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Post by Alex Tran on Nov 17, 2008 17:11:08 GMT -5
Toronto Malpe Leafs vs Boston Bruins
Monday November 17th, 2008
7:30 pm Est
snet-O or Versus (if you've got it)
online: Justin TV link: www.justin.tv/kovetm_live_
Air Canada Centre
TML
08-09: 7-7-4 18 pts
Last 10: 4-5-1
Rank: 10th in East
Boston
08-09: 10-3-4 24 pts
Last 10: 8-1-1
Rank: 2nd in East |
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Post by Alex Tran on Nov 17, 2008 17:11:29 GMT -5
After a late stumble brought an end to their five-game winning streak, the Boston Bruins are out to prove it was just a hiccup during their surprisingly strong start.
The Bruins will look to begin a new run on the road on Monday, when they'll play their fourth straight game against a different Original Six rival and their third this season versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Watch it live on Sportsnet Ontario beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
Boston was perhaps the NHL's hottest team entering its game at the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers on Saturday night, having won five straight games and eight of its last nine.
With a 2-0 lead more than halfway through the final period, the Bruins (10-3-4) looked primed for another victory, but the Rangers responded with a pair of late tallies and beat Boston 3-2 in a shootout.
Coach Claude Julien's club has still allowed two or fewer goals in six consecutive contests, and behind strong play from goaltenders Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez, has the best team goals-against average (2.06) in the East. Boston's previous two games had been victories against Chicago and Montreal, Original Six clubs with a combined 17-8-7 record this season.
"I don't think one overtime loss should cause us to push the panic button, but I think we just have to realize what got us in trouble (Saturday)," Julien told his team's official Web site. "I thought in the third period they just came at us hard and we did not respond well enough."
The Bruins' stingy defensive unit will now have to respond without one of its most consistent players. Veteran Andrew Ference, who missed Saturday's game after blocking a shot during a 6-1 win over Montreal on Thursday, was ruled out for six to eight weeks with a broken tibia.
"It's an opportunity for (Matt) Hunwick to get back in the lineup," Julien said. "Good clubs find ways to compensate for losses of good players."
Just how good the Maple Leafs (7-7-4) are remains unclear, especially since Toronto has alternated wins and losses in its last five games.
The Leafs closed out a three-game road trip through western Canada with a 4-2 loss to Vancouver on Saturday despite outshooting the Canucks 30-15. Toronto goalie Vesa Toskala, whose .878 save percentage is the worst in the East, was chased after allowing four goals on nine shots in 29 minutes.
"We felt like we let some points get away on this trip, we know that," forward Matt Stajan said. "We've got some big games coming up, on Monday a chance to regroup and then Saturday (against Chicago). We've got to put this one behind us and learn from it and hopefully get back on a winning track."
The Northeast Division rivals have already met twice in Boston this season, with the Leafs earning a 4-2 win on Oct. 23 before the Bruins responded with a 5-2 victory Nov. 6.
Traveling to the Air Canada Centre typically hasn't fazed the Bruins, who've earned at least a point in 10 of their 12 games in Toronto since the NHL's season-long lockout in 2004-05. They're 7-2-3 over that span, including a 3-0-1 mark last season.
It's unclear which of Boston's goalies will play Monday, but Fernandez - a Toronto native - has never won in his hometown, losing all three of his starts there. sportsnet.ca/hockey/2008/11/17/leafs_bruins_preview/ |
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Post by Alex Tran on Nov 17, 2008 17:11:37 GMT -5
Toskala will start tonight.
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Post by CarltonTheBear on Nov 17, 2008 17:34:58 GMT -5
Should be interesting, see if we can knock off a red hot team.
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Post by lilgrnmen17 on Nov 17, 2008 19:31:26 GMT -5
Toronto Malpe Leafs vs Boston Bruins
Monday November 17th, 2008
7:30 pm Est
snet-O or Versus (if you've got it)
online: Justin TV link: www.justin.tv/kovetm_live_
Air Canada Centre
TML
08-09: 7-7-4 18 pts
Last 10: 4-5-1
Rank: 10th in East
Boston
08-09: 10-3-4 24 pts
Last 10: 8-1-1
Rank: 2nd in East Thanks for the link Ace, stupid VS means I don't get it on my NHL Center Ice here in the US. |
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Post by lilgrnmen17 on Nov 17, 2008 19:56:17 GMT -5
B-R-U-T-A-L!
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Post by burn on Nov 17, 2008 20:01:00 GMT -5
Yeah, The Leafs had a good start, but then that happens!!! Toskala has to be better. |
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Post by burn on Nov 17, 2008 20:05:02 GMT -5
You can't kick the rebound out to the middle of the ice right to the guy who originally shot it. Toskala is not looking sharp.
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Post by burn on Nov 17, 2008 20:13:37 GMT -5
Good shift by that line!!!
Nifty play by White to bank it off the end boards to Blake, who scored from almost behind the goalline!!!
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Post by drgarth on Nov 17, 2008 20:17:44 GMT -5
Good shift by that line!!! Nifty play by White to bank it off the end boards to Blake, who scored from almost behind the goalline!!![/quote] That was one of those low percentage shots that he takes that worked this time . . . . |
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Post by burn on Nov 17, 2008 20:39:10 GMT -5
Good shift by that line!!! Nifty play by White to bank it off the end boards to Blake, who scored from almost behind the goalline!!![/quote] That was one of those low percentage shots that he takes that worked this time . . . . Yeah, it's nice that he scored. But like Kypreos said, 1 in 1,000 shots go in from there. I don't have a problem with that shot really, not withstanding that it went in. I think that Thomas was out of position and not ready for the shot. I don't know how bad the angle really was, but with a goalie out of position it's not a bad play. But, like you said, it's not a play I want to see too much of!! |
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Post by burn on Nov 17, 2008 20:41:17 GMT -5
They had Thomas running around there. Just missed a goal, with it going off the post!!
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Post by drgarth on Nov 17, 2008 20:46:47 GMT -5
power play . . . lets go!
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Post by drgarth on Nov 17, 2008 20:58:01 GMT -5
ugh
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Post by burn on Nov 17, 2008 20:59:24 GMT -5
WOW!! Kubina just let Ryder walk right in. He's playing like crap!! Toskala could have been out higher in his crease and he went down early.
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