Boy, do I miss #34 or what? His presence gave every line more jump tonight, and I think this is the best offensive game we've had in a while (including that spanking of the Canes, in which Darling was simply already in Christmas giving spirit)
- We were SO lucky Hayes was offside, cause he had nothing to do with that play and it's really, really dumb for him to put himself offside ... and, where was that skill from Grabner when he was a Leaf?
- I don't think Freddie was bad, there's that cough up behind the net which I think was as much Freddie as it was Gardiner / Carrick, but he was ok otherwise, and I think he was BIG in PK especially that 5 on 3
- THIS is the Leafs team that dominated early in the season, with offensive depth where all 3 lines were dangerous. And tonight all 3 lines were going, where Kadri should have had a couple but Lundqvist robbed him
- The Kadri shot should have been a goal, when the puck was in Lundqvist's equipment (pads) and Lundqvist himself was entirely behind the goal line except for his glove and stick. It's just there's no conclusive way to prove the puck crossed the line
- It was an "uh-oh" moment when Hainsey and Polak were in the box for a long 5 on 3, and Zaitsev is out ... but I think Gardiner did OK killing the 5 on 3, which makes me wonder, just HOW HARD is it for a dman to learn to play PK? I mean, Carrick is a better dman than Polak in every way except he doesn't PK ... but how hard is it to learn really? Not like Polak is GREAT on PK either
- I like Borgman and he's progressed nicely. He had some bonehead movements but I like his physicality, and how he joins the rush and show some offensive skills
Good to get a win before the Christmas break, and I hope that's it for injuries for Matthews this season. He truly makes everyone better on the team
