Recap: Senators at Leafs - Feb, 16 2013, and the week ahead.

Welcome back for another preview/recap of the Maple Leafs' recent schedule, a little something I may start referring to as "the Weekly Leaflet." Note: I said may. I totally may not. Double Note: sticktap to rasiqra/revulva for the idea.

The Leafs had a relatively easy week this time around (especially for a shortened season) playing only 3 games in the last 7 nights.

The week started off on a mixed note, with the Philadelphia Flyers in town for the first meeting of these teams this season, and consequently since the Schenn/JVR trade. Things started off shaky with a rebound from a point shot by the aforementioned Schenn resulting in a Wayne Simmonds goal just 38 seconds in. From there, things were essentially all Toronto after Captain Phaneuf tied the game late in the first. Toronto cruised on to a 5-2 victory, featuring this dandy by JVR.

yeah, that's Luke Schenn who slides away at the end.

The bad news is, however, that James Reimer left the game slightly before the halfway mark with what would turn out to be a strained MCL in his left knee. Ben Scrivens came in in relief, and ended up stopping 32 of 33 shots, looking shaky but dependable.

Two nights later, the Leafs were in Carolina and laid a complete egg against a Hurricanes team playing their first game at home after a long road-trip, starting their back up goaltender Dan Ellis. The game started out with some rough stuff between Colton Orr (who Randy Carlyle seems to be viewing as the second coming of Darren McCarty these days) and Kevin Westgarth before remaining incredibly boring for a period and a half. Quite possibly the most boring game I've seen this year. The second period featured all 4 goals in the game, with Joe Corvo striking first for the 'Canes, Kadri retaliating for the Leafs before Jussi Jokinen and Jordan Staal put it away for Carolina, downing the Leafs 3-1.

Despite this clunker, the Buds headed into Saturday night's game with a record of 3-1 in their last four games. Unfortunately, the injury cloud loomed heavily over this game for both teams, with Gunnarson, Lupul, Frattin and Reimer injured for the Maple Leafs, and notable Sens Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson on the shelf (the last due to a nasty achilles tendon cut.)

Would the Leafs be able to put the stops to a losing skid before it started?
Would Krusty the Klown Daniel Alfredsson be booed mercilessly by the ACC faithful?
Which team's injury troubles would pose the most trouble?

Well click on through and we'll talk about how the Leafs fared against the SNES

artist rendition of "sens" third jersey wordmark.

The Weekly Leaflet -February 9 2013: Leafs at Canadiens

It's sunday?

The Leafs played last night?

The Canadiens tried to?

Well now, I guess I have a game recap for you then! How fun.

The leafs wound up at the bell centre in montreal last night, playing montreal for the second time this season, looking to build on the momentum they'd gained over the course of the week.

With back to back monday/tuesday night games against southeast opponents, things looked grim - they started that way too. after going getting the lead early in the game, the team dropped four straight goals to the Staal brothers Hurricanes, ultimately losing 4-1.

humourous graphic courtesy sportsnet ontario

The next night, the team put a decidedly better performance in front of netminder Ben Scrivens, who picked up the win over the Capitals as James van Riemsdyk had a big night, potting a pair added to by Korbinian Holzer, who picked up his first NHL goal. 

Two nights later, the Leafs flew into Winterpeg, and beat the Jets 3-2 with Phil Kessel providing the game winner late in the game, registering his first goal of the season.

Would the Leafs be able to carry this momentum into Montreal on this Saturday night?

Would the Canadiens show up?

Would Don Cherry embarrass himself?

For answers to these questions, and many more - go over that there jump/cut thingy.

Recap: Bruins at Leafs, February 2, 2013 - Preview: Hurricanes atLeafs, February 4 2013

we're back again to run down some leafs' hockey.

the week that was since last week's post has been pretty eventful for the buds. the team managed to go into buffalo and come out with a win on tuesday night, on the backs of huge games from cody franson and matt frattin, who provided overtime heroics with his second goal of the night with under a second left in OT.

two nights later, the leafs hosted the capitals at the acc and achieved victory in spite of going down early, the game winner again coming on a pretty play from frattin and linemate nazem kadri (who we love around these parts)

joe bowen with the call on this game-winning beaut.

ending the month on a high note, the leafs went into saturday night's game with some momentum against a team who was beaten badly, to the tune of 7-4 in their previous encounter (against the buffalo sabres.)

hit that jump, and we'll talk about how the leafs wound up, and a bit about what's going on tonight.

The Weekly Leaflet: January 26, 2013 - Leafs at Rangers

this'll be my very first leafs-related post, so some pre-amble.

i'm not going to post about every game i watch, just some of the more notable ones.
as a leaf fan of nearly 20 years now, i tend to catch most of the season, and i won't be overloading
[redacted] with tons of leafs news, just a bit as i see fit.

last night, the leafs rolled into new york city to play the rangers, hot off the heels of a 7-4 flub against the islanders at the ACC.

i'm certain you wonder why i didn't chose to cover this match as well?
i find the islanders insanely boring, and i fear contracting dipietro's boneitis through my television set.

so come on then, hit the jump, and we'll talk about the game that was.