An Ugly Leafs Performance

The prettiest thing about last nights game in Toronto was Colton Orr's black eye. Vesa Toskala's play was horrible and the Leafs D unit let them down. although Toskala play has been elevated in recent weeks, he just reminded us why we shake our heads when he gets the start. I personally was hope Toskala was going to get hot and gain some sort of trade value. The Leafs should have shopped Toskala to the Philadelphia Flyers while they deal with Ray Emery's abdominal injury. Still on the out side looking in when it comes to the playoff race its still not a long shot. i just hope they pick it up and get it together for the weekend.
Here are some high and low lights from last nights game.

I Predict Four!

It looks as if our boys are beginning to mesh. The Leafs victory on Monday night against the Sens gave them a three game streak. This victory did not come easy, a suspenseful goal, against the Leafs, in the third was called back. It was kicked in by Spezza, giving the ACC a sigh of relief. Tonight’s game against the Phoenix Coyotes will take place on at seven in Toronto. Let’s hope the Leafs continue to cycle the puck and mesh successfully. Go, Leafs, Go!

Putting 3 periods together

the Leafs actually put 3 period together last night in montreal. Maple Leafs rookie goaltender Jonas Gustavsson will remain overnight in a Montreal hospital after leaving Tuesday's game against the Canadiens with an elevated heart rate for percautionary reasons dating back to his heart conditon earlier in the year.A member of the Maple Leafs' staff will remain with the 25-year old netminder overnight and will accompany the man they call 'the Monster' back to Toronto on Wednesday Colton Orr posted his first goal in nearly a year was a beauty for a tuff guy and he was rewarded for it with a few extra shifts. This lead to a few extra dangals from the hard hitting fighter. Mike Komisarek was also welcomed back home with a wave of Booo's. The Leafs presured for 3 strait periods and carey price did not have much help. hopefully the leafs effort will continue thursday

for last nights highlights

Streaming Highlights

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NHL highlights

Keep Up The Good Work

Check out these highlights it looks as if the Leafs are starting to play together.

The M11 Helmet

The Mark Messier Helmet

With head shots becoming more and more of an issue around the NHL, more and more players have started wearing these new concussion protected helmets. with there slick design and light weight, they are becoming more and more popular around arenas nation wide. Traditional helmets use what is known as a 50/50 shell, two pieces of the helmet that slide back and forth in order to provide a fitting mechanism for the wearer. With two shells, impact would cause the two parts to slide over each other, rather than absorbing the force of the impact. The M11 uses a streamlined shell called the Mono 90, one shell that is designed to offer complete protection of the head from impact. The stronger design reduces direct energy transfer at the point of impact directly to the head, instead spreading the force throughout the helmet. There are five NHL players wearing the Messier helmet this season. So if concussions are a worry for you or your child and its time for a new bucket, this helmet will set you back about $119.00

"I think that that along with the tremendous impact that concussions that are having on the NHL and the youth leagues led me to say maybe this is a way that I can bring some awareness to it and help the sport in general fight against concussions." M. Messier

Money, Money, Money!

Is the cost of watching a hockey game no longer, within reason. Is the sports live audience supposed to consist of the social elite high rolling yuppies? I strongly believe no. The games strongest fans consist of the children whom idolize the players. Kids mimic these men, buy players merchandise, plaster their walls with their posters, and even collect the playing cards. Children worship the ice these men skate on, so why should they be discouraged from attending the games? With the rising prices associated to the game, middle class family-men can no longer afford to honor their child's wishes. And meanwhile franchises are reporting record profits. What's wrong with this picture? This season alone the Maple Leafs raised their ticket pricing by 10.2%, what's to justify this. Are the seats larger? Is the game more visible? Do the players sit down with you personally between periods? You tell me! Right now the average price of a seat at the Air Canada Center is $117.49! This is the highest in the league and only a few weeks ago the Leafs were in dead last. This makes me angry. The price for a family of four to visit to a Leafs game, buy hot dogs, and some small souvenirs would cost approximately $585.57! This sickens me when many families don't even have this much money to throw a nice Christmas. What the hell is wrong with these guys, is the Ontario Teachers Union really this greedy. Please let me know what you think.

Visit link bellow for additional facts
http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/victoria-cup-match-a-barn-burner-in-zurich/

This Is A Close One

Checkout the highlight real, this was one hell of game.

Will Kessel Save The Day?

The Maple Leafs terrible start to the season could possibly turn around tonight against the Lighting, with the expected return of Phil Kessel; a young Leafs sniper. Kessel has been recovering from a torn labrum and torn rotator cup in his left shoulder, for the last six months. Leafs coach Ron Wilson expressed earlier that "they will be patient with the returning player" and that they will not be counting on Kessel to score "six goals" his returning night. The coach simply expressed that they will slowly integrate him back into the game and allow him to catch up with the swing of things slowly. Although, fans acknowledge that Phil Kessel is a fighter. While in his NHL rookie year, with the Boston Bruins, Kessel was diagnosed with testicular cancer. The young man of only 19 was terrified, considering the procedures to come. After undergoing surgery Kessel managed to bonce back, defeating the life threatening disease. Now when lacing up his skates Kessel clams "Obviously, when that type of thing happens, you learn a lot about yourself," following with "You get stronger from it." Lets hope this young stick of dynamite is right. Leafs fans all around are counting on Kessel to hit the ice stronger then ever before.

Go! Leafs, Go!

Consider Yourself a Fan?

So you think your a loyal fan? Prove it by letting the world know. Support your team by tricking out your vehicle, re-decorate your wreck-room and plastering your work station with your teams colours! Don't be shy, there is no shame in being proud fan. Even if your team is suffering through a terrible loosing streak. Check out a few of these links for cool merchandise at cool prices. There is no need to pad the pockets of middle man retailers. Purchase your gear online and recognize the savings.

http://www.icejerseys.com/index.php

http://www.fansedge.com/Toronto-Maple-Leafs-Merchandise-_-92254166_BW.html?google=554545707362

IF THE MAPLE LEAFS FINSH LAST

Alot has been made about the Leafs giving up a first and second round pick in the deal for phil kessel. so what did they potentially give up? Well the shot at a kid named Taylor Hall. this Kingston, ON naitive is a left winger for the Windsor Spitfires. This speedy, offensive minded player creates oppertunities eveytime he's on the ice. In 17 games this year, he has already racked up 16 G 19A and a +16 rating. after coming off a 90 pnt season in 08/09 look for Hall to go pretty high come June in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. To keep track of this young stud check out the OHL home page.
http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/player.php?id=4895

Stars Shine

Chalk up another loss for the Leafs. Last nights game in Dallas led to nothing but upset for Leaf fans, with an over-time loss 4-3. Stars goalie Turco led his team to victory contoling rebonds and saving 33 of 36 shots.

Leafs Vs Ducks

Leafs first win of the season. Check out the highlights.

Go! Leafs! Go!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Botf00QXDHY

What stick is in your hands?

Along with skates, the hockey stick is one of the most personal and important pieces of equipment a player has. Without a stick you can't play the game. It's that simple. Even though the average hockey player may only have possession of the puck for about two minutes per game it's essential that they have the right stick to shoot, stickhandle, check and pass with authority and accuracy. Hockey sticks aren't confined to on-the-ice players. Many people who play hockey never step foot on the ice, players of roller/inline hockey, ball hockey, floor hockey and street hockey. When looking to buy a stick, the hockey stick sizing process is crucial to discover the right height and weight for you? 80, 90,100,110,120 stiffness’s. This will usually consider with you weight and whether or not you know how to flex your stick while shooting. You also must also find a hockey blade with a curve that you feel comfortable with and a hockey stick with the right lie for your body. Whether it is a mid curve or heal curve, or flat curve like Crosby or on you could slide a quarter under like Ovechkin, getting your accuracy down is important. Also materials will play a factor. There are many types of hockey sticks on the market to choose from including those made of wood, aluminum, carbon, Kevlar, titanium, graphite and rubber coated sticks. There are one piece and two piece sticks, those with replaceable blades and custom-made sticks. With a wide variety of hockey sticks comes a wide variety of price. They range anywhere from $10-$15 for a wooden stick up to about $300 for a top-of-the-line composite stick, with goalie sticks averaging about $50. You should also take into account the level of hockey being played before purchasing your eight year old a top-of-the-line $300 stick. But don’t let the price fool you, what people tend to forget is that Al Macinnis had the velocity record for hardest shot at 103 mph for the longest time and he never used a composite stick. So what type of stick do you use?

Will Victory Strike?

Leafs still struggling to break the drought. With a win less season thus far fans are hoping for success in Anaheim. This Monday the Leafs will be facing off against the Ducks at the Pond. Leafs have to tighten up the reins and play a disciplined game. Last nights show down against the Canuks had five Toronto penalties in the first period alone, costing them the game. As of right now Leafs opponents are 13 of 35 on the power play, giving the Leafs the worst power play percentage in the league. 37.1% short handed goals against the team is nothing to be proud of and a sure sign of a weakness. This Monday Anaheim will be playing hard to break a loosing streak of three in their home arena. Lets hope are boys can stay off the penalty kill and keep five men skating.

Go Leafs Go!

Another Loss!

Saturday, October 24th, 2009.

The Maple Leafs remain winless after a 3-1 loss against the Canucks. The efforts of Goaltender Roberto Luongo helped the Canucks get this win over the Leafs. Mason Raymond and Ryan Kesler scored for the Canucks to a 2-1 first period lead. Raymond's second goal into an empty net clinched the win. With this loss the Leafs are at 0-7-1. This is the worst start to a season in the history of the franchise. The Leafs have the leagues worst penalty killing unit and they began by allowing four straight first-period man-advantage situations. Toronto's defenceman Mike Komisarek said his club deserved more for it's effort. The Leafs worked hard in this game but lacked the discipline needed to get the win. This loss has left fans wondering when this drought will come to an end.

Whats Burke's next step?

As Brian Burke takes in a practice he sits and ponders what the Toronto Maple Leafs need to turn things around. With the win less start, the Maple Leafs travel to Vancouver in search of their first win. This will be no easy task with the likes of Ruberto Luongo in between the pipes. Many critics are wondering with all the new additions to the back end, and Phil Kessel, what is Burke's next move? With the current downward trend the Leafs are on, if the Leafs finish last, the first round pick in 2010 they gave up to the Boston Bruins in the deal for Kessel will damage the Leafs future development even worse. although 2010 isn't slatted to be that deep of a draft, it still begs the question, will Brian Bruke do something drastic in the near future to try and change their luck and make Brian Burke's decision to bring in Kessel not look like a mistake. Although Burke hopes that Kessel will have continued success like he did in Boston, many people forget that Kessel had the likes of Marc Savard feeding him the puck. This is one luxury that Kessel wont have in Toronto, much like Mats Sundin was in the last couple years.

Keep Up to Date

Hey guys looking to keep up to date on stats, scores, rosters and injured lists. Check out the official NHL web page by clicking the link bellow. Don't forget keep your head in the game and your stick on the ice.

http://www.nhl.com/

All 4 Leafs goalies are going on a road trip

The Toronto Male Leafs have decided to do some soul searching in Net. With The Monster, Jonas Gustavsson back at practice this week, the Leafs are not sure who will man the kreese for the Maple Leafs during the up coming 5 game road trip. With Vesa Toskala's pittiful start and Joey MacDonald filling for a hurt Gustavsson the Maple Leafs decided to bring the intire farm with them. James Reimer backup goalie for the Toronto Marlies is even going to join the squad. Athough i wouldn't expect to see James Reimer get a start, look for Gustavsson to get at least 2 of starts. As for the rest of the Leafs tenders im left scratching my head, as are most Leaf fan.

Rebellion Hockey Equipment

What do Wayne Primeau and Dwayne Roloson, both have in common? they both use Rebellion hockey equipment. although not widely used or recognized yet this hockey equipment is of the highest quality. located in Midland Ontario. This small manufacture of hockey sticks, hockey bags, hockey gloves, pants and skates. You will many local hockey players in the Penetang and Midland area supporting the brand and is slowly working its way into the NHL. Jr. C teams such as the Penetang Kings and Midland Flyers have an abundant about of their player wearing the brand and as a hockey player myself, i can attest to the quality, performance and even the equipment. If your looking to update whats in your hockey bag, give it a shot. you'd be glad you did.

check them out at

http://www.rebellion.com/products

Chalk Up another Loss!

Saturday, October 17th, 2009. The Toronto Maple Leafs faced off against the New York Rangers. The game started off with the Leafs controlling the puck. They were off to a great start, until Rangers defenseman Marc Staal beat out Toronto defenseman Jeff Finger scoring 4:36 in the first period. This followed to a 3 goal lead. Until Leafs defensemen Ian white crept up from the blue line and buried a loose puck, making the score 3-1. This effort by the Leafs was not enough as the games concluded with a 4-1 victory for the Rangers. This continues their 7 game winning streak. The Leafs on the other hand are yet to win a game.

Battered Beat and Broken

The Leaf are off to an atrocious start this season raking up another loss last Saturday evening. This leaves them with a 0-6-1 record on the 2009 season with only 1 point in the National Hockey League; making them dead last in the standings. Rubbing salt in the wound defenseman Ian White has just returned to practice with a about 20 stitches over his upper lip and left eye as well; after taking a puck to the face that was deflected by New York Rangers Sean Avery last Saturday night. “We’ve hit rock bottom,” said Leafs forward Lee Stempniak. “There’s no lower to go.” This record is shameful and must be broken. It’s been 42 years since Toronto has seen a cup, will fans have to wait another?

The real reason the ACC is so quiet

Commonly known as the Library, the ACC has become essentially a board room. The passion has been ripped from the stands due to high ticket prices and the suits of Toronto trying to close the deal. Most of the passion has been limited to the upper bowl that is littered with blue and white jerseys screaming GO LEAFS GO. It is ridiculous how quite the arena has become. Although the Leafs have had a very slow start this isn't the reason for the noise level in the ACC. The real fans are at home screaming at there televisions not ready to spend 300+ dollars on a ticket to see the game. Although it is sad, that no matter the prices of the tickets they will always be solid due to the huge fans base surrounding the Leafs. I was watching a college football game this weekend and no matter what team is in town the arena was electric. even a team like the Oakland Raiders have no prob getting fans to the game, supporting the colours and drinking a few beers. This is why i would love to see another team come to central Ontario. though i will always cheer for the Leafs no matter how bad they are, i would love to take in a few more NHL games

Welcome To The Box

Hello,

Welcome to the box the blog that focus’ solely on hockey. We encourage your feedback, comments and perspectives towards the game. Go Leafs Go!