Game Day: Trying Not To Get Caged By Panthers

It feels like the entire city hit the reset button this morning.

The clouds have rolled in overhead. Traffic wasn't so bad. And we have a new mayor. (Congratulations to you, Rob Ford! You terrify about 90 per cent of my friends and 99 per cent of the people I follow on Twitter. If nothing else, the next four years should be memorable.)

As for the city's hockey squad, well, hopefully they will also hit the reset.

When the Panthers prowl into the ACC, they will bring a defensive focus, team discipline and captain Bryan McCabe who, depending on your perspective, was either a great Leaf defenceman or a symptom of blue-and-white disease.

Florida clogs the neutral zone the way one of these clogs human arteries. They trap and lull their opponents into extended on-ice naps. The team has given up a stingy 2 goals per game in their first half-dozen games, which is third best in the league.

Last season, Toronto and Florida split their 4 games. But in the Panther's two wins, the Leafs were shutout in one game (Jan. 23) and held to 1 goal in the other (March 23).

In other words: Not ideal opponents when you're suddenly firing blanks and the coach is tinkering with lines like a (reluctantly) mad scientist.

If Toronto is hoping to get its power play on track, they may not get many chances tonight. After six games, the Panthers are the NHL's least penalized team with a measly 33 minutes. (To put this in perspective: Colton Orr and Mike Brown have combined for more penalty minutes than the entire Florida team.)

As mentioned yesterday, it's early. There's no reason to panic. But this is one of those games the Leafs really need to win. If they do, their record improves to 5-2-1, which translates into a .688 winning percentage. If they lose, as commenter Moe Green noted a while back, we are suddenly cheering for a .500 team.

So what are the keys to victory tonight?

Comments

[Anthony]

Verrrrrsteeeg tickles the twine tonight and Mike Brown tunes some up at center ice. I see the new top line scoring a couple tonight as well.
Go Leafs!

[Alex]

Keys to victory: score more than they do.

VM Replies: I was waiting for this answer.

[moe green]

It'll all depend on the energy this team dedicates to the forecheck. If they sit back and wait for the Panthers, it'll be a long night. But if the swarm is on, the team is back! Problem is, I can't predict. Is the real team the one from the first four or the last three? The way I see it, the first three couldn't have been fluke. It was a concerted and unrelenting attack for 60 minutes, for four games. We know they have it in them, all that remains to be seem is can the bring it to the rink - tonight.

[moe green]

Versteeg is "oh-for" four or five consecutive glorious scoring opportunities - game breakers - and potted nunth of them. He will score, I am not worried. Kessel and MacArthur are on fire. Grabovski is the hardest working member of the team. He hasn't scored but has set up a couple of beauties and has come close. Ditto Bozak has also set up a couple of sweet goals and my guess is that he will start finding the twine, if not tonight, then sooner rather than later. That leaves Kulemin. One goal and four assists puts him on pace for 57 points. Not too bad for a guy with his defensive sense. So I think it comes down to the grinders and the defense.

[Pyramid Power]

What a much needed win! Phew! Very ugly hockey game, but two points is all that matter.

Nice to see Bozak score his first. Orr did a heckuva job creating something out of nothing. Got away with one there, but good to see. And what more can you say about Philthy Kessel? Just awesome the burst of speed he showed to put the game away at the end.
Komisarek and Lebda looked good. Schenn looked like Mr. Reliable again. Phaneuf and Beauchemin just worry me. Phaneuf has to play better, and I think he knows it.
Hope Army will be fine. We need him.
Back in first where we belong albeit tied with the hated Habs in our division. Bring on the Bruins!
GO LEAFS GO!

[Pyramid Power]

Cheers to Giggy on a monster game btw. Just did what he had to do to hold us in there. We lose that game last year almost guaranteed with Losskalol in nets.

Keep playing Giggy! Give Gus a start if and when Giggy loses one. Hopefully never. Just jesting.