Yesterday we wrote that Chris Pronger would bring a mean streak that Team Canada needs in the Olympics and last night Chris Pronger lived up to his billing by drilling Tavares into the glass from behind. Pronger received a two minute penalty and Tavares lost one of his front teeth so that he can now rock the Dany Heatley look.
No one from the Islanders started a fight with Pronger. No one on their team stood up to a guy who intentionally drilled their star player, their 19 year old wunderkid. Let's hope that streak continues for tonight, because I watched an Islanders team put their tail between their legs last night when faced with physical play. The Leafs don't have Carter, Richards, Briere, Giroux and Van Riemsdyk, but we've got Phil Kessel and a mean streak. Let's make this an unpleasant game for a team that was banged up before last night.
Martin Biron started last night but got torched by the Flyers so I'm guessing we'll see Dwayne Roloson in net tonight. This will be a good chance for the Leafs to exorcise the demons of last week's soul crushing loss to Roloson. I'd say "the Islanders" but that wouldn't be very accurate.
Toskala should be starting for the Leafs, he played very well in the Atlanta game before our defense gave up in the third once the game was well out of hand. However the Leafs play in Boston tomorrow so Joey MacDonald might get the start to save Toskala for tomorrow night. I don't like any of these scenarios to be honest. With Toskala I feel like he plays well just long enough to make you say "oh, maybe I was too harsh" before he shits the bed in a spectacular soul crushing display of aloof ineptitude.
The preview's up early today because we're going to have a bunch of content this afternoon so stay tuned. Remember your SPG picks, check out the excellent Lighthouse Hockey (where we'll make a 2nd period field trip tonight) for Islanders coverage and go Leafs go!
