Maple Leafs 4 v. Oilers 1: Thank You Taylor

"Hopefully we can compete a lot harder (than on Sunday). Because (Toronto) is a team that, if we do, it’s there for the taking," Hall reportedly said at practice on Monday.- TSN, setting Taylor up to look stupid

I'm not going to harp on Taylor Hall showing some respect because when you're the youngest team in the NHL (or second youngest depending on who's dressed) and you're in 28th place in the NHL then you can't whine about a lack of respect. And really, you shouldn't be regardless. The reality is that the Leafs, and the Oilers even if they don't want to admit it, are easy pickings for good NHL teams with a good effort. Luckily for Toronto, the Oilers are an atrocious NHL team so a good effort can produce an easy win. Taylor Hall was ever present from creating a few chances to getting pasted by Luke Schenn to being pasted by Kris Versteeg you always knew when Hall was on the ice.

Two weeks ago, the Edmonton Oilers' 5-0 win over the Leafs represented 'rock bottom' for most Leafs fans and they were probably right. The Oilers scored 5 goals on 19 shots despite not being in the game for long stretches. They capitalised on some gifts and Taylor Hall was one chief beneficiary of two goals that should never be scored on a goalie. Tonight Jean-Sebastien Giguere shut the door when he needed to and the Leafs used a 2-5 powerplay to bury the Oilers. This win wasn't a fluke. In the end, the Leafs may have to be very thankful to Taylor Hall and the Oilers for being the kind of motivator that could get a 28th ranked team to beat Boston, Washington, and Montreal in one week before beating a poor team that was there for the taking. The team's jumped up to 25th and one win shy of a tie for 21st.

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Odds and Sods:

Taylor Hall shouldn't have walked back his comments. That's good to see because players that have that real killer instinct would never in a million years have backpedaled on such innocuous fare.
Zack "Huggy Bear" Stortini played five minutes, got his face filled in by Colton Orr, and made me feel a bit better about goons taking up roster spots.
Oilers fans should have been really familiar with seeing Dion Phaneuf score on them. He's potted nine against them in his career. No wonder he's overrated.
MLG West was in great voice as they drowned out their Edmonton counterparts just as the Leafs overran their opposite numbers on the ice. Next stop: Calgary.
Leafs were outshot 23-20 at even strength but because they didn't have a minor league powerplay (credit: Tom Renney - so mean to the kids!) they were able to pot two goals on 11 shots. But remember, PP success means nothing.
Just watched TSN say that the Oilers' 5-0 win in Toronto showcased their youth. Turnabout's fair play. Hopefully in the future we're not talking about the 25th ranked team putting the boots to the 27th ranked team but rather two teams that actually matter to the NHL.
Oilers suck.
Kevin Lowe's stupid.
Steve Tambellini stinks.
All of the Oilers' losing is no more a guarantee of success than having Brian Burke as your GM.
GO LEAFS GO!