TMLRI: October 3rd - 6-4 Loss @ Washington Capitals
Peter Morrow | 3 October, 2009, 10:54 pm
The offense was clicking, but bad goaltending and sub-par defense cost the Leafs against the high-flying Capitals. As the Capitals lagged throughout the second and third, the Leafs offense capitalized, but it was too little, too late.
Goaltending
Gustavsson (6) Replaced Toskala at the start of the second and kept the score respectable while making bushels of solid stops.
Toskala (3) Didn’t play well enough, but certainly didn’t get a lot of support either.
Defense
White (6) Consistent.
Kaberle (5) Got caught flat footed
Schenn (5) An improved effort from Thursday night. Jumping into the play and shooting more.
Finger (4) Bad giveaways were costly, but displayed good playmaking at times.
Komisarek (4) Again with the unnecessary penalties and poor puckhanding, but worked hard nonetheless.
Beauchemin (4) Hasn’t gotten the offense going. Or the defense.
Forward
Grabovski (7) Showed creativity and hustle through all three periods.
Stempniak (7) Starting to contribute offensively. Playing like we know he can.
Ponikarovsky (7) Scored, hit and worked hard.
Blake (6) Had a lot of hustle and tried to generate offense when he could.
Hagman (6) Another solid game. Found good chemistry with Graovsky
Wallin (5) Didn’t stand out, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing in a 10 goal game.
Mitchell (5) Kept the hustle high while the team was down. Earned his minutes.
Stalberg (5) Grinded the game and despite some flashes, still hasn’t got the offense going.
Orr (5) Unnoticeable, which isn’t good when your team is needing a truculence boost.
Stajan (5) Good hustle.
Primeau (5) Hard to complain with his play, but not a factor.
Mayers (4) I only noticed him once. When he was in the penalty box.
lawlz at mayers
unfortunate let-down effort. what is happenin to Toskela? I’d like to see The Monster take the next two starts vs OTT and PIT, then try him once more against the Rangers. If he fails again, he won’t even be trade-worthy.
Stahlberg all over the net, again. This kid will get 30 goals.
Beauchemin seriously needs to pick it up.
that game hurt to watch. what the heck is going on with the defence, it’s like they’ve forgotten how to play. I really liked how Beauchemin played in preseason, but in these first two games he either takes himself out of the play by going for (and missing) a big hit at the offensive blueline, or lets the opposing player take the puck to the net right through him. oiy, he really needs to get with it.
komikazi is impressing me with his shot blocking (honestly he got in the way of nething he could) but he’s got to stop with the stupid penalties.
kaberle was flatfooted at times, and looked to be trying to be too cute, but i do like that he’s regained the confidence to even try things like that. Even with his mistakes, his poise with the puck in our end and simply awesome passing give me hope he’ll return to his rightful place as a top defender in this league.
orr needs to stop trying to get the tough guys to fight him, that helps no one… he is a good hitter and that’s what he–and the rest of that four line too– should be doing. They should go out there and hit the crap out of everyone wearing a different coloured jersey, and then the fights will come to them.
honestly we have looked pretty non-truculent out there, get it together boys, it’s still early…