Toronto Maple Leafs: Five New Words To Describe This Team

Brian Burke has used three words to describe the Leaf team he wants to build.

We have all heard them: Testosterone, truculence and pugnacity. There have been few times this year when these words actually described the team we have seen on the ice.

The way the Leafs have been playing since the start of the year, I have five new words that better describe the team’s play. They are: Adversity, intensity, composure, perseverance and synergy.

If you didn't catch last night’s 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks, try to find a replay on the Internet, because you missed a good one. For the first time in a long, long while the Leafs game had me on the edge of my seat.

I was cheering and booing, standing and pacing, screaming at the tube or to anyone within earshot. The game had a playoff atmosphere for me and left me emotionally drained but giddy with delight after watching the buds extend their winning streak to four games.

The game had everything. It was coach Ron Wilson’s 600 career win and it came against his former team.

The Leafs won for only the second time all year when trailing after two periods.

It was also the Leafs fifth straight win on the road; a remarkable stat considering they had only four road wins all year prior to the current streak.

With the win, Toronto pulled out of the cellar in the Northeast Division, flip-flopping with their cross-province rivals, the Ottawa Senators. They have moved up to 11th place in the conference, tied with the Florida Panthers, though they are still 11 points out of a playoff spot.

The Leafs faced much adversity in this game, but still came out on top.

The Sharks had four power plays during a six-minute span in a second period that saw them put 21 shots on rookie goaltender James Reimer.

Reimer stopped them all.

The Sharks seemed to be getting away with penalties all night long. Colby Armstrong got clipped in the face with a high stick that drew blood. Francois Beauchemin got called for crosschecking after he retaliated when Devin Setoguchi used his stick to push Beauchemin’s skate from under him when going hard into the boards on an icing play.

Clearly that was a dangerous play that was simply missed by the refs.

Niclas Wallin seemed to be allowed to interfere with the Leafs at will until he was finally called after his third offense in two minutes.

Not only did the Leafs get the short end of the stick on time spent in the penalty box, they also played from behind most of the game. In all but one other game this year, going into the third period trailing has meant a loss for the Leafs.

But not on this day. Whatever adversity came the Leafs way, the Leafs had an answer for it.

The Leafs played with an intensity they have not displayed for large stretches during the season. Players were finishing checks, going into the corners and laying out the Sharks all night long.

The level of play picked up right after the Beauchemin penalty, a.k.a. the Setoguchi non-call. With a scrum in front of the Leaf goal and the Sharks buzzing on the power play, the Leafs dialed up the intensity once again. 

As Reimer covered the puck, Luke Schenn knocked Danny Heatly flat on his back next to the goal while Colby Armstrong flattened Joe Thornton, sending him flying, head first into the goal.

If that kind of play doesn't get your blood pumping, then you don’t like hockey.

Beauchemin’s retaliation not withstanding, the Leafs showed a lot of composure in this game. They didn't let the fact that the Sharks were out chancing the Leafs and the refs were turning a blind eye to most Shark attacks get to them.

The buds didn't blink once. They kept their cool and kept to their game.

The Leafs were rewarded for their perseverance with a four goal third period. Clarke MacArthur’s empty netter finally iced the game for the Leafs and silenced the capacity Shark Tank crowd.

What really got to me in this game was the way the buds played together. They truly looked like a team that had synergy.

There was a method to their madness. Nifty drop passes, behind the back passes, tape-to-tape passes, breakaways, you name it, the Leafs pulled it off.

One example out of many was MacArthur’s first goal. Thomas Kaberle had the puck on the point and looked to shoot, but Jamal Mayers dropped to the ice to block his shot.

Instead of letting loose with an ill-advised shot, Kaberle skated around Mayers and drew the defense towards him before finding MacArthur alone in the slot with a prefect pass. MacArthur, with time and space, made no mistake and found the five-hole on San Jose goalkeeper Antti Niemi to give the Leafs their first lead of the game seven minutes into the third period.

When the final whistle blew, I looked up from my television for the first time in three hours. My attention had been so focused on the game that I hadn't noticed that five inches of fresh snow had fallen during the game. It was 1:30 A.M. on the east coast, but I was so high from this game that I donned my winter gear and headed out for a stroll in the snow.

I was reminded of how much fun winter can be when the Leafs put on a good show. I don't know what the rest of the season will bring, but for tonight, I am a happy fan.