Cannot believe the Maple Leafs actually won tonight.
Okay, maybe Buffalo is not such a good team, they're average. But hey, look at that, the Leafs are average too.
The positives: Riemer. he looks like the same goalie from 2 years ago. Sophmore jinx over, never got over the concussion and that goalie coach Alluier from last year. His worst game was that 5-2 win in Pittsburgh. That's how I feel about it.
All of the sudden, the Leafs actually look okay down the middle. The play of Garboski and Kadri is surprising. Kadri is getting somewhere like a point a game. I think one point tonight, and two goal posts. Carlyle is using Garboski as a checking center. Odd, but looks like he is improving his defensive zone play. In tough situations, the Garboski Kulemin and whoever line is the goto line for Carlyle.
Even with Carlyle stressing defensive play, that group of Leaf defensemen is still Ron Wilson and Brian Burke's group. They can all move the puck well quickly up ice. Once they were able to finally get the puck back, outlet, to the winger and go through the netural zone with speed. But you need that defense to make that pass. This Leafs defense can still do that. Most Leafs chances tonight generated from the rush. Only a couple of chances from the forecheck, the Graboski line had a couple of chances off the forecheck.
Now for the negative.
Actually, with Reimer playing well, that's the biggest negative removed from goal.
I think the Leafs need more size up front. Unless Colton Orr and Mike Brown get more ice time, the Leafs get out shot because they don't have the puck that often it seems. Since some of the players don't forecheck that well, they're always stuck in their own zone.
Right now, the Leafs have three small centers, two of which are playing really well. One of them got a big contract, and the other is starting to look like he belongs with a point a game pace, even when not playing with the best players on the team. Put Bozak on the wing, JVR try him out at center. Give that Colbourne kid another shot.
:eyebrows: