Game Recap: Bruins 2 - Leafs 1
Aubin deserved better than that finish. He won the team that point, making numerous miraculous saves when they needed them. Good for him for playing so solid.
Looked like the Buds were skating in quicksand tonight. Not the terrible effort that the put out against Florida a few weeks back, but just couldn't seem to get anything going. Give credit where it is due, the Bruins played a really solid defensive game. Virtually no scoring chances for the Leafs, almost every shot from the perimeter.
Is the Bates Battaglia experiment over yet? I give the guy marks for effort, but he has no ability to make or accept a pass, or apparently hit the net with a shot.
I honestly don't think that Kyle Wellwood could could break a pane of glass with his shot. I know using a kid-sized stick gives him better control of the puck, but geez, this guy needs to hit the gym or something.
The Good:
Aubin was spectacular. Maybe the best game a Leaf keeper has played this season.
Pohl looked pretty good, the little time he was out there, but he didn't play enough to give an honest assessment.
Kaberle looks like he woke up a few weeks ago and decided to take the league by storm. He is leading rushes, jumping into odd-man situation, playing down low and was easily the Leafs most potent offensive player tonight.
The Bad:
Kubina looked shaky. Mark this up to the amount of time away from the rink, but he looked to be second-guessing himself all night. One play during the third captured it. Kubina is moving on the right boards out of the Buds zone, and instead of making a break-out pass, or lugging the puck himself, he kind of stops and starts looking around. He then starts to panic, and defers to Ian White to break the play out. Yep, Ian White the rookie. I expect his play will round out once he gets his legs back, so this really isn't a worry.
The Ugly:
Wade Belak. Even typing those words makes me cringe. Belak should not be playing in the NHL, period.
On a more general note, the Leafs face-off men were, collectively, brutal tonight. Honestly, the Leafs get tossed from about a million faceoffs (I was counting), and had no 'Plan B' when they did. NHL.com had the Leafs winning 30 of the 54 face-offs, but it sure didn't seem like it to be honest.
Saturday, the Devils are in town. The way Aubin played tonight, I give him the start and give Raycroft another weekend to heal-up.
