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

Leafs Fight Hard To Earn A Point

Being down 3-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins after the first period, it looked like the Toronto Maple Leafs were going to be blown out of the ACC. But the Leafs turned things around in the second period and tied the game late in the third to earn a big point before losing in the shootout 5-4 to the Penguins. Randy Carlyle deserves full marks for making line-up changes heading into the second period when he moved the Grabovski line against Sidney Crosby's line and moved Tyler Bozak's line against Evgeni Malkin's line. Carlyle moved Jay McClement on Grabovski's line and put Leo Komorov on the 4th line. The other big move was pairing Cody Franson with Dion Phaneuf.

James Reimer over came a rough first period and made some critical saves particularly in the third period that gave the Leafs the opportunity to tie the game. Reimer also had a huge save on Crosby in overtime. James van Reimsdyk was a physical presence as he gave Marc-Andre Fleury fits all night, parking himself all night in front of the net which resulted in his 14th goal of the season that got the Leafs on the scoreboard. He also leveled Evgeni Malkin in the third period that sent Malkin to the bench for the rest of the game.

Phil Kessel tied the game late in the third and he also had 2 assists. Kessel was flying in the third period. The Leafs outplayed the Penguins in the third period and in the overtime. They also had 2 power play goals and killed off all 4 of the Penguin power plays, including a 5 on 3. An unsung hero was Jay McClement. He was a force on the penalty kill and he really was aggressive on the forecheck particularly when he was re-united with Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin.

Tonight was a clear indication that this team is quite different from last year's squad. In a week that they faced New Jersey, Ottawa, at Boston and Pittsburgh, the Leafs earned 5 points out of a possible 8. The point tonight was huge, especially with the way the game started.

The Leafs are next in action Tuesday at Winnipeg, at home against Pittsburgh on Thursday and close the week out at home against Winnipeg.