GDT: Leafs at Pens (7 p.m., TSN)

Photo: Gene J. Puksar/AP Photo

Courtesy of The Score:

The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to pick up where they left off before the All-Star break, as they shoot for an eighth straight victory tonight in the opener of a home-and-home series against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Penguins were the hottest team in the NHL heading into the All-Star break and posted a 3-2 shootout decision last Tuesday in St. Louis for their seventh straight victory. The hot streak is the longest for Pittsburgh since a 12-game winning streak last season and it comes on the heels of a six-game slide from Dec. 29-Jan. 11.

The last three victories in Pittsburgh’s winning streak have come after regulation and Chris Kunitz posted the game-winner in the shootout victory over the Blues.

Penguins superstar Evgeni Malkin has been a big reason for Pittsburgh’s hot streak, but he had a six-game point streak snapped by the Blues. Malkin leads the NHL with 58 points and he had nine goals and four assists over six games before going without a point last Tuesday.

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The Leafs step out of the All Star break and into an important back-to-back set against the Penguins starting tonight in Pittsburgh. With the Penguins five points ahead of the Leafs in the standings, the back to back set represents an eight point swing; if the Leafs somehow managed three or four points in this home and home, the Penguins are suddenly back within the fringe pack and within the Leafs’ reach. If the red hot Penguins keep rolling coming out of the All Star break, the Atlantic division leading Rangers could suddenly find themselves with another Pennsylvanian team breathing down their neck.

For the Leafs of course, they’re trying to get themselves on the right side of the playoff divider. They currently sit ninth but are tied with seventh-placed Florida and eight-placed New Jersey at 55 points. Sixth-placed Ottawa sits five points ahead of Toronto, but are well within reach as the Leafs have three games in hand.

Jonas Gustavsson will remain in the Leaf goal, and the result tonight will more than likely determine if Reimer gets his next shot in the second leg of the home and home tomorrow in Toronto. Wilson has shown time and again, on a team that hasn’t yet had a clear number one emerge for a sustained period of time (Gus is getting close), he’ll ride the hot hand even through a back to back situation.

The Leafs will not get John Michael Liles or Colby Armstrong back just yet, but the pair are nearing a return. So too is Darryl Boyce, though it remains to be seen if there will be a spot for him when he comes back.

The last time these two teams met was one of my favourite Leaf wins of the season, a hard fought 4-3 win in late October in which the Leafs outplayed the Pens in all phases. It was probably the Leafs’ most complete game against a good team this season.

Will February and March be Leaf friendly again this season? We’ll begin to find out tonight. Realistically a split against the piping hot Penguins is a good result from the Blue and White perspective. The Penguins certainly look like they’re a top five team in the Conference more than a 6-9 team. With their recent form, as well as their proven ability to be a contender with or without Crosby (having a second superstar centerman definitely helps), my guess is they’ll gain further separation from the fringe group down the stretch. This is a big test.

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  • New Leafs Dynasty

    :’( asses? assess i think you mean haha

  • Knights2Leafs

    How about Aki Berg?

  • Knights2Leafs

    How about Aki Berg?

  • honesthockey

    Whole heartedly.

  • Anonymous

    I think Aki Berg played the left side Lol Cory Cross?

  • Matt

    Yes, from your pov, i have just chosen to highlight Schenn’s mistakes tonight. But that is because it has been a pattern all season. Gunnarsson has been our second best D all season. I wasn’t “looking” for Schenn’s mistakes, i only noticed them. Did i notice missed assignments by Gunnar, and all of the missed opportunities? Yes, because i already mentioned that. .
    I’m only trying to have a civil discussion about why i think Luke especially stinks this year. Probably stems from that horrible loss, but its still on my mind because he lead to at least one goal tonight.

  • Shift_Disturber

    Schenn’s play didn’t cost us the game. That’s how it works. See Gunnar misplayed his man let him deflect a goal. Gus blew a clean wrister resulted in a goal. Gus bobbled the puck right in front of him resulted in a goal. See how that works?

    Schenn maybe all the things you claim but he didn’t cost us the game

  • rustynail

    bull shit

  • rustynail

    do you ever watch Sullivan skate?

  • Anonymous

    I’m putting this on Gus…2nd and 3rd goals were awful…4th one doesnt happen because Pitts wouldnt be pulling the tender in a 4-1 game…..Ya Fleury played well….if not for him it’s 10-1 instead of 4-1 with half a period to go…..

  • rustynail

    bull shit

  • rustynail

    bull shit

  • Guest

    We should’ve had that game, plain and simple. We should have won 5-4 in regulation, or 6-4, or 9-4.

    I still think, despite the Leafs’ few giveaways and bad plays, we lost because of goaltending. Pittsburgh was playing unbelievably bad in the first 2 periods. The only reason they stayed in it was Fleury.

    We didn’t make as many bad plays (although our overall game suffered a bit in the 3rd, despite those two goals), but when we did ruin plays, our goalie didn’t manage to save our asses.

    And I like Gustavsson. He was lights-out at times but in the end he still let in 2 soft goals. He should’ve had Sullivan’s too, I’d argue.

    It’s pretty sad…as soon as it was 4-3, I knew for certain they would fucking blow it.

  • tron

    How do you still put with this nonsense Rusty? I couldn’t do it

  • Shift_Disturber

    I guess that’s the bottom, bottom line 2 softies that killed it. Kind of over simplifies it though we didn’t bury some great chances and for sure Fluery kept them in a game that they had no business being in.

  • rustynail

    Married with grown children, pretty experienced at ignoring

  • Anonymous

    That rant was too good to bother him over 1 small sp error :-]

  • Anonymous

    So the one goal Schenn cost is the end all for this discussion. But at the same time Schenn’s shitty HANDS and OFFENSIVE ability helped start the first 2 goals. Plus Schenn’s shitty BREAKOUT ability allowed him to do a lovely spin-O-rama in his defensive zone to avoid a check and clear past the line. Schenn’s shitty FEET didn’t allow him to fall on his face at the blue line, but at least he had 3 hits and a “recorded” block shot while “rookie” Gardiner had none. Did you see any of that? You see what you want. I seen a solid effort. Just a game they had bad bounces. By the way what defense man on this team excels at every category that you just picked Schenn on for lacking in??

  • tron

    I am still trying to figure out which goal Schenn cost us

  • tron

    I am still trying to figure out which goal Schenn cost us

  • Shift_Disturber

    Well, going to the game in 10 thread. Be happy to keep talking over there

  • Guest

    Yeah the puck was bouncing all over the damn place tonight. Wasn’t that a problem when the Pens opened their new arena recently? I remember everyone complaining about the ice and the puck bouncing around at an absurd rate.

  • Guest

    Yeah the puck was bouncing all over the damn place tonight. Wasn’t that a problem when the Pens opened their new arena recently? I remember everyone complaining about the ice and the puck bouncing around at an absurd rate.

  • HHT

    Gut-check time.  Now BB will see what these boys are really made of.

    I think people are anxious to throw players under the bus because they are impatient with the results.  But the reality is this team has a lot of potential, but isn’t winning any time soon.

    So put down the Schenn and walk away from the window ledge.

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