[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

@

Losing 2 games in a row and allowing a total of 10 goals in those losses, after winning 5 in a row and allowing just 6, the Leafs look to escape a 3-game losing streak and keep their playoff hopes alive when they face the New York Islanders tonight at the Air Canada Center. (7:30PM ET)

The team's latest game, a 6-5 Overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, featured a hattrick flipped by Rookie Jordan Staal, including the Game-Winning goal in the extra frame. With that, Staal becomes the youngest player in NHL history to record a hattrick.

Related Topic: http://www.hockeyforum.com/toronto-maple-leafs/8300-gameday-56-toronto-maple-leafs-vs.html

In more serious matters, the Leafs also had call-up Kris Newbury falling to injury during a fight with Robert Petrovicky, and being taken off the ice on a strecther. Newbury is now said to be okay, and is back practicing with the team in hopes of playing again soon.

Related Topic: http://www.hockeyforum.com/toronto-maple-leafs/8433-newbury-ok-after-hitting-head-ice.html

The rest of the game didn't fair much better for Toronto. Andrew Raycroft and the Leafs returned home to the Air Canada Center after a mostly successful 5 game roadtrip (collecting 8 of a possible 10 points), and like what has happened already so far into the season, the team looked much different from the more energetic one that plays on the road.

The Leafs fell down 3-0 early in the game, before scoring 4 straight goals, and then 1 more, continually being answered back by the Pens who tied the game 5-5 late in the 3rd, before the Newbury incident and Staal's winner in Overtime.

Bryan McCabe, Nik Antropov, Mats Sundin, Bates Battaglia, and Boyd Devereaux scored the goals for Toronto, who remain 2 points out of the 8th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference (Carolina) with a 27-22-7 record after 56 games, giving them 61 points in total.

Leaf Goaltender Andrew Raycroft allowed 5 goals against on 28 shots, and now has a 25-17-5 record after 47 games, and a 2.94 Goals Against Average and .898 Save Percentage for the Leafs.

Leaf Captain Mats Sundin, who turns 36 years of age today, leads the team with 51 Points 49 Games (22G, 29A), including a point in all 7 games since the All-Star break in January (4G, 5A - 9 Points).

"Physically and mentally I feel as strong as I ever have".

The Leafs are now 19 Points behind Buffalo for the Northeast Division lead.

One point back of the Leafs in the Standings are the New York Islanders, who are currently sitting 10th in the East with a 26-22-8 record and having lost 3 of their last 4 games.

Jason Blake, named to the All-Star game that was played in January, has 27 goals and 48 Points to lead the Islanders. The Isles continue to struggle with consistency, much like the Maple Leafs have this season.

Rick DiPietro has seemingly been coming on as of late, now posting a 22-17-5 record in goal, along with a decent 2.67 Goals Against Average and .915 Save Percentage in 45 games for the the club.

With the Trade Deadline approaching in just over 2 weeks, rumours begin to swirl around the league, with no shortage of them coming from Toronto and New York.

This will be the 2nd meeting of the season between the 2 clubs.

 

[Leafer4Life]

Very important game tonight, as the isles are only 1 point behind us. Gotta beat them! GO LEAFS GO!

 

[panoo]

Leafs look to continue playoff push

The Sports Network
2/13/2007 11:08:17 AM

(Sports Network) - A pair of teams fighting to get into the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff picture meet tonight in Toronto, where the Maple Leafs welcome the New York Islanders to town.

Viewers in the Leafs region can watch the game live on TSN at 7:30pm et.

The Maple Leafs have 61 points and are two behind Carolina for the eighth and final playoff berth in the East. New York is right behind Toronto with 60 points on the year.

The Islanders will try to avoid going winless on their three-game road trip tonight, when they close out the swing at the Air Canada Centre. New York has been dealt losses in New Jersey and Boston so far on the trek and has fallen to 13-13-4 as the visiting team on the year.

The Bruins handed New York a 4-3 setback on Saturday evening, when Boston's Zdeno Chara scored the game-winner in the ninth round of a shootout

After the Islanders' Tom Poti was stopped by Tim Thomas, Chara skated in on net, faked a slap shot and snapped a wrister between the pads of Rick DiPietro to win the contest.

Viktor Kozlov, Mike Sillinger and Miroslav Satan each had a goal for the Islanders, who have lost three of their last four games. DiPietro made 25 saves in a losing effort.

New York was without captain Alexei Yashin for the sixth straight game on Saturday. Yashin, who is battling right knee tendinitis, is also expected to miss tonight's test.

FULL STORY

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

I'm not sure how things will go. I think it's pretty clear that they won't get most of their wins at "home". The ACC's crowd is mediocre at best when it comes to Leaf games.

Who knows...maybe management has finally priced out most of their real fans.

You heard the crowd when they came back from being down 3-0 on Saturday? I mean, what they was that? The building should have shook, yet we got the usual "meh" feeling when the puck went in at the ACC. It didn't get much higher when they got the go-ahead goal either. The only thing that did was Bob Cole's voice. :dunno:

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

NHL on the Fly is specailly on TSN right now.

Check it out (for those who can). :thumbsup:

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

Game tied 2-2.

Leaf Goals by Pavel Kubina and Bates Battaglia.
Islander Goals by Trent Hunter and Miroslav Satan.

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

End of the 2nd. Still tied at two.

 

[imported_shookem]

C'mon, Buds, let's see you guys take the period and win the game.

I don't mean to be cruel but the season is one the line!

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

It's Overtime right now.

Did you see the saves made in this game?S Raycroft and DiPietro have both been spectacular!

 

[imported_shookem]

It's Overtime right now.

Did you see the saves made in this game?S Raycroft and DiPietro have both been spectacular!

Let's just hope TurdFerg doens't get any ideas and signs Razor to a 15 year deal.

I hope it doesn't to the a SO.

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

It seems so. NHL.com has it at the end of the 4th.

Shootout must be underway right now.

If the Leafs lose this one, the Isles tie them in the standings.

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

Sundin Scores. 1-1 in the shooutout, 1 shot left for each.

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

2-1 Isles now... Antropov with the last shots.

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

Well... that's the end of that.

What kind of effort was that? He barely looked like he was even trying!

Whatever the case be, it's a dogfight for the last playoff spot end now.

 

[imported_shookem]

Poop.

I can't even think of much more to say right now other than poop.

This is such a streaky team, why?

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

Not sure, but it's looking more and more like it has to do with location...

They actully did okay at the ACC today, buton the whole they've been below average (as their record shows).

Perhaps the team is tightly nit when on the road. The "us vs. the world" mentality kicks in and they look like a whole different team, 'cause they feel more like fighting for each other, especially when the media omes out with how the game(s) away from home will be "tough". I guess in some ways, the team is still the same as it was for the last few year: They pick it up when they face adversity.

When they play in Toronto, they get comfy and turn sluggish. The tension in the air is pretty thin, since fan reaction is, well... sluggish. The media pressure is never met with the atmosphere in the building. It's all talk ,and the team relaxes out there. You'll hear the booes here and there if they're not doing well, and the cheers if they are... but none of them to a extreme. Even with goal for or against.

They're pretty much playing in front of (dare I say it) nothing.

*looks around*

If they do make the playoffs, let's hope it isn't home ice advantage, because the only team with the advantage will be the other team. Playing in Toronto could probably hurt the Leafs more than it helps.

Bizarre, but it's only a theory (and I love making theories )