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

The Dream Is Over: Leafs Lose 4-0

While still mathematically alive, the Toronto Maple Leafs run for the 8th and final playoff spot unofficially came to an end with an uninspiring 4-0 defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers.  In a situation eerily similar to the one the Leafs faced when they lost to the Islanders in overtime, the Leafs failed to show up last night and gave up a golden opportunity to gain ground on the idle Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Sabres.

With 10 games remaining in the season, the Leafs will pretty much need to win 9 out of ten to have a chance to get into the playoffs.  What further complicates matters is that the Sabres have 2 games in hand.  An uphill climb indeed.

What's really disturbing is  Clarke MacArthur's assertion that "I think we took them too lightly and we were outworked all over the ice."  There was a similar comment made by Keith Aulie after the Islander game.  This is a problem and one that needs to be corrected if this team is to become a legitimate playoff contender.  Maybe some veterans who have been through this before would have helped, I really don't know. 

Interesting to read various blog comments as everyone is jumping on Ron Wilson for playing J.S. Giguere.  I understand the argument.  It's obvious that the Leafs play better in front of Reimer.  It's also obvious that Giguere will not be with the Leafs next year.  So why have your playoff chance rest with Giguere?  Wilson's explanation is that Giguere has been through this before and he didn't want to risk a chance of Reimer being injured.  However, as Wilson correctly stated if you don't score you can't win. 

This may sound crazy but if the Leafs wanted to give Reimer a rest and wanted to have an eye on the future, I would have played Gustavsson and dressed Reimer as the back-up.  I understand that Gustavsson has not played in awhile but he obviously is practicing with the team and why not begin the re-evaluation process with the Monster.  If he looks shaky, pull him and put Reimer in.  A bad game by Gustavsson would not mean the Leafs should give up on him but it would possibly give the kid some confidence knowing that the team was willing to put their playoff hopes in his hands.

Hindsight is 20-20 and I'm not blaming Giguere for the loss.  And I'm not going to go off on Wilson for starting him.  But I think Wilson needs to be held accountable for a power play that has been terrible and an inexplicable pattern of this team sleep walking against teams that they should beat. 

The Leafs are back at the ACC on Saturday to face off against the Boston Bruins.  What are the odds that the Leafs will continue their streak of falling behind 1-0????