OK, 4- 4 and 2 after 10. Let’s start the “excuce” trail. St. Louis, Colorado and Tampa Bay – not much better. Pretty much the same record as last year’s start. Do you:
- Split up Mathews and Marner
- Split up Brodie and Rielly
- Try some more AHL Marlie players
- Fire the coach
- Fire the entire executive suite
The Philadelphia Flyers came into to Toronto tonight with a fairly respectable 5-2-2 record after some had predicted that this was a season of re-building. New coach John Tortorella put a pre-emptive scare into his new team last summer with claims his club was “soft” and had “a bad room”. Good strategy ? We’ll see.
Pretty even period from a couple of middle of the pack squads. Joe Fairby made it one zip on a rather routine play to be followed by a TML PPG by a Mathews tap in in to tie it up. John Tavares and Mitchell Marner were there to help at 3:50. At 1:20, the Captain jumped on the 5 on 5 train with a nice feed from linemate Nylander. 2-1 Tranna after 1.
Zac-Ashton Reese (was he the one that dented the Cup?) finally got on the scoreboard with a rebound goal to give the Leafs some insurance. Captain Johnny continued to show his relevant skill on a solo steal at the blue line, coming across the net to score a wonderful goal to make it 4-1. Philly scored on some garbage only to have Tavares complete his hat tat trick from Austin and Reilly. 5-2 final.
HOPPER NOTES: Sorry, I have been quite distracted during this report by some news about my Mother-in-Law Bette. My oldest friends will remember her as a “wild and crazy” loving Mum, Leafs Fan and a person who just loved life, her kids, Grand kids and Christmas…I often remember she could barely fit all her gifts under the tree, a beautiful and prolific knitter who would create these beautiful skating outfits, mitten, scarf and mitten sets, cardigan sweaters for her sons’ in law and Afghans, all with love and a heart of gold….hockey is good, but Bette is better – CHEERS !