Such a huge huge huge game tonight... I think I'll almost be satisfied even with a shootout loss. As long as Leafs get a point to jump back into the top 8.

Bigger picture though... I want to see Reims have another strong game to regain the confidence of the team and coaches. As happy I am that Gus played well for them when he was needed, this team will miss the playoffs if Reimer doesn't regain the form he showed last year.

I'll do some game notes later, but that was the best game of the season for the Leafs.

__________________
Twitter: @TK12555

Leave this to the guy who was in the house

Sooo.... was around the Leafs blueline, opposite of the benches, very high. Only area I really could not see were near the boards, but the play was barely on the boards.

Notes :

- Well, first, the atmosphere. The first time I went to a Leafs-Sens game that meant something. And the place was 70% leafs. I don't know if you guys on TV could hear, but we boo'ed Alfy, Go Leafs Go, cheered anything the Leafs did and chanted Reimer at the end there. It was insane. As close to ACC like atmosphere without the ACC. Very glad.

- Kessel decided he's turn his gears on tonight being a threat everytime he had the puck. Incredible. Loved that he scored and added 2 assists in the first period off two GREAT passes (the Bozak one was a thing of beauty live) that were central to the goals. He also had a few more great passes through the game.

- Lupul and Bozak, mostly the benefactors here but they also helped make that line the best one the Leafs had. Dangerous all night.

- Grabovski wasn't necessarily on his engine mode tonight, but him + Kulemin + MacArthur had a few nice playes. Seems like flashes of their chemistry are back.

- Lombardi was flying all night as well. Played very well. Armstrong and Connolly didn't seem to do much if at all. A bit disappointed there, but the Leafs as a whole were great, so if this is just a down game then so be it.

- And I think I understand and appreciate the importance of that Brown-Steckel-Crabb line. They were very, very effective. Quite a few plays where Brown would be a hatetrain. There was that one in the 2nd period where he bumped into Anderson, and then Crabb that got Carkner to get a roughing penalty after getting hammered. Steckel isn't overly physical (which you might think he would be to use that frame) but his stick is very active, very smart.

- Defence wise, Gunnarsson I noticed was great when I put my eye on him, which wasn't often since I had to focus him if he was on the ice. Barely noticed him but when I did he was doing his job. Glad we have him.

- Liles, Franson can move that puck. Franson can shoot it damn hard as well.

- Phaneuf was head hunting a few times. Almost nailed a guy once or twice (which reminds me Brown almost got destroyed a few times). Schenn also was very physical. I know I cheered a hit or two of his quite often.

- And the gem was Gardiner.... boy oh boy. If ever you watch him, look at how he goes from forward to backward (180 flip) like if he was walking - one fell swoop. He makes skating look easy. And he was awesome tonight. I didn't check TOI but he must have played around 23 easy. He and Schenn were the top pair tonight I found. Gardiner did have a few bad plays be he broke up and created more plays then mistakes.

- And couldn't have asked more from Reimer. Then again, he didn't have that many hard saves to make in my opinion. Looked like he wasn't super confident in warm up, always looking behind him. I thought that may mean a confidence issue. Glad it wasn't. It really didn't seem like 49 shots against, either. He was chanted for the last 3 minutes straight. We made sure he felt at home :P

(edit) - The PP Was mobile : we really missed Liles on it. Big time. And it was lethal too on our many chances. The PK also seemed much more agile and dynamic. Huge bonus.


Aaaand... I think that's all that really has to be said. It was a big game and we nailed it. 3 of our goals came from the defence, and 3 if not 4 goals came from someone on the right hand side, and the other was a beauty pass from Kessel to spring Bozak on a break.

__________________
UDL
16 Team H2H - Dynasty

Start 3 C/LW/RW each, 5 D, 1 Util, 2 G (IR)

G/A/P/PIM/PPP/SHP/(+/-)/SOG
W/L/GAA/SV%/SHO

C - Little, Ott
LW - EKane, NFoligno, Kulemin, Vanek, Pouliot, Latendresse
RW - Kessel, Carter, Tootoo, Radulov
D - Weber, Green, Larsson, Meszaros, Voynov, Spurgeon, Stralman, Beauch
G - Lundqvist, Rask, York
Farm : Markstrom, MikGranlund, Tatar, Brodin, Orlov, Merrill, Stalock, Kabanov, Moore, Galchnyuk, Rielly, Dansk, JLarsson, Frk

Thanks nights.

Was it just me, or was Connolly invisible tonight?

__________________
Twitter: @TK12555

As mentioned in my post, him and Armstrong were both pretty invisible.

__________________
UDL
16 Team H2H - Dynasty

Start 3 C/LW/RW each, 5 D, 1 Util, 2 G (IR)

G/A/P/PIM/PPP/SHP/(+/-)/SOG
W/L/GAA/SV%/SHO

C - Little, Ott
LW - EKane, NFoligno, Kulemin, Vanek, Pouliot, Latendresse
RW - Kessel, Carter, Tootoo, Radulov
D - Weber, Green, Larsson, Meszaros, Voynov, Spurgeon, Stralman, Beauch
G - Lundqvist, Rask, York
Farm : Markstrom, MikGranlund, Tatar, Brodin, Orlov, Merrill, Stalock, Kabanov, Moore, Galchnyuk, Rielly, Dansk, JLarsson, Frk

Oh, didn't see that one haha.

Armstrong had 2 very good scoring chances. Connolly just did nothing, somewhat disappointing.

__________________
Twitter: @TK12555

Apologies if my eyes were deceiving me, but I'm pretty sure Armstrong was with Steckel and Brown the last couple of games. Crabb has been mostly with Connolly and Lombardi.

That's how it should be too - I believe Crabb has better offensive instincts than Armstrong.

Regardless, I'm a big fan of that 4th line. They need to be able to eat up quality minutes.

I sure hope this team can somehow:

a) make the playoffs
b) avoid Boston in the 1st round (I love this Leafs team, but I think Boston will smoke them)

Okay, that's crazy.

__________________
Twitter: @TK12555

Holy shit.

And I was wondering after that Tuesday loss if Burke would pull the trigger if Wed didn't go well.

Well, 2 shutout wins later...

Burke has to be close to something, but what? when? how?

All burning questions. And while I'l fairly sure most of those are there for Edmonton, you can't help but know that a few are looking at Toronto again.

__________________
UDL
16 Team H2H - Dynasty

Start 3 C/LW/RW each, 5 D, 1 Util, 2 G (IR)

G/A/P/PIM/PPP/SHP/(+/-)/SOG
W/L/GAA/SV%/SHO

C - Little, Ott
LW - EKane, NFoligno, Kulemin, Vanek, Pouliot, Latendresse
RW - Kessel, Carter, Tootoo, Radulov
D - Weber, Green, Larsson, Meszaros, Voynov, Spurgeon, Stralman, Beauch
G - Lundqvist, Rask, York
Farm : Markstrom, MikGranlund, Tatar, Brodin, Orlov, Merrill, Stalock, Kabanov, Moore, Galchnyuk, Rielly, Dansk, JLarsson, Frk

There was a list of the 8 teams not represented....I think it was CBJ, LAK, MTL, NYI, NYR, BUF, and two others I can't find.

__________________
Twitter: @TK12555