NEW GOALIE PROSPECT ?

A couple of playoff/wild card wannabes went at tonight at Scotiabank Arena.  That’s correct, the Toronto Maple Leafs now fall in to the wannabe category having lost their last two and 4 of their last 6 games.  The Boston Bruins are just 2 points back.  Tonight’s opponent, the Dallas Stars are 3 points out of a playoff spot with a couple of games in hand.  Their top line of Joe Pavelski, Roope Hintz and Nick’s way bigger brother Jason Robertson lead their team in both points and + / -.

With Auston Mathews out, John Taveres moved up to the first line, Alex Kerfoot centered the second and Kyle Clifford got a turn on the fourth thanks to a Wayne Simmonds scratch.  25 year old rookie goaltender Erik Kallgren got his first NHL start.

After Sunday’s debacle in Hamilton, you could see the Leafs with an extra jump right off the bat.  Better team speed, breakouts and d-zone coverage led them their 1-0 goal.  A great clear out pass and excellent zone entry was converted by the guy who started it all 200’ away.   Rasmus Sandin shovelled in his 5^th with great set up passes from John Tavares and Mitchell Marner.  Later, a Tavares face off win went back to Timothy Liljgren whose set-up to for a Nylander point shot had Tavares tip it in to make it 2 zip.  A couple of late period saves by Kallgren and a mad scramble required a holding call on Ilya Lyubushkin to end the period.

The second period seemed dominated by penalties to both sides.  Was this a hangover from all that Mathews talk ?  Lallgren was again front and centre as he stopped 7 SOG during one such sequence.

Utility forward Ondrje Kase not only played a significant role on the fourth line, but filled in for Mathews on the # 1 power play unit and eventually scored his 13^th on assists from Reilly and Marner.  Ilya Mikaev buried the 4 nothing win with his 11^th in to an empty net.

HOPPER NOTES: Leafs Nation was more than a little annoyed when Colorado snared right shooting, tough guy d-man Josh Manson from Anaheim for a second rounder, a prospect and still paying half of his salary…if Dallas d-man John Klingberg was auditioning for a Leafs deadline acquisition, he failed…LOVE the teaming up of Mo Reilly and Lyubuskin – now maybe Morgan can play his own game…Rasmus Sandin skated miles tonight – maybe concerned that he will be the “add-in” on any deadline trades ??…Boy I wish I was the TV Ad rep on the new BET MGM account with the Wayner – just hammered it during the pre-game show…congrats to Coach Keefe on his 100^th win as Leafs Coach.

Enjoy Your Life – CHEERS !

The second period seemed dominated by penalties to both sides.  Was this a hangover from the Mathews talk ?  Lallgren was again front and centre as he stopped 7 SOG during one such sequence.

Utility forward Ondrje Kase not only played a significant role on the fourth line, but filled in for Mathews on the # 1 power play unit and eventually scored his 13^th on assists from Reilly and Marner.  Ilya Mikaev buried the 4 nothing win with his 11^th in to an empty net.

HOPPER NOTES: Leafs Nation was more than a little annoyed when Colorado snared right shooting, tough guy d-man Josh Manson from Anaheim for a second rounder, a prospect and still paying half of his salary…if Dallas d-man John Klingberg was auditioning for a Leafs deadline acquisition, he failed…LOVED the teaming up of Mo Reilly and Lyubuskin – now maybe Morgan can play his own game…Rasmus Sandin skated miles tonight – maybe concerned that he will be the “add-in” on any deadline trade ??…Boy I wish I was the TV Ad rep on the new BET MGM account with the Wayner – just hammered it during the pre-game show…congrats to Coach Keefe on his 100^th win as Leafs Coach.

Enjoy Life – CHEERS !