Game In 10: Game 12, Leafs at Devils

by Mislav Jantoljak on November 2, 2011 in Uncategorized - 205 Comments

Sure, Martin Brodeur was back but so was Joey Crabb. Happy birthday to Luke Schenn. This wasn’t a textbook example of how you want your team to play hockey, from either side. We won so it’s all good. Except the special teams and defense.

1 – The Leafs are 8-3-1, Crabb people, Crabb people, look like Crabb, talk like people.

2 – Mike Brown is good at scrapping, a good, highly energetic fight with Mills to start the proceedings.

3 – Joey Crabb pinches Brodeur with a whack out of mid air and we take a 1-0 lead. Did someone mention hot? Because this guy is sizzling.

4 – Gus did everything possible on the first PK but the Devils still scored. Doesn’t help Dupuis was in the penalty box. Then, Gus made a miraculous save on Palmieri which led directly to our second goal. Fantastic slap pass by Gardiner and Grabo puts the biscuit in the basket. As Ray Ferraro mentioned, this Gardiner kid doesn’t have a pulse with the puck. 2 assists tonight.

5 – Our PK isn’t good. Our PP isn’t good. This is a recording. This was also the seventh game in which we have allowed 2 PP goals. The Devils only scored 3 PP goals in 9 games until tonight.  Also, horrible defending on both sides, by horrible I mean worse than Justin Bieber having a baby. Why do I know this…

6 – Lupul buries a HUGE rebound by Brodeur off a Komisarek blast and Lupes finishes with ease. That was his sixth goal of the season. Just a minute after that David Clarkson undresses Luke Schenn and ties the game. This is why Luke’s ice time is dwindling. Doesn’t Clarkson know it’s his birthday!? Apparently not, but he knows how a good body slam feels like after a scrap later on. Then, after a feed by Kessel, Lupul squeezes an ugly one through Brodeur who really should have had that one. 7^th goal of the season.

7 – And yeah, Lupul got his hattrick (No. eight) after a silly selfish spinorama play by Mr. “I can do it all by myself” Kovalchuk the Leafs create a turnover and get one after a shot from Kessel created havoc. Grabo centers for Lupul and he puts it in after an initial Brodeur save.

8 – Despite what the SP might tell you Gustavsson was really good tonight. The Devils didn’t generate that many shots on goal but had their fair share of quality scoring opportunities and Gus had to make a good number of spectacular stops. He also had an assist on the Grabovski goal. Pretty awesome isn’t it?

9 – You know how I think moving Gunnarsson in a package deal would be a best option to get a top line player? Well, there is a reason for that and as things look now that reason looks much better in our lineup than our defense without it. In other news, Wilson calls good timeouts, even if the one tonight was pretty routine.

10 – If you could draw up a win, you most certainly wouldn’t make it look this ugly defensively, but a win is a win. You take the two points, take the offensive spark and production and be happy with it while at the same time keep hammering on the special teams.

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