McCabe Miscue Costs Leafs

For the second straight game at home, the Maple Leafs played well enough to earn a victory but skated off the ice at the end of the game lamenting another home loss. Typically, it was vastly entertaining contest between the Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens – each of their three head to head contests this season have been decided by one goal, two of them in extra time. This time, the Montreal Canadiens got the better of the Maple Leafs defeating them in overtime by a score of 4-3.

Montreal opened the scoring with a goal by Andre Markov while the Maple Leafs were shorthanded two players after Hal Gill was issued a “closing the hand on the puck” penalty for throwing the puck around his back and off the side boards in an attempt to clear the zone. Though it was a move that would surely impress Toronto Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell, it was a costly mistake that afforded the Canadiens a lengthy five on three power play. Kyle Wellwood scored twice giving the Maple Leafs the lead late in the second period but Andrei Kastsitsyn drew the Habs even with a goal in the dying seconds of the middle frame.

In the third period, Boyd Deveraux gave the Maple Leafs the lead once again when he scored his third goal of the season. However, as has constantly been the case on home ice this season, the Maple Leafs were unable to close the deal allowing Alexei Kovalev to score with just over six minutes remaining. In overtime while playing three skaters aside with Saku Koivu and Matt Stajan serving coincidental penalties incurred at the end of the third period, Bryan McCabe attempted a cross ice pass to Nik Antropov at the Canadiens blueline but Canadiens’ defenseman Mike Komisarek anticipated the play and intercepted the pass affording him a clear cut breakaway from centre ice. Komisarek beat Andrew Raycroft sealing the victory for Montreal.

Despite giving up four goals, Andrew Raycroft, who got the start in place of Vesa Toskala while he battles a bout of the flu, was strong making twenty one stops. Each of the four goals resulted from defensive breakdowns or missed assignments leaving him with little chance to make a stop. Carey Price got the start for the Montreal Canadiens – his first against the Maple Leafs - and looked confident throughout the game, efficiently turning aside thirty seven shots.

The Maple Leafs will continue a critical stretch of games against divisional opponents on Thursday when they will take on the Boston Bruins at the TD Banknorth Garden.