Well, judging by all the talk on sports radio today, you would have thought the Toronto Maple Leafs were icing a peewee team to tangle with the defending Stanley Cup Champions tonight in Detroit.
But after sixty hard-fought minutes, the Toronto Maple Leafs finally got what they deserved:
A win.
After a few weeks of trying to clamp down leads late in games, they finally figured it out.
No late-game collapse this time, as the Leafs played a hard, tight-checking system for a full sixty minutes, resulting in a 3-2 upset of the Detroit Red Wings.
Yeah, I know. It's only one game. And I will agree, the Wings were not their sharpest tonight, But if this is the type of game the Maple Leafs are going play for the entire year, they should at the very least be an exciting group to watch.
The question now becomes: Can they sustain this level of play throughout an 82-game grind?
There was a torrid start to start the game, as the Leafs and Wings burned through the first period with end-to-end rushes. Pavel Kubina grabbed the first goal of the game late in the first on a bit of a Chris Osgood miscue. Kubina was the recipient of the goalie's giveaway, which he snuck into the back of the net. Toronto carried a 1-0 lead into the dressing room after twenty.
The Maple Leafs opened up a two-goal lead at 15:04 of the second period, when the hard-working Dominic Moore scooped up a loose puck and roofed it over a prone Osgood. It was Moore's first of the year.
Just over a minute later, Tomas Holmstrom scored from his office—the front of the net—to cut the Leafs lead to one, and surely there were some in Leafs Nation with a bit of a sinking feeling.
7:25 into the third period, Nikolai Kulemin connected on his first-ever NHL goal, a quick wrist shot on a breakaway that beat Osgood.
Holmstrom again spoiled the party, just under two minutes after Kulemin's tally. Holmstrom scored from the front of the net again, once again, cutting the Leafs lead to one goal.
What ensued was a tense final half period for Leafs Nation. It was a period in which Toronto tried to lock down the game with a 1-4 trap, and strong forechecking.
They were rewarded for their efforts, as they were through most of the night, using a strong forecheck to create turnovers and chances on goal.
The Red Wings had a late power play, but couldn't cash, in as Vesa Toskala came up large for the Maple Leafs, making two of his 35 saves.
Shots On Goal
Detroit: 37
Toronto: 29
Goalie Line
Chris Osgood: 26 saves
Vesa Toskala: 35
CBC Three Stars
- Vesa Toskala
- Tomas Holmstrom
- Dominic Moore
Derek's Game Notes
It was so refreshing to see the Maple Leafs so organized out there as a five-man unit. Everyone seemed to know where they were supposed to be, knew their assignments, and there were not a whole lot of mistakes. Like I said above—if this team can continue to play this style all year, they should be an entertaining group to watch, and be very tough to play against.
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about 1 month ago
What!?! LEAFS!!!
..that is all.
about 1 month ago
lol, great contribution Anthony.
I am trying to take the whole "It's only one game" approach. But I can't help but be excited. I know a lot of Wings fans, and more importantly, a lot of Leafs bashers who waited all day to see them fall on their face tonight.
about 1 month ago
Oh, dear. I think I may be developing the same love of Moore. I was at the Coke Zero Fans First Game and thought he was the star of the show. He was a little sloppy with the puck and almost fed Schenn to the dogs once, but Schenn kept his cool and made a quick, safe play.
They still gave up too many shots tonight for my liking, but they weren't great shots and they were throwing their bodies in front of many of them. Toskala did make a couple of good saves. He also lost the puck behind the net a couple of times, which reminded me of last year's Blue and White game in Oshawa when him and Raycroft both couldn't handle the puck to save their lives... made Pogge look great.
about 1 month ago
I'm two goals closer to getting myself a Dom Moore jersey....then again you're talking to a guy who owns a Howie Clark jersey, and whose girlfriend has a Joe Inglett jersey on order.....I'm strange, I get it.
I've been too nervous to say this....but I see Dom Moore as the next captain of the Leafs IF he has a big season this year—he'd be the kind of third-line, grinding captain this team needs and there's a reason that Wilson had him as one of the five guys with 'A's.
Y'all heard it here.
BT
from about 1 month ago
I agree BT, Dom Moore would be an awesome Captain for this time in Leafs history. I'd be with you too on the jersey, I was thinking about it last year too, but then Luke Schenn happened.
about 1 month ago
good win for the LEAFS they deserved it
about 1 month ago
Leafs certainly looked sharp in this game. I loved the way the forwards were sending in one man and collapsing in the neutral zone, trapping but not dumping. There was lots of energy, as there should be on opening night, but the key will be if they buy into Wilson's defensive philosophy for 81 more games.
Toskala was full value and the team's ability to clear their own zone to deny Detroit extended periods of pressure were key.
For individual notes, Moore was tremendous as was Kubina. I thought Mitchell looked lost too often and I was disappointed in Colaiacavo. Grabovski showed lots of speed and jam, he came with a "soft on his skates" rep that wasn't evident last night.
It's only one game but they certainly didn't look like an AHL roster, as some have referred to them, last night.
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