[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

@

The Leafs begin the last half of their season in Boston when they visit the Bruins to complete the last half of a home-and-home against the team. (7:00PM ET)

Related Topic: http://www.hockeyforum.com/toronto-maple-leafs/6244-maple-leafs-half.html

Toronto finally won against Tim Thomas and the Bruins (after losing 4 consecutive games to them and going 1-3-1) with a 5-1 romping over the team on New Year's Day.

Related Topic: http://www.hockeyforum.com/toronto-maple-leafs/6175-gameday-41-toronto-maple-leafs-vs.html

Mats Sundin continued his torrid pace with 2 goals and 1 assist, for 17 Points in his last 8 games. The Captain currently leads the team with 38 points in 34 games played (18G, 20A).

Former Bruin Hal Gill, Jeff O'Neill, and Marlies call-up Kris Newbury scored the other goals for Toronto, who are 18-18-5 and currently claim the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 42 Points. Toronto is 4th in the Northeast Division, the win putting them 1 point ahead of the Bruins.

The Leafs were again with out Centermen Kyle Wellwood and Michael Peca, and Winger Alexei Ponikarovsky.

Related Topic: http://www.hockeyforum.com/toronto-maple-leafs/5773-peca-out-three-months-knee-injury.html
Related Topic: http://www.hockeyforum.com/toronto-maple-leafs/5680-leafs-ponikarovsky-hurt-practice.html
Related Topic: http://www.hockeyforum.com/toronto-maple-leafs/5633-wellwood-leaves-practice-injury.html

Andrew Raycroft, stopping 27 of 28 of shots against his former club, is likely to start tonight against the Bruins once more after playing a solid game in the win for Toronto.

Raycroft is 16-12-4 and has a 3.02 Goals Against Average and .895 Save Percentage through 32 games played.

Darcy Tucker, who returned to the line-up and leads the team in goals (19), had one of his more fiestier appearances this year.

Boston, on the losing end of the game, look to rebound when they return home.

Goaltender Tim Thomas, who had been playing well for the Bruins, allowed 5 goals on 35 shots, including a few weaks ones from Sundin and Newbury.

"It was a pretty darn good shot, but it's one that I save nearly every time".

Before the game, he had only allowed 2 or less goals in each of the last 4 victories against the Leafs. Thomas is now 17-9-3 after games, and holds a 3.07 Goals Against Average and .906 Save Percentage after 31 games.

Marc Savard continues to lead the team in points with 48 in 37 games played, while Glen Murray continues to lead the team in goals with 37 in as many games.

Defenceman Zdeno Chara had the lone goal for the Bruins, who are now 19-15-3 after 37 games played, and trail Toronto by 1 point for the last playoff spot in the East Boston is also last in the Northeast Division, again trialing Toronto by 1 point.

Tonight's game will be the 6th of 8 meetings between the two clubs.

 

[Leafer4Life]

I'm so sick of the bruins, jeeze, lol. Hope we beat em again tonight!

GO LEAFS GO!!!!!!

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

True. The scheduling is ridiculous.

I'm not exactly sick of Boston, since there isn't much hype between the two teams when they play.

I would rather them end at 5 games though. 8 is too many.

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

It's 5-2 Leafs. Alexander Steen has 2 goals, and Bates Battaglia has 2 goals as well. John Pohl scored the other goal and has an assist to go with it, and Boyd Devereaux has an assist.

Now it's whether or not the team will come awaw with the win, and how... you know, with the way they've been playing.

Shean Donovan and Wayne Primeau scored for the Bruins.

The shots are 24-20 for the Bruins.

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

6-2. Newbury has his 2nd in as many games.

 

[panoo]

It's 9-2 for Toronto now!!

With 9:23 to go in the 3RD.

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

It's 9-2 for Toronto now!!

With 9:23 to go in the 3RD.

And Steen with the hattrick. He's finally turned things on again.

They especially need this with Wellwood and Ponikarovsky out of the lineup.

Stajan also has 2 goals.

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

10-2 now. They scored 10 goals.

I think they're the 1st team to do that this season.

 

[panoo]

10-2 now. They scored 10 goals.

I think they're the 1st team to do that this season.

And there's still 4 min. to play!!!

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

Well, that's how it ends.

The Leafs double their 5-1 victory over the Bruins on New Year's Day, with a 10-2 victory over the Bruins today. :dunno:

The story (for me at least) is Alexander Steen. a 5 Point night for him (3G, 2A). He's been playing well as of late, but getting his 1st career hattrick in a season where he was struggline badly has gotta' do something for him.

 

[panoo]

Maple Leafs burn Bruins with 10 goals

Associated Press
1/4/2007 10:13:04 PM

BOSTON (AP) - Alex Steen had his first three-goal NHL game and assisted on two other goals as the Toronto Maple Leafs pounded the Boston Bruins 10-2 Thursday night.

The Leafs last scored 10 goals in a game in 1998.

Toronto, trailing 2-1 after one period, scored five times in the second. After Bates Battaglia and Steen scored to help Toronto regain the lead, 3-2, they each struck again along with Kris Newbury in a span of 42 seconds to make it 6-2 with 3:45 remaining in the period.

Steen began the night with only 10 points.

Also scoring for the Leafs were Matt Stajan, with two third-period goals, Chad Kilger and John Pohl. Ian White, Boyd Devereaux and Tomas Kaberle each had two assists.

The Leafs moved three points ahead of last-place Boston in the Northeast Division. It was only their second road victory since Nov. 24.

It was the seventh meeting of the teams. Toronto has outscored Boston 21-7 in its three victories while being outscored 12-4 by Boston in its four losses.

The Bruins lost their third straight, including 5-1 Tuesday in Toronto, and have been outscored 20-3 in the last three games.

After Pohl gave Toronto a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute, Shean Donovan and Wayne Primeau responded with a pair of goals over the next 7:23 to put the Bruins ahead 2-1.

Battaglia tied it 2-2 when he knocked in the rebound of a White shot, beating goalie Tim Thomas at 1:36 of the second.

FULL STORY