number17
Mod Squad
First game of a back-to-back, and the season's already got plenty of storylines into this game.
To me though, back-to-back with the Wings is memorable ... rewind to last season, in the beginning of the 14 games slump that saw us free-falling out of a playoff berth eventually ... we actually had a back-to-back vs. the Wings, and the Wings were really struggling at the time. If we could sweep, or even get 3 points out of 4 from the 'lowly Wings', it would have secured our playoff berth.
Of course, what eventually happened was the Leaf lost BOTH games to the Wings without registering a point, and the rest is history.
And the sad reality is, despite much much better bottom 6, this team still reminds me SO MUCH of that same team that dropped the back-to-back to the Wings last year. I still see all kinds of defensive lapses, same 'swamp' system behind the same coach through much of the first 4 games. At least the W over the Aves had a lot of positives in it ... let's see whether the next 2 games reveal we're indeed on an upward swing, or if the win over the Aves was just a mirage.
The storylines going into tonight include:
- We can safely assume Reimer will get the start tonight? and Bernier tomorrow? What if Bernier has another weak game? Does it make Reimer the 1A then?
- Will Gardiner get in the lineup tonight? The Leafs have won both games with him out of the lineup, but at some point he's gotta get back in.
- Vs. the Aves was the first game the Leafs did NOT get outshot ... what happens tonight? Will our puck possession improve from the first 3 games of the season?
- Lupul is a game time decision. If Lupul can't go who starts on the 2nd line? Who else gets into the lineup? Frattin?
- Kadri's icetime surpassed Bozak's in game 3 & 4 ... will we continue to see Kadri taking over as the #1C?
- 3rd line was dominant and even Clarkson had a very good game ... will he finally find his game?
- Robidas still had a pretty weak game ... when will his game come back?
Go Leafs Go!!!
To me though, back-to-back with the Wings is memorable ... rewind to last season, in the beginning of the 14 games slump that saw us free-falling out of a playoff berth eventually ... we actually had a back-to-back vs. the Wings, and the Wings were really struggling at the time. If we could sweep, or even get 3 points out of 4 from the 'lowly Wings', it would have secured our playoff berth.
Of course, what eventually happened was the Leaf lost BOTH games to the Wings without registering a point, and the rest is history.
And the sad reality is, despite much much better bottom 6, this team still reminds me SO MUCH of that same team that dropped the back-to-back to the Wings last year. I still see all kinds of defensive lapses, same 'swamp' system behind the same coach through much of the first 4 games. At least the W over the Aves had a lot of positives in it ... let's see whether the next 2 games reveal we're indeed on an upward swing, or if the win over the Aves was just a mirage.
The storylines going into tonight include:
- We can safely assume Reimer will get the start tonight? and Bernier tomorrow? What if Bernier has another weak game? Does it make Reimer the 1A then?
- Will Gardiner get in the lineup tonight? The Leafs have won both games with him out of the lineup, but at some point he's gotta get back in.
- Vs. the Aves was the first game the Leafs did NOT get outshot ... what happens tonight? Will our puck possession improve from the first 3 games of the season?
- Lupul is a game time decision. If Lupul can't go who starts on the 2nd line? Who else gets into the lineup? Frattin?
- Kadri's icetime surpassed Bozak's in game 3 & 4 ... will we continue to see Kadri taking over as the #1C?
- 3rd line was dominant and even Clarkson had a very good game ... will he finally find his game?
- Robidas still had a pretty weak game ... when will his game come back?
Go Leafs Go!!!
