Maple Leafs Fail To Hold Lead, But Show Some Positives

The Toronto Maple Leafs dropped their preseason rematch with the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight, after the Leafs controlled much of the game. The final score was 5-4, but the Maple Leafs were haunted by a familiar ghost-a late game collapse. After holding the lead through the first and second period, as well as most of the third, the Leafs allowed two late game goals to cap off the same type of third period meltdown that made them infamous last season. Despite the disappointing finish though, there were still plenty of positives that the young Toronto Maple Leafs could take away from tonight's game.

Probably the most notable of these silver linings for Maple Leafs fans, was the performance of Luke Schenn. Schenn once again made a convincing case to secure a spot in this year's Leafs lineup. He did that by handling a daunting task that any defenceman in the league would have trouble with-defending Sidney Crosby. By most accounts, he old his own against the Pittsburgh superstar, and didn't look like he was out of place. On top of that, he also scored his first NHL goal in the second period. Though Crosby did tally a goal and an assist as well, Schenn's overall play continues to impress Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson, who once again stated that if Schenn looks NHL ready, he will be in the lineup.

However, the best Toronto Maple Leaf on the ice was Thomas Kaberle. Kaberle appeared to have shaken the rust off, and showed his trademark skills in moving the puck. He finished the game with one goal, two assists, and a +3 rating. He clearly looked the part of the Leafs number one defender, as well as a possible candidate for the vacant captain's position. Dominic Moore also impressed again, scoring yet another goal tonight. I would say it is safe to assume that he has secured his spot in the lineup. The Toronto Maple Leafs also got their first look at Niklas Hagman, and though he didn't score any points, his handling of the puck was excellent. He set up a number of scoring chances, and looks to be a natural fit on one of the Maple Leafs scoring lines. If he can develop some chemistry with his teammates, Hagman could end up being a gem for the Leafs this year, and put to rest all those rumors that his high goal total from last season was just a fluke. Nikolai Kulemin was also involved in some great scoring chances for the Leafs, and looks to be getting more comfortable with each passing game. I expect this guy to be a real scoring threat for the Toronto Maple Leafs as soon as he gets more familiar with his new teammates.

One player for the Maple Leafs who still looked rusty however, was netminder Vesa Toskala. This is not much of a surprise, given that tonight's game was Toskala's first start of the year. He showed flashes of his top form at times, and made some highly difficult saves. However, he let in some weak goals as well that he likely would have stopped on a different night, and allowed 5 pucks to slide by him in only 25 shots. Had he been on the top of his game, the Leafs domination of much of the game probably would have been reflected on the scoreboard. Fortunately though, this is only the preseason, and the Maple Leafs will be hoping that Toskala can shake the rust off before October 9th. As long as he gets a few more starts in the preseason, I would expect Toskala to be just fine, and have no problem rebounding from tonight.

Overall, the Toronto Maple Leafs put up a solid team effort, and once again played fast and physical. They outplayed the defending Eastern Conference champions, who had most of their top talent on the ice tonight. The fact that they matched up so well with the Penguins tonight should be a sign of optimism for Maple Leafs fans. As long as they can keep up this new style of play, the Leafs should be able to turn a few heads this year. Provided of course, Ron Wilson can find a way to break the Maple Leafs old habit of melting down and collapsing in the final period. Good luck coach!