Leafs Proving To Be More Than Just An Aberration

5 games into the season the Leafs have showed heart, grit, and determination. Three ingredients that they need i get to where they want to be, and that is the playoffs.

In my previous blogs I wrote that goaltending will be key to for the Leafs this season and it that has been the case. The Leafs goaltending has not only kept them in games, but won games for them too. Giggy and the Monster held of the Montreal Canadiens for their first win and Pittsburgh Penguins for their third win.

The newest Leaf acquisitions are proving their worth chipping in where necessary. The Leafs have real definition to their lines this season as oppose to other seasons. The top two lines are chipping in with timely goals and the third line is doing a great job of forechecking and shutting down the opposition, with the fourth line providing the grit and testosterone.

The most encouraging sign from the Leafs so far in this season is teammates picking each other up. It’s really all about the small details.

In Pittsburgh when the top line struggled, the second line stepped up. When Colton Orr got knocked out in Pittsburgh and was getting called out the next game by Derek Boogaard, Mike Brown stepped up and picked a fight with Brandon Prust.  

The Leafs are accomplishing all of their goals so far. Sure they are picking up points but they are becoming a harder team to play against, and they are showing that they will not quit or go away like they showed versus the NY Islanders.

I know the season is still young and anything can still happen, but the Leafs have without a shadow of out doubt proved that what happened last season after the trade of Dion Phaneuf and Giggy was not a fluke or just a run by a team that was playing pressure free hockey.

In Toronto there is no such thing as pressure free hockey.

The stats don’t lie:

2 PPGA and 18 times short handed

Team GAA of 2.20

Top 5 in the NHL in terms of team +/-

13^th in PP

And last but not least. They are winning, more often than not, the one goal games.

There is cause for optimism as the Leafs have learned to win in different ways, first a blowout win against the Sens, then two one goal games, a OT win where they coughed up the lead, and salvaged a point on a night where Roloson looked like he was unbeatable (again!)

Finally the games are fun again.

CHEER WITH PRIDE!

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