Four straight!

Well, it has certainly been a while since my last post (holiday time got hectic, sorry) and a lot has happened. Most recently: THE LEAFS HAVE WON FOUR STRAIGHT! This is craziness! Jonas Gustavsson has really turned on the heat, that Swede is on fire! With Reimer having been out for so long the Monster really stepped up his game and he is now running with his hot streak, because you would have to be a fool not to.

The Leafs have yet to lose in 2012, which is what they needed after a lacklustre December.

Photo by: Graig Abel

Tonight the Leafs played Buffalo where the leafs came out on top 2-0. This is the second shut out for Gustavsson in three games. It's been a much different season against the Sabres this year from last, they dominated the play last year. The Monster was solid in net tonight making the big saves when he needed to.

The team has really picked up their play as of late. They are playing disciplined, fast, and fun to watch hockey. Us fans are really enjoying it eh? It's great. 

Kulemin, who hasn't been able to find his scoring touch this season, scored the first goal of the game eight minutes into the first. The second goal was scored by line mate, Mikhail Grabovski, with a beautiful back hand shot. 

Photo by: Graig Abel

The Sabres, who have dealt with the injury plague all season, lost one of their top scorers in Vanek during the first period. He is said to have an upper body injury.

The Leafs take a small breaks from their home stretch of games to visit the Sabres (once again) in Buffalo on Friday followed by the Rangers on Saturday. 

As always, 

GO LEAFS GO! 

Well this is awkward..

Considering tonight's outcome this blog post should look exactly like my previous one. So to read my views on the Boston/Toronto dilemma just read the post below this one.
Only two things I really need to say in this post
1) Grabo continues to score against Boston scoring another one tonight (maybe he should give the rest of the team some pointers, for they clearly have issues)
2) JAMES REIMER PLAYED TONIGHT! OPTIMUS REIM WAS IN NET AND IT WAS GLORIOUS TO SEE HIM THERE. I, in no way, blame Reimer for this loss. He kept the team in the game for much longer than they should have been.

Photo by Elsa

Also, Tuukka Rask played amazing tonight, and that trade almost hurts me more than the Kessel/draft pick that turned out to be Seguin  deal because at least we got a league leading scorer instead of Andrew Raycroft.
So let's put this behind and focus on the game against the Rangers on Monday night
As always,
GO LEAFS GO

Why can't we beat Boston?

Is it a psychological thing? Do they just play exceptionally well against us? Do we just suck against them? I really wish we could get an answer.
Usually it's the fact that Tim Thomas plays like a monster in games against the Leafs, but tonight the Leafs were able to put 3 by him. They just could stop the Bruins from outscoring them 6-3.
Leafs scorers were Lupul, Frattin (from a terrible angle), and Grabo.

Photo by Graig Abel

We play Boston again on Saturday, I'm hoping for a win, as are all of you.
GO LEAFS GO!


PS I'm in crunch time at school right now, so my posts will be short and sweet (sometimes sour), but I promise I will continue making legitimate posts as soon as all of my assignments are in!

The injury plague has hit Toronto

I feel like this is just a recording but: once again I was unable to watch the first two periods of the game due to family things and an assignment. So really all I want to say is:
Why?
Why do the hockey gods tend to punish us? Is it possible to play one full season without all the injuries? I feel like November would be having many different outcomes if we weren't constantly having issues; first with Reimer and Armstrong, and now with Grabovski, MacArthur, Komisarek AND Lombardi. I mean come on! We cannot catch a break here, and we never have because this seems to always happen to the Leafs for some strange reason.
Well, with that off my back I'm just going to end the post because I'm feeling a bit depressed over this. Four players in two games, I can't believe this.
We play the Capitols on Saturday, let's hope for some good news, non?

It's not over until it's over

This game honestly started out like [feces] (see what I did there, punny). Coyotes get two early goals and just like that the Leafs are down 2-0. They were playing sloppy, and it was just an all around mess. I will be the first to admit that I had little hope when that happened.
But this is why I love hockey so frikken much. Despite the Leafs lacklustre start to the game, they improved throughout the game until we saw that spark they had at the beginning of the season. Most of the third period was absolutely brilliant. We scored our two goals - the first from Komisarek (I wasn't expecting that either, believe me) and the second from none other than Phil 'the thrill' Kessel on the power play. After those two goals the game was on a whole other level. Overtime was even better, it really helped show why I love four on four hockey so damn much.

Photo by Graig Abel

Though Scrivens had a bit of a shaky start he turned up HUGE later with multiple glove saves in OT. Despite the loss in the shoot out (worst way to end a great game, but that's just my humble opinion) the Leafs proved that even though they are the second youngest team in the league they have the character, and the ability to come back and take charge of a game, which is a pretty important thing if you ask me.

Photo by Graig Abel

Kessel was a beast all night. If it wasn't for Mike Smith being on his game the outcome could have definitely been different. Kessel still leads the league in goals (13) and in points (25) which is so beyond awesome.
It's a weird feeling when you are still satisfied over a game even though you lost, but with an ending like this one it's hard not to feel a bit of happiness over the Leafs ability to come back.
November has not been a kind month for us so far, let's hope the second half is much better.
Next up the Leafs head over to Nashville to take on the Predators, fingers crossed that the end of this game will carry over to that one.
Side note: Both Clarke MacArthur(upper body) and Mikhail Grabovski (lower body, leg I think) left the game early with injuries