tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

Leafs Fall To Devils 4-3 In OT

The Toronto Maple Leafs fought back several times to be in a position to get a valuable two points last night against the New Jersey Devils. Yet, each time they drew even, suspect goaltending dropped them behind. The worst being the game winner by Mark Fayne 1:18 into overtime as the Devils defeated the Leafs 4-3. Toronto did get one point and remained tied with Winnipeg for the 8th and final playoff spot.

After Phil Kessel's goal tied the game with 43 seconds left in the third period, the crowd gave the team a standing ovation as regulation time ended and there was a feeling that the Leafs were going to pull this one out. Just before Fayne's goal, Jake Gardiner rattled one off the post behind Marty Brodeur and it seemed like it was a matter of time before they got the winner. However, seconds later Fayne put one past Jonas Gustavsson on a shot that looked like it was going wide of the net.

Think about how we all would be feeling today if the Leafs would have won the game. We would be talking about the fact that they never quit. That they received scoring from 3 lines. That Gustavsson, despite letting in two weak goals early, made some key saves to keep the Leafs in the game. Instead, a team that needed a win badly suffered a miserable defeat. As I mentioned in an earlier post, some times you need a big hit or a big goal. Kessel's goal could have been that goal. But as I also said sometimes your goalie needs to make a big save. In this case, we are not talking about a big save. We're talking about something routine.

It's anybodies guess as to who Coach Ron Wilson will start on Thursday night. Unless another goalie is brought in, I think that Wilson needs to pick a goalie and ride him. A goaltender needs to develop a groove and gain confidence. The yo-yo situation in net is not helping either goalie. It will also be interesting to see how this team reacts after losing a game that they could have won and needed to win. The Leafs control their own destiny but unless the goaltending situation gets straightened out, this team will not make the playoffs.

Let me close by asking you a question that was posed by Toronto Sun reporter Steve Simmons on twitter: If the Leafs need to win the final game of the season to make the playoffs who should Ron Wilson start in goal, James Reimer or Jonas Gustavsson???