Canadian Press
12/5/2006 10:26:38 PM
TORONTO (CP) - Toronto-raised Glen Metropolit, back in the NHL after three years in Europe, sparked an Atlanta rally that lifted the Thrashers from a two-goal, third-period deficit to a 5-2 victory over the Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.
Darcy Tucker and Mike Peca had Toronto up 2-0 in the first period and, after a scoreless second, Metropolit scored and then set up Vyacheslav Kozlov for two goals. Marian Hossa added a breakaway goal and Ilya Kovalchuk put in an empty-netter with 56 seconds left to complete the onslaught, earning Atlanta a fifth straight win and sent the Leafs to a fifth straight defeat.
Boos rained down on the Leafs as the final seconds evaporated.
The Ottawa Senators moved ahead of Toronto into third place in the Northeast Division with a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders.
The Leafs play in Boston on Thursday and in Detroit on Saturday.
Tucker opened the scoring with his 17th goal, and league-leading 12th on the power play, at 8:41 of the first period. Bobby Holik had taken a slashing penalty at 8:30. Tucker swept in a cross-crease pass from Jeff O'Neill.
Leafs fans among the 19,507 in Air Canada Centre - just about everybody other than a vocal group yelling encouragement to Metropolit - had reason for optimism: Toronto was 9-2-1 when scoring first in its previous 28 games.
Peca made it 2-0 at 19:44 when he planted the puck in the far top corner of the net with a wrist shot from the circle to the right of Johan Hedberg, who got his first start since Nov. 22, while No. 1 goaltender Kari Lehtonen lounged on the end of the Atlanta bench.
The Leafs had an 8-0-1 mark when leading after 20 minutes so there was no reason to expect a collapse.
Atlanta failed to score during three consecutive Toronto penalties - two to Hal Gill - in the opening eight minutes of the middle period. Andrew Raycroft made huge saves on point-blank shots by Jon Sim and Kozlov - the closest anybody came to scoring in the second period.
The Leafs were being outshot but, the way Raycroft was playing, a win seemed probable given that the Leafs were 10-0-3 when leading after two periods.
Metropolit's goal on a power play 3:56 into the third period started the Thrashers rally. He deflected in a long shot by Greg de Vries with Ian White off for delay of game - his second consecutive penalty for lifting the puck into the seats in his own end.
FULL STORY
12/5/2006 10:26:38 PM
TORONTO (CP) - Toronto-raised Glen Metropolit, back in the NHL after three years in Europe, sparked an Atlanta rally that lifted the Thrashers from a two-goal, third-period deficit to a 5-2 victory over the Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.
Darcy Tucker and Mike Peca had Toronto up 2-0 in the first period and, after a scoreless second, Metropolit scored and then set up Vyacheslav Kozlov for two goals. Marian Hossa added a breakaway goal and Ilya Kovalchuk put in an empty-netter with 56 seconds left to complete the onslaught, earning Atlanta a fifth straight win and sent the Leafs to a fifth straight defeat.
Boos rained down on the Leafs as the final seconds evaporated.
The Ottawa Senators moved ahead of Toronto into third place in the Northeast Division with a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders.
The Leafs play in Boston on Thursday and in Detroit on Saturday.
Tucker opened the scoring with his 17th goal, and league-leading 12th on the power play, at 8:41 of the first period. Bobby Holik had taken a slashing penalty at 8:30. Tucker swept in a cross-crease pass from Jeff O'Neill.
Leafs fans among the 19,507 in Air Canada Centre - just about everybody other than a vocal group yelling encouragement to Metropolit - had reason for optimism: Toronto was 9-2-1 when scoring first in its previous 28 games.
Peca made it 2-0 at 19:44 when he planted the puck in the far top corner of the net with a wrist shot from the circle to the right of Johan Hedberg, who got his first start since Nov. 22, while No. 1 goaltender Kari Lehtonen lounged on the end of the Atlanta bench.
The Leafs had an 8-0-1 mark when leading after 20 minutes so there was no reason to expect a collapse.
Atlanta failed to score during three consecutive Toronto penalties - two to Hal Gill - in the opening eight minutes of the middle period. Andrew Raycroft made huge saves on point-blank shots by Jon Sim and Kozlov - the closest anybody came to scoring in the second period.
The Leafs were being outshot but, the way Raycroft was playing, a win seemed probable given that the Leafs were 10-0-3 when leading after two periods.
Metropolit's goal on a power play 3:56 into the third period started the Thrashers rally. He deflected in a long shot by Greg de Vries with Ian White off for delay of game - his second consecutive penalty for lifting the puck into the seats in his own end.
FULL STORY
