Mike Brown turns the Leaf game around and post-game considerations

The Rangers, as NHL fans well know, have had quite the road trip to start the new season.  Exhibition and regular-season games in Europe, a western Canadian road swing and a return home (finally) Thursday night to open their “new” arena—and host the blue and white, of course.

How did it go for the Leafs?  Pretty well, in the end.

Now, if you followed the early goings-on via Twitter, it was quite the show.  Once The Monster allowed the game’s opening goal on, admittedly, a less than un-stoppable shot, the emotions ranged from anxiety and agitation to despair and cries for Scrivens.

I mention this not as a criticism of Leaf fandom, because, hey, I get it.  I’ve been watching this franchise for more than fifty years now, and I’ve been angry with my share of goalies.  In fact, I’m trying to think of a Leaf goalie I didn’t express extreme frustration with at one time or another.  Thankfully, Twitter did not exist in my earlier, less controlled days.  I’m not sure I would have been allowed on. (I even berated Johnny Bower, a legend and modern-day saint in Leaf history.  But I was young, and hey, he wasn’t good all the time…)

In any event, I understand why fans are nervous about Gus.  As I’ve said here many times before, I love the guy’s athleticism and dexterity, but I know that he does not inspire confidence in fans just yet—and maybe not his teammates either. 

He can make huge, five-bell saves, but he also will allow weak goals (as all goalies do).  The bigger problem is often the timing of when he gives up goals.  We need big stops in the third period and at certain key times throughout the game.  He hasn’t always delivered that on a regular basis, but then again, has he really had the chance to play enough to show he can?

In any event, the Mike Brown fight got Leaf fans feeling a bit better after the Leafs trailed 1-0.  Just maybe, he got his teammates thinking they could win this one, too.

They controlled play for large parts of the second period.  For his part, playing against his fellow countryman across the way in the Leaf cage, Lundqvist was not his brilliant self on the Lombardi goal (nor, frankly, on any of the Maple Leaf goals Thursday night).  Waved-off goals, Leaf players hobbling off and Rangers running by or into Gustavsson created even more agitation on our side.  But the Leafs persisted heading into the third.

And then, the worm turned.  Lupul and MacArthur shot the Leafs ahead, and fittingly, Brown delivered the lethal blow to Lundvist and the hometown Rangers.  A late goal provided minor inspiration but little more for the home side.

As I watched the contest, there was time to think about a number of things, including:

• the “new” building and the still-horrible ice at Madison Square Garden.  It was bad ice there when I was a kid in the 1950s and ‘60s, because there would be a basketball game one night, then the circus the next night, then a hockey game.  It may not be quite as bad as in those days, but given the speed of the game now and the size of the players, it doesn’t help make for great action at times.  Pucks were bouncing all over the place.

• I feel exactly now as I felt this past summer about Brad Richards.  I don’t mind at all that the Leafs did not sign him as a free-agent, as I posted at the time.  It would have been nice for a while but the guy has played so much hockey in his career.  I think Leaf fans would, in a very short time, become frustrated and bemoan his presence in the lineup—and his albatross of a contract.

• I said almost exactly a year ago the Leafs had nothing to fear from the Rangers.  New York went on to make the playoffs.  Toronto, of course, did not.  Now, I have more regard for the Rangers.  They are certainly a beatable team, but have strong goaltending and an interesting mix of veterans and young talent. 

• Kessel missed those second period breakaways, but helped create the Lupul marker in the third, a huge marker in a close game.  Connolly started it all by winning the draw deep in New York's end.

• Good to see MacArthur score his first of the season.  Lundqvist normally makes that save.  (Kudos to Komisarek for nice poke-check and steal to send MacArthur on his way.)

• Interesting to see Frattin on the ice as the Leafs were protecting their lead after the Rangers had pulled their goaltender.

• When I saw Gardiner easily muscled off the puck near his own net in the final couple of minutes with the Leafs leading by two, and the Rangers have a shot at closing the gap as a result, my antenna went up.  I keep thinking we are really rushing this guy when we just don’t have to.

• Funny how things change.  Two years ago, Del Zotto was a teenage phenom on the Rangers defense.  Last year, he ended up back in the minors.  Against the Leafs, he played 20 minutes and was on the ice when the Rangers were trying to make things close near the end of the game.  He's a key guy again.  I wonder if extended time in the AHL has made him a better defenseman...

At the risk of sounding like a broken record (I said this often last season), I just don’t see a lot to distinguish most teams in the Eastern Conference again this year.  Boston is exhausted after last season.  They should struggle.  Heck, I could see them not making the playoffs, simply because of the hangover issue.  They gave everything they had this past spring to achieve what they did.  I think they’re spent.  We'll see.

The Flyers have re-loaded and should be competitive but if you saw the Winnipeg game Thursday night, you realized that, while it was “just one game”, the Flyers have issues, from the goal on out.

Montreal is starting to turn things around, but have plenty of problems, as do, well… every team in the East.  The Lightning?  Carolina? 


Buffalo should be fine, but parity continues to thrive the NHL and for now, that’s good news for the Leafs.

What does this mean for the blue and white?

Well, mostly that the Eastern Conference is wide open—and not only for teams with aspirations of making the playoffs. 

Who can finish first?  Just about anyone is my guess.

This is not to suggest the Leafs will march into that opening.  I’ve seen Lucy pull the ball away from Charlie Brown way too many times to believe that’s going to happen. But here is what I am saying:  for all their weaknesses, when you compare what they can do and what they have against every other Eastern Conference squad, Toronto should be able to compete with anybody.

What that adds up to with regard to the standings is impossible to know right now, but they have already handled things better than they did after starting last year with 4 straight wins and falling back badly.

And that makes sense, because they’re a better team.