Leafs 5 Hurricanes 4 (OT)

Posted by The Meatriarchy

This is a raw unedited post - I haven't had time to pretty it up so I apologize if it is disjointed.

This game had a rather languid feel to it. Funny how these two teams met in the playoffs a few years ago but there doesn’t seem to be much lingering intensity.

Staal did something very few players have done this year: steal the puck from Jason Allison. Setting up the first Carolina goal.

Penalties started to add up for the Leafs in period two allowing Carolina to creep back into the game after the Buds jumped out in to a 2-0 lead. Proving once again that no lead is safe in the new NHL.

The game settled down somewhat after that with teams trading chances. One featured Tomas Kaberle making an amazing defensive play to bail out Eddy Belfour when he over committed on a poke check and found himself waaay out of position. Eddie was also bailed out by the goal post on two occasions and a short handed goal by Stajan didn’t hurt either.

Lindros didn’t look particularly sharp for the first two periods reminding me more of the slow footed out of shape player we saw in the pre-season.

Then suddenly in the third period Domi storms into the ‘canes zone; drops to Kilger who circles the net and passes to the Big E who wires one into the back of the net. Hey you can be a slow as you want as long as you are in the right place when the puck comes to you.

Rumours have been circulating lately of a feud between Quinn and GM John Ferguson Junior. Whispers say that Quinn has been protective of Aki Berg whom JFJ wants to move out of town as soon as someone is willing to give him anything for him. Quinn supposedly because he was the one who traded for Berg is fiercely loyal to him.

Well I don’t know if this is true or not but Quinn had Berg playing on the penalty kill last night. Which means that Berg is better than all of us think or Quinn is a much bigger risk taker than I gave him credit for. Or, maybe he is being showcased for a trade?

Once again the Leafs had a lead late in the game and once again it frittered away. Then a penalty late in the game for too many man in the ice which carried over into the overtime and made for some drama.



The Leafs coughed up two goal leads twice in this game and looked somewhat listless. Four days off is an eternity during the hockey season and the Buds sure looked dopey.

They woke up during the overtime and once they killed off a Carolina powerplay they took the play to the Caines . Maybe because they didn’t want to face another shootout. I know I didn’t.

And then Klee the unlikely hero after Brind’amour flubs a breakaway.

Leafs win their fourth straight but Carolina deserved a better fate. They played very well and generally gave the Leafs fits in their own end all night.

There were a lot of penalties on both sides that weren’t called in this game and it seems that the interference away from the play is creeping back in. As is the crosschecking in front of the net. I have said before that I hope this wouldn’t continue (this was after the Leafs-Flyers game) but I guess it is too much to hope for.

The Flyers are back in town on Saturday night to try and end the winning streak that started when the Leafs beat them 4-2 9 days ago.

After last week’s dizzying highs when the Leafs power play and point productin skyrocketed based on one game against Atlanta the team came back to earth a bit this night going 1-5.

Allison and O’Neil were held pointless and were –1.

Lindros now has 6 goals in 7 games. If he keeps up this pace he will replace the scoring production lost with the departure of Nolan, Nieuwendyk, Roberts and Mogilny all by himself.

Czerkawski played tonight as Nik Antropov was too banged up to play. Mariuz didn’t score but actually did something unexpected: back checked and at one point broke up a possible scoring chance. That’s one way to get back in Quinn’s good books.

From the rumour mill:

The Leafs are talking to the Blues regarding both Brewer and Jackman. People I've spoke tell me the conversations lean towards Jackman more than Brewer.

The Leafs have stopped talking to Nashville for the time being in regards to obtaining Scott Walker. The Leafs are still speaking with the Caps about Witt, and it seems like the talks are positive.

The Leafs also had scouts at the Rangers and Islanders game, and I was told that both Poti and Niinimaa were the main players being scouted. There were also scouts from the Sharks, Wild and Habs at the game.