jtvoxboi

Way to go Alex...on target for 42 golas is my guess!!! GO! :hlogo: GO!

I hear that - but it appears a fatigue thing works as well. Maybe Carbos' thinking is as follows....you force the o-zone play, get the opposition guys who are killing the penalty worn down - and often no chance for a complete line change, the Kovy gang swaps in (on a short dump out when the opp is trying to relieve the pressure) and runs around the offensive zone freely, pooring it on real heavy. I've noticed this a few times aroung the 1:10 mark to the :35 remaining on the PP. It might sound a bit stretched... but Sak and the newf seam to keep the early part of the PP rolling with no major gaffs...and the goal in a few instances... GO! :hlogo: GO!

I hope Mr. Blake (it's not his fault) gets totally healthy (sincerely) , and prospers a trade out of "Feaf-land"! (for his own hard-working sake - man is this dude sweat-soaked after a game!) I've said Matts (it's not his fault) :puke: was never the same since the Nords... Wellwood (it's not his fault) :puke: is a testament to that... The way the TO media talks Tucker (injured)(it's not his fault) :puke: , Wellwood (injured - just back)(it's still not his fault), and Sundin (it's not his fault, but I scored a 'Sittler' - ride the media wave baby, ride the wave) :puke: should all have scored 40+ last season...but due to health...whatever, (it's called conditioning you overpaid group of low-drafts)... I, know, I know, every team deals with injuries, but no-one else is whining... Maybe once McCabe (injured) :puke: is healthy the Laughs will give him 40mins+ of ice time a game and he can score 40+ for the BIG BUCKS HE'S BEING PAID...nice moves JFJr....Man I'm nasty... It's the high value of the Canadian dollar that's causing this problem for the TML's... Heh...Heh...Heh... GO :hlogo: GO!

I'm in, take a look at my AV..... I'll be at the game tonight... GO :hlogo: GO!

I find it funny how in the article it states that Matts now has a ligit linemate who is not an aging veteran to work with but he fails to mention that that veteran guy may well be Matts... Think before you write... ...and... he states they 'may have' overpayed for Blake... WOW now that's the way to cover your useless reporting hide... 'cause if he ends up lame, JF is to blame... ... and ...then continues to bash that MTL overpaid for Hamrlik. I'm not quite sure how he knows the $$$ on an un-disclosed deal. Sure we all have a good idea of what it took to make the deal work. ...but the reporting over confidence-incompetence is sickening. Your puiishment for print trash... go watch TSN. ....oh you already were.... I had no idea.... J

My understanding is that Mickey D's is always short handed? ...or at least short staffed, SS's number's aren't so good when short-handed... I don't think this was a good signing for McD's. Kidding... "Come back Shel....bang in another 20 or so PP goals... it couldn't hurt to be on the squad that will take 25 of 100!!!!" And if that doesn't work out... ...(as any Montrealer knows) working at Lafleur's would be better anyways... :lool: J

ATHLÉTIQUE.CANADIEN you are totally TOTALLY right!!! ...wow, we are a bunch of armchair hockey rocket scientists aren't we... I can't understand any coach bashing and the trash talk against certain players... if this were the attitude in Ottawa, Daniel Alfredsson(133), would have been out of a job based upon his 'draft' level... potential, it's about seeing the potential and working with it, not over 4 months but two to three years, or are Higgins (2002), Lapierre (2003), Latendresse(2005), and Halak(2003) all a bunch of losers? NO WAY!!!... give them time... and there are more to come... Real habs fans know how to wait for real talent. The Flower scored 500 plus in his 14 year NHL career, but not 50 in his first year... Gainey wasn't drafted(8) to score goals, either was Doug Jarvis(24). Kirk Muller was(2) expected to score goals and still took 3 years in MTL to win a cup... Carbo(44) won Cups here as well. Would we boot out a Lacavalier(1) if he didn't score in his first year (28 points) if he was on our bench? This isn't pee-wee... Let's bleed (for now, then get stitched up), knowing we can heal and come back with a nasty looking scar that'll make everyone say, "That will NEVER happen again!" Nobody want's to play against a war-scarred team. Fine tune what we've got, and we are going to be killer next year. Sorry the post is so long... GO :hlogo: GO! Cheers, J

...at least the game was decided by the players and the rules today (not useless refs)... not Kyle whinewood...oops.. Wellwood lying on the ice as though his face had been ripped off in the second intermission... oh, I'm sorry, was this supposed to go in the anti-leafs thread... ...I love great hockey... ...maybe we should have an anti-bad-blind-in-one-eye-bought-out-turn-the-other-way ref thread... ...and... the game today was also decided by goalies... ...two pretty green goalies who made it pretty entertaining... ...I love great hockey... ...good thing the leafs are out , I don't have to listen to comments about the ice not being scraped properly for shoot-outs, or how Mats is almost Darryl Sittler, how Wellwood has all the tools to be a huge goal scorer, and how Darcy Tucker is a complete player... or how the leafs would have been in weeks ago if it wasn't for the Kaberle hit... TSN will take about 8 and a half seconds to head to basketball and baseball. Heck, with the Leafs coming so close, they (TML) may as well sign John Ferguson Jr. for another round. The media in TO just wrecks the game. :puke: ...I love great hockey... ...if you listened to the play-by-play today, they called it biased for sure, but they never made any player sound like he was the saviour to the cup... ...I love great hockey... cheers, watch the playoffs, we will learn where we were not ready... but we will be! GO :hlogo: GO! J

I hate to do this and sound like a whiner, but here's what I feel is the truth... and what is to blame. I have the game on dvd - recorded and saw the Begin-Wellwood thing live (and have watched it frame by frame a few times already)... here's my take as I believe this setup the rest of the game's 'mood'. The buzzer (and ref's whistle) sounded (end of period 2) as Mats was facing the endboards, and then started turning turning around behind the net, he had no idea where KW was... KW was at the center of the face-off circle, gliding towards the net when this happened. Out of lack of professionalism, Mats almost 2 (about 50 frames @ 30 frames per second) seconds later after turning and spotting Wellwood, passed the puck to him... If I am a defensive player, after the play is dead and see a player going to (a) shoot at my goalie who may not be prepared, or (B) run into him, again he may not be prepared, I'll put myself in position in any way possible, to stop and protect him, including a stick check... (a fist in the head is going to put me in the box, a cross-check will put me in the box, a shove may get me a roughing or instigator p, so what do I do???) Because it seemed so 'intense' during the last 20 seconds of the period, we forget that the Mats pass to Wellwood, was almost as late as the Thomas Kaberle hit. This would, as per the NHL Official rulebook be the equivalent as Mats or Wellwood trying to instigate as they easily heard the buzzer, heck I could on my TV and every other player on the ice has slowed to a glide... If the play had been a late shot while crossing the blue line it would be like the buzzer sounding as you hit centre ice but took your shot between the face-off circles? That wouldn't go over well with any defenseman. Even your goalie would probably go 'Hextall. But, the well mannered, just back from injury Huet, walked away, and didn't say a word, but tearing a strip from the ref's might have played out (in the penalty calls) different if he had approached the ref with a, "How long were you going to let them play, until I get hit for nothing?" The pass did hit off Wellwood's stick (great pass by Mats) and was on route to the net... watch it if you've got it recorded, the only thing that slowed it down was Begin's ugly defensive move... ugly, but necessary... what don't defend my goalie, ...okay....? So with Mats or Wellwood in the box, Begin sitting would have been fair... But, but because of a quick call by the refs, not really thought out as to what fully happened, and the big gasp by the crowd, the game was toast. I believe TO was hot in the first, not because they were great, but the habs didn't attack. I believe the habs were great in the second, because if they skate hard, they are a sharper team than the leafs. I believe that the leafs entering the 3rd a goal down, with the man-ad was just a ref-ing joke. Top that with two goals that were odd deflections or blooper of a habs stick, and the game was 5-3 Montreal. I'm not saying TO wouldn't have come back or put up some of the best hockey we've seen from them this year, but... Bragging rights go to the Leafs for not losing, but definitely not for winning. The sub-standard and unwise effort of the black and white stole the game. I'd feel the same for any goalie on any team... in any league... Better effort next year bleu, blanc, rouge... GO :hlogo: GO! ...always, J

I just wish we could make it all easy... We win tonight... The leafs lose a long slow game tonight, with tonnes of fights, stupidity, and, and, and... Saturday, we hit the ice in TO and just tear them apart... ...just because we are the better hockey club... ...just because we love hockey and the habs... ...just because we want good teams in the playoffs, and always have wanted the best to win... ...this late in the year, an OT win against last place Philly is truly not playoff worthy... Mats played, Kyle played, Tucker played, Kaberle played and the game was that tight, when it should have been a KO in the 2nd... so what is the excuse? I don't care who's in nets... there is no excuse... but leaf fans can't see that... ...coming down the stretch on the other hand, since March 8th, the habs have marked 18 of a possible 24 points (.750 hockey) and in the same stretch TO has played 26 possible points for 16 points of which 5 points where gained via overtime? (.615 hockey). Old points system(.538), leafs are already golfing... meaning the leafs are worse than we even realize... ...time to say your prayers... GO :hlogo: GO! Cheers, J

You're talking as though Leaf fans are something we play with and then drop off at a Salvation Army Thrift Store when we get bored of them... heh, heh, heh, (like toys we forget when we grow up)... ...that in mind, I'd say the thrift stores have gotta be rammed with useless stuff they will never sell, cause everyone is bored of at least 1 leaf fan... ...this means leaf fans are more useless that unsold retro fashion.... Wait a minute, that makes sense... ..that means the next come-back from a leaf fan will be a "Winning the Cup is so Retro." That will make their losing record 'cool'. Now all the leaf nation needs is to find a reason why Domi would be the best coach for the leafs future...and they will... as you said, they have a response for EVERYTHING! I am so mean... GO :hlogo: GO! Cheers, J

...well, I am a believer, and I believe this, that if there were 6 Jesus' on the ice tonight, they'd all work totally hard and play the best game of their life... They'd check harder, skate faster, shoot to tear a hole in the back of the net. Point being, always give it all you've got. I think Carbo's point is... the habs are going to try and score, and WIN, even if it appears they are up against a miracle-worker in net. Remember, as per the CJAD habs ads, "to a Montrealer, hockey is religion, time to say your prayers!" ...I will now get off my soapbox to say... "let the good Lord have mercy, but let the habs show none!" Enjoy the game! GO :hlogo: GO! Cheers, J

Hey Wamsley, I was fortunate enough leave TO in July '05 and haven't looked back... I could not believe after living in the Leaf Nation for only a year, how sad the state of a hockey mind in Toronto. Most 'TO sports-talking-heads' had been run over by a zamboni, and the fans have all had their heads frozen... 11 years of the Toronto trash still makes me puke. :puke: I remember before the Lock-out/Walk-out when the Feafs picked up Owen Nolan just at the trade deadline, and for a week I heard nothing on the radio except how this guy was going to lead them to the cup. I'm not kicking ON, but these fans just don't know. By the way have you noticed that somehow Tomas Kaberle, once he had his bell rung, was suddenly the best Maple Leaf... And he has a 2 goal game when he returns and is picked as an NHL.com star... (but Alex Kovy scored 2 and then 2 more the next game and ...nothing...) but 5 minutes earlier, the leaf's season depended on Kyle Wellwook and Darcy Tucker getting back in the line-up? Boy, I'm glad those guys are back (sarcasm intended), 'cause now Mats (over-rated) has scored 80 goals since they returned... but that would suit a Toronto fan, as they can't remember when they last won a cup or what the media said yesterday. The Leafs, the Toronto fans, the management, and the proud leaf nation are a lot like the CN tower in TO. -- Every once in a while they flash 'bright' in the night, look like pinheads in the process, have a fat head, and for many years they have deceived people into thinking that they are the point in the universe which is hockey Mecca... but really, haven't really served a purpose ever (except robbing the fans of $$$ and cups), but, oh yeah, they are taller... and a ride to the top of the tower is only $12 and you can see the top of the ACC (Roger's Center) from there. .......wow...... Whether they (ML) make the post season or not is irrelevant, because they will get killed by pretty much anyone they play. If Montreal digs the Leaf's '07 grave, it would be funny (it has happened 24 times before), but there will always be some media crap as to why TO lost, not why the HABS won. That is the unwritten code for broadcast, these days... Even Don Cherry has distanced himself from the Leaf Nation in someways over the last few months... I wonder if they (the CBC) will enforce a 14 second time delay if he says something pro-Montreal - probably. GO :hlogo: GO! Cheers, J

IMHO... I think the HABS staff faired incredibly well this year... remember, lots of new faces (both players and coaches) to the NHL ranks and as a whole, they can play equal to any squad on a good night. That is the key, as the staff gets to know how to push each player, it will develop into great effort at a team on the ice. That just takes time. Carbo very silently runs the show, understands the Montreal media, and is handling it all very well... better the Paul Maurice is in TO, and this is his 2nd time around the NHL. I think Guy C makes himself very clear to the players without saying to much, especially to the media. I wouldn't want to sit in a room and watch game tape and have him be totally silent. I would instantly know everything I had done wrong. and I'd be desparate to fix it. Bob G knows the D-game incredibly well and along side Doug J, they were every opposing #1 line's nightmare going back to the later Lafleur years. DJ was a deadly face-off guy and pretty much every offense hated how he stuck like velcro. Ask Bobby Clark. This is why he was/is the power-play designer now, 'cause he knows how to beat the defensive thinkers, 'cause he is one. So, yes I think the goal is to use defensive knowledge to beat the D. Darn smart, I say. Kirk M. has a strong offensive mind, and understands the speed of the new NHL. As for G-tending, Roland M knows the score, and netminders that come in with an open mind of developing in a positive direction, do. Jose T. would know exactly what I mean (you don't believe it was the Colorado weather that made him leave do ya?)... So I think the staff is pretty strong. And truly, any crap around the dressing room that is really going to affect play isn't tolerated. Unless I hear some reliable insider story of how Kovy's russian interview was not a great joke around the locker-room, I believe stuff like this generates a positive LOL behind closed doors. Only people who want to be pissed off about nothing believe he said all this stuff. If he had caused an issue, he would be in the same situation as Samy. The team's not dependant on any one player. Carbo's proved that. With strong players and a deep talent pool, they are going to get a lot out of the team. Looking at the health issues, media zoo and line bouncing since the All-Star break, and to be edging close to a post-season spot with guys who don't even know each others 'nick-names' at this point is pretty impressive. It's all demons for the opposition. How do you play a man-to-man when the lines are never the same... The youth will bring creativity... I just hope they bring it on soon. The second half of the second Boston game may be a part of that. Again addressing the 'Staff' issue, I'd play under this gang over any staff out there, except the (sorta' retired) my way or the highway S. Bowman... These guys are gonna' be deadly in a year or two. IMHO GO :hlogo: GO J

For the sake of chewing on the possibilities... ...when (if) Huet returns, in time for the p-offs (and we make it), and he is (hopefully) in fairly good shape, wouldn't it mean that Halak was doing something right and keeping us in the running? Why fix what ain't broke? I don't think every rookie falls apart come the post-season. IMHO, save Huet, let the guy heal real good. It would make a real strong duo next season... I wouldn't depend on Huet carrying all the 'weight'... Heck, if he re-injured himself, just because we snuck into the playoffs, it could shred any long-term netminding plans... A cup this year is not all that matters... so why risk it? Early next season I'd hate to have to be looking at 'if' Price is ready, or 'if' Halak had developed enough to handle the pressure or 'if' Huet is healthy long term or ready for the task? ...last... I wouldn't pick Abby over any great fresh effort...Go Halak Go... GO :hlogo: GO J ...I think Abby got the flu in December... and still has it...

...I agree... ...but, somehow, the 4th line with Kovy and Lapierre scored 2 and a deparate late 3rd period game winner against St. Louis... It may just prove that 'dumping' Kovy to the fourth line as a 'discipline' will turn into an effort to try something 'new'. I don't buy it, but again, they did pot the goals. ...and Higgins looked pretty good in Kovy's set-up spot along the boards...not perfect, but a few creative ideas. GO :hlogo: GO! J

glass half full, glass half empty... I just hope the current crew is not thinking about filling the glass at a golf club's 19th hole soon... I blame no one for the current situation except a really well balanced league now, and that is awesome... Sure we could look at Kovy's general play, Saju's on and off performance, Huet being out, Higgin's early injury, the New Year flu bug, and a million other things, BUT, I thing this looks like many teams just a year or two before it all clicked. Heck, in November, no one knew who (except for Bulldog fans) Lapierre was... I would have loved for it all to have 'clicked' this year, and still, it could. Truthfully I can't see a much better future than what already lays before us until about 2010). At some point, Gainey, Carbo, and, and, are going to develop the scoring touch from within... Look at the league leading teams and the teams climbing the standings right now, the way to the playoffs is score 25-45% higher that against. There's no magic there, but when a d-man is your goal scoring weapon (great bomb from the point... no offence meant SS, but 'Sid the kid' and others prove the point that it's great near-the-net control that pops the lid), time to work on something new on the chalk-board. Price is a real possibility in our future, and if there comes some solid creative linemates, it could look good in a few years. BTW...anyone know what the combination of wins/losses are to make the post season? Is there still a 'magic' number? About a week ago, someone mentioned to me that 500 hockey would have secured 8th. From what I see, if I'm adding it up right, we have to play about 700+ if everyone else plays 500 hockey, or about 918 hockey if everyone stays on their current trend... scary!!! GO :hlogo: GO

...most of the players on the leafs squad have failed phys ed since 1967 as well... LOL ...just too tempting... GO :hlogo: GO!

Last week-end I was at a my daughter's ringette tourney in Ottawa, and the 'leaf's suck' shirts where all over the sports shops in the arenas. ...really funny... The staffer who was sharpening skates kept looking at the shirts, chuckling and saying, "Ain't those shirts just great?!" I have yet to travel anywhere where people don't comment on that Toronto has Leaf fans - not hockey fans. ...by the way, the posted video from youtube is pretty funny... great find. ...wake up time Saku and the boys... next 6 to 7 games are huge.. GO :hlogo: GO!

Agreed, and here's my supportive rant... 1 - Higgins is still getting his legs under him... 2 - Sammy's just starting to feel his way... (sorry for the wavers) 3 - Kovy's gotta' heal (but do it quick)... (Sammy needs coaching) 4 - Shorten the shifts... 5 - When a great stick handler is moving, don't stand still and watch... crash the net... 6 - Shoot, Shoot, Shoot, stop looking for perfect plays. For every highlight goal, there are 5 working goals. 7 - Dig in the corners, lose teeth, put them under your pillows, and the NHL fairy will bring you a cup. 8 - Clear it immediately up the boards in the d-zone, no stick-handling what-so-ever!!! 9 - ...and everyone...Shoot, shoot, shoot. 2 goals on 20 shots is 4 goals on 40... 10 - Don't try to set-it-up like Kovy does, as no defense is frozen by anyone else on the CH squad. ...and I do believe that the habs are troubled by penalties because they are unsure what will be called. I believe we were outplayed by NJ last night but I re-watched the game and at least 3 times I saw blatantly bad calls. The most obvious was in the 3rd period, Plek had his face to the boards, trying to fend (1 on 1) then he would obviously want to break deep or back up the boards and took a 2 handed stick across the back. Sure he went down easy, but this is a cross-check... not a body check... so what gives, we lose the puck and out of the d-zone goes NJ? Koivu's hook was a joke, as he did not at all impeed the player with the puck, the call was made in the neutral zone but the play stopped in the MTL zone because NJ's continues up-ice un-impeeded? I watch a lot of games, and it appears that game to game, the refs are reading a different rule book. This is not a defense for MTL, but more of a general question... Hooking is caused by 'the one that got away'. Are the habs skating so lazy compared to the early part of the season, that this is the way they are (not) dealing with the speed issue? I think not. We don't get caught on a lot of 2 on 1's and the like, so I'm starting to wonder if the boys lack confidence in hard fore-checking. Think back to how few times we've halted the opposition d-zone exit since the New Year. Heck, even Lapierre was scoring goals when our 4check was aggresive. Everyone is using the basketball style pic now, which should be interference... so is the NHL going to start allowing players to skate through that? If we do, players are gonna get flattened. The reason I say that is because it is an infraction to slow a player on route to the puck, to make him go the long way around is ideal, but what about the player who decides he's going to skate over the pic? And for my last lick, BG is still probably in a bit of a personal fog regarding his family's loss. I do believe he will step in sometime soon, and start calling shots which will appear to come from Carbo. I know I saw Saku panting like a dog in the P-box, he's working hard and so are a lot of other guys. Gainey need that vocalise that this hard work ethic needs to bleed as a team. :hlogo: Sure I may sound over confident in my assesment, but when I watch NJ, Calgary, Buffalo, I don't see these teams playing different compaired to the early season played by the habs, except for the confidence and play control in transition from D to O. Opposition speed is killing us, we have lots of our own, but aren't using it wisely or at all. Go :hlogo: Go! J

Sadly, I was listening to the radio the morning this news broke... I won't name the Montreal radio station that aired the story.. but I was pretty angry when it was reported as 'Guy Lafleur's son'. Never once did they say his own name. First reports were all about the event, and accusations. Guilty or not, I agree, Tourette is not at all responsible unless he is on some med trial... If I understand correctly, he's 22 and makes his own bed, if you get my meaning. Sure there's name power in dropping "the flower" bomb. Just report the facts and name the name correct, or at least say it... I'm sorry for the victims in this, the girl (if in fact it happened) and GL for being smeared by trash reporters who fail to hunt down, break and report real news. There's no sports section in the National Enquirer... GL was a great player, worked hard at his game, won a few cups, and had (was possibly responsible) a few media oops post the glory days, but he has moved on to be a good humanitarian, and is a part of helping many less fortunate people. Report that! Sadly, his son has put possibly put his father and himself in a position that disrespects and tarnishes all that good news. Hope that 'dad' and experience will teach a lesson here. ...disappointing... j

This cool if true, but if it just in the mill... too bad. If he's rested, and there for the game, he could cause some serious damage, notice he plays a pretty agressive 4-check and doesn't spend time in the box. The rest of the squad has no reason not to be up for this game. If :hlogo: can keep the feafs on their heels for half the game, we could smoke 'em 5 or 6 to 1. It's about time we blew someone out of the rink. We've got no excuses tonight, no flu, no (or few) injuries, and even the extra day after the all-star break. Since Huet was prime in the all-star game, a jump straight to a ****-out is possible. No spelled - not jinxed. Only negative I can see is being in Toronto. And that's not so bad considering it's at least 5 degrees colder here in MTL. I say the habs should try and do their part in getting Mr. Ferguson fired... if you know what I mean. Skate boys, skate. Cheers and beers, GHG

I'm not making fun of Belanger... seriously. HWL is a potentially very cool thing... I'm making fun of reporters who don't MAKE the sports news, they REPORT it and fail miserably, especially considering the NHL and the Maple 'Feafs' nation :?- . Belanger is on a Stanley Cup caliber squad. He must be doing something for CH coaches and management to want him this year, right?!?! Read the recap I mention in my original post about the TML vs CH game last night. They (nhl.com) report Belanger scoring for the Leafs ??? There are few big mouths on TSN and NHL.com who wouldn't have a job in the real world for the gaffs they spew. I love the league, hate the fact that it appears half the reporting staff bleeds blue and white. Sadly, when there's no Toronto news to report, they still don't know how to get out of their easy chairs to find the remote to change the channel, 'cause why would you watch anything other than Leafs TV? Cheers, and Go :hlogo: Go! By the way, Saku :hlogo: did hit 500, and I don't see it as an nhl.com headline??? ...Funny an all-time 'fight the odds and adversity' player hits a 'nice' mark, but not a word, except in the game recap. Even Koivu's reaction was professional, and put the standing 'O' in the back seat to stay focused. If a Leaf hit that mark, we'd be watching the highlight real 'til April. Jerks. Come out of the rehash reporting closet please. Agree anyone?

I hate to do this but this nhl.com reprint of the recap of the Toronto/Carolina game needs some 'injections' so it makes sense and doesn't wreak of Leaf's Nation crap. Quoted (10:57PM - see recap of game scores on nhl.com TML vs CH) with some venom injected... read on for fun... my ads are marked with ... - or ... - TORONTO (AP) -Eric Staal, Scott Walker, Eric Belanger ... - defected according to report, and Justin Williams scored to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night. Ray Whitney had two assists for the defending Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes, who have won two straight following a three-game losing skid. ... - and if I look at the Leafs season skid... oops, I'd rather not. Bryan McCabe scored the lone goal for the Maple Leafs, who are missing four regular players because of injuries, including Darcy Tucker - who entered tied for the most power-play goals in the NHL. ... - and every other team in the league is totally healthy, quit whining. Darcy's 'great PP goal run is marginally reportable. I really mean who cares, would his presense have won the game when TO took 3/4 of the penalties in the game. The injury woes got worse for Toronto when defenseman Ian White didn't return after hurting his shoulder along the boards in the second period. ... - that's called conditioning... no offence IW, get well, your locker room needs all the help it can get. Fans booed the Maple Leafs in the final minutes. ... - I'm glad the Leafs nation is run by fans who want blood on the ice but can't figure the top of the tree comes down first. ie. bye - bye Mr. Fergie... Belanger gave Toronto *** had to inject... - how does Toronto lead a game 2 -1 when they lost 4 - 1 and there is no Belanger who plays for the Leafs? The writer must have been dreaming again, and well, a hard working CH player (from Quebec might I add...) must be pissed!... *** a 2-1 lead 2:51 into the second period on a power play, sending a screened shot from the blue line past Andre Raycroft. ... - So let me get this right, in Toronto, when a player defects to the Leafs mid-play, scores on their Goalie, means that they lead the game? Sorry, must be those new Toronto NHL hockey rules, 'cause it's the only way they'll ever win a cup... Staal made it 3-1 with his 19th goal on a one-timer that beat Raycroft on the glove side at 18:17. Williams added an empty-net goal with 15.3 seconds left. ... expected. Carolina's Cam Ward made 29 saves for his second win in four career games against Toronto. ... - good solid goalie. McCabe gave Toronto a 1-0 lead at 15:24 of the first with a hard one-timer, but Walker tied it at one at 1:51 of the second by patting the puck out of the air and past Raycroft. ... By the second period, I guess maybe TO ran out of gas? Oh sorry, we're not supposed to report that. The Hurricanes beat former coach Paul Maurice, in his first year with Toronto. ... - Is this news? Notes: Tucker has missed four of the past five games with a left foot injury. ... - Not the Saviour, I guess. ... The Maple Leafs are also missing Kyle Wellwood (groin), Alex Ponikarovsky (shoulder) and Nik Antropov (sprained ankle). ... - As if we haven't heard already. My goodness, sadly, I've seen more footage of the not-game-ready KW that I have of game-ready E. Staal on TSN ... Maurice coached the Hurricanes franchise for more than eight seasons and ranks first in wins (268), games coached (674), playoff wins (17) and playoff games coached (35). ... - and he's no longer employed there. In closing... Sorry, I just had to do it. The habs are getting well again, and we will continue to see the TML fall, and sadly, we will be hearing about the Ferg years refered to same as the HB years of Leafs mis-management, sad excuses. Yes, I am still very mean. And right. Wake up Toronto. Stats below from the Carolina Hurricanes web site. Player ERIC BELANGER GP 44 G 7 A 9 PTS 16 +/- 1 PIM 12 PP 2 SH 0 GW 0 GT - S 83 PCTG 8.4 Laugh guys (and girls), laugh, J

Isn't this the best problem in the world to have to deal with... Lots of talent and many guys who know they have to produce or watch their hide get kicked to the AHL or elsewhere. I'll say it again, Bob Gainey and Doug Jarvis knew the talent was ripe back a few years ago when DJ was in Hamilton. When BG gets back in the swing, he will raise his trusty staff and part the AHL - NHL ice as needed. The guys who are hungry to wear the :hlogo: are pretty much on the roster... AND there are others who ARE worthy who are just dying to get aboard. I LOVE IT. I still want Lapierre back... I think he could/would continue to put the puck in the net... while on the 4th line, now that's B) cool. J