These youngsters better wake the hell up and stop the cockiness that came with their hot start. They are not good enough to win many games in which they get clearly outworked, like they have been the last 2 games.
In an effort to energize his catatonic offence, Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson has tinkered with his top two lines.
After scoring just four goals in their last three games – after notching 16 goals in the first four – at practice this morning, Wilson moved Kris Versteeg from left wing on the No. 1 line to skate on the second line with Mikhail Grabovski and Clarke MacArthur.
Nikolai Kulemin, who had been skating with Grabovski, has been moved up to the top unit with Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel.
I like the decision to start Giguere. If he has a good game it gives him back some confidence, and if he has a bad one Gustavsson will be chomping at the bit to get in there.
It will be good to see the Kulemin - Bozak - Kessel line together again.
I had originally thought Gustavsson would get this one, but looking at it, it probably makes more sense to go Jiggy, Monster on the road against the Bruins, and Jiggy at home against the Rangers Saturday.
I suspect it is all about scheduling, not confidence building or anything.
Jiggy was not bad last game, the D was brutal though, and of course only 14 SOG...much the same for Monster's last game.
Don't blame the goalies for the last two.
I like the decision to start Giguere. If he has a good game it gives him back some confidence, and if he has a bad one Gustavsson will be chomping at the bit to get in there.
It will be good to see the Kulemin - Bozak - Kessel line together again.
Wilson should also scratch Lebda, and play Carl Gunns.
I may be one of Giguere's biggest supporters, but he doesn't deserve this start. His loss to Philly was his first legitimately piss-poor showing.
J.S. gave up three unforgivable goals in that contest, which, coincidentally, were the difference in the game:
Betts and Hartnell: exposed Giguere's weak post-to-post movement and tendency not to protect the bottom of the net when attempting to do; cross ice pass, followed up by a quick low shot; these weren't accidental or improvised: Philadelphia studied up on Giguere (kudos to Laviolette)
Briere: was the shot placed perfectly, a la Tavares's in OT? yeah, but when J.S. took away the bottom of th net he knew Briere was going top shelf, which makes his slow glove reaction puzzling
Gus improved from his first start to his second (gave up two relatively weak goals to NYR, but received no support), while Jiggy has lost his last two, and has generally regressed since the victory over Ottawa. Wilson isn't being fair about this.
I may be one of Giguere's biggest supporters, but he doesn't deserve this start. His loss to Philly was his first legitimately piss-poor showing.
J.S. gave up three unforgivable goals in that contest, which, coincidentally, were the difference in the game:
Betts and Hartnell: exposed Giguere's weak post-to-post movement and tendency not to protect the bottom of the net when attempting to do; cross ice pass, followed up by a quick low shot; these weren't accidental or improvised: Philadelphia studied up on Giguere (kudos to Laviolette)
Briere: was the shot placed perfectly, a la Tavares's in OT? yeah, but when J.S. took away the bottom of th net he knew Briere was going top shelf, which makes his slow glove reaction puzzling
Gus improved from his first start to his second (gave up two relatively weak goals to NYR, but received no support), while Jiggy has lost his last two, and has generally regressed since the victory over Ottawa. Wilson isn't being fair about this.
I thought he had not much of a chance on the Briere goal, perfectly placed snipe, but on the first goal he looked brutal. Whether it was tipped or not, Giguere made a poor attempt on the shot.
Grr..sportsnet.
Hopefully we put up a good effort. I've seen some Florida games this year, and they haven't looked bad at all. Everytime we face an opponent that we automatically assume is worse than us, we end up losing.
Our 1st line has to produce. I feel like our 1st line haven't done anything in ages.
I thought he had not much of a chance on the Briere goal, perfectly placed snipe, but on the first goal he looked brutal. Whether it was tipped or not, Giguere made a poor attempt on the shot.
Briere was skating to the outside/left of the goal, meaning he HAD to shoot opposite his body, so if it was obvious to me that he was going to shoot an inside-out forehand to th far corner, I'd like to think Giguere knew as well. Was the shot nice? Again: yes. However, was Giguere's glove geriatrically slow? You bet.
The Richards goal, by contrast, was about as unstoppable a shot as Giguere has faced this season. You've got a left handed shot barreling towards the goal, just to the left of center, with a flat-footed, upright Phaneuf playing
passively. With an unimpeded Richards in a position of complete control, Giguere has to prepare for the shot to go absolutely anywhere. At this point, it's a foregone conclusion that the only way Richards doesn't score is if he: 1) shoots directly at Giguere or 2) misses the net entirely. The one spot no goalie can really account for is high to the stick side (see Jon Casey vs. Steve Yzerman), unless the NHL starts to allow significantly wider handles on goalie sticks, and Richards chose and accurately picked that spot. That shot has to be perfect, which it was, and even the most athletic of netminders lets that same shot in 11 out of 10 times.
Briere was skating to the outside/left of the goal, meaning he HAD to shoot opposite his body, so if it was obvious to me that he was going to shoot an inside-out forehand to th far corner, I'd like to think Giguere knew as well. Was the shot nice? Again: yes. However, was Giguere's glove geriatrically slow? You bet.
The Richards goal, by contrast, was about as unstoppable a shot as Giguere has faced this season. You've got a left handed shot barreling towards the goal, just to the left of center, with a flat-footed, upright Phaneuf playing
passively. With an unimpeded Richards in a position of complete control, Giguere has to prepare for the shot to go absolutely anywhere. At this point, it's a foregone conclusion that the only way Richards doesn't score is if he: 1) shoots directly at Giguere or 2) misses the net entirely. The one spot no goalie can really account for is high to the stick side (see Jon Casey vs. Steve Yzerman), unless the NHL starts to allow significantly wider handles on goalie sticks, and Richards chose and accurately picked that spot. That shot has to be perfect, which it was, and even the most athletic of netminders lets that same shot in 11 out of 10 times.
I really think you're really overselling each, but we'll agree to disagree.
Anyways, with Vokoun in net and Florida apparently playing a solid team game, this likely won't be that easy. Definitely a should win though, especially after a couple poor outings.
Well let's hope the team wakes up and the line changes bring some more energy. Last game was just horrible in too many ways. Need to charge in and win this one.
