For years, the Boston Bruins have not done anything right.
Trading away Andy Moog after the 1993 season was dumb. The Bruins have not recovered since then, winners of just two playoff rounds after that season. People like Byron Dafoe and Andrew Raycroft just weren't able to get the job done come playoff time.
Then there was the trade of Ray Bourque to Colorado for sentimental reasons. What on earth did the Bruins get out of that trade? What did that accomplish?
Firing Robbie Ftorek with eight games to go despite the Bruins being playoff-bound and having a winning record. Dumb. Did GM Mike O'Connell really think that he would be that great as a coach?
Blowing a three-games-to-one lead in 2004 to the hated Canadiens despite having two more home games in the series. All this after Montreal's Alexi Kovalev's so-called fake-injury allowed the Bruins to steal a double-OT victory in Montreal in Game Four. Brutal.
And the Joe Thornton debacle. Didn't he win the Hart Trophy for MVP that same year in San Jose? And the Bruins got spare parts for a perennial MVP candidate. (Well, then the other side is that Thornton just chokes in the playoffs, but still...)
Well, looks like the Bruins finally did something right for a change.
There was a little blurb on the radio earlier today about the Bruins having "Willie O'Ree Night" in their game against the Rangers on Saturday (Jan. 19th), to celebrate O'Ree's breaking of the color barrier 50 years ago in the NHL. O'Ree made his NHL debut on January 18th, 1958 with the last-place Bruins at the Montreal Forum, becoming the first black player in league history.
O'Ree was no Jackie Robinson--in the sense that the former Bruin wasn't a superstar player the way his baseball counterpart was--but being the first black player was a big milestone in the sport of hockey. Just ask current stars like Jerome Iginla and Mike Grier.
No, O'Ree's emergence didn't pave the way for others to join him--Mike Marson was next, being drafted by Washington 16 years later. However, O'Ree deserves the accolates, and is looked upon as a role model and pioneer by many. And the NHL is doing its part as well, apparently intending to honor O'Ree during the All-Star Game at the Philips Arena in Atlanta on January 27th.
Ironically, the Red Sox were known as the last major-league baseball team to have a black player on their roster, while the Bruins were the first in the NHL 50 years ago.
Unfortunately, O'Ree's career was brief--45 lifetime games all told. O'Ree, who was 95% blind in one eye--finished with four goals and ten assists in the NHL.
Still, the fact that the current Bruins recognized this as being a significant event and was willing to honor O'Ree, shows that the team is at least on the right track this time.
One bright move by the Bruins after all those horrible decisions and deals in the recent past. That's got to count for something too.
The Hockey Farmer / Showing Their Scales
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Schilling not deserving of Hall
Some--including Bleacher Report’s own David Cassilo--have suggested that Boston Red Sox World Series hero Curt Schilling belongs to the Baseball Hall of Fame. But has Schilling really done enough so far to merit Hall induction?
Look, I am a Red Sox fan and recognize Schilling’s legendary status because of 2004. Schilling will forever be a part of Boston sports lore, but I say he hasn’t done enough to make it.
Let’s look at the arguments against Schilling getting in.
Regular Season
Schilling’s lifetime regular-season numbers including the 2007 season:
W-L ERA IP K’s
216-146 3.46 3261 3116
We’ll compare his stats to those of two former big-leaguers whose final numbers match up closely to his, Bob Welch and Kevin Brown:
W-L ERA IP K’s
Welch 211-146 3.47 3092 1969
Brown 211-144 3.28 3256.1 2397
Other than the strikeout totals, all three have very similar won-loss records and ERAs.
No one is going to suggest that Welch is a Hall of Famer, even though he won 27 games and the AL Cy Young in 1990 for Oakland after spending several solid seasons in Los Angeles. Likewise for Brown, whom the Dodgers made the first $100-million man in 1999 but didn’t deliver. If neither former Dodgers hurlers deserve to make it, then the same should be said for Schilling.
Dominance
Schilling has never won a Cy Young, though he came close three times, finishing second in all three occasions. And that happened in a four-year span. In those three seasons, he won 20+ games--the only times he reached that magical mark. Schilling was unfortunate in 2001 and 2002, when his Arizona teammate Randy Johnson--with better ERAs--beat him out despite his 22-6 and 23-7 seasons. Schilling could have won it too in 2004, winning 21 games in his first year in Boston (21-6, 3.26, 203 K’s), but Johan Santana (20-6, 2.61, 265 K’s) was just that much more dominant with the Twins.
Thus, Schilling was great in those years, but unfortunately Johnson and Santana had career seasons to deny the Red Sox’s 2004 World Series hero the awards.
Still, the fact remains that Schilling has never won that coveted Cy Young. Of course, others have made it to the Hall without ever coming close to that award, but still, the fact that he hasn't won the Cy Young makes the argument against Schilling that much stronger.
Post-season
Here is the biggest source of argument. People will point to Schilling’s 11-2 record and 2.23 ERA and say that gets him in. Also there’s his 2001 co-MVP award in the World Series, and 1993 NLCS MVP.
Yes, but then look at Jack Morris, the man universally praised for winning the World Series for the Twins with that gutsy 10-inning shutout. Morris was the 1991 MVP of the Fall Classic, and started his post-season career 7-1 with a 2.60 ERA--until age and fatigue caught up to him. (Morris went 0-3 with a 7.43 ERA in the 1992 post-season, his final 4 playoff starts.)
Morris’s teams won 6 of 7 series in the post-season. (Schilling’s clubs--Philadelphia, Arizona, and Boston--went 10-2 in 12 post-season series.)
Of course, Morris, with a lifetime mark of 254-186, is on the outside looking in, having garnered just 42.9% of votes from the writers this past year.
And Morris, who many have referred to as one of the best come playoff time, won championships with three different teams (Detroit, Minnesota, Toronto twice). Morris is not in the Hall. Schilling, who narrowly lost out with the Phillies in 1993 before winning with the D-Backs and Red Sox (twice), is essentially in the same boat.
Other positives
Yes, Schilling is still active, and still has a chance to improve on his career numbers. But look, he will be 41 in 2008, and he’s coming off an injury-plagued 9-8 season (despite his one-hitter in June). Can he put together two or three more dominant--and injury-free--seasons? I say not.
Yes, Schilling has had three 300-strikeout seasons and has over 3,100 K’s. But 3,000 is not a magical number like it is for hitters in terms of hit totals. Just ask Bert Blyleven, who with 3,701 lifetime strikeouts, has still not been enshrined.
Yes, Schilling did win a pair of Pitcher of the Year awards from The Sporting News while with Arizona. However, the Cy Young is the arguably more prestigious award, something that Schilling may never win.
Intangibles
And forget the East Coast bias thing. Sure, Schilling has pitched the last few seasons in Boston. However, that means little. Look at Jim Rice. Didn’t he spend his entire big-league career in Beantown? Rice is still waiting for that phone call from the Hall. And didn’t Goose Gossage--a star closer with the Yankees--wait until this year to get elected, despite playing all those years in the biggest media center in the world?
Bottom line: Schilling has not done enough to merit Hall enshrinement. What do others out there think? Discuss.
Look, I am a Red Sox fan and recognize Schilling’s legendary status because of 2004. Schilling will forever be a part of Boston sports lore, but I say he hasn’t done enough to make it.
Let’s look at the arguments against Schilling getting in.
Regular Season
Schilling’s lifetime regular-season numbers including the 2007 season:
W-L ERA IP K’s
216-146 3.46 3261 3116
We’ll compare his stats to those of two former big-leaguers whose final numbers match up closely to his, Bob Welch and Kevin Brown:
W-L ERA IP K’s
Welch 211-146 3.47 3092 1969
Brown 211-144 3.28 3256.1 2397
Other than the strikeout totals, all three have very similar won-loss records and ERAs.
No one is going to suggest that Welch is a Hall of Famer, even though he won 27 games and the AL Cy Young in 1990 for Oakland after spending several solid seasons in Los Angeles. Likewise for Brown, whom the Dodgers made the first $100-million man in 1999 but didn’t deliver. If neither former Dodgers hurlers deserve to make it, then the same should be said for Schilling.
Dominance
Schilling has never won a Cy Young, though he came close three times, finishing second in all three occasions. And that happened in a four-year span. In those three seasons, he won 20+ games--the only times he reached that magical mark. Schilling was unfortunate in 2001 and 2002, when his Arizona teammate Randy Johnson--with better ERAs--beat him out despite his 22-6 and 23-7 seasons. Schilling could have won it too in 2004, winning 21 games in his first year in Boston (21-6, 3.26, 203 K’s), but Johan Santana (20-6, 2.61, 265 K’s) was just that much more dominant with the Twins.
Thus, Schilling was great in those years, but unfortunately Johnson and Santana had career seasons to deny the Red Sox’s 2004 World Series hero the awards.
Still, the fact remains that Schilling has never won that coveted Cy Young. Of course, others have made it to the Hall without ever coming close to that award, but still, the fact that he hasn't won the Cy Young makes the argument against Schilling that much stronger.
Post-season
Here is the biggest source of argument. People will point to Schilling’s 11-2 record and 2.23 ERA and say that gets him in. Also there’s his 2001 co-MVP award in the World Series, and 1993 NLCS MVP.
Yes, but then look at Jack Morris, the man universally praised for winning the World Series for the Twins with that gutsy 10-inning shutout. Morris was the 1991 MVP of the Fall Classic, and started his post-season career 7-1 with a 2.60 ERA--until age and fatigue caught up to him. (Morris went 0-3 with a 7.43 ERA in the 1992 post-season, his final 4 playoff starts.)
Morris’s teams won 6 of 7 series in the post-season. (Schilling’s clubs--Philadelphia, Arizona, and Boston--went 10-2 in 12 post-season series.)
Of course, Morris, with a lifetime mark of 254-186, is on the outside looking in, having garnered just 42.9% of votes from the writers this past year.
And Morris, who many have referred to as one of the best come playoff time, won championships with three different teams (Detroit, Minnesota, Toronto twice). Morris is not in the Hall. Schilling, who narrowly lost out with the Phillies in 1993 before winning with the D-Backs and Red Sox (twice), is essentially in the same boat.
Other positives
Yes, Schilling is still active, and still has a chance to improve on his career numbers. But look, he will be 41 in 2008, and he’s coming off an injury-plagued 9-8 season (despite his one-hitter in June). Can he put together two or three more dominant--and injury-free--seasons? I say not.
Yes, Schilling has had three 300-strikeout seasons and has over 3,100 K’s. But 3,000 is not a magical number like it is for hitters in terms of hit totals. Just ask Bert Blyleven, who with 3,701 lifetime strikeouts, has still not been enshrined.
Yes, Schilling did win a pair of Pitcher of the Year awards from The Sporting News while with Arizona. However, the Cy Young is the arguably more prestigious award, something that Schilling may never win.
Intangibles
And forget the East Coast bias thing. Sure, Schilling has pitched the last few seasons in Boston. However, that means little. Look at Jim Rice. Didn’t he spend his entire big-league career in Beantown? Rice is still waiting for that phone call from the Hall. And didn’t Goose Gossage--a star closer with the Yankees--wait until this year to get elected, despite playing all those years in the biggest media center in the world?
Bottom line: Schilling has not done enough to merit Hall enshrinement. What do others out there think? Discuss.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Good Call, Bad Call: What Baseball can learn from Basketball
Last week, the NBA took a victory away from the Atlanta Hawks, sending them and the Miami Heat back onto the floor to replay the final 51 seconds of a December 19th contest.
The reason was that the official scorer erroneously ruled that Miami center Shaquille O’Neal had fouled out.
The Hawks’ record fell to 15-16 minus the victory, putting them in eighth place in the East. Of course, if they go on to lose the do-over—scheduled for March 8th—and miss the playoffs by one game, it would be their own fault.
See, when O’Neal was called for a foul in overtime with Atlanta leading 112-111, the scoring table personnel, employed by the hometown Hawks, ruled it was Shaq’s sixth foul when it was actually only his fifth.
We’ll find out how badly the blunder will cost Atlanta later in the season.Which brings me to the New York Yankees. Yes, baseball.
Who could forget the infamous Royals-Yankees “Pine Tar” game from July 24th, 1983?
With two outs in the top of the ninth and Kansas City down by a run, George Brett homered off Goose Gossage with a man aboard for an apparent 5-4 KC lead.
However, after Yankees skipper Billy Martin protested that Brett’s bat had too much pine tar on it, umpire Tim McClelland called Brett out, and the game ended.
The Royals filed a protest and the AL ruled in their favor, meaning the two teams would have to finish the game on August 18th with KC up 5-4. The ruling took a win away from the Yankees, who were in contention in the AL East at the time.
While the Yankees lost out in that game, they certainly gained 13 years later, in the 1996 ALCS.
On October 9th, 1996, the Bombers trailed Baltimore 4-3 in the opener of the League Championship Series. In the bottom of the eighth, rookie Derek Jeter’s fly ball to deep right appeared at least playable, if not catchable, by Orioles right fielder Tony Tarasco. However, 12-year-old fan Jeffrey Maier reached over the fence and stole the ball away from Tarasco.
Right field ump Rich Garcia immediately ruled it a home run, meaning the game was tied 4-4. Tarasco and O’s manager Davey Johnson protested, to no avail.
The Yanks then went on to win in the 11th on Bernie Williams’ home run.
The Orioles and owner Peter Angelos filed a protest, but it was no use. The AL denied the protest because under the rules, judgment calls cannot be protested.
The Yankees lost Game Two before rallying to sweep three straight at Camden Yards to knock off the O’s.
The Garcia ruling was one of the worst in professional sports history. And the Orioles couldn't even protest it.
Give NBA Commissioner David Stern credit for righting the wrong committed against Miami. It won't help the woeful Heat make the playoffs, but at least it gives the league some measure of credibility in the wake of the Tim Donaghy scandal.
Yes, yes—different sport, different rules. But in this case, the NBA did the right thing. Baseball, for years, hasn't.
Anyone else out there want to share their thoughts on the worst calls or controversial non-calls ever in pro sports?
The reason was that the official scorer erroneously ruled that Miami center Shaquille O’Neal had fouled out.
The Hawks’ record fell to 15-16 minus the victory, putting them in eighth place in the East. Of course, if they go on to lose the do-over—scheduled for March 8th—and miss the playoffs by one game, it would be their own fault.
See, when O’Neal was called for a foul in overtime with Atlanta leading 112-111, the scoring table personnel, employed by the hometown Hawks, ruled it was Shaq’s sixth foul when it was actually only his fifth.
We’ll find out how badly the blunder will cost Atlanta later in the season.Which brings me to the New York Yankees. Yes, baseball.
Who could forget the infamous Royals-Yankees “Pine Tar” game from July 24th, 1983?
With two outs in the top of the ninth and Kansas City down by a run, George Brett homered off Goose Gossage with a man aboard for an apparent 5-4 KC lead.
However, after Yankees skipper Billy Martin protested that Brett’s bat had too much pine tar on it, umpire Tim McClelland called Brett out, and the game ended.
The Royals filed a protest and the AL ruled in their favor, meaning the two teams would have to finish the game on August 18th with KC up 5-4. The ruling took a win away from the Yankees, who were in contention in the AL East at the time.
While the Yankees lost out in that game, they certainly gained 13 years later, in the 1996 ALCS.
On October 9th, 1996, the Bombers trailed Baltimore 4-3 in the opener of the League Championship Series. In the bottom of the eighth, rookie Derek Jeter’s fly ball to deep right appeared at least playable, if not catchable, by Orioles right fielder Tony Tarasco. However, 12-year-old fan Jeffrey Maier reached over the fence and stole the ball away from Tarasco.
Right field ump Rich Garcia immediately ruled it a home run, meaning the game was tied 4-4. Tarasco and O’s manager Davey Johnson protested, to no avail.
The Yanks then went on to win in the 11th on Bernie Williams’ home run.
The Orioles and owner Peter Angelos filed a protest, but it was no use. The AL denied the protest because under the rules, judgment calls cannot be protested.
The Yankees lost Game Two before rallying to sweep three straight at Camden Yards to knock off the O’s.
The Garcia ruling was one of the worst in professional sports history. And the Orioles couldn't even protest it.
Give NBA Commissioner David Stern credit for righting the wrong committed against Miami. It won't help the woeful Heat make the playoffs, but at least it gives the league some measure of credibility in the wake of the Tim Donaghy scandal.
Yes, yes—different sport, different rules. But in this case, the NBA did the right thing. Baseball, for years, hasn't.
Anyone else out there want to share their thoughts on the worst calls or controversial non-calls ever in pro sports?
Why Cujo? This whole thing makes no sense
So goalie Curtis Joseph has signed with the Calgary Flames.
My question:
Why are teams interested in acquiring a 40-year-old who's never won anything?
Cujo has never been on a Stanley Cup winner, and has never even reached the Finals. Joseph was credited for leading the underdog Oilers to first-round upset victories in 1997 and 1998—but that was ten years ago.
And when he moved on to the Maple Leafs, Cujo didn't do anything. Last time I checked, the Leafs' Cup drought is still going.
Then he signed with the Red Wings because he wanted to play for a contender. A first-round sweep at the hands of lowly Anaheim in 2003 showed what a money goalie Joseph wasn't—and won't be.
The Maple Leafs were apparently part of the Cujo sweepstakes, according to Bob McCown of Prime Time Sports. And McCown echoed what every hockey fan is wondering:
Why on earth were the Leafs even interested in a 40-year-old?
Yes, Joseph played well playing for Canada in the Spengler Cup in Switzerland. But that's not the NHL.
Cujo's a backup at best—and for the Leafs to even show any interest is laughable.
My other question:
Why Calgary?
The only reason Joseph would come back would be to play for a Cup contender. In Calgary, he'll be reunited with Mike Keenan, who booted him from St. Louis.
So, why the Flames?
Let me be blunt here: If the Flames were to have to rely on Cujo, they'd be in trouble. It would mean No. 1 goalie Miikka Kiprusoff was out extended period of time. Good luck then.
Just ask Wayne Gretzky down in Phoenix. If Cujo still has it, why didn’t No. 99 jump at the chance to re-sign him to play in the desert?
The truth is, Cujo was overrated when he was a No. 1 man in the NHL. Yes, he's won a lot of regular-season games—but I repeat, he has never won a Cup. Never.
The fact that teams are still willing to go get him is just plain dumb.
If it were a Wayne Gretzky or Mark Messier being sought after as a 40-year-old, then it might be a big deal. But for a backup goalie who has never been a winner...
I just have to wonder why it's even on the news.
My question:
Why are teams interested in acquiring a 40-year-old who's never won anything?
Cujo has never been on a Stanley Cup winner, and has never even reached the Finals. Joseph was credited for leading the underdog Oilers to first-round upset victories in 1997 and 1998—but that was ten years ago.
And when he moved on to the Maple Leafs, Cujo didn't do anything. Last time I checked, the Leafs' Cup drought is still going.
Then he signed with the Red Wings because he wanted to play for a contender. A first-round sweep at the hands of lowly Anaheim in 2003 showed what a money goalie Joseph wasn't—and won't be.
The Maple Leafs were apparently part of the Cujo sweepstakes, according to Bob McCown of Prime Time Sports. And McCown echoed what every hockey fan is wondering:
Why on earth were the Leafs even interested in a 40-year-old?
Yes, Joseph played well playing for Canada in the Spengler Cup in Switzerland. But that's not the NHL.
Cujo's a backup at best—and for the Leafs to even show any interest is laughable.
My other question:
Why Calgary?
The only reason Joseph would come back would be to play for a Cup contender. In Calgary, he'll be reunited with Mike Keenan, who booted him from St. Louis.
So, why the Flames?
Let me be blunt here: If the Flames were to have to rely on Cujo, they'd be in trouble. It would mean No. 1 goalie Miikka Kiprusoff was out extended period of time. Good luck then.
Just ask Wayne Gretzky down in Phoenix. If Cujo still has it, why didn’t No. 99 jump at the chance to re-sign him to play in the desert?
The truth is, Cujo was overrated when he was a No. 1 man in the NHL. Yes, he's won a lot of regular-season games—but I repeat, he has never won a Cup. Never.
The fact that teams are still willing to go get him is just plain dumb.
If it were a Wayne Gretzky or Mark Messier being sought after as a 40-year-old, then it might be a big deal. But for a backup goalie who has never been a winner...
I just have to wonder why it's even on the news.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
How can the Leafs improve?
Watching the Leafs on Saturday night (January 12th) in San Jose, you just had a feeling that their 2-0 lead wasn’t going to last. And of course, the Sharks rallied for three in the third period. Patrick Marleau and Craig Rivet scored PP goals to tie the game, and then Joe Pavelski scored the winner with 9:39 left.
For those who root for Toronto, this is getting old. Why can’t this team protect leads? I’ve never seen a team blow so many of them in one season. Many of their losses in 2007-08 have come in excruciating fashion.
To wit:
The very first game of the year on October 3rd set the tone on. On opening night, Ottawa shocked the Leafs at the ACC. Dany Heatley tied it late in the third period (with just over 5 minutes left) and beat goalie Andrew Raycroft with a wrist shot at 2:57 of OT, rallying the Senators past Toronto 4-3. The Leafs, who went 0-for-7 on the power play, wasted Nik Antropov’s two goals and their 3-2 lead after 40 minutes.
Then the next night, Toronto fell behind the Senators 2-0 before tying it with a pair of quick goals late in the second. With the score 2-2 late in the third (with 4:59 left), Daniel Alfredsson scored his second of the night for Ottawa with the Leafs playing one man short. Toronto, 0-for-8 on the PP, lost, 3-2. Special teams was a factor in this one, as the Sens scored two of their goals with the man advantage. But clearly, two straight setbacks allowing late goals was a concern, and a trend that would haunt the Leafs throughout the season.
The Leafs would get embarrassed 7-1 at home by Carolina the following week, but followed that up with an 8-1 triumph in their next game against the Islanders.
Following the big 8-1 win, the Leafs and Penguins hooked up on Hockey Night in Canada on October 13th, and again, Toronto just couldn’t play a full 60 minutes - in particular the final minutes of a game. The Leafs also couldn’t play defense or get their PP clicking. Darcy Tucker, Nik Antropov, and Mats Sundin gave Toronto a 3-1 lead by the first minute of the second period, but the roof then fell in. The Penguins ran off with three straight of their own for a 4-3 lead in the second. However, the Leafs bounced right back when Jason Blake tallied just 27 seconds after Pittsburgh took the lead. Thus, it was 4-4 after 40 minutes. The Leafs just didn’t have it in the third, getting outshot 16-6. Sidney Crosby scored the game-winner, his second of the night, a power-play marker, with only 5:22 left, giving the Penguins the lead they would not relinquish. Pittsburgh added an empty-netter with the Leafs pulled Vesa Toskala, who faced 51 shots. Again, the power play failed the Leafs, as they went 0-for-6, including a late man-advantage opportunity late in the game.
And then the unthinkable two nights later. With a 2-0 lead after two in Buffalo, the Leafs looked to pick up a victory. However, the Sabres scored two goals in 37 seconds midway through the third to break Raycroft’s shutout. Toronto then took 3-2 and 4-3 leads, only to see the Sabres’ Jochen Hecht tie it with 3:33 left in the third. Ales Kotalik then settled things with the game-winning PPG - as Leafs defenseman Bryan McCabe knocked the puck into his own net after Raycroft stopped it - with just 3.7 ticks left in OT. Toronto was outshot 19-5 in the final stanza.
The Leafs seemed to turn the corner in their next outing, rallying from a 2-0 deficit against Florida and then seeing Nik Antropov put in a rebound for the game-winner with 28 seconds left in the game.
However, that optimism was short-lived, as the Leafs blew a 3-1, third-period lead in the very next game, at home against the Blackhawks. Chicago beat Raycroft five times in the third period as Toronto blew yet another two-goal lead after 40 minutes. The Leafs fell, 6-4.
So, five of their first six losses were in heart-breaking fashion, while the other was a blow-out loss.
And all that happened in October. Imagine having all these blown leads in just the first month of the season? Surely things would even out as the season went on, right?
Wrong.
On November 2nd, the Leafs lost in New Jersey, 3-2, when John Madden scored shorthanded with 4:12 left and Zach Parise added another goal with 2:35 left to break a tie, offsetting Mat Sundin’s goal with 30 seconds left.
Later in the month, the Leafs outshot Montreal 40-25 at the ACC, only to cough up a 3-2 lead with 6:02 left, and Mike Komisarek beat Raycroft on a breakaway (thanks to Bryan McCabe’s giveaway) 35 seconds into OT. 4-3 Montreal.
Then there was that 4-2 loss in Toronto, when Tuukka Rask - who was traded by the Leafs to Boston for Raycroft on June 24, 2006 - got the win in his first NHL start, making 30 saves. The Bruins scored the winner with 3:31 left in the game, and added an empty-netter with 27 seconds left, capping off a three-goal third period. Again, Toronto - who took a one-goal lead into the final period - blew a 2-0 lead. In fact, the Leafs would have had a two-goal lead going into the third if not for Antropov’s penalty, which led to Boston’s first goal at 19:12.
The Leafs then won four straight and six of seven, giving Leafs fans some hope. Then disaster struck with back-to-back losses in Carolina and Tampa Bay in December. The Leafs had a 2-0 lead late in the third period against the Hurricanes, only to see Cory Stillman and Ray Whitney score in the last 1:25 to force OT, and Scott Walker tally the OT-winner with 33 ticks left.
In Tampa, the Leafs scored first, but still lost. Jason Ward tied things late in the second. The Lightning’s Vincent Lecavalier scored with 42 seconds left in the third, and the Leafs fell 2-1. Toronto outshot the Lightning 12-4 in the third period, but couldn’t beat rookie Karri Ramo, who had 31 saves in his first career start.
The Leafs closed out the 2007 calendar year with six losses in seven games.
January didn’t change much. At ACC, the Flyers took a 2-0 lead, including controversial Steve Downie’s first NHL goal in his second game of the year. The Leafs tied it in the third period, only to see Mike Richards beat Raycroft with a PP goal with 2:51 left. The Leafs outshot Philadelphia 56-32, including 20-10 in the second and 20-11 in the third, but Antero Niittymaki was clearly better than his counterpart in goal.
Yesterday’s loss in San Jose was just another typical Leafs game this year. How many more blown third-period leads can this team pull off the rest of the way? Or will those losses teach them how to win? After all, this is a highly-paid veteran team, not one with rookies and youngsters. Hard to fathom that they’ve had this much trouble winning this year.
And now there’s this Mats Sundin saga. Will be or won’t he be traded?
Either way, this season’s a lost cause. After 45 games, the team is five games under .500 (16-21-8), seven points out of the playoffs and No. 14 in the East out of a 15-team conference. And most fans I’ve talked to don’t GM John Ferguson Jr. or coach Paul Maurice back next season.
How can the Leafs improve? Discuss.
For those who root for Toronto, this is getting old. Why can’t this team protect leads? I’ve never seen a team blow so many of them in one season. Many of their losses in 2007-08 have come in excruciating fashion.
To wit:
The very first game of the year on October 3rd set the tone on. On opening night, Ottawa shocked the Leafs at the ACC. Dany Heatley tied it late in the third period (with just over 5 minutes left) and beat goalie Andrew Raycroft with a wrist shot at 2:57 of OT, rallying the Senators past Toronto 4-3. The Leafs, who went 0-for-7 on the power play, wasted Nik Antropov’s two goals and their 3-2 lead after 40 minutes.
Then the next night, Toronto fell behind the Senators 2-0 before tying it with a pair of quick goals late in the second. With the score 2-2 late in the third (with 4:59 left), Daniel Alfredsson scored his second of the night for Ottawa with the Leafs playing one man short. Toronto, 0-for-8 on the PP, lost, 3-2. Special teams was a factor in this one, as the Sens scored two of their goals with the man advantage. But clearly, two straight setbacks allowing late goals was a concern, and a trend that would haunt the Leafs throughout the season.
The Leafs would get embarrassed 7-1 at home by Carolina the following week, but followed that up with an 8-1 triumph in their next game against the Islanders.
Following the big 8-1 win, the Leafs and Penguins hooked up on Hockey Night in Canada on October 13th, and again, Toronto just couldn’t play a full 60 minutes - in particular the final minutes of a game. The Leafs also couldn’t play defense or get their PP clicking. Darcy Tucker, Nik Antropov, and Mats Sundin gave Toronto a 3-1 lead by the first minute of the second period, but the roof then fell in. The Penguins ran off with three straight of their own for a 4-3 lead in the second. However, the Leafs bounced right back when Jason Blake tallied just 27 seconds after Pittsburgh took the lead. Thus, it was 4-4 after 40 minutes. The Leafs just didn’t have it in the third, getting outshot 16-6. Sidney Crosby scored the game-winner, his second of the night, a power-play marker, with only 5:22 left, giving the Penguins the lead they would not relinquish. Pittsburgh added an empty-netter with the Leafs pulled Vesa Toskala, who faced 51 shots. Again, the power play failed the Leafs, as they went 0-for-6, including a late man-advantage opportunity late in the game.
And then the unthinkable two nights later. With a 2-0 lead after two in Buffalo, the Leafs looked to pick up a victory. However, the Sabres scored two goals in 37 seconds midway through the third to break Raycroft’s shutout. Toronto then took 3-2 and 4-3 leads, only to see the Sabres’ Jochen Hecht tie it with 3:33 left in the third. Ales Kotalik then settled things with the game-winning PPG - as Leafs defenseman Bryan McCabe knocked the puck into his own net after Raycroft stopped it - with just 3.7 ticks left in OT. Toronto was outshot 19-5 in the final stanza.
The Leafs seemed to turn the corner in their next outing, rallying from a 2-0 deficit against Florida and then seeing Nik Antropov put in a rebound for the game-winner with 28 seconds left in the game.
However, that optimism was short-lived, as the Leafs blew a 3-1, third-period lead in the very next game, at home against the Blackhawks. Chicago beat Raycroft five times in the third period as Toronto blew yet another two-goal lead after 40 minutes. The Leafs fell, 6-4.
So, five of their first six losses were in heart-breaking fashion, while the other was a blow-out loss.
And all that happened in October. Imagine having all these blown leads in just the first month of the season? Surely things would even out as the season went on, right?
Wrong.
On November 2nd, the Leafs lost in New Jersey, 3-2, when John Madden scored shorthanded with 4:12 left and Zach Parise added another goal with 2:35 left to break a tie, offsetting Mat Sundin’s goal with 30 seconds left.
Later in the month, the Leafs outshot Montreal 40-25 at the ACC, only to cough up a 3-2 lead with 6:02 left, and Mike Komisarek beat Raycroft on a breakaway (thanks to Bryan McCabe’s giveaway) 35 seconds into OT. 4-3 Montreal.
Then there was that 4-2 loss in Toronto, when Tuukka Rask - who was traded by the Leafs to Boston for Raycroft on June 24, 2006 - got the win in his first NHL start, making 30 saves. The Bruins scored the winner with 3:31 left in the game, and added an empty-netter with 27 seconds left, capping off a three-goal third period. Again, Toronto - who took a one-goal lead into the final period - blew a 2-0 lead. In fact, the Leafs would have had a two-goal lead going into the third if not for Antropov’s penalty, which led to Boston’s first goal at 19:12.
The Leafs then won four straight and six of seven, giving Leafs fans some hope. Then disaster struck with back-to-back losses in Carolina and Tampa Bay in December. The Leafs had a 2-0 lead late in the third period against the Hurricanes, only to see Cory Stillman and Ray Whitney score in the last 1:25 to force OT, and Scott Walker tally the OT-winner with 33 ticks left.
In Tampa, the Leafs scored first, but still lost. Jason Ward tied things late in the second. The Lightning’s Vincent Lecavalier scored with 42 seconds left in the third, and the Leafs fell 2-1. Toronto outshot the Lightning 12-4 in the third period, but couldn’t beat rookie Karri Ramo, who had 31 saves in his first career start.
The Leafs closed out the 2007 calendar year with six losses in seven games.
January didn’t change much. At ACC, the Flyers took a 2-0 lead, including controversial Steve Downie’s first NHL goal in his second game of the year. The Leafs tied it in the third period, only to see Mike Richards beat Raycroft with a PP goal with 2:51 left. The Leafs outshot Philadelphia 56-32, including 20-10 in the second and 20-11 in the third, but Antero Niittymaki was clearly better than his counterpart in goal.
Yesterday’s loss in San Jose was just another typical Leafs game this year. How many more blown third-period leads can this team pull off the rest of the way? Or will those losses teach them how to win? After all, this is a highly-paid veteran team, not one with rookies and youngsters. Hard to fathom that they’ve had this much trouble winning this year.
And now there’s this Mats Sundin saga. Will be or won’t he be traded?
Either way, this season’s a lost cause. After 45 games, the team is five games under .500 (16-21-8), seven points out of the playoffs and No. 14 in the East out of a 15-team conference. And most fans I’ve talked to don’t GM John Ferguson Jr. or coach Paul Maurice back next season.
How can the Leafs improve? Discuss.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
