What Just Happened?

So all the ingredients were there; the goalie with something to prove, the cast out gulping his last breaths trying to show his worth, and a new goalie that came back from a Mexican vacation where he had issues with beachballs. After the bedshitting was all done, Raycroft's was shittier(especially the goal from behind the net(let's call a spade a spade, they were all crap goals)). I think no Leaf with a point should get too excited about their performance last night. Points against Raycroft are like points against a Bantam C backup goaltender. Don't get me wrong, I still really hate Raycroft and his attitude towards his suckage. The worst part of ever having Raycroft in Toronto was the fact that he let Vesa think it's ok to really not care about bring 43 int the league in stats when there are only 30 teams. I guess the only way to really leave off today is with a resounding SUCK IT ANDREW!

Please Play Raycroft!

It would be great if they played Budaj actually. I guarantee you that if Raycroft plays, he will win. Also Tucker will get at least one goal, probably short-handed. All the signs are there.......Legally inept goaltender playing the team that paid him over a million dollars to go away. Another guy that had 2 years left on a contract that got paid WAY more than 1 million dollars to go away. It's a recipe straight from the Leafs "Book Of Suck"(tm). Realistically, the Avalanche have been scoring, if not winning lately and Vesa has a great new tan. How these play out together is anyone's guess. My guess is Leafs 2 Avalanche 4.

Mercy?

It seems the only times that I get on here to comment on a game is when the Leafs lose some atrocious, no effort affair. Well, not really, because then I would cover every game.....Highlights include Hagman playing well offensively, but having the bad luck of being in front of Pogge. Kulemin was forechecking like a demon, but Grabovski was content to fall down whenever he was within 10 feet of the puck. Lowpoints include two of the ugliest goals I've seen scored on an "NHL" goaltender in a long time. Pogge's lateral movement is almost non-existent. He was easily 3 feet out of position, including a very soft first goal to a Darcy Tucker wannabe that will be the next Avery without the faux-hawk. All in all a horrific game that the management built up to be an easier test for Pogge and it sure didn't turn out that way. One note for a little lift, at least I'm not an Oilers fan...............

Voodoo

Let's roll the bones and see why the Leafs choked last night in the third period(bear with me). *ROLL*

Bruins have never come back from trailing after 2 periods(0-6-2) CHECK!
Tim Thomas has the largest horseshoe stored in his person CHECK!
Michael Ryder has scored once in the shootout EVER. CHECK!
There's a magnet to either side of the Boston net that is turned on whenever Grabovski takes a shot unmolested directly in front of Thomas from 10 feet out and a proven sharp-shooter shoots a foot wide. CHECK!
Toskala was left in the net for the shootout. Click Click BOOM

All these signs led to the Maple Leafs pre-ordained loss to Boston last not.

Not their cruddy defensive positioning on the last two goals.

GOT IT?

Seriously?

I'm not sure about you guy(s) out there, but I'm not ready to go through a stretch reminiscent of the shit pile that were the 80's Leafs. The effort last night was beyond embarrassing. One of the only people I know that I can truly talk hockey with is a Carolina fan. I'm pretty sure he is embarrassed his team won the way they did. Watching the Leafs the last month and a half has been like watching a prospects game that was snowed in; only 1/3 of the prospects could make the game and they got the local maintenance crew to fill in the rest of the roster. Even when the Leafs get OK goaltending they are turning the puck over. One of the biggest issues the Leafs have this year are players, like Poni and Blake, that can't chip a puck over the blue line when they are standing 6 feet from it. Players over the age of 22 can't be making these mistakes. Especially if they are making over $1 million American. God, just kill me................

Let's Plumb The Farm

For fun! Tim Stapleton, who has 34 points in 37 games, may be a center and very tiny, but let's give him a shot. Why not?!? Our fourth line is a joke anyways. I'm not going to elaborate on this too much, but let's try these other kids out if we're losing to the Atlantas of the league anyways. Let's make some minor leaguer's day! Let's score an effing goal this week!

Return Of The Steve

Steve Sullivan's return to Toronto has me very interested in the game tonight. Steve Sullivan was one of my favorite Leafs from a time when Quinn had them playing a more entertaining run and gun style. Sullivan is tiny, Kyle Wellwood tiny, but has sweet hands and used to be able to take his share of abuse. That abuse, of course, has caused him to miss almost two full seasons. He will probably never be able to get back to a point a game before his inevitable retirement, but he should still be fun to watch. I remember a useless segment on the Mike Bullard show(the only place you could a Leaf being interviewed without sweat pouring off of him) that had Sullivan shooting at a shooter-tutor. He didn't miss a target. Why not pick up a veteran like that so I can enjoy watching a game here and there.

At Last

At last the Leafs are playing up to their potential. Watching Montreal destroy the Leafs, making them look worse than the Marlies, was painful. It was a pain I was consciously trying to make myself get used to. Getting Centre Ice this year was great for my thirst for hockey, but not for my passion for the Leafs. I have already tired of Greg Millen and his skipping record of color commentary. Bowen seems to be waiting for the Leafs to get down 2-0 so he can say how many times it has happend this year. Which inevitably leads to the stats on:

How many first period goals they have given up
How they're a third period team(who knows how this stat matters when you're down 6-1)
How Grapes called Deveaux a pussy

The one thing that I notice they don't mention anymore is how this "team just never gives up". I haven't seen fight in the Leafs for some time now. Bringing in Brad May is a baffler, especially if you want to bring along younger talent. Kulemin is now stewing in the minors as Holweg(who thought he was a good idea?), Deveaux and May get over 10 mins a night. Give me team of the future, that sucks, not the team of the past, that is embarrassing to watch.