Mixed Emotions....

.....I guess that's the best way to sum up my thoughts on last nights game in Toronto. First and foremost, I'm thrilled at another win. But on the flip side, the boys had another one of those games where they couldn't seem to get the puck out of their own end. Thomas was under siege much of the night. The Leafs hit three posts. The result could have been much different, if not for more horrid goal tending from Vesa Toskala (thank you VS for interviewing Ron Wilson right after the Kessel goal. Hysterical stuff, he was PISSED). But, as many have told me today "good teams find ways to win games like that". Which is true. If this was the Dave Lewis Bruins, they would have gotten blown out. So I am happy with that. But if this lazy, poor decision making continues in their own zone, their lofty status at the top of the division will be short lived. The absence of Ference is already proving to be a major disruption. Who would have thought we'd miss Ference's calming effect back there? (oh yeah, that's right...ME. See? I've been telling you dopes he was a good player! :) ). Don't get me wrong, I am NOT about to push the panic button. I don't want Chiarelli to rush out and make a deal for the sake of making a deal. I still say giving up a top offensive player for a top blue liner isn't what this team needs. They can survive, and in fact thrive, with the D they have now. As Julien has been saying, they all just have to make sure they're playing well. This is when you'd like to see Chara really make a stand. He HAS to play better. His decision making has been sketchy at best. Way too many soft dumps up the boards that don't get out. I don't want him, or any of the D, to gamble on high risk plays all night. But they have to get back to looking to make plays coming out of their end. Right now, Wideman seems to be the only one looking for anything in the center of the ice. Now, not to sound all doom & gloom, there were some very positive things as well. Getting Ryder on the board, beer league toe-drag or not, was huge. Great move, but I'm still amazed when that stuff works on NHL defensemen. The goal by Hunwick was fantastic. Great puck movement a great job by the kid to floow his shot and finish. He just may become that ever elusive "puck moving d-man" they've been looking for (although he has a lot of work to do in his own end still). And hopefully that wrister through Toskala will get Kess back in a scoring groove. Great play by Savard on that one. He sees and thinks the game as good as anyone in the league. And I'm actually starting to like Looch on that line. They definitely need a physical presence with them, and who better than Looch? Thomas looked good again, although it was one of more "scrambly" performances of the year. Looked a lot like the "old Thomas", diving and flopping quite a bit. More a reflection of the team D in front of him, but still noticable. I assume we'll see Manny Wednesday night, but who knows? Supposedly Manny has great numbers against Buffalo.....but does that matter? I don't think so. I'd play Thomas Wednesday, then Manny Friday vs. Florida. That saves Thomas for Montreal Saturday night (again, thank you so much schedule makers. IN Montreal the night after a home game. Oh, and it's Patrick Roy night. Great.) That's it for now. Go B's-Kynch