Leafs Smother Pens 1-0
by JP Nikota on Feb 1, 2012 11:44 PM EST
in Game Recaps
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PrintI don't want to say that this was an important win for the Leafs, because the same could be said for all the Leafs remaining games, but it was, nevertheless, critical for my own peace of mind. Yesterday's tough loss was marked by a rash of bad luck and some shoddy goaltending (and a brutal no-goal), and today, things just happened to go the opposite way.
Pittsburgh hit the post on three separate occasions, but James Reimer did just enough to earn the shutout and, hopefully, another start.
While I would wager that Pittsburgh maintained puck possession far more regularly than the shot count would suggest, the Leafs' defenders have to be credited for blocking shots and keeping shooters, particularly Evgeni Malkin, to the outside. OK, so there were a few good chances for the Pens to score, but for the most part, Luke Schenn took care of business in his own end, and the Leafs managed to win a relatively low-event affair.
That the Pens maintained great gap control made it difficult for the Leafs to generate much offense off the rush, but winning a game on the basis of a slightly grittier performance suits me just fine as well. The Leafs' line of Kulemin - Grabovski - MacArthur had the most success of any breaking through the Pens' tight neutral zone hockey. Fitting, that a nice, tic-tac-toe play wound up notching the winner, as Clarke MacArthur made a nice move to cut into the middle, and leave Brent Johnson out of position.
Colby Armstrong, despite only playing 10:27 - the lowest total ice time on the team besides Matthew Lombardi - was a force on the forecheck. It was good to see @armdog back in action.
The officiating was poor, with missed offsides and penalties for both teams, but at least it seemed more or less even. Phil Kessel high-sticked Kris Letang in the face and gave him a good gash, but a no-call on a slash that cut Kessel's stick in half helped even that out a bit. Lupul drew an interference minor with only five minutes left in the game that, after seeing the replay, looked somewhat dubious, but we'll take it.
This was exactly the cathartic kind of win I needed to see tonight.
Game In Six
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PLAYOFFS!!1
Certified Delusional Optimist
by TheOtherAndrew on Feb 1, 2012 11:38 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
This is ACC
Habs and Sens of every size,
Wouldn’t you like to see a wonderful prize?
Come with Reims, and you will see
This, our home, is the ACC.
This is ACC! This is ACC!
Penguins stopped by Optimus Reim
This is ACC!
Where Armstrong makes a screen
Grabovski’s gonna score some highlight reel goals!
It’s our home, Naz with a nifty goal
In this place of ACC.
I will lurk through behind your defender’s head,
Fly to the net and lights glow red.
Dion is one that hunt for puny head,
You look scared and want to avoid being dead.
This is ACC! This is ACC!
ACC! ACC! ACC! ACC!
Everyone loves when Kulemin scores!
In this house, don’t we love it now?
Everybody’s waiting for a Burkie tweet!
In Buffalo, you’ll see Lupul criticize
Its wealth of windows, making locals go out and…
Whine! This is ACC!
Blue n’ white, not too red.
Are you afraid?
Well, that’s just fine!
Score a goal, once or twice,
Soon a thrashing will suffice.
Ride on Monster’s back while Reims is down.
Everybody cheer! Everybody cheer!
In our home of ACC!
I am the guy that will throw a mower,
From the antannae of the CN Tower.
I am the one who will glide past you,
Make nifty moves while your skates are glued.
I am your nightmare if you cross the line,
Chad LaRose, if you want to drop ‘em that’s fine!
This is ACC! This is ACC!
ACC! ACC! ACC! ACC!
ACC! ACC! ACC!
Wonderful times, wins are here
The home crowd needs to stand and cheer!
What a site, don’t you now see
In our home of the ACC.
In this place!
Don’t we love it now?
Everybody’s waiting for a Kessel goal!
Borje Salming, strikes when you’re not listening,
And Clark will destroy you,
You’ll wish for the ‘08 Leafs,
This is ACC, everyone glee!
Won’t you shut up about the Phil Kessel trade!
Our main star is king of the shooting range,
He will shoot down all your best netminders!
This is ACC! This is ACC!
ACC! ACC! ACC! ACC!
In this place we call home,
Everyone cheer for the brand new Leafs!
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la laaaaa!!
"We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct."
- Niels Bohr
Sorry, unauthorized hotlinking of copyrighted material not permitted.
by Frag on Feb 1, 2012 11:53 PM EST reply actions 13 recs
Rec’d every time.
1/1/11: Saw the beginning of the Optimus Reim era. And it was glorious!!!1
Oh...and Phil Kessel says YAAAAAAYYYY!!!1
by LeafBoy on Feb 1, 2012 11:54 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
i just realized something.
the Leafs all of a sudden know how to play D. 4 of the last 12 games were shutouts. 5 could have been shutouts.
Move along. Nothing to see here...
by Van Ryn's Neurologist on Feb 2, 2012 12:14 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
I consider it 5 shutouts. That last goal was just abysmal kind of “never should have happened” goals.
Being a Leafs fan makes me bipolar.
by BlindSight on Feb 2, 2012 12:24 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
ok, in any case. 5/12 goalless games. that’s pretty good.
Move along. Nothing to see here...
by Van Ryn's Neurologist on Feb 2, 2012 12:26 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
It sure helps not being penalized so often.
"We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct."
- Niels Bohr
Sorry, unauthorized hotlinking of copyrighted material not permitted.
by Frag on Feb 2, 2012 12:30 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
100% PK IN JANUARY.
TWEET AT ME BRO
DAAAAA BLOG
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Feb 2, 2012 1:06 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
erm 2012, for that matter…
TWEET AT ME BRO
DAAAAA BLOG
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Feb 2, 2012 1:06 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
WOO!
5. Special teams continue to move in opposite directions for the Leafs. Their penalty kill polished off a perfect month (17-17), the first team since the Blackhawks in 1974 to go an entire calendar month without allowing a powerplay goal (minimum 10 games). The powerplay meanwhile, scored once on Tuesday, but has just two goals in its last 24 opportunities, clearing missing the quarterbacking presence of John-Michael Liles.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=386591
"We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct."
- Niels Bohr
Sorry, unauthorized hotlinking of copyrighted material not permitted.
by Frag on Feb 2, 2012 1:19 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
not woo on the PP
Move along. Nothing to see here...
by Van Ryn's Neurologist on Feb 2, 2012 1:24 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
MacArthur
We’d been talking a while back about what was wrong with MacArthur. I suggested his hit totals were way down, which might be a sign he was playing differently. The last four games however, he’s had 8 hits – well above his average this year. This was in a Star article tonight…
Wilson challenged MacArthur to find his game two weeks ago by sending the slumping winger to the fourth line…. "I was in a bit of a funk," MacArthur admitted. "I was working but not getting goals or anything going. He (Wilson) wanted to see more of me skating and more on the forecheck. For me, I’m more effective when I’m making hits."
Also, Grabbo’s had 6 and Kulie’s had 8 in the past 4 games. It feels to me like they’re playing harder on the puck and in the corners, and taking it to the net harder. When that line is rolling, you just have to say they’re amongst the league’s best. You don’t beat Malkin when you’re second rate.
I shot a moose once, in upstate New York.
by not norm ullman on Feb 2, 2012 12:22 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
Great to see MGK rolling again. This last stretch of game seems like the first time this year they were playing like they did last year. If they can keep it going we’re in for a hell of show.
"If you've ever questioned whether or not @dboyce47 is a gamer, well, the answer is as plain as the nose that used to be on his face." - Sean Boulton
This is a tweet.
by AM18 on Feb 2, 2012 12:29 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Especially when LBK is doing their best collective-vanishing act.
"I myself am made up entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions."
by Blinky on Feb 2, 2012 1:01 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Grabbo; 8 pts in his last 3 games!!! Gargh!!!!!
by gettingcozywithsarkozy on Feb 2, 2012 9:01 AM EST up reply actions
MGK is back. Reimer is back. It feels like 2011 again.
TWEET AT ME BRO
DAAAAA BLOG
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Feb 2, 2012 1:06 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Somebody fucking Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Hail Grabbo!
by Jack rides ducks on Feb 2, 2012 1:12 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
I love when
the leafs win before a couple days off. I get to revel in the victory for a few days until the next game.
by DSOD on Feb 2, 2012 1:13 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
Also the Blue Jackets lost with 0.4 seconds left in regulation tonight?
#lebda’d
by DSOD on Feb 2, 2012 1:21 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Apparently, the clock stopped with 1.8 seconds left, and the game continued until LA scored the winning goal.
"We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct."
- Niels Bohr
Sorry, unauthorized hotlinking of copyrighted material not permitted.
Oh wow
"We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct."
- Niels Bohr
Sorry, unauthorized hotlinking of copyrighted material not permitted.
It’s that way on the “unofficial” Fox Sports game clocks (from both CBJ and the Kings) and the official one with the overhead view.
CCT, CBJ, SU, NYM, Bills Fan. It can be depressing.
Sometimes I tweet things
Wow. That’s brutal.
I had no idea Lebda’s awfulness could distort the space-time continuum…
by DSOD on Feb 2, 2012 1:35 AM EST up reply actions 8 recs
Armstrong with a nice Corsi number too
As is seemed, the LBK line sucked
link
by pho king awesome on Feb 2, 2012 1:26 AM EST reply actions
Shut. Out.
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
by Chemmy on Feb 2, 2012 1:55 AM EST via mobile reply actions 2 recs
Darryl Finch @Hail_Grabovski
The Kings’ 2 PP goals tonight mean Columbus now have the worst PK% for the season, .1% worse than the Leafs. YOU GUYS, WE DID IT!!!!11
YES. WE. CAN.
TWEET AT ME BRO
DAAAAA BLOG
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Feb 2, 2012 2:07 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
optimus, transform!
now that optimus reim is back, any news on when the new helmet might be unveiled? can hardly wait any longer.
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