Leafs Get Back To 500 In Win Over Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are becoming somewhat of a confidence building opponent for the Maple Leafs thus far this season. In both meetings between these two teams since the regular season began, the Maple Leafs came with doom and gloom surrounding their season’s expectations and their fans placing the proverbial axe over the heads of both head coach Paul Maurice and general manager John Ferguson Jr. Each time, the Maple Leafs responded with a tremendous effort leading many to question whether this is the team they have the ability to become or if this type of quality effort will ever be shown against a team not from Montreal.

Games between the Maple Leafs and Canadiens seem to bring out the best in these two history-rich franchises and last night’s game was no different. An outstanding sixty minutes of hockey featured a high pace, stellar netminding from both Vesa Toskala and Cristobal Huet, and a game deciding goal from Matt Stajan that came in the final two minutes of the third period, giving the Maple Leafs a 3-2 victory and restoring their record to the .500 mark at 6-6-3.

The scoring began early in the first period when Tomas Kaberle scored on the power play with the game just over a minute old. His goal was only the ninth for a Maple Leafs’ power play which has struggled to a meager 12.5% success rate – the fourth worst in the NHL - through their first fourteen games. After giving up a late short handed goal a night ago against the Devils that inevitably cost the Maple Leafs a chance at victory, Paul Maurice threatened to dismantle the power play and instead begin employing third and fourth line forwards who rarely see time with the man advantage. Kaberle’s goal took the power play off life support but certainly, it still sits in critical condition considering it was a strength of the Maple Leafs over the past two seasons.

Mike Komisarek scored his first goal of the season to pull the Habs even at one goal a piece before the end of the first period. Chris Higgins gave the Canadiens the lead early in the second period but Mats Sundin responded quickly with his eighth goal this season at 6:04. From there the score remained tied heading into the third period when Vesa Toskala shined down the stretch.

Toskala turned aside all ten shots he faced in the final frame, several of which were of the spectacular variety. Despite a free wheeling game, the Maple Leafs were able to maintain a reasonable amount of control in the defensive zone, something they are not usually able to do in fast paced games. Pavel Kubina led all Maple Leaf defensemen with over twenty eight minutes of ice time.

Since beginning the season on a tear, Matt Stajan had cooled off of late but broke out of his mini slump assisting on Tomas Kaberle’s goal and fooling Cristobal Huet with 1:34 left in the third period to seal a Maple Leaf victory.

The Maple Leafs will travel to Ottawa on Tuesday to take on the Senators in the third game of their four game road trip.