Sens 8 Leafs 2

The Meatriarchy

Well the Leafs certainly showed a stellar improvement last night. Holding the Sens to a mere 8 goals and popping two by the previously impervious Hasek.

Seriously though it is hard to peg an entire season on just two games but the collective 16-2 trouncing the Leafs have received at the hands of the Sens in the past two games leaves us Leafs fans with no other choice but to demand that some changes be made in this club.

As it stands right now if the playoffs were to start today we would once again face the Sens in the first round. I wouldn't count on the result being favorable to the Buds unless there is a serious makeover.

I am not one who minds too much if a team loses. It is a long season and you aren't going to go 82-0.

However if you have been soundly beaten by an opponent I expect you to show up next time better prepared and looking for revenge. That the Leafs couldn't or wouldn't do this is shameful.
At 30+ games into the season we are faced with some problems that are more serious than first appeared.

#1 Goal: Belfour has looked awful. I know he has stolen the odd game here and there but on top echelon teams that is what a top echelon goalie is supposed to do. Looks like he is in the same boat as Yzerman and Lemieux - perhaps stayed on one year too many? After the Leafs scored to make it 4-2 2 of the next three goals were clearly Belfour's fault. Time to start shopping for a goaltender - Biron is available. What will it take to get him?

#2 Sundin. He has not looked near the type of player he can be since coming back from his eye injury. This is a more significant problem than the Belfour situation. Belfour has been known to pitch a few stinkers and then come back strong. Sundin looks like a different man altogether. And it doesn't seem like any of the wingers that Qiunn gives him are able to score. Bertuzzi is supposedly available. JFJ should move heaven and earth to get him to play with Sundin, or trade Sundin. His value is high you can get something for him. Like a goalie and a defenseman.

#3 Jeff O'Neil. What the hell has happened to this guy? He looks lost. He should be scoring buckets in this new NHL but.....

#4 Defense. It is serviceable but not good enough. Something has to be done to bring in a decent 3-4 defensman soon. Kaberle and Mccabe are starting to crack under the strain.

Ok now that I have my finger back off the panic button, can someone please explain how Hasek manages to get through games without giving up 10 goals or more? There was a point last night where he fell to his knees and ended up facing the back of the rink for what seemed like forever. I actually thought he had fallen asleep. Yet the puck didn't go in the net. That "drunken style" of netminding is just crazy.