Allsports Was Glad That the Toronto Maple Leafs Played Well on Gilmour's Night

The week that was for the Toronto Maple Leafs

So if you are interested in sports or look for sports news information on the web you will already be aware of the Toronto Maple Leafs and their hot and cold performances. The week started well as the Leafs hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins last Saturday at the ACC. Doug Gilmour was the guest of honor and had his number raised to the rafters.

Gilmour, another one of Don’s Kingston Ontario boys was not a Maple Leaf for that many years but while he was here, did he ever produce. Gilmour holds the Leafs single season record for points with 127 and was a spark plug for offence every time he was on the ice. We need a guy like him today.

Gilmours Jersey Retirement (Part 1)

Gilmours Jersey Retirement (Part2)

The Leafs ended up winning the game 5-4. Toskala was not sharp in the Leafs net as he kept loosing his angles and positioning. The saving grace was that Mathieu Garon was just as bad at the other end. Luke Schenn played against Crosby and Malkin for most of the night and got into a fight with Tyler Kennedy after giving Malkin a rough ride into the boards by the Pens bench.

Schenn played great against the Penguin stars and earned a star of the game as well as special mention from Don Cherry after the game.

Schenn’s Hit on Malkin and his fight with Kennedy

Don Cherry on “Coaches Corner for Doug Gilmour’s Jersey Retirement had a segment on Cal Clutterbuck or as Don calls him Buttercup. This is exactly what I was talking about in my previous post, about fighting with a visor on. I should have been clearer. You don’t go looking for a fight when your wearing a visor.

The tough guys don’t where them and your wearing it for safety. Who is Clutterbuck fooling anyway, he fights with it on but takes his helmet off going to the penalty box. Just gutless.

The Leafs then played the Florida Panthers at home last Tuesday. Nik Hagman scored the Leafs first goal and it was a beauty, he stick handled in a phone booth to get around three Florida defenders before putting it in the net. The Leafs let a 3-1 lead slip away in the third period and Florida tied it up with about one minute left in the game on a power play, the only penalty Toronto took all night.

Then in overtime  a slap shot by Brian McCabe eluded Toskala for the winner and the Leafs fell 4-3. The goal was very weak and Toskala would have wanted that one back.

In Buffalo last Wednesday Justin Pogge got the start and he was rewarded with the rest of his teammates not showing up. Pogge played well in a 5-0 loss but none of the goals were his fault, the rest of the team were not moving their feet and the Sabres were all over them.

The Leafs seemed totally disinterested and should have not even bothered to get on the bus because they just did not show up. Vanek scored a natural hat trick for the Sabres and Drew Stafford deked Van Ryn out of his jock strap to score a great goal.

The Leafs are in Montreal tomorrow night for a tilt with the Hab’s on “Hockey Night in Canada”. Lets hope they show up for this one.

“No Guts No Glory”

Walt Webb