I hope everyone is enjoying the early stages of their hangover this morning. I assume everyone is hungover because the Leafs game last night was a debacle that would drive any Leafs fan to have a few swigs of whatever is closest at hand. The dreaded Southeast-opponent-on-a-Tuesday-night curse has reared its ugly head once again, and even the dissolution of the Southeast division can’t put it to rest it would seem.
The meanest part of the toughest stretch of the schedule is behind the Leafs at this point and they will have to start winning hockey games again if they want to be in the playoff conversation for the rest of the season. Things will have to turn around very quickly or else we could be talking draft lottery by the Olympic break.
Coming through the so-called “Deathcember” with 6 of a possible 18 points so far is obviously not a particularly exciting development. The game against the LA Kings last Wednesday was the strongest Leafs effort of the season to this point even though they came away with nothing to show for it. After a shocking upset win over Chicago, dropping both games of a back-to-back when both were winnable is frustrating to say the least. Phoenix is in town on Thursday followed by Detroit on Saturday. The Leafs will have to regroup quickly and rediscover the missing ingredient present for the LA and Chicago games.
Carlyle in his post-game presser seemed to think fatigue was a major reason for the slow start Tuesday, as opposed to the slow start against Pittsburgh, which he attributed to mental dullness. Carlyle also admitted to noted jerkwad Steve Simmons that the losing is starting to reach a crisis point.
Reimer was noticeably peeved enough to depart from his typical gee-willikers comportment, even going as far to use an abbreviation for a curse word when he called any injury or busy-schedule excuses “BS.” He also added:
Reimer:”We either have guys or half or a full team that dont show up at parts and then things go wrong and pucks go into your net.” #Leafs
— Matthew Scianitti (@TSNScianitti) December 18, 2013
Red flags everywhere.
Trevor Smith broke a bone in his hand and left the game, which is yet another hit to the Leafs thin depth at centre. Jerred Smithson, oh joy, has been recalled.
Some Hump Day reading:
- Last night’s Game in 10 from Alec.
- Is the Florida loss a tipping point, asks Michael Langlois.
- Shoalts’ Globe & Mail post-game from last night.
- Hope In The Big Smoke with an article on the shocking change that came over the Leafs for a few games.
- Shoalts with an article about D’Amigo in his call-up stint from the Globe & Mail.
