Toronto Maple Leafs Diary: October 24th, 2011

Toronto Maple Leafs Diary
BFin
Toronto vs. Philadelphia (Philly, PA)
Monday October 24th, 2011

Bets: All Upsets - WIN, TOR + FLO
Drink: Crown Black + Coke
State of Dress: Maple Leafs socks. Moccasins. Hoodie.
Location: Toronto, Ontario.
Mood: Pessimistic

Introduction:
The Leafs continued their hot start on Saturday with a comeback win against the hated Montreal Canadiens. Grabovski once again played some of his bets hockey in Montreal and picked up the OT winner against his former teammates. Philly comes into this game as the losers of two straight in what will surely be over-hyped as the battle of Schenn vs. Schenn. Reimer being out of the lineup should hurt the Leafs tonight, especially if Philly has decided to shoot at the Monsters glove, like the rest of the league. For all those gamblers out there, if you feel like the Leafs have a good shot tonight they are getting very good underdog odds at this point. Something to consider.

Leafs TV Pre-Game:
- Please don't have Andy Petrillo, please don't have Andy Petrillo. NO PETRILLO! YESSSS! Thank you Leafs TV.
- Mood has now been upgraded to optimistic.
- Leafs TV needs to develop some more pre-game montages, I love Wendel but I have seen this same video three times already this season. It's like BET with Notorious or Cuba Gooding Jr movies on TBS.
- Was that a commercial for a James Reimer collection?
- Only a city like Philly would be dumb enough to leave up a statue for a fictional character (Rocky) because Stallone 'donated' it after the film was done. How long until our Love Guru statue goes up for Mike Myers??
- Lupul looks to be in very good shape after getting an off-season and training camp this season. Pretty well spoken individual as well, nice throw in to the Gardiner deal!
- Very happy that Leafs TV has decided to go with HD for all of their broadcasts. Their SD was atrocious.


1st Period
- This should be a tough one tonight. Philly is going to be hungry.
- Every single rink in the NHL does O'Canada better than the ACC. We need more organ and more powerful singers to get the crowd pumped up.
- Nik Kulemin displaying his rain man like game face during the anthems.
- I see that Ron Wilson has gone back to the ever so reliable tandem of Liles and Komisarek. Kill me now.
- Kessel and Lupul just will not quit! We all know he's not a 160 point player, but where does this start place him for the rest of the season?? What an absolute snipe that was when you see it from the net cam.
- If anyone can explain to me how the addition of Jagr is better for your club than having Mike Richards I would be really inclined to listen.
- The intelligence of Flyers fans is once again on display as they do not understand the follow through rule. Next up, drunk fat guy falling into the penalty box 2.0.
- That was one hell of a few plays for Dupuis. Excellent speed and a very responsible center.
- "Jagr walks right around Komisarek"...seriously?!?! JAGR IS THE SLOWEST PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE AND MIKE KOMISAREK CAN'T KEEP UP WITH HIM!?!?!?
- Liles...what the fuck.
- 'YAYYY Multi-culturalism!' - A Leafs TV short.


2nd Period
- I want to say my true feelings about Chris Pronger, but all the best.
- The ever intelligent commentators on Leafs TV currently having a spirited debate as to whether Nik Kulemin is built like a 'wall' or a 'mack-truck'. I disagree with both assessments and say that he is built like a mouth-breathing Russian, whom I love having on the Leafs.
- MMMM now they're talking about Jagr's large posterior and big legs. This commentary is taking a turn for the awkward.
- McCarthur having his best game of the season tonight.
- Frattin makes Meszaros his bitch. Well done kid.
- Kessel's saucer pass is NHL12 good right now.
- WOW. So that's why they call him the Monster. Jagr who?
- Very happy that Bowen has decided to stop calling Wayne Simmonds, 'Simons'.
- Oh Mike Komisarek, when will you ever do anything to make me want to like you. I guess I have to ask myself what's worse, a man dis-advantage because of Mike Komisarek or having Mike Komisarek out on the ice?
- Unlucky for Gustavsson. Did everything but hold onto that one.
- what is a talBOT?
- So far the Schenn vs. Schenn battle has proven about as exciting as a Kenny vs. Spenny episode. S
- 'YAYYYY MORE MULTI-CULTURALISM!!!!' - A second Leafs TV short
- Jerry D'Amigo uses the word 'umm' more than I use vowels.


3rd Period
- Need this for Monster. He's played very well.
- Once again a player is allowed to go in alone becuase of Mike Komisarek and then after the play Briere slashes Monster in the head. Seriously, unless Franson gives Monster herpes what more could he do to the man to make this worse?!?!
- Gunnar and Gardiner can't play together on the PP because neither is a shooter.
- Kadri is not going to earn himself icetime by banging his stick on the ice.
- Fuck.
- Hi Leafs Fans, I'm Mike Komisarek. I just wanted you to all know that I would not be covering anyone in the defensive end for you the entire season! Keep watching and Happy Halloween.
- We ran Larry Murphy out of town but yet Mike Komisarek still wears an 'A'...
- FLUKES BE DAMNED! I WILL TAKE IT! Steckel's third goal of the season. Astute acquisition.
- Mike Komisarek appears to be sitting again during this third period. Two periods too long.
- The talBOT returns
- Random commercial anger. Does the B in B.E.L.T not stand for bacon considering they used to call it a Bagel B.E.L.T? Tim Horton's is so full of shit.
- Liles and Komisarek...oh my. As I said before what worse could a young Cody Franson do?
- Can't blame Gardiner on that since the puck was coming from his side. Liles should have been backing up, especially since Jagr was coming off his wing. I don't understand the free pass he gets.
- Well...Gustavsson played a tough game. Battled the whole way. Cursed by the Komisarek.


Conclusion:

The Good - Gustavsson and Steckel both put in very solid efforts tonight. I thought that they were both more into this game than any of the other Leafs on the ice tonight. Outside of that I don't have much good to say.

The Bad - No surprises here: Mike Komisarek, Power Play, and JML. Let's start with Komisarek and Liles, Komisarek was out for two PK goals and was in the box for a third. When I say that he was out for two PK goals I mean he screened the goalie for one of them and didn't cover someone on the second. His penalty resulted in the third. As for JML he was his typical self tonight, eventful. He went for it in the offensive zone, forgot about it in the defensive zone and still managed an even. Some may not agree with these assessments but I honestly can't say much positive about these two players performances in front of our keeper.

Overall - I expected us to lose this game going into it. I thought it would be more a result of Philly taking it to us and not us killing ourselves. I was wrong. High-sticking penalties, two break-aways to Jagr and many undisciplined plays did us in. Gustavsson was strong but the team as a whole had way too many mistakes to think they can compete playing like that. Wilson has some decisions to make personnel wise heading into their next game Thursday, let's just hope that it does not involve Mike Komisaresk wearing a jersey...let alone one with an 'A' on it.



Stay tuned for Thursday's Leafs Diary.

Questions? Comments? Let me know.