[Recap] Leafs 2 v. Blues 3: Good Enough

One good thing you can say about the Leafs is that they are problem-solvers. Take last night for example. The Blues had lost 7 in a row coming in, Tkachuk and Kariya were in slumps, and their playoff hopes were slipping. The Leafs looked at their problems and promptly spotted Tkachuk two quick goals as they set the Blues on the path to a victory.

One of the questions a reporter asked Maurice was if the game was a microcosm of their season and he replied "I hope not." Well, bad news Paul because there is no other way to describe last night. First there was the slow start to the game not to mention that both goals came via the Leafs season-long inability to lift an opposition forward's stick. And who can forget a much-maligned Leaf having a good game. Blake's goal showed all the patience and finishing ability of a $4M sniper and his between the legs assist was the kind of play that most fans expected to see more of this year. Of course, no game would be complete without some referee's judgment call going against the Leafs as a third period goal was rightly chalked off after a similar goal was allowed on which the referee had the same angle. One time he could 'see' the puck and the other he couldn't. In the end, the Leafs played just good enough to lose. Just like most games this season (when they haven't been playing absolutely horrible.

I don't have too much else to say about the game. It was an honest effort de-railed by the team's shortcomings that haven't changed since day one. Is that an indictment of Paul Maurice or the players? Oh, I did mean to mention that I liked Kris Newbury's first shift. One of the Blues took a shot long after the whistle, the kind of play where most opposition players realize that they can now have their way with the Leafs because no one reacted, and Newbury gave him a welcome to the ACC facewash to let him know that those shenanigans weren't going to happen as long as he was on the ice. If only he was 6' 3" and 250 lbs.

Who was the Leafs' Player of the Game?