MURRAY FIRST HOME WIN 34 SAVES !

The Buffalo Sabres, for the billionth time this past decade started off their season with a show of promise from their young, re-building roster.  True to form they began hot out of the box with the likes of Tage Thompson, Alex Touch, Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power showing the way to a possible playoff placement.  Also true to form, they have now lost 7 in a row to fall out of contention early.  Rochester call-up Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen got the start in goal tonight replacing an injured Eric Comrie.

The Toronto Maple Leafs went 1-3 against these pesky Sabres last season and tonight started the first of three at Scotiabank Arena.

DEFENCE – DEFENCE !  We all know what wins championships in any team sport -DEFENCE !  The Leafs have been dealt a bad blow on the Muzzin news coupled with 2-3 week absence of stalwart TJ Brodie.  Kyle Dubas can not just standby and watch his already mediocre defence corps drop any further.  Sure, we’ve all heard the obvious trade bait names like Karlsson, Chychrun and Klingberg.   More realistically, this reporter believes that Dubas should be looking more along the lines of righties like Vlad Gavrkrov from Columbus, Connor Murphy from Chicago or Brendon Dillon from Winnipeg.  All 3 of those teams have needs currently and Toronto has some pieces eg Muzzin’s LITR, Nick Robertson and Justin Holl to send the other way.

 After a rather pedestrian start, the Leafs began to take the momentum and made the Sabres look nervous.  Captain Johnny got his 10^th on a powerplay at the 7 minute mark deflecting a Mitch Marner slapper off a Mo Reilly feed.  That assist helped Mitchell extend his point streak to 12.  With 2:35 left Cale Jarnkrok popped in his 6^th from Pierre Engvall before the Leafs were sent to the box.  During that PK,  David Kampf sent Marner off on a breakaway, with Mark Giordano not far behind.  As Mitch ran out of room, he backhanded a beauty to a wide open Giordano.  Alex Tuch, the only Buffalo pursuer accidently on purpose threw himself in to his own net, just as #55 let his shot go.  Upon review, the goal coal counted, and the Leafs were up 3-0 after one.

I must admit, after the first 5 minutes of period two I was looking for the exit.  The game seemed to be over.  Yet the plucky Sabres seemed quite determined to make this a game and in fact out shot and out chanced the Toronto squad.  When Buffalo got their power play chance at the 12 minute mark, the pressure applied was enormous.  Future All-star Tage Thompson just rag dolled Jarnkrok to the ice and sent a cross ice pass to Alex Touch for his 9^th.  They got another PP in the 8^th minute and if it wasn’t for Matt Murray’s consistent solid play, we could have had a game.  The Buds got a PP of their own and Nylander picked up some goalmouth garbage thanks to some Tavares and Matthews spade work to put Toronto back up by three.

William Nylander got his second of the game and 10^th of the year off another Tavares assist and then Casey Mittlestat scored his 5^th on a late power play to make the final 5-2.

HOPPER NOTES:  The Leafs bottom six forwards have not brought much to the table lately…Kampf and Jarnkrok get a pass, but Ashton-Reese, Holmberg, Engvall and Malgin might need a ride up in the press box…guys I’d like on my team: Dylan Cozens…as most of you who follow me know, I’m a “ghost” coach, always second guessing the line-up….I would LOVE to have a 15 minute session with Coach Keefe to better understand his reasoning…a really good friend of mine pointed out that the Leafs overtime record is currently 1 and 4 – why is that ?  Happy Birthday to my Grandson Finn who turns 14 on Monday – Cheers !