Game 8: Colton Orr Interferes With The Losing Streak

Winning isn't always pretty.

Sometimes, it's as ugly as this. Or this. Or even this.

But winning is winning. So while last night's 3-1 victory over the livid Panthers was punctuated by unsightly playmaking and gruesome grinding, the Leafs now have 5 wins, 11 points and a share of top spot in the East, all of which looks very good.

I watched last night's game from Seat 8 in Row 5 of Section 107. My friend Angus Frame, vice-president of digital media at the Globe and Mail, was kind enough to let me ride shotgun with his job perk.

"How often do you get these damn seats?" I asked, staring with disbelief at the $226 price on my stub.

"Just a few times each year," Angus replied. "Not a bad view, huh?"

I'll say.

It's hard to appreciate how big, fast and strong professional hockey players are until they are flying past your chin and rattling the glass inches from your eardrums. The closer you are to the ice the smaller it seems. The fine details are amazing. (At short range, for example, Mike Brown's Fu Manchu looks like it’s... ALIVE!)

Anyway, as we bumped elbows with the Platinum high-rollers, the Leafs and Panthers spent most of the first period chasing after the puck the way paparazzi chase after Olsen twins at LAX.

The play was fast but jarring, fluid but disorienting. It was as if both teams took a blood oath before the national anthems to not create any real scoring chances. Outside the ACC, they were calling for a "weather bomb." Inside, there were no explosions.

Then at 19:19 of the first, finally, a reason to cheer.

On the power play, Tyler Bozak sailed through the slot, dropped to one knee like Steven Stamkos and flipped the puck into an unguarded net. This happened immediately after Nikolai Kulemin was sent in alone, courtesy of an up-the-middle, laser-beam pass from Dion Phaneuf.

The Panthers scored a power play goal to even matters in the second. And that's where things stood until The Controversy.

Now, to be fair, I don't know what Colton Orr was thinking at 11:02 of the third.

Was he trying to save Scott Clemmensen from a runaway Zamboni nobody else could see? Was he hoping to get a piggyback ride from the Florida goalie after a long shift? Was he suddenly overcome with the urge to re-enact scenes from WrestleMania?

Whatever his reasons, Orr wandered out from behind the net, snuck up behind Clemmensen like a practical joker and helpfully shoved him out of the way just as Tim Brent was firing the puck.

In a split second, the blindsided Clemmensen hit the ice like a sack of wet cement. Colton tumbled over him and was momentarily frozen in the air like that other Orr in this iconic image. Most important: The puck deflected off his skate and bulged the twine.

Sure, the goal was as illegal as a three-dollar bill. But it counted.

The Leafs added an insurance marker with a few minutes left after Phil Kessel gobbled up the puck, turned on the rocket thrusters and beat Clemmensen who, at that point, was probably just glad a banner hadn't cascaded down from the rafters and covered his mask.

It was a beautiful goal on a mostly ugly night. But winning is winning and now the Leafs head to Boston tomorrow without the angst of a losing streak.

PHOTO: LUCAS OLENIUK/TORONTO STAR

Comments

[We BeLeaf]

Good for Bozak to pot his first and get the monkey off his back. Phaneuf still trying to do too much, (relax Dion, the points will come). Kessel shows everyone that he's got an extra gear on his goal. Regarding the goal by Orr, yes it should not have been allowed, but there's been way too much being made about it. Chalk it up to one of the calls that just happened to go our way for once. The game against the Bruins will be another tough test and here's hoping that we can start another winning streak.

Cheers to you, VM and all the Leafs fans!

[mike matthews]

Colton Orr is a meatball. He didn't do that on purpose....he can't skate. The Leafs will need every 'ugly' win they can muster because they are going to fall hard. Colby 'cheap shot' Armstrong is learning what Karma is all about. Maybe he'll think twice before hitting someone from behind again.

Loyal Habs Fan!!! (is there really any other team out there)

[Pyramid Power]

@mike matthews If you are a real loyal Canadiens fan then you would know that the possible broken wrist incurred by Army was on a slash by one of your beloved squad's former players, Christopher Higgins. Karma.
That delicious 'meatball' Colton Orr has scored more goals than your captain this year, Mr. Brian Gionta. LOL Tim Brent has also scored more goals than your captain. LOL

Gaborik is a fragile little toy egg, and that hit that he took from Army in New York was nothing. I took harder hits than that in bantam. Gabby has a history of injuries, and is known to be fragile as porcelain and it happened again. Nobody is surprised. And yes there are 29 other teams out there, and Toronto is one of them. The best in the northeast along with the Canadiens. See if Toronto boys Tavares, Moulson and Co. can take down the Habs at the Bell Centre tonight. Go Isles! lol

@We BeLeaf Yes, I think Phaneuf has to settle down. I also think he is not very talented with the puck a la Komisarek. Has a horrible time handling the puck, and is not creative enough to get shots through to the net. He should just stick within himself, and play very very defensively. Forget about the points or unleashing bombs from the point. His shots never make it through. Just unleash the hits and the fear I would say to Phaneuf if I were Wilson, Burke, Zettler, Acton, Hunter etc.....

Hopefully Versteeg's back will be fine, and he too gets it going offensively for Toronto. And really hoping Caputi makes the most of his shot back with the big team tomorrow night in Boston.
Kessel needs to get that 1000 pound monkey off his back in Beantown too. Guy is just snakebitten against Boston since coming to Toronto. Hope he scores early and often against the Bruins. That will be a great game, and a superb test for Toronto.
David Backes rumour was nice to hear last night eh? Am liking that.
GO LEAFS GO!

[We BeLeaf]

Hey PP, nice to hear from you again. I find it ironic that they say all comments are moderated by the author, then they let people like mike post their drivel. Agreed on all points with what you said and I when I heard about Backes from the blues, it looks like someone we could definitely use. Apparently he's being compared to the likes of Kessler. We shall see if BB pulls the trigger for another trade.

Go Leafs Go!

[Vinay Menon]

@WeBeLeaf: I moderate. I do not censor. True, it is a Leafs fan blog. But if fans of other teams want to jump in with a comment that relates to the post - in this case, Colton Orr - I view that as fair game.