Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.13

www.afootinthecrease.com

Since the beginning of December, the Toronto Maple Leafs have looked like a vastly different hockey team than the one seen earlier in the season. After losing seven straight games right off the bat, the chances of making the playoffs looked dim, practically nonexistent to be frank. But over the last two weeks, three things have changed for the better and because of it, the Maple Leafs now sit just four points behind the eighth place Montreal Canadiens while holding a game in hand.

First of all their record at home. Before defeating the Atlanta Thrashers last Monday, the Buds had yet to record a midweek home win. Following another home win over the Islanders on Wednesday and a thrilling come-from-behind victory over the first place Washington Capitals on Saturday, all of a sudden the Leafs are looking at a three game home winning streak. Those three wins at home last week surpassed their entire total of two home wins through the first two months of the season. With that success, the Maple Leafs home record now only sits two games under the five hundred mark.

Secondly, goaltending. Vesa Toskala is back, looking like the Vesa Toskala who tended goal in years past for the San Jose Sharks. There is no question now that Toskala is the undisputed number one goaltender in Toronto as the team is playing with confidence in front of him due to Toskala’s new found penchant for big saves at big times.

What was that word there, oh yeah, confidence. It’s amazing what that can do for a hockey team. No longer a fragile-looking team where one bounce that goes against them will open the flood gates toward a long night. Instead, the Maple Leafs have shown lately that if they are going to get beat, their opposition will have to work hard for a full sixty minutes. Perhaps Alex Ovechkin said it best following the Capitals loss to the Leafs on Saturday night.

"They never quit. Those guys always skate hard, they forecheck hard. They might not be the most talented team, but they never give up." But hey, all that was just rigamarole.