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Maple Leafs VS Sabres Game Thread

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Maple Leafs VS Sabres Game Thread 

Post#1 » by TR50 » Mon Oct 15, 2007 8:16 pm

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Buffalo Sabres

Image @ Image
Where? Buffalo, HSBC Arena
Who? You Didn't read the title did you?
When? 7PM Monday October 15th
TV Channel: Sportsnet Ontario

Well in preseason we got absolutely hammered, Derek Roy took a **** on us and Toskala didn't do too great. I wouln't expect anything pretty, if we win, which i doubt, expect an ugly win, if we lose, expect an even uglier game.

Coming off a loss to the pens, we better be hungry and on our game, i'm guessing vesa gets another start after a very nice performance and lackluster leafs D. I'd expect some defensive shufflings.

Recent Injuries:
Maple Leafs
Ponikarovsky, Alexei LW (DTD, Leg), Colaiacovo, Carlo D (IR, Knee), Wellwood, Kyle C (IR, Sports Hernia)

Sabres
Numminen, Teppo D (IR,Heart Surgery)

Goalies:
Image VS
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The Buffalo Sabres are without their top two centers from last season. They may not miss them too much if their defense continues to contribute offensively.

The Sabres look to build on two straight dominant victories Monday night when they face the Northeast Division rival Toronto Maple Leafs for the first time this season.

Since opening with back-to-back losses to the New York Islanders, the Sabres (2-2-0) have looked every bit like the league's highest-scoring team from last season in wins over Atlanta and Washington.

Buffalo scored three power-play goals Thursday in a 6-0 victory over the Thrashers, then registered 53 shots Saturday in a 7-3 win over the Capitals.

Jaroslav Spacek scored twice and fellow defenseman Brian Campbell added four assists Saturday for Buffalo, which lost star centers Chris Drury and Daniel Briere to free agency in the offseason.

"I think we played pretty good in the second game against the Islanders, but just didn't get any points," Spacek said. "After we got home it was tough, but we had some time off after that game and worked hard in practice."

Without the 69 goals and 164 points that Drury and Briere provided, the Sabres will need production from other sources to remain successful. Center Derek Roy is the only forward with more than two goals, but Spacek and Campbell have combined for five goals and 15 points.

Campbell is Buffalo's leading scorer and tops NHL defensemen with nine points, while Spacek already has four goals in four games after he recording five in 65 games last year.

"Right now they are making nice plays back there," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff told the team's official Web site. "(Spacek) is getting the shots through and it's finding some holes. Some of them are going through masses of people but we are getting the opportunities."

Also being counted on to help compensate for the missing offense is center Tim Connolly, who was limited to two games last season due to post-concussion symptoms. He's tied for third on the team with five points.

Buffalo's Ryan Miller is 5-1-0 with a 2.51 goals-against average and one shutout in six home games against Toronto.

One game after a stellar performance in an 8-1 win over the Islanders, the Maple Leafs (2-3-1) struggled defensively in a 6-4 home loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Mats Sundin, Jason Blake and Nik Antropov each had a goal and an assist for Toronto, which has allowed four goals or more in half of its six games.

Vesa Toskala made 46 saves - one shy of his career high. He is 1-3-0 with a 4.48 GAA this season.

Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby scored the go-ahead goal on the power play with 5:22 remaining.

"I feel sorry for Vesa, he's kicking 50 shots aside," forward Alex Steen said. "We're taking too many penalties and they took advantage at the end."

Sundin is showing no signs of slowing down in his 17th season. The Toronto captain has a point in every game and ranks among the league leaders with 10 points.

The Sabres went 5-3-0 against the Maple Leafs last season, splitting four home games. Buffalo is 10-4-0 in the past 14 meetings overall.


In times like these, we should use my motto: Prepare and Expect the Worst, Hope for the Best!

GO LEAFS GO!!
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Toronto @ Buffalo - HSBC - Oct 15th 2007 @ 7:00 EST - SNET- 

Post#2 » by The-Insider » Mon Oct 15, 2007 8:16 pm

Toronto Maple Leafs Injuries

Bell - Suspended
Ponikarvosky - Ankle Sprain
Colaiacovo - Sore Knee
Wellwood - Sports hernia
Leafs fan - Head

Buffalo Sabres Injuries

Teppo Numminen - Heart Surgery


Toronto Maple Leafs Leaders

Goals: Nik Antropov 4
Assists: Mats Sundin 7
Points: Mats Sundin 10
Plus/Minus: Mats Sundin 7
PP Goals: Nik Antropov 1
Wins: Vesa Toskala 1
GAA: Andrew Raycroft 2.44
Save PCT: Andrew Raycroft .918


Buffalo Sabres Leaders

Goals: Jaroslav Spacek 4
Assists: Brian Campbell 8
Points: Brian Campbell 9
Plus/Minus: Derek Roy 6
PP Goals: Jaroslav Spacek 3
Wins: Ryan Miller 2
GAA: Ryan Miller 3.04
Save PCT: Ryan Miller .885

Toronto News: Every player in a blue and white jersey feels some responsibility for the team's defensive struggles.

"We've got to keep four, five, six goals out of our net," forward Alex Steen said after Saturday's 6-4 loss to Pittsburgh. "It's not helping us when they're scoring six goals on us. We've got to minimize the chances they get.

"It's not the defencemen (that are at fault), it's everybody. Us forwards need to come back, help out, and make sure we're available." - TSN

Our record last year at HSBC against the Sabers:

4-1 W
7-4 L
5-4 L-Huge collapse
4-2 W

Leafs lunch reports:

- Poni won't be able to play tonight but they're hopeful for the next game.
- Devereaux didn't skate due to some minor issue
- Battaglia likely in for Dev.
- Kilger probably taking Dev's position on 3rd line with Antropov and Pohl.
- Raycroft left the ice first and is the probable starter
- top 2 lines unchanged from Saturday

umm... go leafs go? 8)
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Post#3 » by TR50 » Mon Oct 15, 2007 8:18 pm

bastard :wink:
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Post#4 » by yeehamasai » Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:29 pm

good job leafs gonna win !!!
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Post#5 » by snapcracklepape » Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:50 pm

go leafs go!!!
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Post#6 » by Crowned » Mon Oct 15, 2007 11:20 pm

This is a nice game thread...I love it. I'm still getting used to the different buttons, but when I figure it out, I'll merge it with the other thread. 8)
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Post#7 » by Griff83 » Mon Oct 15, 2007 11:50 pm

Thibault vs Raycroft
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Post#8 » by RapsVC15 » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:46 am

Wow McCabe.

:nonono:

Razor stood on his head.
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Post#9 » by Griff83 » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:51 am

Haha what a pathetic defence this team has.

Nice snipe Caber :rofl: :rofl:
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Post#10 » by jalenrose#5 » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:00 am

McCabe IMO had 3 options...

-Backhand the puck
-Sit on the puck (which I would've done)
-Clear the puck over the glass...

instead, he jams it in off the post.

McCabe is the definition of Toronto Maple Leaf Mediocrity. IMO he's trying too hard. The Leafs should either deal him or send him to the farm, this is getting pathetic.
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Post#11 » by Shantu » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:06 am

**** mccabe buzzer beater
6ix side.
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Post#12 » by GQStylin » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:24 am

Wow every Leafs board I went to is crashing! lol Are there replays anywhere?
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Post#13 » by qwikdraw » Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:21 am

was that even a goal, did the puck clearly cross the line? The quick replays they showed during the game didn't look definitive does anyone have the clip?
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Post#14 » by The-Insider » Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:02 am

never knew there was another GT :lol:

We are looking like we have the worst (not to mention highest paid) defence in the league. How awful can our defensive zone coverage get? I don't believe any lead is safe any more. If we have to score at least 6 goals a game just to win this season, forget about the playoffs. Raycroft made countless game-saving saves.. we can't bail out every defensive breakdown. What a wasted performance.. it was quite fitting to have McCabe score the game winner for Buffalo with 3 seconds to go.

This bothers me though... 3 years from now, we will be paying a 35-year old McCabe and a 35-year old Tucker 8.5M combined :-?
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Post#15 » by TR50 » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:40 am

I don't understand why mccabe was even out there, why not put antrpov or even kaberle?

so many if's in that game, normally i'd say at least we got a point but i know we had a good chance to get 2....
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Post#16 » by TR50 » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:41 am

The-Insider wrote:never knew there was another GT :lol:

We are looking like we have the worst (not to mention highest paid) defence in the league. How awful can our defensive zone coverage get? I don't believe any lead is safe any more. If we have to score at least 6 goals a game just to win this season, forget about the playoffs. Raycroft made countless game-saving saves.. we can't bail out every defensive breakdown. What a wasted performance.. it was quite fitting to have McCabe score the game winner for Buffalo with 3 seconds to go.

This bothers me though... 3 years from now, we will be paying a 35-year old McCabe and a 35-year old Tucker 8.5M combined :-?


lol neither did i...

dibs on the FLA game!!! :D
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Post#17 » by NeverGoingToWin » Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:28 pm

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Post#18 » by risktaker91 » Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:16 pm

Yay for McCabe. Let's extend his contract.

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