They held in as best they could last night, but Carey Price was Carey Price and that was too much for the Leafs. You can't afford to let in goals against the Habs, because you won't get goals back on them.

Leafs fall to Habs, 2-1 - Arvind
Disappointing game in some respects. The Leafs played well, carried play in stretches, and come up empty handed. That’s hockey sometimes.

Poor seldo has to continue flying the Habs flag outside his home.

The Leafs head to Long Island to play an early 6:00PM game @ the Islanders. Our game preview is here.

The Marlies lost 4-3 in a shootout last night to the Albany Devils. You can watch the highlight package here. I haven't seen what happened yet but the Devils tied up the game in the latter half of the third period on a power play because this happened:

08:45
 TOR Rinat Valiev, Instigating, 2 min PP
08:45 TOR Rinat Valiev, Fighting, 5 min
08:45 TOR Rinat Valiev, Misconduct - Instigating, 10 min
08:45 TOR Rinat Valiev, Game misconduct - Third major/second fight, 10 min
08:45 ALB Kevin Rooney, Fighting, 5 min

McDonald, Neely and Turnbull: one of the best Leafs drafts ever - MLHS
Once upon a time: Three picks in the first round

The Leafs, the Cup and tales of the CHUM Witch - The Star
Since it's Halloween weekend, let's look back at a costumed character from Leafs history, the CHUM Witch.

Other News

Craig Anderson’s wife diagnosed with cancer - Ottawa Citizen
After learning the Senators lost backup Andrew Hammond for at least a week, Nicholle Anderson encouraged her husband to rejoin the team.

24 hours with Guy Lafleur - NHL
NHL.com takes trip to Newfoundland with Canadiens legend, documenting every step along the way

Shannon Szabados: What We Know So Far - The Ice Garden
Didn’t think the Shannon Szabados story could get any worse? Think again!

Retirement? Cole’s not going anywhere soon - The Globe and Mail
Long-time voice of Hockey Night In Canada is the kind of guy who thinks Vin Scully got out early at 89

Prejudice, KHL development contributing to fewer Russians in NHL - The G&M
After the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, a thick current of hockey talent flowed to the NHL. By 1992-93, there were 50 players from the country in the NHL; in 2000-01, there were 71. Last season, there were 27.

Meet the woman in charge of running the Oilers arena - The Globe and Mail
The vice president and general manager of Edmonton’s $480-million rink is one of only a handful of women overseeing major sports and entertainment venues in North America, and ranks among the most powerful executives within the Oilers organization.

Coyotes Should Consider Sending Strome, Crouse Back To Juniors - TSS
Through seven Coyotes games this season, Strome has only played in three. Crouse has appeared in five of those games, while rookie defenceman Chychrun has played six.

Ayy Bobbayyy! Plager to Have Number 5 Retired - St. Louis Game Time
Number 5 in your programs...Number 1 in your hearts.

So, What’s the Difference? - The Cannon
Last year at this time, Todd Richards had coached his last game in Columbus, and John Tortorella was preparing to step behind the bench. What’s changed since?

Hedman and Sedins invest in hometown rinks - Raw Charge
Hailing from Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, Hedman and the Sedins have committed money to building two new ice rinks.

What’s going on with the Coyotes’ arena situation? - Five For Howling
New developments add more uncertainty, not less, to Arizona’s plans for an East Valley move.

Wayne Simmonds has another dog birthday - Broad Street Hockey
Simmonds is the best. The very best.

From the Press Box: (There’s no) Cheering in the press box - Raw Charge
If you want to do that kind of nonsense, go down in the stands with the fans (italics used in this case to express a condescending disdain for those things, sort of like a sneer in text form).

The Sad, Hilarious Tale of 1998's "Sexiest Athlete Alive" - Deadspin
"People Magazine chose Rich Gannon as its Sexiest Athlete. They assigned a photographer to the piece saying that the Sexiest Athlete was the Chiefs' quarterback. Hence, he took pictures of the Chiefs' quarterback. Well, one of the Chiefs' quarterbacks: Elvis Grbac. The pictures made their way back to the New York offices and editors were dumbfounded. This was their Sexiest Athlete? Yet upon learning the truth, no one with the magazine had the heart (guts?) to tell Grbac that an unfathomable mistake had been made. As a result, Elvis Grbac reigns as People's 1998 Sexiest Athlete."

Bauer hockey preparing to file for bankruptcy - Reuters
Performance Sports Group Ltd., the maker of Bauer hockey gear, is preparing to file for bankruptcy in the United States and Canada as early as Sunday evening, according to people familiar with the matter.

Factoid of the day courtesy of mattyfranchise from Matchsticks & Gasoline: goals are up 50% from this point in last year's season.

From The Branches