Cujo's Glory, Gerber's Guts

What a game.

One thing that occurs to me is that if the Vesa had been in net, none of the drama that we saw at the end of the game would have happened. I don't think that Toskala would ever have reacted the way Martin Gerber did after the second Washington goal. I liked that Gerber showed some emotion and frustration. That's the way it supposed to be. You don't have to go crazy like Eddie. Cujo would get mad. Felix would get mad. I want a goaltender that gets pissed off when the Leafs are getting screwed.

This game, and specifically the dirty goal at the end of the 3rd, reminded me of a game from last year around this time when the Leafs thought they were still in a playoff race. The Leafs lost to the Devils, 2-1, March the 8th, on a suspiciously familiar play. Check out the video of the game here and fast forward to (3:45) and you'll see Zach Parise pitchfork Toskala into the net for the game winning goal with less then a minute to go.

Brutal. Total garbage. And yet, the Leafs, and the Vesa, sat there and took it. "This one hurts for sure", said Sundin with a sigh. A sigh! I got so sick of that heavy sigh. I got so bored of Paul Maurice's scrunched up puzzled concern. Doesn't he know what's going on? The Leafs are getting screwed!

Here's Gereber last night. The Capitals' tying goal is disturbingly similar to Parise's, but Gerber's reaction is a refreshing blast of emotion not seen by a Leaf netminder since well before Red-light Raycrap came to town.

Gerber was furious and he had every right to be. I'm not sure he expressed himself in the right way, but he had the right feeling and he directed it at the right person. Just wanted to point that out and salute Gerber's 34 (shoulda' been 35) save effort. Cujo became the star of the night and received a tremendous ovation for his thrilling performance, but it was Gerber whose raw emotion set the stage for the incredible drama that unfolded in the final act.

Way to go, Cujo. 9 saves, 8 of them in overtime, and the game's first star. What a fantastic finish. 

As a final thought, I hope the Leafs start pitchforking opposing goalies into their nets more often since that's obviously an acceptable strategy.

Our Poni Comes Of Age

Way to go, Alexei. You're doing it.

Eat it, Montreal.

I was really concerned at the Trade Deadline about losing Dominic Moore because I thought it might negatively effect Jason Blake's production. As for trading Antropov, it wasn't concern, I simply accepted that Ponikarovsky's numbers would go down and that he would struggle on his own. Whenever the two were separated, I always assumed it was because Poni wasn't playing well and saw it as a demotion from the top line. What I never imagined happening after the Antropov trade, was Ponikarovsky suddenly emerging from the shadows as the team's best forward.

Since March the 4th, Poni is on a tear. In the last 9 games he has 4 goals, 10 assists for 14 points, has had 3 multiple point games, and has only been held without a point twice. Oddly, both those games were against Tampa Bay. In last night's game against Montreal he was absolutely outstanding. Playing on a line with Grabovski and Kulemin, Poni dominated the game with 2 goals and 2 assists, earning the first star.

To put in perspective what Poni has done since the loss of Antropov and Moore, we'll compare his stats with those of Stajan, Stampniak, and Blake, since the Trade Deadline.

Ponikarovsky: 4G 10A 14P +2 23 Shots

Averaging about 2.5 shots per game and 1.5 points per game.

Stajan: 0G 5A 5P +2 12 Shots

Stajan is nowhere near producing at the level he was before the tragic soccer-ball-in-the-eye-fiasco. Just five points since Antropov and Moore were traded, he's been held pointless 5 times in that span, and without a shot twice. Stajan is hardly stepping it up. In fact, he's now in a deep goal scoring slump and hasn't put the puck in the back of the net for 14 games, going back exactly a month to February 21st when he scored a short-handed goal in the Mats Sundin/Vancouver game.

Stempniak: 3G 3A 6P -3 25 Shots

Held pointless 3 times, but never held without a shot, he's averaged over 2.5 shots per game in his last 9. His numbers are still less then thrilling, though, especially the minus 3.

Blake: 3G 3A 6P Even 37 Shots

Blake's output has suffered a bit with the loss of Moore. Held pointless 4 times in the last 9 games, including the first 3 games immediately after the Trade Deadline, Blake's offensive numbers look similar to Stempniak's. He does have one multiple point game in there though, while Stempniak does not, and he continues to be a shot-firing machine, with never less then at least 2 shots, averaging over 4 per game in this stretch. All those shots, and the fact that his plus/minus is at Even, indicate that Blake is still playing fairly well and continually pressuring the other team's defence. Without Moore's occasionally brilliant instincts however, success just isn't coming as often.

This post isn't meant to slam any of those other players (although Stampniak and Stajan could both sure use a kick in the butt), but simply to point out how well Poni has adapted and grown in the absence of Antropov and Moore. The word blossom comes to mind. As a final comparison, let's look at the stats of the two forwards that were traded and see how well they've done in their new enviornments:

Antropov has played well in New York with 4 goals and 4 assists for 8 points in 8 games, on 19 shots and an even plus/minus. Not bad at all, but imagine what we'd be saying if he had 14 points and two 4-point games already under his belt in the Big Apple?

Moore, meanwhile, has made less of a splash in Buffalo, picking up a goal and 2 assists for just 3 points in his first 8 games with the Sabres. He has 14 shots on goal, and is a plus 2.

Hopefully this is just the start for our Poni-boy on his journey to becoming a Poni-man. If he can finish the season the way he's playing right now, he should be able to come into camp next season with an abundance of confidence and maturity, ready to assume an important leadership position on the team. For years, Ponikarovksy played second-fiddle to Antropov's lead, the tall, lanky Kazakh's long, lanky shadow shielding Alexei from the spotlight, but also from stardom. Finally, the time has come for Poni to emerge and show us what he can do on his own. Indeed, it might be the best thing that could have happened to him.

Keep 'er goin', Poni. You're making us very happy to have two 2nd round draft picks.

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.

Enter The Gerber

Let's just get one thing straight. I hated Martin Gerber. The idea of Martin Gerber becoming a Leaf made my skin crawl. If I had to describe my feelings for Gerber in one word, it would be "puke". Just wanted to get that out of the way. Now we can move on.

I love a compelling story-line, and I love cheering for the underdog. Let's move on some more.

There's something very interesting happening here. If what they say is true, and Toskala's surgery was inevitable and necessary, then the acquisition of Martin Gerber was a tremendous move. This has the potential to work out for the Leafs in a really positive, unexpected way. Gerber, at one time a very promising goaltender, needed to be thrown a life-line to rescue his career, and luckily the Leafs have done that and given him a chance. It's Kyle Wellwood in reverse, without the pictures by the pool or the obesity, and hopefully it'll lead to some good karma for the team.

Martin Gerber joined the Anahiem Mighty Ducks in 2002, as the back-up goaltender to J.S. Giguere, appearing in 22 games. He then sat on the bench in the playoffs for all but 20 minutes, as Giguere led the Ducks to the Stanley Cup Final, winning 15 games and the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.

The following season, Gerber played 32 games with decent numbers (2.26 GA, .918 SV%), while Giguere faltered, and the Ducks missed the playoffs by 15 points. After the lockout, Gerber found a job with Carolina as the starting goaltender, appearing in 60 games. In the playoffs however, after splitting the first 2 games in the opening round, Carolina coach Peter Laviolette, replaced Gerber with Cam Ward, who then led the Hurricanes all the way to the Finals, defeating the Edmonton Oilers to win the Cup. Ward, most improbably, was named MVP and received the Conn Smythe.

The following summer, the Ottawa Senators signed Gerber as a free-agent, while Chara and Havlat departed to Boston and Chicago. That year, Gerber underwhelmed in Ottawa, while even more improbably, Ray Emery emerged as a dressing room leader and a fan favorite. This time Gerber lost the starting job before the playoffs even began, and while Emery was no candidate for the Conn Smythe, he was solid enough to get the Senators through three playoff rounds.

So, for the third time in four seasons, with 3 different teams, Martin Gerber sat on the bench and watched the Stanley Cup Finals as a back-up goaltender, thinking to himself who knows what.

After a good start last year, things began to unravel in Ottawa, with Emery at the centre. Gerber won the starting job for the playoffs, yet failed to win a single game, as the Senators were swept in the opening round by the Penguins. By mid-season the following year, Emery is in Moscow, Gerber is in Binghamton, and the Senators are in 12th place in the Eastern Conference.

If ever there was a goalie with something to prove; it's Martin Gerber. A quick look at his stats (career: 105-73-21, 2.61 GA, .911 SV%) shows a very capable NHL goaltender. I'm guessing that Gerber, much like Emery, or come to think of it, everyone who's ever been there, got a raw deal in Ottawa. Murray is a horrible GM who, to the joy of Leafs fans, has ruined a strong contender, while trying to lay blame at everyone else's doorstep. If it isn't the goalie it must be the other goalie, and if it isn't him, it must be the coach. After the nightmare he's been through, Gerber's going to be playing for more then just pride. He's also going to be playing for his life right now, because his career hangs in the balance, and he knows it.

"I appreciate being in this situation, and getting another shot, that's all I can ask for," said Gerber. "The last 24 hours have been surprising and emotional. I went through waivers once, and thought that was it for me over here."

Well, in his first game as a Maple Leaf, Gerber was excellent. As Wilson said. "he was a little lucky", but he was also "unbelievable" at times. I thought his positioning was solid even when he couldn't see the puck, his rebound control was good, and he made 2 or 3 eye-popping stops with the help of his defenders. 37 saves for a 2-1 victory, and a very impressive return to the NHL.

"I was a bit nervous, and a little emotional to come back."

There's that word again. Emo-tional? I don't get it.

Emo-Schenn. Ooh. I felt something that time... something good... I want more.

What a suddenly stark contrast from the easy-going Vesa, and his Zen-like approach to winning and losing and season-ending surgery. Cool under pressure is one thing, but Toskala's mellow groove is nearly sedating.

The other reason I like this move is because it might really drive Sens fans nuts to see Gerber succeed after letting him go for nothing, and in fact, actually paying half his salary to play for their most hated rivals. The only thing that'd make them crazier would be if the Leafs picked up Emery over the summer, but I guess that isn't going to happen now. Too bad. I really would have liked that.

 

Good luck, Gerber. For the next six weeks, with every 37 save performance, I'll hate you a little less. Already my skin has stopped crawling, so that's a positive sign.

Bio-Engineering The Vesa2010

We all know how fans feel about athletes who use performance-enhancing drugs, but is it wrong for a professional athlete to opt for performance-enhancing surgery? I can't do the splits, and no amount of stretching is going to let me do the splits comfortably and easily anytime soon. On the other hand, if I was fabulously wealthy, say, like, 4-million-dollars-a-year wealthy, then I could probably just find a surgeon who could reconstruct my hips and pelvic muscles enough to make my groin feel elastic-fantastic. While I'm at it, I might as well replace the rotator cuff in my right shoulder using the most sophisticated technology available to re-enforce my catching arm so I can make super-bionic glove saves without feeling a thing. Maybe my focus and vision would be better if I had just ONE BIG EYE? Is this legal in sports now? Can athletes who are feeling fine, even great - all year long, essentially "buy" better "sports equipment" from doctors to try to improve their game?

"I got the same thing done on my other hip - during the lockout year - four or five years ago. So that hip has been great after that, which is why I'm excited to go get the surgery," Toskala said. "It's been almost better than before. It's going to be good next year."

Better then before what? You mean, before when it wasn't hurt and everything was fine? Is that allowed?

"I've been feeling good but, sometimes, it's not just easy," he said.

It's discouraging when stuff isn't easy, eh? That's the reason Michael Jordan started - and stopped - playing baseball. I wonder if this is what's going on with Rick Dipietro. Maybe he's just not a very good goaltender, but since the Islanders essentially own him for 15 years they feel they can send him back to surgeon after surgeon in the hopes of creating a super-cyborg-goaltender of the future? Well, at any rate, I'm sure looking forward to next season when the Vesa's groin and hips are literally 110% better and he finds playing every game at an elite level "easy". That's gonna be awesome.