The Leafs' Power Play Believes in Tavares
by Chemmy on Mar 17, 2009 10:24 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
95 comments
A beautiful 0/5 tonight, the Leafs usually competent power play really stuffed it tonight. Our usually blowful penalty kill was business as usual though, giving up a pair of goals. That said, the Leafs went down 3-0 early in the second when Stamkos scored a power play goal and Pettinger potted a wide open tap in ten seconds later, and the Leafs fought back valiantly to tie it at 3 late in the third. Boyd Devereaux ran the puck down in the corner and fed it through Lecavalier to a streaking Hamilton who fired it home to even things up.
On a side note, "a streaking Hamilton" and "a streaking Tlusty" have wildly different meanings, eh?
At the end of the third the Leafs killed off a crucial penalty just in time for Oreskovic to hit some nobody and the Leafs to go right back in the box. The PK held steady despite some odd bounces of the puck and the game headed to OT which had some good back and forth action before a Grabovski hand pass landed on the stick of Ponikarovsky who absolutely buried it, to no avail, between Ramo's legs.
The Leafs controlled play in OT but couldn't find a way past Ramo despite some good chances and the game headed to the skills competition where Jeff Hamilton absolutely undressed Kari Ramo after Stamkos hit the post. Martin St. Louis fooled Cujo with a spinorama and hit the post, but Lecavalier buried one in the third frame to tie it.
Jason Blake faked his shootout spinorama but missed the net, and Cujo made his first save of the shootout against Ryan Malone in the fourth round of the shootout. The back and forth continued into the sixth round when John "That's How F-Bombs are Dropped" Mitchell scored five hole low on Ramo to seal the deal.
It was a good effort by the Leafs, who put 39 pucks on net pre-shootout. There's still some issues with defensive zone coverage as evidenced by Stempniak futilely swatting at Pettinger's stick on the third goal, and the Leafs going 4/6 (.666) on the penalty kill. Good to see Blake keep scoring and for Cujo to get a win.
As much as I'd love to see the Leafs stink up the joint, it has to be a positive that guys like Jeff Hamilton and Phil Oreskovic are playing minutes with the big club and succeeding. John Mitchell plays the role of hero once again in his young career - these young guys are going to learn how to be winners despite the Leafs ineptitude. Maybe having Cujo, Mayers, Kolzig and May around hasn't been such a bad idea?
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Awesome game.
And I must say awesome job by Gord Miller on the play by play. Really captured the excitement.
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:26 PM EDT reply actions
It was a Lightning game, so once again I got the Florida feed.
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shame. I normally am blah on Miller but he was really on tonight.
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions
And how was the Lightning feed?
Newly appointed Awesome/Gin Division Head
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They spent less time wanking over Stamkos than the other lot.
"We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into Iraq"
- Major Mike Shearer
it was so close...
…to being pierre mcguire’d too.
by PeterZezel on Mar 17, 2009 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions
And why wasn't mitchell shooting in the first three?
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:28 PM EDT reply actions
Too polite. When the Leafs are done rebuilding he’s going to score 89 goals on 88 shots.
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Me too
I wanted to see that tonight.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
weak wristshot from the point not worthwhile in a shoot out.
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Guess someone missed the Young Stars game where he made Carey Price look silly.
Supporter of the Sergei Berezin "Give and Go" - You give me puck, then you go to hell
you guys are sooooo sensitive about Schenn one little comment and you get all butt-hurt.
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Schenn had a beauty of a shootout goal against St. Louis in the preseason.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpNJH9bQXAo
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Well, I am scared what he will do to me if I badmouth him. So yes, I am sensitive to keeping myself alive. ;)
Supporter of the Sergei Berezin "Give and Go" - You give me puck, then you go to hell
I’m more scared of Grabovski – I think he is psycho.
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah but you can defend yourself against humans.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Is grabbo human? I think he might be one of those angry dwarves from LOTR
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Gimly Shaved?
He seems pumped for the off-season and to prepare for next year. I hope that keeps up.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
We still need to sign him though.
Supporter of the Sergei Berezin "Give and Go" - You give me puck, then you go to hell
Yeah
I don’t think that’ll be a problem.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Fear not at your own peril!
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
about Schenn one little comment and you get all butt-hurt.
dammit, stop tempting me to make Tlusty levels of NSFW jokes!
Making stuff up since real Leafs news is far too depressing
I am flattered that I tempted anyone to "go there’
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Reward Blake
Reward Mitchell
Rebuild Stempniak
That’s my thought but Mitchell could have definitely gone in there somewhere.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Building on MF37's comment
“Why didn’t you have Jeff Hamilton taking shootout attempts in November when it mattered?”
/Berger’d
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
You're learning
Instead of just stealing people’s comments from the game thread, now you are giving credit up front and “building” on them.
Well done.
Newly appointed Awesome/Gin Division Head
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Where were you? Did the Raw Charge site colours confuse you that much?
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Drinking beer and watching the game.
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Saving my energy to put up a full recap in like three minutes, Mr. Didn’t Recap At All This Weekend.
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Someone’s earned themselves some corporal punishment
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Coporal punishment?
Me? Bring it on.
Newly appointed Awesome/Gin Division Head
I will try to use this power only for good, but I make no promises.
If those aren’t fighting words…
Supporter of the Sergei Berezin "Give and Go" - You give me puck, then you go to hell
Berger on Hockey Central at Noon today
More or less said he apologized to Ron Wilson.
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Sure
Does the jerk stuff to get maximum exposure and barely mentions the apology
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That's the classy
professional way to do it.
Newly appointed Awesome/Gin Division Head
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I saw an old Weird Al Yankovic movie last night
Berger looks a little like him.
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions
hahahaha
Yeah, a little
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
If al had a short hair cut the resemblance would be scary.
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:40 PM EDT up reply actions
The moustache is definitely there.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
the way he spun it I can only assume he really grovelled.
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:33 PM EDT up reply actions
I present to all of you
the Leafs’ next draft pick:
Making stuff up since real Leafs news is far too depressing
He’ll hypnotise the opposition shooters
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All hail the Hypnotoad!
Newly appointed Awesome/Gin Division Head
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I for one welcome our new toad overlords
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Can you lick hypnotoad and get wasted?
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:38 PM EDT up reply actions
I think the real question is whether you can do it and not get wasted
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If not we could dip it in crystal meth!
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I am honoured to be considered important enough to be ruled by the toads.
by PeterZezel on Mar 17, 2009 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Out
Alright folks what a great comeback by the Leafs. Great work dummies.
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You're leaving?
But you promised punishment! I’m going to be unsatisfied if I don’t get some…
night benevolent overlord.
Newly appointed Awesome/Gin Division Head
I will try to use this power only for good, but I make no promises.
I’m sure you could get a line up of people willing to step in for PPP
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Credit CUJO Tonight as well
He made some fine stops and was damn good in the shootout.
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:42 PM EDT reply actions
Cujo
was awesome. And it was really nice to see. I’m glad he’s giving us some good memories of this time around, because for a while there, it didn’t look good at all.
Newly appointed Awesome/Gin Division Head
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I know it was depressing. All of a sudden the latter half of the season we have three good goalies. Weird.
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions
I would have liked to have had 1.5 good goalies for the whole season, but I guess I’ll take what I can get.
Newly appointed Awesome/Gin Division Head
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If we had Gerber/Toska we would have made the playoffs
I am serious about that.
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't know how that makes me feel
Playoffs would be nice in that I’ve almost forgotten what they are like… but not making them and getting a higher draft pick is better in the long run.
Newly appointed Awesome/Gin Division Head
I will try to use this power only for good, but I make no promises.
9th is not what I had in mind at the beginning of the season. We are not even close to a lottery pick right now.
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions
To be honest, this team wasn’t built bad enough to be a lottery team in the first place. To expect it now would be wishful thinking in my mind.
Supporter of the Sergei Berezin "Give and Go" - You give me puck, then you go to hell
I don't expect a lottery pick
just a high draft pick. I’m not too picky.
Plus, I figure Burke will come up with something to amaze us all. At least, I hope he does.
Newly appointed Awesome/Gin Division Head
I will try to use this power only for good, but I make no promises.
I am fairly confident in his ability to amaze.
Ain't nothing but puck drops and poke checks, babydoll.
Now Princess Game Thread.
by wrap around curl on Mar 17, 2009 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions
We are 3pts away from drafting 13th (Tlusty levels) again.
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:52 PM EDT reply actions
This list isn't as fun as it used to be
7 Kane, Evander C 8/2/1991 L 6.01 180 Vancouver WHL
8 Kadri, Nazem C 10/6/1990 L 5.11.5 180 London OHL
9 Shore, Drew C 1/29/1991 R 6.02 190 USA Under-18 NTDP
10 Josefson, Jacob C 3/2/1991 L 6.00 187 Djurgarden SweE
11 Schroeder, Jordan RW 9/29/1990 R 5.08.2 175 Minnesota WCHA
12 Ellis, Ryan RD 1/3/1991 R 5.09.2 183 Windsor OHL
13 Holland, Peter C 1/14/1991 L 6.01.5 188 Guelph OHL
14 Kulikov, Dmitri LD 10/29/1990 L 6.00 190 Drummondville QMJHL
15 Despres, Simon LD 7/27/1991 L 6.03.5 214 Saint John QMJHL
by The Meatriarchy on Mar 17, 2009 10:53 PM EDT reply actions
Stop harshing my buzz!
Newly appointed Awesome/Gin Division Head
I will try to use this power only for good, but I make no promises.
Night LD
And yes, I think perhaps the bath and then bed is the way to go for me.
Night all.
Newly appointed Awesome/Gin Division Head
I will try to use this power only for good, but I make no promises.
Burke’s still trading up on draft day.
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