Wow. Well, that's 0-6 on the year and the crushing realization (once again) that the Leafs are the softest team in the NHL and not very good. Kulemin and Pogge better be Hall of Famers because last night I realized that I might be 30 before the Leafs are good again. Obviously, last night's game had one highlight and there's video beneath but first, some thoughts on the hit.
MF37 breaks down the Toskala-Bell trade and figures that the Leafs paid a 4th round pick to see Mark Bell satisfy Leaf Nation's six year itch.
Chemmy provides one of the best summaries of last night.
Eyebeleaf has got his popcorn ready and has seen the video 57 times. Once for each terrible game the Leafs have played this year.
Greener isn't too happy with the senators behavious after a clean hit and he's hoping the Bruins can do what the Leafs were too inept to do: eliminate the senators.
The hit was the greatest thing about this season. Is that pathetic? Sure it is. That doesn't change the fact that Leaf fans have spent six long years waiting for Alfredsson to get his just desserts for his dirty hit on Tucker in the 2002 playoffs. sens fans are playing the righteous indignation card today when they were more than pleased to see Chris Neil lay a similar hit on Chris Drury last season. Not to mention how they put on their Flyers' cap and try to blame Tucker for Alfie's hit from behind that broke his shoulder blade.
Onto the hit. Bryan Murray tried to talk some bullshit about Bell sticking his knee out. That's just bitter talking. It was a clean hit which is what made it that much sweeter. If Bell wore the Devils' # 4 the hit would go down as another in a long line of devastating hits. Having said that, it's the kind of hit that I don't like seeing because while it was a clean (and spectacular hit) it targetted the head and that's something that I would like to see punished. Until then, enjoy the beauty of some Epic Revenge:
As for the rest of the game, the sens and Murray can spout their dirty hit BS but that doesn't change the fact that they proceeded to jump McCabe and Pohl in fights, that Heatley and Spezza did their classic 'spear and run away' routines, and that Neil didn't even fight the Leafs' toughest player, Kris Newbury. I am surprised Murray didn't send out Emery to fight Toskala.
The other highlights in the crowd included sens fans taking their cues from their team and pretending to be Johnny Big Nuts. End result in my section: 5 sens fans ejected for imbimbing a bit too much liquid courage.
In the end, the guys selling Upset Fan bags were making a killing because there is a lot for Leaf fans to be upset about the current state of the team. However, seeing six years of pent up rage unleashed in one glorious check is enough to make me forget about the downside and the shitty weather today. I salute you Mark Bell. You most definitely are a Leaf for Life. Good move making a statement like that before you head to the clink too. No one's admiring their shot with you around.
