ruutu.

16:59 Penalty expires.

16:30 Hanson throws a hit deep in the Ottawa zone.

15:59 Penalty. Kulemin taken down a centre-ice. Picard for tripping.

15:16 GOAL!!! Kessel scores. Phaneuf, set up by Kaberle, blasts one off the post. Kessel grabs the rebound and gets two whacks at it, bouncing it in. Powerplay goal, Kessel, from Phaneuf and Kaberle.

14:50 Orr with a spin-around shot in the slot, stopped by Elliotte.

13:25 Alfie gets the boos.

12:45 Giguere handles the puck smoothly to keep the Leafs out of danger, then holds a glove save for a whistle after the Leafs turn over the puck, killing momentum. Little things sometimes make a big difference.

11:35 Fight! Orr and Carkner. Gee whiz. Orr destroys Carkner with 3 solid shots to the face. The lights are still on but it looks like there's nobody home for Carkner who gets sent to the dressing room.

9:00 Schenn throws a good hit.

8:00 Giguere with a solid save at the side of the goal and holds the puck, ending another dangerous Ottawa shift early.

6:55 Michalek with a partial breakaway, Giguere makes the save look easy.

6:25 Alfie cutting in on net, save Giguere, then gets bumped by the Ottawa Captain. No penalty! Great save Giguere. Can't believe there's no call for goaltender interference. Junk.

6:08 Penalty. Kovalev snaps Bozak's stick for a stupid penalty. Leafs' third powerplay of the period.

4:50 Nothing doin' with the man-advantage. Mitchell falls for no reason and the Senators clear the puck again.

4:08 Powerplay ends without a shot on goal.

3:45 GOAL!!! Luke Schenn. My God! What a goal! Sailing over the blue line like Bobby Orr, Schenn rifles a slap shot past Elliott. 2-0 Toronto. Sjostrom and Wallin get assists on OLAS' goal.

3:17 GOAL!!! Beautiful goal. Tic-tac-toe play between 4 players. Schenn starts it off but I don't think he's going to get an assist. Kessel and Bozak assisting on Ponikarovsky' 20th goal. Correction: After announcing the goal as Poni's, it's determined that the puck went in off an Ottawa player and Bozak gets credit for the goal. Kessel with an assist still, and Schenn picks up the second assist.

1:40 2-on-1. Hanson shooting, Elliotte makes the save, then Carkner is called for elbowing Mitchell behind the play.

0:25 Hanson gives the puck away but then does a nice job backchecking and spoils a breakaway for the Sens.

Period ends. Shots 13-11 for Toronto, score 3-0. Giguere's 4th scoreless period for the Leafs.

Second Period

19:40 Great diving shot block by Poni.

17:58 Penalty. Kovalev for hooking. in the Ottawa zone.

16:50 Not a good shoot-in by Phaneuf but the Leafs retain possession after Elliotte gives the puck away.

16:00 Kuelmin bangs a puck loose from Elliotte's pads and the puck trickles past the open goal. Hanson isn't there in time to jam it in.

14:34 Penalty. Good chance for the Sens. Neal's shot stopped then another chance on the rebound, stopped by Giguere. However a holding penalty on the play to Luke Schenn.

12:55 Phaneuf, XLB get signals crossed. Spezza carries the puck off-side.

12:30 Hanson, Stempniak 2-on-1, shot by Hanson stopped by Elliotte's blocker. Shorthanded pressure continues as Hanson gets 2 more shots. Penalty expires.

8:50 Great chance for the Sens. Giguere somehow keeps it out. Cheechoo's shot from the slot is stopped through a screen and then the rebound gets lost in traffic as Regin can't bang it in.

7:35 Penalty. Ponikarovsky for hooking. Seems like a weak call.

7:00 Spezza nearly breaks in, gets hit, spun around, loses the puck.

6:30 Fans are really on Alfredsson.

6:10 Great shift by Stempniak. Nice backchecking and throws a big hit before going off, fans applauding.

5:35 Penalty expires.

5:05 Kessel to Bozak, one-timer stopped by Elliotte.

4:00 Gunnarsson's hard shot from the point hits Elliotte in the chest.

3:20 Cheechoo stopped from in close on his own rebound.

2:00 Sjostrom with great puck retrieval behind the Sens goal, centres to Kulemin who just misses the tap in.

1:35 GOAL!!! Kessel. Wow. Kessel carries the puck through the neutral zone and over the line and fires a lazer past Elliotte. Huge game for Kessel. His 3rd point tonight, and his 20th goal of the season. Assists to Bozak and Poni.

0:10 Phaneuf shot from the blueline is a bullet. Elliotte hangs on.

Period ends. Shots in that period 17-11 for the Leafs, 30-22 overall. Score 4-0. Giguere has 5 straight shut-out periods, 100 minutes without giving up a goal, since joining the Leafs.

Third Period

20:00 Leclaire replaces Elliotte in goal for Ottawa.

18:30 Regin shot from in close off Giguere's shoulder.

17:40 Kaberle's shot gets through a screen, nice save by Leclaire.

17:25 Kaberle's helmet knocked off, still plays the puck cooly. Even cooler now, actually.

16:40 Big rebound by Giguere, bit of a mad scramble but no one can find the puck as it bounces harmlessly away.

16:16 Penalty. Orr goes for crosschecking Neil in front of the net.

15:00 Fisher cuts into the zone and gets a backhand shot on goal and then bumps Giguere.

14:45 Sjostrom with a nifty chance shorthanded, Leclaire had to be sharp.

14:00 Stempniak blocks a shot and then breaks the other way, fires a slapshot wide from just inside the line.

11:43 GOAL!!! Luke Schenn. Holy God! Schenn does itagain. A 2-on-1 with Hanson and Schenn plays the shot the whole way, firing the puck past Lecalire. 5-nothin'. This is looking to be the Leafs most lopsided victory of the season. Luke Schenn having an awesome game. 3-point night.

10:50 Solid "Go Leafs Go!" chant.

10:00 Orr banged along the boards by Volchenkov.

9:28 Penalty. Kulemin hit from behind by Regin. Another offensive zone infraction. Pretty sloppy. Sens winning streak goes out with a whimper.

9:15 Schenn looking for the hat-trick on the powerplay, fires from dead-centre on the blueline, stopped by Leclaire.

8:22 Penalty. Leafs powerplay ends as Hanson gets called for boarding, yet another penalty 180-feet from the goal. Not a great call, but it's 5-0 so who cares.

8:00 Leafs fans doing the wave? This may be our one chance this year to celebrate a victory like this. Go on. Let it all out.

7:28 Leafs survive 4-on-4. Sens powerplay begins.

6:22 Sens powerplay goes by without a good chance. Leafs fans still doing the wave and getting louder. This is more then just cheering for this one game. This is a salute to the new Leafs - the team that Burke is building - that seems re-energized and has the fans excited again. And by extension, it's a salute to Brian Burke the man himself, and then the emotion kicks in, and it's an outpourring of appreciation and spirit.

5:15 God, listen to the fans. Huge "Go Leafs Go!" chant.

5:05-4:05 Energy from the fans carries the game for another minute, play is mostly held to the perimeter, dump in, dump out.

2:05 Ottawa running out the clock. No hitting.

0:30 Ruutu drives the net. Great save by Giguere to preserve the shutout.

0:00 Game ends. Back-to-back shutouts for Giguere. Six periods without a goal since joining the Leafs. Unbelievable. What a game for Kessel and Schenn. Both of them have 2 goals and both assist on the other goal by Bozak. Honourable mention to Hanson who also played a great game at both ends of the ice.

The Third Star - J.S Giguere

The Second Star - Luke Schenn

The First Star - Phil Kessel

The BoOBbB continues...

I've Got A Feeling

Hey everybody! I haven't written a post yet for the month of December but that doesn't mean I haven't been watching - and enjoying - the Leafs play this month. It's been tremendous. Despite losing Mitchell, Gunnarson, and Gustavsson to injury, the Leafs continue to roll and there's a lot of positives worth pointing out.I wonder if anybody's noticed my new sidebar feature? I thought it might be interesting to track the Leafs' progress towards the 95-point plateau. As you can see, their winning percentage is currently .450, and they would have to maintain a .654 winning percentage from here until the rest of the season to reach 95 points. However, in their last 10 games, they've picked up 15 out of 20 possible points and have 4 wins in their last 5 games. After an awful October start, going 1-7-4, the Leafs have since gone 9-6-3, for a .583 winning percentage.

I've noted this before, that inside the Leafs' dressing room are just 4 players who have been with the team since 2005 - Kaberle, Ponikarovsky, Stajan, and White. Another thing these 4 players have in common is that none of them has played for any other NHL team but the Toronto Maple Leafs. This dressing room is the only NHL dressing room they've ever known and the Leafs' jersey is the only NHL jersey they've ever worn. This season, all 4 players have emerged, in their own way, to become significant contributors and leaders.
Matt Stajan: Is on a 3-game point streak, and has been on the scoresheet 4 out of the last 5 games, 7 out of the last 9 games, and 11 out of last 14, scoring 6 goals, 8 assists for 14 points. That's a point-per-game pace for 14 games for Matt Stajan. For the season, he's currently on pace for 25 goals and 35 assists. Tied for second on the team in scoring with Hagman.

Alexei Ponikarovsky: I think maybe Poni reads my blog. On November 25th I mentioned that Poni wasn't "lighting up the score sheet at the same remarkable pace as he closed out last season". The next game he had 4 points. Poni didn't register a point last night against the Islanders, but he still has 9 points in his last 7 games. He leads all Leafs forwards in plus/minus at +7.
Ian White: Even more impressive then Poni's plus/minus is the astounding magnificence that is Ian White and his +11 rating. Astonishing. Scored a beauty last night against the Islanders with a well-placed shot off a nice set-up from Stajan.

Tomas Kaberle: Continues at nearly a point-per-game pace with 29 points after 30 games. Set up Beauchemin's goal in the first period against the Islanders. More importantly, the Leafs' puck possession has looked smooth and confident, at times even dominant. But wait there's more... Two players who struggled out of the gate this season are both showing postive signs and may have turned the corner.

Vesa Tokala: Statistically, he's still the worst goalie in the NHL, but after a dreadful October and posting a horrendous 5.13 GAA for the month, the Vesa bounced back in November with a 2.68 GAA.. In 4 of his last 6 starts, his SV% has been .912 or above, averaging out to .911 over those 6 starts, while Toskala has blanked opponents in 9 of his last 17 periods of play. I'm hesitant to suggest that Toskala's troubles are over because there's still a long way to go for him to save his season, but I also saw him catch a puck with his glove-hand last night, so who knows what the Vesa2010 is capable of next.

Luke Schenn: I really wanted to bring this to people's attention: Luke Schenn is now on the plus side of the ledger. He had been a +1 for 4 consecutive games, including the 7-2 loss to the Bruins, and was a +2 last night against the Islanders. His plus/minus for the season now stands at +1. In the last 7 games, OLAS is +7 overall. And then he drops a bone-crushing bomb to top it all off.

"Just keep believing, I think we're eventually going to get there."
-Wilson

There's still a long way to go, but the Leafs finally seem to be on the right track. They're playing an exciting style to watch and they look capable of winning more games then they lose. Will it be enough to get into the playoffs? Only 5 points back of Montreal for the final spot with a game in hand, believe it or not, they're making a run for it and there's still two weeks before Christmas.

Go Leafs Go

The Blood Of My Chief, Vol. V: Time In Between

It was The Year Without Hope.

An entire season without a Captain. For one night, however, we welcomed back our former Chief, the Great Sundin, and although he dressed in our rivals' uniform, there was indeed a celebration worthy of this reunion. Despite some discontent from the riff-raff, his return received the most honourable of ovations, worthy of the noblest man.
At last, when the time came for Sundin to strike the fatal blow, delivering our points in the standings to our enemies in sacrificial martyrdom, he did so like a champion. The saga was over, once and for all, with Sundin leaving as the victor, the last goal ever scored while his skates were on the ACC ice - his.

Of the 5 Alternates that were named to share leadership at the beginning of the season, 3 have not survived. Antropov and Kubina have travelled very different paths to get to the same destination. The Rebel, Moore, went off in search of the horizon and was never heard from again. The two remaining Alternates were Mayers, a weathered journeyman who could fight proudly but was unable to carry the team, and Kaberle the Quiet, the longest serving tribesman; hugely popular, yet an uncomfortably valuable asset that promised new blood. Though he now seems destined to remain with the team, part of the mystique and magic that is Kaberle is his unassuming nature and passive precision. A terrific and subtle weapon, but not the next Captain.

Yet our tribes spirited effort to reclaim its proud identity did not go for long without a symbolic figurehead. A face that stood for a franchise, a player we longed to follow as a generation, began to emerge. No torch had been passed, and yet, a light was shining brightly, ever clearer, leading the way.Luke Schenn. The name is like a switch. It turns you on. Say it out loud and people will notice. It feels important, profound. You want more. You want it again.

As our second season without a Captain approaches, there is comfort and solace in the knowledge that a noble young warrior has come forward, with unanimous approval of the Nation, to assume the role of Saviour. Uniquely capable of crushing the will of his opponents, yet also of lifting the spirits of the cynical and inspiring the bitter to love again, there are only two words left to describe Luke Schenn:

Next Captain. The question is no longer who?, but when?

This post dedicated to the memory of Ted "Teeder" Kennedy, one of the Leafs' most important Captains, who passed away today at the age of 83. Captain from 1948 to 1955 and 1956-7, Kennedy won 5 Stanley Cups in 13 seasons, all with the Blue and White. There's some great photos here from Somny at Vintage Leafs, including one of Teeder about to fight Gordie Howe.

1925-2009

Burke Won't Trade Kubina

Saw this quote from Brian Burke yesterday in the Star:

"I'm tired of watching teams come in here and push us around. I'm tired of seeing our trainer being on the ice... We have to find a defence that can stay intact. ... We have to figure out how we can get more games out of the guys we have or we have to get more durable people back there."

The Curse of Colaiacovo lingers on apparently, as injury problems have continued to plague the Leafs' blue-line this season. Burke however, has had enough and seems to be indicating with this comment a preference towards keeping or moving certain defenders based on their ability to endure the physical punishment of an 82-game schedule at the NHL level.

Mike Van Ryn - - played in only 27 games for the Maple Leafs this season. While Kostopolous is to blame for the initial dirty hit that sent Mike to the hospital, Van Ryn has had a run of bad luck with injuries for 2 years straight now. Last year with the Panthers, Van Ryn appeared in only 20 games after surgeries on his wrists. It's disappointing that Van Ryn has not been able to put together a healthy stretch that would have allowed him to replace McCabe's lost offence and skill.

Jonas Frogren - - made it into only 41 games this year and now his season is over due to a knee injury suffered March 7th against Edmonton. Many of the games he missed in the first half of the season he was a healthy scratch, but too often he missed opportunities to have a regular role because of his own bumps and bruises. Given that his contract has now cost the Leafs a bundle of money and a draft pick, Burke's not likely to have much patience if Frogren can't stay healthy next year. I love the Viking's bravery and sacrifice when it comes to blocking shots and taking the body, but "fearless" does not equal "indestructible".

Tomas Kaberle - - has appeared in 52 games this year and is hopefully back in the line-up for the final two weeks. His mysterious hand injury, which occurred just before the trade deadline, has kept him out of the line-up at an important time of the season, though I can't truthfully say that the team has suffered from it. Wilson's system seems to function even without Tomas on the blue line and Kaberle's absence has actually had the reverse benefit of allowing other players to develop with increased ice time.

Jeff Finger - - has played in 61 games so far, missing 7 games at the very beginning of the season due to a foot injury suffered in the preseason. He also missed 2 weeks in January with an "upper-body" injury. To his credit, Finger has 129 hits and leads the Leafs in blocked shots with 147, and despite missing 16 games, he's still 5th on the team for total ice-time.

Luke Schenn - - has played admirably in 65 games for the Leafs and looks like he'll finish with 70 in his rookie season. Despite the games he's missed, he is 3rd on the team for overall ice-time, and no one on the Leafs has thrown as many hits. In fact, no one is even close to laying the body as often as OLAS. While Finger ranks second on the team with 129 hits, Schenn has delivered 191 bone-crushers to his jellied opponents.

Ian White - - was a healthy scratch for the first 11 games but has been in the line-up ever since. He's now played 66 games this year consecutively, and is second on the team in total ice time. Not just average ice time - he's second in that category too - but total ice time. This year's Masterton nominee for the Leafs has shown the exact kind of resilience and smarts that I'm sure Wilson and Burke are looking for on the blue line for next year.

Anton Stralman - - has appeared in 38 games this year with the big club, and also 32 with the Marlies, for 70 games total, and as far as I know, has not suffered any serious physical setbacks. If he can have a strong finish in the playoffs with the Marlies it'll reflect well on him when he comes to camp in September.

Pavel Kubina - - has played in all 77 games so far this season for the Leafs. If ever there was a player for whom the words "solid" and "durable" could be applied, it is Kubina. His play this season, while short of spectacular, has been consistently good enough, giving the Leafs at least some blue-line stability. Kubina tops all Leaf players in total ice time this season, enduring over 1,700 minutes of NHL competition without missing a step. At 6'4" and 244 pounds, he's a big presence on the blue line or in front of the net, and while he plays a less physical game then Schenn, Finger, or Frogren, he doesn't seem to ever shy away from physical contact. While Ponikarovsky has really come on lately to become the team's top forward, Kubina has been steady all season and may in fact be the team's most valuable player this year. 86 hits, 121 blocked shots, 14 goals, 26 assists, 40 points, 9 powerplay goals, and a very impressive 4 game winning goals. Kubina's 5-million dollar salary makes him the most expensive player on the team, but he's giving the Leafs excellent value that can be counted on like money in the bank. For these reasons, I would now be very surprised if Kubina was moved over the summer. If anything can be assumed from reading Burke's quote at the top, it's that Kubina is type of defenceman that Burke will be seeking to add, not replace.

A Long Dreary Post About Playoff Dreams And Statistical Improbability With A Little Bit Of Optimism At The End

Some statistics to throw out there. Just a reality check, I guess - 'see where we're at. It doesn't seem like the Leafs have been playing that great lately, but it does feel like they're playing better. They have won 2 in a row, and 3 out of 4, and are now 4-3-1 for the month so far. Going back as far as Feb. 19th, exactly a month ago, the Leafs are 8-3-3 in their last 14. That's a winning percentage of .678 over four weeks. Most frustrating, their only regulation losses over that stretch are against Ottawa, Tampa Bay, and Edmonton - teams they should be able beat. If they continue the pace they're on over their remaining 11 games they might pick up another 15 points and finish with 86 points. 90 points is considered the minimum for reaching the playoffs.

Meanwhile, last night, the Carolina Hurricanes picked up a victory, beating up the emotionally drained New Jersey Devils the night after Brodeur's record-setting win. For Carolina, it's a huge win that ties them with Montreal for 7th in the East with 81 points, 3 ahead of the Florida Panthers - the Leafs' opponent for tonight's game. With 2 games in hand however, and 12 more to go on the schedule, the Panthers are still very much in the battle for the last playoff spot.

For the Leafs, the playoff drive, which never really began - in November when it could have mattered - is already done. Newsflash: The Leafs are not going to make the playoffs. You could have said that in December, or even September, and you probably did several times very directly, but a few of us die-hards held out hope and dared to dream of revisiting the post-season. Boundless optimism in the face mediocrity only goes so far, however. "Anything is possible" doesn't sound so good when it's followed up with "though statistically, it's highly improbable".

The Playoff(s!!!1) Dream is over. All that is left is to make it a formality. Toronto's tragic number now sits at 12. That is to say: any combination of points earned by the 8th place team, currently Carolina, and points squandered by the Leafs equalling 12 will mean that the Leafs have been officially eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs. To put it simply; 3 Carolina wins (6 points) and 3 Toronto losses (6 points missed) will eliminate the Leafs. That's all. If Carolina wins just 3 of their remaining 10 and Toronto loses only 3 of their remaining 11, both teams will have 87 points and Carolina would advance on most wins. It's reasonable to assume that the Hurricanes are easily going to win at least 3, and just as reasonable to assume the Leafs will lose at least 3, if not 6 or 7. Without a mighty, mighty miracle, it's simply a matter of time.

There are still reasons for optimism however, as I eluded to in my title. Thus, I will present them to you, with bold headings, in a list going down, with numbers going up.

1. OLAS, Grabbo, and Super-Kule. The Leafs have 3 rookies in Schenn, Grabovski, and Kulemin, that have not only survived an NHL season, they've also shown that they can flourish and develop. It'll be interesting to see how each of them matures in their sophomore season, but so far they've all managed to take a big step forwards without hardly any sliding back. Congratulations to all of them for earning their ice-time and deserving the sweater.

2. Kaberle, Kubina, Schenn, White, Finger, Van Ryn, Frogren. I really like this 7-pack of defencemen. I'm happy having every single one of these guys on my team, and as long as this unit can stay healthy (yes, Van Ryn, we're all lookin' at you) for a consistent stretch, I think they're as solid as any group of defenceman from top to bottom. I'm not completely sold on Finger, and Ian White may be the weakest link in the chain here, but I'm hesitant to underestimate either of them anymore. Soft coverage or making bonehead mistakes can be overlooked when you play really, really well most of the time. For this year it's a write-off, but for next year, I'm excited to see what this group can do if they play together over an entire season.

3. The Draft and Brian Burke. I just know he's gonna do something good here. It doesn't matter where we finish in the standings, 'cause Burke'll do whatever it takes to get us the player(s) that he wants. What I'm really hoping for, is that the Leafs somehow acquire a 2nd pick in the top 10, allowing them to draft the younger Schenn, Brayden, and another prospect as well. That is the plan, at least, my plan. Make it happen, Burke old boy. We're counting on you.

And since we're speaking directly, Brian, and as long as you're taking requests; please bring back Belak, okay? That one's vital.

BoOBbB II

Welcome hockey fans from across this great province of ours to the Battle of Ontario Blow by Blow Round 2. Tonight's game is in Ottawa so the Leafs are sure to have the crowd in their corner. Round One was a decisive victory for the good guys, but Toronto has stumbled lately. Here's the box score from Yahoo. 11th place is on the line, so let's drop the puck...

First Period

20:00 Stajan, Antropov, and Ponikarovsky start out for the Leafs with Finger and Kubina on defence. Toskala starts in goal.

19:05 Ruutu gets jeered for a dive that, according to Joe Bowen, goes "splash". No call.

18:30 Deveaux, making his Maple Leaf debut, nearly scores on a wrap around attempt on his first shift.

16:45 The first whistle of the game. The tone of the game has been set early. Free-flowing with few disruptions or penalties.

16:20 Poni leads a good rush with a shot on goal.

16:06 Goal. Sens come back the other way and score. Toskala's positioning looks terrible, but it's actually Kaberle who sweeps Fisher's pass into his own goal. Donavon intially gets credit, but eventually it's given to Fisher.

15:07 GOAL!!! Kulemin scores, tapping home a beautiful feed at the side of the net. Grabovski was the playmaker who slid the pass across, and Hagman picks up the second assist. Once again this line comes up with an excellent counter attack and evens the score.

14:40 Foligno crashes awkwardly into Finger.

12:25 A nice play by Stempniak at the line keeps the puck in the Sens zone and the Leafs on the forecheck.

12:10 After a harmless rush up the ice, Alfredsson and Heatley have a harmless tussle with Schenn and Toskala.

11:31 Grabovski gets called for hooking.

9:31 Sens powerplay fizzles.

8:30 A Kaberle giveaway leads to a Sens chance.

8:10 A nice hit by White.

6:30 Good puck control by Finger lures Spezza into a stupid hooking penalty.

6:00 Kaberle gets a good chance off of a funny bounce but fails to get the shot away fast enough.

3:20 Finger checked off the puck in the Leafs zone leads to sustained pressure by the Sens.

2:00-1:30 Sens pressure some more but miss the net on several shots.

0:40 Spezza molests Finger for another dumb penalty. This time it's holding. The Leafs powerplay follows with good pressure to end the period but the score remains tied, 1-1.

Second Period

19:10 Still on the powerplay, Antropov has a chance but misses.

18:35 A good rush by Grabbo who fires a shot off of Auld's shoulder.

17:00 Ottawa gets away with a hit from behind. Volchenkov nails Deveaux head first into the boards. No call, play continues.

16:00 Stajan with a good chance, splitting the defence, but runs out of room and misses.

13:55 Good chance for the Sens but Toskala keeps it out and is starting to look sharp and alert.

12:15 A good shot by Kubina is saved by Auld.

11:55 At the other end, a good save by Toskala on Kelly.

11:20 A scramble in front of the Ottawa net, and then Luke Schenn nails Vermette with his head down.

11:00 An Ottawa 3-on-2 goes nowhere.

10:30 More Ottawa pressure, but Toskala looks sharp.

10:10 Ottawa has another chance and then Schenn delivers another good hit behind the net.

8:40 Mitchell takes a hit along the boards.

8:20 Foligno knocked down by Schenn.

8:05 A good defensive play by Schenn, and then a nice sace by Toskala on Heatley.

7:30 A good save by Vesa who clears the rebound nicely.

5:30 What a move by Grabbo at the Sens blue line! Spin-o-rama dipsy-doodle and dishes to Hagman for a shot on goal.

5:20 Mayers gets a shift. Haven't hardly seen him tonight, whereas Deveaux has been very present.

4:28 Moore gets hit by Jason Smith and then reacts by attacking him! Wow. What's gotten into Dominic Moore? First Finger, now Smith?

3:30 Spezza takes another retarded penalty, facewashing Niklas Hagman. In a way, I'm really glad Spezza is on the Senators because he is one of the most selfish players in the league and a real chump.

2:45 Some strong work by Deveaux in the corner.

2:25 Kubina has a shot blocked on a scoring chance. From there the second period runs out with very little excitement at either end. No goals, very few whistles, and the only penalties are for fighting and roughing. Score remains tied, 1-1.

Third Period

18:20 Sens gets the first good chance of the 3rd off a deflection by Spezza that Toskala has to make a nice save on.

17:00 Another good save by Toskala, stopping Foligno and Kelly on a 2-on-1 break. White, as the lone defender, does a nice job taking the man.

16:45 At the other end, a save by Auld, and then a quick whistle as Stajan fishes out the rebound.

16:30 Ponikarovsky stopped on a wraparound attempt.

16:20 Fisher hits Schenn pretty hard.

16:10 Poinkarovsky slams into Donovan who goes off to the dressing room.

14:45 Another good save by Tosakala on a chance set up by Vermette and Kelly.

14:20 A good hit by Mayers in the corner.

12:30 Poni gets angry on Chris Phillips. They each get roughing minors.

11:30 A nice job by Finger on a Fisher rush that goes nowhere.

10:45 Close call! Vesa squeezes the pads on a bad angle shot from Spezza.

9:35 Mayers and Ruutu yapping at with each other.

9:10 Big save, Vesa! Heatley stoned on a one timer off the side.

7:30 The refs don't call an obvious off-side when Alfie carries the puck in too slowly, and then wave off an obvious icing without a clear reason. The play just keeps going and going tonight without any whistles to slow it down.

6:20 Huge save, Toskala! Ruutu then runs him over and gets a goaltender interference penalty. Big opportunity for the Leafs on the powerplay.

5:40 Antro set up in the slot but the puck bounces over his stick.

4:55 Kulemin takes a hard hit from Jason Smith.

4:20 The penalty to Ruutu expires, game still tied, 1-1.

4:00 Grabbo has a great chance but Auld with the save.

3:15 The crowd finally wakes up.

2:15 A good chance off the draw by Antro is stopped by Auld.

1:40 Spezza wide angel shot is stopped, rebound cleared by Kubina.

1:00 Mayers with a solid hit.

0:50 Moore gets feisty with Fisher. No penalties.

0:35 Antro misses on a good chance.

The period ends. We go to 4-on-4 and a 5 minute overtime.

5:00 Hagman and Grabovski start up front for the Leafs.

3:50 A nuetral zone giveaway leads to a Sens shot on goal and a good save by Vesa.

3:20 Antro fans in the slot on a nice pass from Kaberle.

2:10 Good work by Schenn to carry the puck out of the Leafs zone and lead the rush up the ice.

1:15 A chance for Finger who misses the net.

0:40 Schenn wrist shot goes wide.

0:20 Moore comes close.

0:10 Alfie sets up Fisher who is stopped by Toskala.

Overtime ends without a winner. Up next, the dreaded shoot-out. If you actually don't yet know the final result and you've hung in there through this whole post, I'm going to spoil it for you (or put you out of your misery) now by just bluntly telling you that the Sens won. Here's how the dramatic conclusion played out:

Spezza scores.

Kulemin misses.

Heatley misses.

Stempniak misses.

Alfie scores. Game over.

The Leafs definitely deserved a point from this game, and the Sens definitely didn't deserve the 2 they did get. Toronto still leads the Senators in the Battle of Ontario, 3 points to 2, but the Sens have now caught the Leafs in the standings in a tie for tenth, and have a game in hand. The Leafs, meanwhile, have now lost 5 in a row. On the plus side, the game was a moral victory for Vesa Toskala who played a strong game and gave the Leafs every chance to win it. Hopefully, this is the start of Toskala returning to form - something positive to build on as the Leafs close out the month against Philadelphia on Saturday.

The third star, Andre Deveaux

The second star, Luke Schenn

The first star, Vesa Toskala!