Toronto Mike

Maple Leafs 5, Red Wings 1

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.

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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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