Well, I could complain about the atrocious officiating that resulted in what seemed like thousands upon thousands of Lightning power plays and here's a memo I'd like to give to the refs: When a player doesn't hurry up and skate to get the puck to prevent an icing you don't go ahead and call icing anyways. I could complain about our basically playing for 2/3 of regulation (our defensive lapses and anemic offensive play in the third period could have made the outcome much worse than it was). I could complain about losing in a shootout when we could have put the game on ice in over time...You know how they say that a tie is like kissing your sister, well, winning a shootout is like kissing your really hot cousin, it might feel really great but does it feel "right?" Losing in a s.o. feels like being punched in the face instead of being kicked in the nutz. We were lucky to come away with a point tonight and that marks three straight games where we've obtained at least a point (4 points). The playoffs don't look as far off as they did during the dreadful losing streak but we've gotta make some changes in order to insure that we make it to the "second season."

A bet is a bet and I lost, so there you have it dontomasso, "The Tampa Bay Lightning Rule" (my idea for the bet) and the next time either one of us is in Toronto or Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg the Molson Canadians at the strip club are on me.

I still think that we could have and should have won tonight but I guess we'll just have to play better against Washington on Fri.

Although I feel no sympathy for Toronto as long as they have pieces of shit like Sundin and Domi on their roster, I can empathize with them tonight. The Atlanta referees definitely were trying to get the Thrashers a win; Jason Pominville has his legs cut out from under him on a breakaway, and no penalty called. The Thrashers have one of their own, and apparently a Sabre poke-check was enough to warrant a 2-minute hooking call (despite no contact between the players). And the ref was standing on the endline, so he was all of 10-15 feet away.

Oh, and we received a 4-minute double minor for a pretty questionable call. And did I mention one of our players took an elbow to the side of the head and had to leave the game (Dmitri Kalinin), and there was no penalty called, even though the guy came from the opposite end of the rink, with his elbow up. I loooove the NHL. :rolleyes:

At least we won. Hehe.

I could see how you could hate Tie Domi as he's the type of guy that you love to have on your team but hate to face him but I can't fathom how you could hate Mats Sundin. Ever since his Quebec Nordiques days the guy has been a class act not to mention a phenonmenal hockey player. I think he will go down in history as the greatest Swedish player ever to play the game (my apologies to Peter Forsberg).

Agreed on Sundin (with DJ). Domi's a waste, but Sundin is still one of the highest skilled players in the league. The idiot managers of the Leafs, have never given him anyone who could remotely be a star (with the exceptioon of Mogilny) on his wing. Look at all the other big names in the league...they all have other great players on their line.

Leafs are in trouble...i think they will make the playoffs, but then they'll likely play Carolina or Ottawa in the first round. Belfour played well yesterday, but he has to stand on his head in the playoffs for the Leafs to upset. Here's hopin'

You are a true sportsman, and I am glad to see you honored your end of the bet. I look forward to drinking several brewskies either here or in Toronto.

As for your complaints about the refs, I have long ago given up on NHL officiating, I think it is atrocious all the time, and that it usually cuts both ways. They made some calls against the Lightning in their loss to Washington that I still cant believe. Good luck against Washington. They really stink, but they make up for it...they play dirty.

Lol! Thanks brother. Another thing that gets my goat is the 5 mins. of 4 on 4 overtime and then the shootout. How about one 20 minute overtime period and then the shootout. Or maybe even one 10 minute overtime period (4on4) and one 10 minute overtime period of 3 on 3 if nothing is settled yet and then the shootout. Oh yeah, and what is the situation gonna be like in the playoffs where it used to be multiple 20 minute overtime periods (double/triple overtime etc.) until the game was settled naturally, how is it gonna be this year?

well the atlanta game is coming up pretty soon, and there was that spirited affair we had with them earlier on in the season..maybe that can continue.

A class act isn't a guy who punches people in the back of the head after a play. A class act isn't a player who whines to the referees when he is called on a blatant penalty. A class act is not Mats Sundin. Period.

And I don't hate to face Tie Domi. A goon with no skills? I'd love to play an entire team of Tie Domis.

Lol at your Domi comment Double-J. I can totally see where you're coming from regarding his play and your statement about not hating to face Tie just shows how he gets on the nerves of opposing teams and how that usually works in our favour. You are right however, that a team filled with Domis would be a complete disaster.

As for Sundin, maybe my homer glasses are blocking my vision but I don't recall the play you mentioned and most of the time when Sundin is called for a penalty he accepts the ref's decision and moves on. Even if you hate the guy's guts you can't deny his talent. He's kinda like Kobe Bryant that way I guess, although admittedly he doesn't dominate his sport the way Bryant does his.

It must be those rose colored (or coloured? :p ) glasses. Do a search for Mats Sundin online, there are plenty of others willing to attest to his dirty play. But every time he comes to Buffalo, these are things I've seen.

In our last matchup (8-4 Sabres), I saw him twice punch one of our players in the head, and I know one was Jason Pominville, after your goalie froze the puck, he slammed Pominville in the back of the head, with no penalty called, even though the ref watched it happen.

Wow, I guess Sundin might be getting a little bit nasty in his "old" age. He's still one of my favourite or is it favorite :p players though.

No worries. Just keep in mind that your favorite player might end up on the wrong end of someones check, elbow, etc. because of his "skills."

The Toronto Maple Leafs Win! The Leafs Win! After that embarrasing loss to a team like the Washington Capitals to beat a quality team like the New Jersey Devils (Martin Brodeur is The Man!) is really, really sweet! If I ever meet Ed Belfour, forget about buying the guy a beer, I'd buy him a Goddamn brewery!

T.O.A.S.T. = Toronto Owns Atlanta's Shitty Team
A really good win for the Maple Leafs tonight against the hapless Thrashers. Belfour was superb and it looks like he's turning back into his old dominant self so opposing teams better watch out. Also, Bryan McCabe had a goal and Mats Sundin and Tie Domi had assists in the 4 - 1 victory. Friday's game against Jaromir Jagr and The New York Rangers should be a beauty!

Yaar! Jaaaromir Jagr, he is no man but a fierce, remorseless beast! He is a freakish, consciousless, scoring beast I tell you!...If The Rangers did not have Jaromir Jagr we would have won tonight 4 - 2 instead of the other way around.

Oh yeah, what the hell are Andy Wozniewski, Staffan Kronwall, Jay Harrison and Mariusz Czerkawski doing on our squad?! These guys do not belong on the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Team! Mr. Ferguson please trade these guys or demote them to the Toronto Marlies immediately! The Playoffs are coming soon and we cannot afford to lose another game due to the stupidity of Woz & co.

After the Olympic tournament The Leafs will have one easy game against The Washington Capitals and then it will be three difficult games against The Sabres, Senators and Canadiens before another easy game against the New York Islanders.

I'm surprised at the Rangers this year, but I can't wait to play them again so Drury et al can snap his fucking leg like a twig. That prick needs to be taken out.

I'm also concerned that we had such trouble dispelling the hapless Montreal Canadians, who survive largely on the skills of Cristobal Huet.

Don Jasani,
sadly i think other teams are looking at us as part of THEIR easy schedule.

Will we ever end the Cup drought?

Maple Leafs, I feel your pain brother. If we don't make any significant roster changes and/or stop playing shitty hockey, teams like The Rangers, Flyers, Senators, Sabres, Hurricanes, Lightning etc. will mop the floor with us...Yeah, the last time we won the Cup was 15 years before I was born! Somehow I think that things are gonna be different for The Buds after Canada wins the Gold Medal in Turin but as always hope springs eternal in Hogtown..

BTW - can I just say that the Hurricanes are excellent and tripping and slashing and not getting caught by the penultimate Sabre-hater Kerry Fraser (next to Don Kolharski, of course)? :rolleyes:

Double J - did you just say "Sabre-hater" Kerry Fraser??????

Let me take you back to a time where the Leafs were destined to bring the Cup back home where it belongs, and had their best team since 1967. In the 1993 playoffs, versus Los Angeles and Wayne "I will whine to the referees after EVERY call in the series" Gretzky, Doug Gilmour became a god. He was carrying the Leafs on his back and becoming a living legend. Enter game 6, in Los Angeles, Leafs leading the series 3-2. L.A. was winning the entire game, but Wendel (my favourite Leaf ever) Clark ties up the game in the last minute and we head for OT.
Gretzky clearly high sticks Gilmour (obviously by accident, but a 4 minute penalty in the least, a 5 minute major for sure), draws blood, and NO CALL FROM KERRY FRASER, who just happened to be right by Gilmour as he was highsticked. That was the most cowardly, chickenshit, non call in sports history!!!!! (according to me). To add insult to injury, Gretzky scores the OT winner on the next shift!!!!!!!!!
L.A. wins game 7 in Toronto, and advances to the finals versus Montreal...where a Toronto / Montreal matchup hasnt occured in over 40 years.

To this day, i tell everyone that if i ever see Kerry Fraser on the street, I will go up to him and berate him for costing us the Cup. When he is interviewed about the non-call, he admits he screwed up, and LAUGHS.

I HATE KERRY FRASER MORE THAN ANYONE IN SPORT.

end rant, for now.

No doubt then, Kerry Fraser is one of the worst referees in the history of the game.

im a huge leafs fan, but maple leaf...you need some prozac

let it go my friend, it ain't worth it....just let it go.

Mr. Soprano...I have tried, but I can't! HAHAH


Go Leafs Go

Hey Maple Leafs and mr. Soprano If The Maple Leafs don't make the playoffs this season we can continue to root for The Raptors to make the postseason...Hey they've won 3 in a row and they're playing The Knicks tonight...Anything's possible.

if the raps make the post season i will buy all the raps fans on this board diner...but i doubt its happening...so none of you are getting free food. lol

Wow! Whatta game tonight?! Mats Sundin had 2 Goals and 1 Assist for 3 Points and Mikael Tellqvist helped us beat The Bruins in a shootout.

JJ, I'm sorry man. Sorry your Sabres got absolutely, completely, fully murked by my Maple Leafs! :p Yup, The Buds beat The Sabres 7 - 0 tonight! Ahhh...Revenge is the sweetest passion and a dish best served cold! Alright, I know it's not good to gloat, but B-lo has owned T.O. (well, in The NHL at least) for quite some time now and it feels really good to get this win.

I was only able to watch the third period (I normally never miss Hockey Night In Canada but I went to see Thank You For Smoking tonight) and it was really sweet seeing us close this one out. One more thing, J.S. Aubin, the Molson Canadians are on me brother!

Unfortunately, I know. We're toast. We've picked the worst time ever to slump, and we're most likely going to get burned in the first round of the playoffs.

So much for our wonderful run...

where were these leafs win back in montreal when we needed them. blah...well at least we know next years leafs team will be very very different.

Tucker needs to be kicked out of the NHL. Then again, I think Bertuzzi and a few others do too. But last nights incident is just another example of what I mentioned earlier in this thread - Toronto has pieces of shit on their roster, from the coach on down.