Maple Leafs 2, Blackhawks 3
Published November 14, 2009 @ 09:32 in Toronto Maple Leafs

You can't spot a team like Chicago a three goal lead in their barn and expect to come back. Yes, Tosky played his best game of the season and Kessel proved he's far and away the best sniper on this squad by potting both goals, but a loss is a loss.

We're now 3-9-5, good for 14th place in the conference and 29th place in the league. Welcome to the winter of our discontent.

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Maple Leafs 2, Wild 5
Published November 11, 2009 @ 09:26 in Toronto Maple Leafs

You can't win them all. After we were blessed with a fabulous 7 game point streak and 2 game winning streak, the Leafs conceded to the mighty Minnesota Wild at home last night.

Despite the score, it actually got rather interesting at the end. With two Wild in the penalty box and THE MONSTER on the bench, we were down by 2 with a 3 man advantage. Alas, it was not to be.

At least we'll always have memories of those two successive victories when we were kings of the world.

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Maple Leafs 5, Red Wings 1
Published November 7, 2009 @ 21:54 in Toronto Maple Leafs

Now that was fun. We didn't just beat the Red Wings tonight, we annihilated 'em.

For the first time this season, we have ourselves a winning streak. Not only have we won two in a row, but we've secured points in seven straight games. I'm now legally obligated to present you with this warning before continuing this recap.

Now that that business is complete, back to the celebration. Why are the Leafs suddenly competitive? Remember, it wasn't that long ago that I wrote this rant begging MLSE for real hope. What's different?

1. Goaltending - THE MONSTER (henceforth to be written in ALL CAPS at all times) is playing great, and when you get great goaltending, it's a totally different game. Vesa Toskala cannot be the #1 goalie for this team if we want to be competitive. THE MONSTER is so much better, it's almost enough on its own to give us hope.

2. The Kessel Factor - Phil Kessel is far and away the best offensive player on this team. He makes that big a difference., and he's making others, especially Blake and Mitchell, better. It's no coincidence that pucks are starting to fill the opposing net.

3. Don Cherry Was Right - This team needed some time to gel. I'm not convinced we're a playoff team, but I know we're a great deal better than that team that was winless after 8 games. We're starting to play as a unified unit, and with points #1 and #2 above, this could get interesting.

Our next victim is the lowly Wild on Tuesday night.

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Maple Leafs 3, Hurricanes 2
Published November 7, 2009 @ 09:14 in Toronto Maple Leafs

Billed as The Battle For The Basement, the Leafs finally secured their second win of the season in their 14th game. As bad as that sounds, there's a sliver of hope. We've earned points in our past five games.

While we're on the subject of hope, isn't it great having a decent goaltender between the pipes? The Monster is living up to the hype and the team plays with a great deal more confidence when he's back there.

One more interesting footnote before I end this recap. I've caught parts of every Leafs game this season. I can only remember missing the 3rd period of two games, and those are our two wins. Last night, I was on the ice playing my own game when Blake scored the winner. I'm tempted to turn off the TV tonight after the second period, just to see what happens...

We're #29! We're #29!

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Leafs and Raptors Pregnant
Published November 5, 2009 @ 20:38 in Health and Safety, Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors

Congratulations are in order for the members of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors. They're all expecting!

I assume they're pregnant, because I know they're over the age of five, and they've all received their H1N1 vaccinations while the shots are reserved for high-priority groups. It's miraculous to consider one man becoming pregnant. Over 30 men becoming pregnant is something else entirely.

I want to be vaccinated as well, but as a healthy non-pregnant adult I'm not in the high-priority group so I have to patiently wait my turn. Ontario health minister Deb Matthews says we'll run out of the H1N1 vaccine before school-age children like my very own can be vaccinated.

But at least pregnant folks, like members of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, can jump the line before the province’s supply dwindles. Good on them.

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Nobody's Comparing Phil Kessel to Ovechkin or Crosby
Published November 5, 2009 @ 08:48 in Radio, Toronto Maple Leafs

Open letter to Bob McCown: Nobody is comparing Phil Kessel to Alexander Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby.

This morning I heard a promo for Bob McCown's Prime Time Sports on The Fan 590 in which he belittled Leafs fans for comparing Kessel to Ovechkin and Crosby. I chat up several Leaf fans a day, follow several more on Twitter and dive into the Barilkosphere frequently to read what's on the minds of fellow Maple Leaf fans, and I've never heard this once.

We're not stupid, Bobcat. We're hopeful, but not stupid.

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Maple Leafs 1, Lightning 2
Published November 4, 2009 @ 08:45 in Toronto Maple Leafs

It was Phil Kessel night in Toronto, and he didn't disappoint. He didn't score either, unfortunately, but he did record a career-high 10 shots on net. He was everywhere, showing a nose for the net no other Leaf possesses.

The script called for Kessel to score the winner in overtime, but he hit the crossbar instead. At least he survived the hit from Mattias Ohlund.

The glass half empty guy sez: 13 games in, we only have one win. That's disgraceful.

The glass half full guy sez: The loss-less streak has hit four. With The Monster playing great and Kessel firing on all cylinders, good things are right around the corner.

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Poor Phil Kessel
Published November 3, 2009 @ 07:46 in Toronto Maple Leafs

I feel badly for Phil Kessel. Brian Burke paid a hefty price to bring Kessel to town, giving up a 1st and 2nd round draft pick in 2010 and another 1st round pick in 2011. The way this season is going, that 1st pick next year could easily be in the top three overall.

It's a pretty high price for a player who recorded his season high for goals last year with 36. He had Marc Savard feeding him last season. This season, he'll start on a line with Matt Stajan and Jason Blake. There is no Marc Savard on this team.

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't see Kessel scoring 30 for the Leafs this season. I don't see Leaf fans being patient with a guy who cost us as much as Kessel cost us. The disappointment that is Jason Blake only cost us room under the salary cap. Kessel cost us cash, a 1st and 2nd round draft pick in 2010 and another 1st round pick in 2011. I don't see this going well at all.

Poor Phil Kessel...

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Maple Leafs 4, Canadiens 5 (Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye)
Published October 31, 2009 @ 22:12 in Toronto Maple Leafs

I normally don't recap Leafs games until the morning after, to gain a little perspective, but I need to write this recap tonight.

I hate the Montreal Canadiens. I hate the franchise, but mostly I hate the fans. With the Habs leading 4-2 late in the third period, the fans started singing "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye". This wasn't the clinching game of a playoff series, this was a early regular season game and they were up by two. But they started singing "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" anyway.

While they were singing "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye", Alexei Ponikarovsky scored to bring us within one. DGB tweeted that it should count double. It may as well have, because the Leafs weren't done yet.

With less than a minute to play, and Toskala on the bench for the extra attacker, Tomas Kaberle tied it up. We got our point, and if there was such a thing as karma, we'd have got another. Habs fans and their stupid premature and inappropriate "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" suck.

And you know what else sucks? Those butt ugly retro Montreal jerseys I had to stare at all night. Are they barber shop poles? Is it Where's Waldo on ice? It's tough to look at them, that's for sure. I'm still feeling dizzy. Those are the worst jerseys I've ever seen.

And one more thing that really sucks is shootouts. I hate them. Let's get rid of them. Tonight's game should have ended in a tie.

This song is dedicated to Habs fans everywhere who sing it while up by two in the third period of a regular season game in October. I hope you choke on it.

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Maple Leafs 2, Sabres 3
Published October 31, 2009 @ 10:29 in Toronto Maple Leafs

I had a game myself, so I only caught the first period of the Leafs - Sabres game last night. I scored a goal, thanks for asking. The Leafs, meanwhile, lost a close one in overtime.

From what I've read, it sounds like Ryan Miller stole this one. We outshot Buffalo 16-5 in the third period. At least we salvaged a point, giving us 5 in our first 11 games.

Speaking of great goaltending, hasn't The Monster been wonderful? We're a different team with him in the net. We're actually competitive. Unfortunately, all signs point to Vesa Toskala getting the start in Montreal tonight.

Now that's spooky.

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