Allsports Thinks Justin Pogge was Steady in Shootout Loss

So people it is hoped by Leafs management that you are starting to get a glimpse of the future when you tuned in to watch the game last night between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Air Canada Center. Both Justin Pogge and the Jackets' hot rookie, Steve Mason played well enough to give their respective teams a chance to win.

But in the end a fluke goal on Pogge in the shootout was to much for the Leafs to recover from in the 4-3 loss. Lee Stempniak had Toronto’s final kick at the can in the shootout and fanned on his shot not even getting it on goal. I can’t for the life of me see what Toronto saw in this guy to trade Alex Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo to St Louis for him.

Carlo had some bad luck with injuries I’ll admit and you can search to what extent they were if you look for sports news stories on the web. That being said the Leafs defence now consists of all right handed shooters, Carlo, for the record was a left handed shot. You do the math.

Two of the better performers in the game were Nick Antropov with two goals for the Leafs and Rick Nash (a Brampton boy) with one in regulation and one in the shootout for the Jackets.

I think Leafs management knows they made a mistake trading for Stempniak and now they are playing him on the point for their power play to see if he can get a few points and become more attractive as trade bait.

That’s the only reason allsports can think of because he sure does not deserve the additional ice time based on his performance. All I have seen from him in most games are hands of stone. That’s the way I see it anyway.

On a side note, watching the Toronto, Buffalo game the other night I saw another glaring example of a weasel with a visor instigating a fight. That weasle is Patrick Kaleta and he should have received an additional minor for instigating the fight with a visor. Him and Kyle Clutterbuck are cut from the same cloth, real tough guys with the visor on, give me a brake.

“No Guts No Glory”

Walt Webb