Keeping you in the loop!

Here is a quick preview of tomorrow nights game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Thursday morning that goaltender Joey MacDonald has joined the team on an Emergency Recall from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. Jonas Gustavsson was placed on Injured Reserve and is expected to miss at least one week with a groin injury.

Vesa Toskala will get his third start of the season. He remained relaxed in the midst of a hail storm of criticism over the start that the team has had so far.

“We got one point in the first game and lost the next two,” said the unflappable goalie Vesa Toskala. “For me, it’s only been two games. We just need to win the next one.”

Well said!

Ron Wilson said that one of the big issue's early in the pre season is the length of their shift.


" It's impossible to go full out for 55 secs to a minute, it's hard enough to just skate around in a circle for 25 to thirty. When you're out there for longer shifts, you tend to try to conserve energy and not go full out."

Stalberg left Tuesday's game with the Senators after being hit by Anton Volchenkov in the first period. And will likely be kept out of Saturdays line up as a precaution, although, don't quote me on that, it seems as though so far this year I can't be sure who's on the ice until the puck drops!

Phil Kessel, who is still out until around mid November, can't wait to get on the ice to help his new team, and John Mitchell, who in my opinion was the best Leaf in the pre-season but is struggling so far in the first three games of the regular season, remains up-beat.

“We want to give people something to write,” said Mitchell. “We want people to read about us winning two or three games in a row or having a chance for a shutout go off someone’s skate and everyone talks about that. We want to come to practice feeling good.”

The Leafs play the Stanley Cup champion Penguins on Saturday at Air Canada Centre, who are so far 3-1 this season, but have given up as many as they've score.

“They will be a very good test, no question” said Mitchell. “We have to work hard and we have to work smart.”

My son ( six years old ) is a Penguins fan, it will break his poor little heart when my beloved Leafs get their first win of the season against his team, he'll get over it!

Don't forget to check out my live blog tomorrow night, I go live at 7pm est, stop by and say hi!

Until next time, you kids play safe!

And the first round goes to....

The Leafs suffered their third loss in row to start the season losing 2-1 to the Ottawa Senators.

On a night that the Leafs honored former All Star and all around great player Gary Roberts, the stage seemed to be set for Toronto's first victory of the season.

Although the shots on goal would indicate that it was a fairly evenly played game, one would think that the edge would probably have to go to a Leaf team hungry for their first win of the season. The Buds certainly had their share of chances in this one, including a shot by Komisarek in the third period that rang off the inside of both posts behind Ottawa goalie Pascal Leclaire. Coach Ron Wilson was extremely critical of his forwards after the game and promised to put everyone through a tough practice on Wednesday morning - telling reporters to ``come early.''

``We'll find most of our forwards tomorrow,'' said Wilson. ``That was almost an embarrassing effort from seven or eight guys who we're really counting on heavily.''

Matt Stajan netted his third goal in as many games but the team came up short after a second period in which there was a blown call ( in my opinion ) on the first Ottawa goal that appeared to have been knocked in with a high stick, and wonder of all wonders, a call by referee Carey Fraser that cost the Leafs the hockey game.......

About a minute after the opening Ottawa goal, young Luke Schenn took Ottawa's Michalek to the ice while he was on a breakaway. Fraser instantly and emphatically awarded the Senators a penalty shot. Now, I can't argue with that call, it was a good call. However, the Ottawa player was also injured on the same play, as a result of a high stick that he received from Schenn. Now, I'm willing to bet, and I can say this because nobody pays me to write this blog, when Michalek got to the bench, and the Ottawa coach saw that he was cut, he was sent to the dressing room for repairs...... enthusiastically!

Et Voila! Alfredsson is going to take the penalty shot. Now, Gustavsson, to his credit stayed with the veteran pretty well.... right until he just belly flopped onto the ice and Alfredsson put a nifty little backhand up over his right leg.

``Maybe I'll be able to get him once,'' Alfredsson said with a smile. ``I'm sure he'll be better prepared next time.''

Gustavsson never saw the deke coming.

``It was good penalty shot from him,'' he said. ``I thought he was going to shoot, but he fooled me there.''


Things are slowly getting better in Leaf Land, the Buds again for the second game in a row kept the penalties to a minimum, Gustavsson in his debut played a solid game stopping 26 of 28 shots, and for the most part, the Leafs played a better defensive game. If they could only figure out how to be equally effective at BOTH ends of the ice!

Conspicuous by his absence was young gun Stalberg who only clocked a little over 5 minutes and was not on the bench after a hard hit by Volchenkov at the end of the first period. No update yet.

The Leafs play host to Pittsburgh Saturday aaaaaaaand we will be hosting our second live blog here at Bench Brawl! So please be sure to pop by and check us out!

The site also has a couple of new features that you may want to check out. I recently links to this seasons Box Scores and to this seasons Video Highlights, so you won't have to worry about missing anything! I also added a link to the Toronto Marlies home page so you can keep up to date with all you favorite junior players, and future Maple Leafs!

Until next time, you kids play safe!