Leafs Do It Right Against Atlanta This Time

Unlike the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Thrashers met, the Leafs were able to close the deal in tonight’s game. Tonight’s 3-1 Leafs victory, their third in a row, played out much the same as the previous match up between these two teams with the Leafs opening up a two goal lead. During the previous game, the Leafs surrendered their two goal lead in less than half a minute and inevitably went on to loose the game in overtime. This time; however, the Maple Leafs were able to hang on to that 2-0 lead until Ilya Kovalchuk scored with one minute and twenty-five seconds remaining to make the score 2-1 and break up Ed Belfour’s bid for a sixty-seventh career shutout. The Leafs’ lead was never in jeopardy though, as Nolan quickly added an empty net goal, his second of the game.

With Alex Mogilny undergoing hip surgery on Wednesday, putting him out of the lineup until at least mid February, it will be essential for other players to pick up some of the offensive slack. This was evident tonight as Owen Nolan and Matt Stajan simultaneously had their best games of the season. Stajan caused a turnover at the blueline resulting in Nolan’s first goal. Stajan was also a part of Tucker’s goal feeding him a beautiful pass in the slot on a give and go right between the legs of the Atlanta defender. Tucker was all alone in front of the net leaving him with an easy goal.

Ed Belfour played another super game making at least a dozen quality saves. Things were a little tense midway through the third period as Belfour came out of the net to play a puck around to his defense as he usually does. After playing the puck, he began to return to the net where a nasty looking knee on knee collision occurred with an Atlanta Thrasher sending Belfour to the ice in what looked to be a considerable amount of pain. After a couple minutes on the ice, Belfour was able to get up and carry on in the game. An injury to Belfour would be terrible as the Leafs live and die on the success of their number one netminder.