Game Recap: Atlanta 6 Toronto 3
by Chemmy on Nov 25, 2008 10:06 PM EST
in Game Recaps
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PrintThe good thing about this game is that Lee Stempniak is the real deal. He was all over the ice and probably stole Alexei Ponikarovsky's job skating next to Stajan and Antropov in a single period of play. Ian White getting under Kovalchuk's skin all night was somewhat amusing. The power play went 1/5 at least, 20% on the PP is pretty good.
The bad things about this game are pretty much everything else. On Thorburn's goal, Mitchell backed into CuJo leaving the net wide open. CuJo let in at least two complete softies, and Kovalchuk's goal was a wrist shot from above the circles. He also allowed six goals on 30 shots, for a nice round .800SV%. The defense did a poor job clearing the front of the net. The penalty kill went 3/4, which sadly is better than average for Toronto.
This might be the ugliest game the Leafs have played in the Wilson era. Toronto's defense and goaltending needs to step up and play at replacement level.
Post your reactions in the comments.
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Brutal
The Leafs looked listless. Now, I wonder if they all want out and that’s why they sucked or if, because they are a young team, the trade affected them a bit.
Either way, they better smarten up before Thursday.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
They laid an egg. Toronto needs to do something about this goaltending problem, hopefully the CuJo start after Wilson’s comments about Toskala having time off get Vesa into shape.
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
Definitely
crapped the bed tonight.
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at http://www.heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
by jrwendelman on Nov 25, 2008 10:10 PM EST up reply actions
Diarrhea
The Thrashers were last in the conference.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Something needs to get through to those guys. CuJo let in some really weak ones tonight.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
They’re saving it for the Sens on Thursday and the Battle for 11th!
Or at least, they better be. If they can’y get up for that one, we’re doomed.
by general borschevsky on Nov 25, 2008 10:14 PM EST up reply actions
mother of god, I dont want to have to listen to Sens fans being high and mighty again
Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option
by JaredFromLondon on Nov 25, 2008 10:14 PM EST up reply actions
He looked flat out old. this is embarrassing. He should just retire and let pogge come up.
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:14 PM EST up reply actions
He’s like that old guy at work who is just there because he wants something to do, he already has a full pension, he doesnt need the money and he cant do any work propper
Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option
by JaredFromLondon on Nov 25, 2008 10:16 PM EST up reply actions
I am starting to think that that might be the best route to take soon. That gives Toskala the competition he apparently needs to improve with enough time for him to get going before the trade deadline and Pogge gets reminded why he needs to work harder because he is not looking good down in the AHL.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
It’s not too promising that the Leafs don’t have any goalies playing well in their system. After paying too much for 2 goalies over the last three years the last thing they need is to have to look outside their system for a starter.
by Mirinov's Nose on Nov 25, 2008 10:20 PM EST up reply actions
I hear there’s some guy in Russia whose got some exp. … What’s his name???? Ray Ebony or something :)
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:21 PM EST up reply actions
I hear you, but I’m not sure it’s the right approach, developmentally, to throw a guy like Pogge to the wolves when his confidence is fragile. Cujo was brutal tonight, and he coughed up a couple of real stinkers, but it’s also true that he didn’t have much help out there. Why parachute a guy like Pogge into the middle of a fire drill in the defensive zone?
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at http://www.heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
by jrwendelman on Nov 25, 2008 10:22 PM EST up reply actions
True. I really wish they had gone after Conklin. I have always liked him.
I wondering if they could convince Keenan to part with Kiprasoff straight up for Toskala. What a steal that would be.
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:26 PM EST up reply actions
probably have to throw in a player or prospect to make him bite on that.
Earl? White?
Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option
by JaredFromLondon on Nov 25, 2008 10:27 PM EST up reply actions
I’d like to think it’s not a lack of effort from Cujo. But dude looks every day of his 42 years of age out there. I hate to say it, but I think they need to seriously consider whether he’s going to finish out the year with this team, or if it wouldn’t be better to go gracefully into the night while we still have fond memories of his heroics last time around.
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at http://www.heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
by jrwendelman on Nov 25, 2008 10:16 PM EST up reply actions
they haven’t been playing too much lately, what is that two games in 10 days? combine that with the trade probably sucking the wind out of them a little and I’m not surprised at this
Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option
by JaredFromLondon on Nov 25, 2008 10:11 PM EST reply actions
Well, they certainly did a good job of tricking a fellow top-picker into picking up two points.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
I really liked what I saw of Stempniak tonight.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Seems to have some jump that’s for sure.
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:15 PM EST up reply actions
Head Shots
Tonight was a good example of why they need harsher penalties. An idiot like Armstrong, who has been hit in the head goes after Blake’s head.
There are no repercussions so Finger goes after Little to remind the Thrashers that headhunting goes both ways. I don’t like that he did it but if the league is going to let them slide then players will take matters into their own hands.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Part of me feels that if no one wore helmets this wouldn’t happen
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:13 PM EST up reply actions
concussion for concussion and the whole world is a Lindros
Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option
by JaredFromLondon on Nov 25, 2008 10:14 PM EST up reply actions
ToI Stats
Poni and Kulemin saw less and less ice as the game went on, playing about 10 minutes each…Finger logged 24 mins…interesting to look at the shift charts to see how Wilson managed the bench.
Bitter Leaf Fan: a life-long Toronto Maple Leafs fan comments on the team, the media and the exasperation...
Finger
Nice to see him pot his first as a Leaf.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
I can’t wait till he scores on a goalie named Fred……
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:17 PM EST up reply actions
is brathwait still playing?>
Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option
by JaredFromLondon on Nov 25, 2008 10:18 PM EST up reply actions
We should have a pool on who the first guy is out of town under Burke
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:19 PM EST reply actions
hahaha
We still have to figure out what happened on Saturday night. Did Carlo get scratched because of crappiness or injury?
But that’s a good next one.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Hollweg, Burke wont put up with that dummy
Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option
by JaredFromLondon on Nov 25, 2008 10:23 PM EST up reply actions
I bet he waives Blake during his first presser
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:20 PM EST reply actions
and tells Kevin Lowe that now that he’s in a better market than Edmonton and Lowe’s still a gutless puke.
by Mirinov's Nose on Nov 25, 2008 10:23 PM EST up reply actions
BWAHAHAHA
I would kill to see that.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
I wonder if they could just hold their noses long enough for Lowe to trade that guy he signed from the Ducks. Can’t remember his name Perry?
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:24 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah
Penner. I don’t think that he’d fit in with Toronto until he got to play with Antropov.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
The last term on his contract is that he is the one that gets to tell Blake that he’ll never sully the Maple Leaf again.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Wouldn’t be surprised if he tells the stewardess on his flight from Boston, “I’ll have some peanuts, a beer, and Jason Blake is fucking fired.”
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at http://www.heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
by jrwendelman on Nov 25, 2008 10:24 PM EST up reply actions
OOOH Ron Wilson is about to start his flogging of the media!!
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:27 PM EST reply actions
Says they didn’t compete at the level they normally do.
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:27 PM EST up reply actions
That is an understatement.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Says they got killed on faceoffs and people were trying to much improvisation.
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:28 PM EST up reply actions
Improvisation almost got Grabovski killed.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Wilson's presser
“We didn’t compete…”
“We’d rather play a puck possession game; you can do that when you’re up”
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at http://www.heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
“We weren’t clicking in any part of our game. "
"We had a lot of guys go off the ranch and try to improvise.”
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at http://www.heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
by jrwendelman on Nov 25, 2008 10:28 PM EST up reply actions
That will be in the papers tomorrow
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:29 PM EST up reply actions
It had better. That’s almost as good as Quinn calling the team a bunch of nimrods.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
My reaction?
Pithy but.
/facepalm
Ain't nothing but puck drops and poke checks, babydoll.
by Wrap Around Curl on Nov 25, 2008 10:28 PM EST reply actions
I liked his insight into the Leaf’s insistence on carrying the puck resulting in all the big open ice hits.
The way the Thrashers were playing, the team needed to chip and chase and instead they lugged it into the middle and whammo!
Bitter Leaf Fan: a life-long Toronto Maple Leafs fan comments on the team, the media and the exasperation...
Blake was in a vulnerable position – ooh Freudian slip?
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:30 PM EST up reply actions
Definitely
They gave up a bunch of big hits and a few they just missed. Heads up boys!
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
They need an enforcer. Right now. It’s target practice out there with this bunch.
Down Goes Brown - Unapologetically nostalgic for the past. Brutally realistic about the present. Grudgingly optimistic about the future.
by Down Goes Brown on Nov 25, 2008 11:18 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah
And I don’t like seeing Schenn have to rush in all of the time.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Blake may have a concussion.
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at http://www.heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
Fist pump!? (too soon?)
Bitter Leaf Fan: a life-long Toronto Maple Leafs fan comments on the team, the media and the exasperation...
Can’t take chances with those. I say retirement is the only option.
Down Goes Brown - Unapologetically nostalgic for the past. Brutally realistic about the present. Grudgingly optimistic about the future.
by Down Goes Brown on Nov 25, 2008 11:19 PM EST up reply actions
One thing that’s been on my mind is that Blake is over 35. Doesn’t that mean if he retires or is sent down his cap hit still counts against us? Can anybody clear this up for me?
It’s the players age when they sign the contract that matters – not the age of the player at the time of retirement/buy-out etc.
Blake was 34 when he signed with the Leafs. I do believe he’ll be 84 when his contract expires.
Bitter Leaf Fan: a life-long Toronto Maple Leafs fan comments on the team, the media and the exasperation...
Goodnight virtual on-line Leafs Nation
And soon to be slaves to the Dark Lord Burke
by The Meatriarchy on Nov 25, 2008 10:33 PM EST reply actions
Not a good effort tonight.
Maybe the Leafs were missing LD in the game thread. They never really looked right, especially after Hedberg’s ridiculous save on Grabby.
I go now. Keep the faith, brothers and sisters.
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at http://www.heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
Good night and good luck
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Telqvist
yep, that’s right, Mickael Telqvist is as good or better goalie than Raycroft and Toskala, and we let him go for nothing and gave up tons in picks and cash for the two plugs we have. This years over boys, we just got spanked by the worst team in the league. Our golaies have handed over at least a dozen points so far and many more to come. Do yourselves all a favour and do what I am doing tommorow and go buy a nice new Washingrton Capitals hat. Don’t waste any more time with this team for at least another two years.
Awesome idea, Damien!
Yes – by all means, let’s abandon ship until there’s winning hockey in town.
This was never going to be a winning season. We all want wins, because we’re fans, but losing this year is not a terrible thing in the grand scheme.
And also, not to go all Mike Wilner on you, but the year is not over. I believe the regular season is over on April 11.
Enjoy your Caps hat.
by clark4calder on Nov 25, 2008 11:22 PM EST up reply actions
I’ve been drinking beer all night. ALL night. And even I know this post doesn’t make a hell of a lot of sense. WTF?
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at http://www.heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
by jrwendelman on Nov 25, 2008 11:33 PM EST up reply actions
He certainly had a lot of company tonight...
but did anyone else notice how crap Kaberle was? Two of his weak turnovers (that I counted) were converted into goals and he was his usual soft self in his own end. I’ve been quite disappointed in his play thus far this season.
He has a sad over Colaiacovo being gone….
in time he will get over that.
The Maple Leafs News Ticket. Yes, its another Leafs blog.
Cold Cup of Coffee
My abiding, eternal and rational hatred for the entire state of Georgia makes the Thrashers my third least favourite team to lose to. Nothing says ‘Good Morning!’ like finding out we’ve lost heavily to such a bunch.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to Cujo’s house with a view to kidnap and whisking him away to my ‘Manhunter’ style pit.
If it's after midnight, it must be time for hockey!
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