Leafs Easily Tame Panthers

The Maple Leafs extended their point streak to fifteen consecutive games with a commanding 5-2 win against the Florida Panthers last night. As they have throughout their streak, they received contributions from various players including two point efforts from Gary Roberts, Joe Nieuwendyk and Nik Antropov. Belfour was his usual outstanding self making some huge saves in key situations. Defensively, the Leafs seemed to loosen up in the third period allowing the Panthers to chip in another goal during a wild goal mouth scramble. This display of poor defense probably came as a result of a large lead and the fact that the holidays are near. This trend will probably disappear quite quickly as there are too many veterans to allow it to continue.

Joe Nieuwendyk and Gary Roberts played perhaps their best games of the season showing a little extra jump and speed allowing both of them to record two points each. Both of Roberts’ points were goals including the first goal of the game on an excellent set up pass by Sundin. Roberts also added his second goal to make the score 3-1 at that point on a beautiful shot to the short side of Florida netminder, Roberto Luongo.

With the win last night, the Maple Leafs now sit first overall in the National Hockey League, one point ahead of the Western Conference leading Detroit Red Wings. The Maple Leafs have not been in first place overall this late in the season since Christmas time in 1962. The hardware is not handed out in December but if a team is never hot during the season, chances are they will not get hot come April, May and June.

They are off for two days now before they kick off the post-Christmas part of the season in New York on Boxing Day for games against the Rangers and Islanders.