Hey are we ready for the regular season or what? I didn't get to watch the game as closely as I would have liked but I will tell you what I liked. Or more specifically who I liked:
Jason Allison.
Man when that guy gets the puck you just can't get it off him. I love the look of a power play with Allison on it. He could be the quarterback that Toronto has been looking for for a long time. He and McCabe and Czerkawski teamed up on a beautiful goal during one power play.
McNeil also scored as did Wozniewski, and Antropov.
The team looked as sharp as last night with Lindros returning and playing his best game of the pre-season. He was named the first star although I didn't think he was the best player. I felt that McCabe, Allison and Sundin played as well or better.
But the surprise of the night was Michael Tellqvist who was solid in net for Toronto only giving up one goal and looking spectacular at times. In fact this was the best game I have ever seen this kid play (regular season, AHL or international included) and quite frankly it's about time. I don't know how they could let him have the backup job if he played poorly tonight.
Speaking of backups the Wings elected not to go with starter Chris Osgood (after playing Legace last night) instead they went with 21-year-old rookie Jim Howard who played as well as could be expected. But with the regular season about to open you have to wonder why their first string goalie wasn't in net.
Penalties still played a part however there weren't as many as last night. And overall the Wings looked listless. I expected them to play with much more intensity. They still pumped 30 shots at Tellqvist but didn't seem to threaten to score that often.
So we come to the end of pre-season with the Leafs at 4-4 in exhibition play and with some cuts still to be made. At this point Thomas, Marchment, Wellwood, Steen, Wozniewski and Kronwall don't know their fate. And the past two games didn't make that decision much easier for Pat Quinn.
Update: According to Hockey Leaks Thomas has been cut in favour of Steen.
The reports of the Leafs death were exaggerated!
ReplyDeleteAllison is going to be real treat. He owns the ice when he is on it. Even Lindros showed up last night, in the Leafs version of the crazy 8 line.
88, 28 and 18
I have said this before but Allison replaces Mogilny, O'Neil replaces Roberts, Lindros replaces Neiuwendyk and Czerkawski replaces Renberg. A wash, or even a slight improvement. And the Leafs were a pretty good team before hand. They are going to be fine.
Will they beat Ottawa in the division? Not a chance.
My question now is if Spezza can continue his stellar play in the regular season is he Turin bound?
If Spezza and Heatley are among the league leaders then I could see the two of them going and playing together on the Olympic team.
ReplyDeleteI can see Heatley but not Spezza, he ain't tough enough to play in the Olympics. Plus he's a one move wonder. Watch him all he does is one move. People will catch on and limit him.
ReplyDeleteHeatley on the other hand I would say is a lock for the Olympics.