I graduated highschool for a reason, and it wasn't to go to college.
September 29, 2007
Thar be winning seasons... maybe?
Hey, anything's possible. They beat up on Detroit a little, according to the linked article… they couldn't really do that all that much last season. Oh, wait–they only played like, once or twice last season. Well, at least we're still in the race. Officially. But only because the season hasn't actually started yet. A little disenchanted? Possibly. You would be too after Raycroft, who was supposed to somewhat hold our team together, busted. And they played him tonight. But at least they won tonight. Just one problem… the Senators are our first game of the season. Again. What sick and twisted individual dreamed this up? He should be shot.
I hadn't seen the Leafs play a game in a week. Or… something like it. And now, I find myself feeling sorry I saw this mistake. I won't even call it a hockey game. So what was wrong with this game? Um… let me see.
All 5 Detroit goals were on the power play.
Toronto had 13, count 'em, 13 freaking penalties.
Toronto only managed to score once on their power plays, and sucked the rest of the time.
Once again, they played 40 minutes of good hockey. Not a bad thing usually, except hockey's a 60-minute game.
I could go on, but really, it's way too painful. Though that pain is rather negated by the pain of having lost our 7th game in a row. A smart man would have turned it off after the first period, when they were down 2 nill. But no–not this fool. I thought it might actually show signs of improvement. And for a fraction of a second in the second period, it did. Then, they choked. Then, they rolled over. And then, they gave it up and just died. A month ago this team was awesome. Now, though? I have visions of missing the playoffs again… that's not good. We already traded coaches. Is the GM next?
Someone obviously thinks we do. It's being circulated that they've come to some kind of an agreement with Boyd Devereaux, who used to play for the Coyotes and before that the Red Wings. Well, I guess we'll find out eventually if we need yet another body plugging the hole at center. Like, say, if someone ends up victimised by another Dany Heatley. In the meantime, though… uh, well, at least the minor league team's got an experienced man. I suppose.
Okay, so explain to me this, since it's gone over my head entirely. How is it that, for taking a golf swing at Bell's foot, Ottawa's Dany Heatley gets off pretty much unskathed, while Bell gets to spend the first few games of the preseason on the injured list, yet for an alleged cross check (you show me where there was a cross check) on Jiri Hudler, Kubina gets handed a game's suspension? That's just a little lopsided, if you ask me. And no one ever does, but I really don't give a shit. Making it even more of a pissoff, never mind the severity of the offense, but Bell had to leave the game due to the injury, and he's still out. Hudler, on the other hand, came right back and played on the powerplay that resulted from the major penalty Kubina's supposed chross check drew. I'd bet any money if Kubina took a golf swing at Hudler's foot instead of just supposedly chross checking him, he'd get at least the first 3 games. Let's see some objectivity, here, for crying out freaking loud.
The preseason is over and we can actually get down to the playing for real, for a bloody change. Even if it did end with a second loss in a row to Detroit. But it was a shootout, anyway. That's, uh… well, progress. And they weren't shut out in the shootout, for… the first time since shootouts decided tie games. Well, okay, so maybe it wasn't *quite* that bad. I do believe the Leafs never actually won a shootout, though. They didn't win this one either… but at least Sundin found the net this time! That in itself was a problem last year… a *huge* problem. Fortunately, we won't need to worry about seeing them again until December. Unfortunately, we've got 2 games back to back with the Senators, and I'm gonna be forced to miss half of both of them. Bastards.
Otherwise, last night's loss would have been exceedingly hard to swallow. I mean, that it's the preseason doesn't make it any less of a bitch, but at least I don't have to resort to multiple 4-letter words and the like. I'd criticise, but… well, there isn't much to criticise, really. Raycroft can't play the puck. We knew this. Antropov can't play. We knew this. Suglobov doesn't pass. I wish I didn't know this. McCabe will eventually put it in the net. Everyone knows this. Even if it takes him 4 tries to do it. We probably shouldn't have lost the game last night… but eh. At least it's only the preseason. Now if we could just get Raycroft to worry more about *stopping* the puck, rather than trying to make a neat little pass which we all know he can't make…
