Leafs Diary - October 8th, 2011

Toronto Maple Leafs Diary
BFin
Toronto vs. Ottawa
Saturday October 8th, 2011

Bets: ANA, BUF, PHI, BOS, TOR, CAR, CHI, DET, PIT, SJ. UPSET SPECIAL - CAR + TB

Drink: Crown Black and diet.

State of Dress: Lazy but comfortable.

Location: London, Ontario for Turkey.

Mood: Anxious, relaxed, slightly inebriated.

Pre-Game
- Paul MacLean has the greatest duster in the NHL. 53 years old and it looks like he has been growing that 'stache since birth.
- Ottawa Senators had trouble at customs and got into Toronto late last night? Kudos to Toronto Customs!
- This PJ Stock and Kelly Hrudey faceoff segment is painful. Why did CBC choose an agitating winger and a goalie to explain why David Steckel is an excellent face-off man?
- Brendan Shanahan vs. Elliot Friedman: Battle of the increasing chins.
- Re-fill on the rye and diet so I don't know what happened from 6:55pm-7:04pm. The drink is delicious though, so it was well worth it.
- I can't be the only one over the age of 3 that still misses the "Dun dun dun dun dunnnn" when Hockey Night in Canada started. What a dumb decision not to keep that song.
- Random Thought: Who will 'god' help in a battle between James Reimer and Rocco Grimaldi?

1st Period
- Someone should tell Cassie Campbell that she's a working professional, not a biker.
- I miss Harry Neale and Bob Cole. They may not have been able to read the players names but at least they displayed some modicum of excitement.
- Did Konopka get into that fight with the intention of not throwing a punch or was that accidental?
- Gunnarsson getting dangled by Da Costa...I haven't been paying enough attention to his defensive game to know if this is a one-time occurrence.
- Cowen gets a penalty for high-sticking Colby Armstrong in the face. Personally I think Armstrong's nose should get 2 for interference. Absolutely massive.
- Grabovski cemented himself as a Leaf for me when he gave Habs fans the finger. Kicked out with gusto.
- Is Phil Kessel finally in shape? Has been skating hard these first 2 games

Intermission
- Should be interesting to see what Don Cherry says tonight...it will no doubt be unapologetic, have poor diction, and be from the heart of an old-time Canadian.
- Even Don Cherry's opinion is changing. I agree that you should not have fighters who don't play regular shifts.
- Good point about the baseball head shots. Kind of dis-similar in the fact that players in baseball aren't wearing shoulder pads made of hard plastic.


2nd Period
- DOUBLE DION!!!!!
- I believe they call that the 'train tracks'
- Life in the crowd at the ACC...what is this a hockey game?
- Komisarek is turning my opinion around here. Love the aggressiveness. Haven't seen this style of play since he got knocked out by Lucic with Boston.
- I don't know whether to feel good about this game or to understand that we are playing the Ottawa Senators.
- Nikita Filatov may not have been the best 'risky pickup' in my keeper league.
- Can Stephane Da Costa grow facial hair? He looks like he is 12 years old.
- So based on Kessels career performance we should expect no goals in his next three games after tonight?
- Those who can't do...play for the Ottawa Senators?

Intermission
- Mike Milbury is Don Cherry with a better point.
- Whoever the guy in the brown suit is...has never played hockey. I don't know why this guy is on the panel? It's like hiring a consultant who has never worked in your industry.


3rd Period
- I need another drink, hoping that I do not miss the start of this. Perhaps not making a comment about it would have been beneficial.
- You know when Colton Orr scores that things are getting a little out of hand
- Too bad Chris Neil didn't have the balls to fight Orr. He might have been in the box instead of scoring the fifth goal.
- Even the moustache can't save you now
- Well...this is some bull-shit
- What the hell is going on in this game? Why is Chris Neil still in the NHL?
- Crowd sounds very good right now. Nice to see some excitement in the ACC again.
- 82-0-0 is still alive

Conclusion
- If we play like that we are going to continue to miss the playoffs. Toronto needs to develop a system like the Buffalo Sabres that shuts it down defensively when they get a 3-4 goal lead. I don't know if that is a coaching thing