| Gagan Gandhi. 12th November, 2009 - 10:39 pm
 So, that?s what a team plays like when they have a goalie?
After a disastrous start to a season that was filled with hope, the Leafs seem to have rebounded pretty well in the past two weeks, gaining points in seven of their last eight. While it is true most of them were overtime losses, after the start they had, in which they only managed one point in their first eight games, beggars can?t be choosers.
Bad play and bad luck, yes Ian White can make only so many saves, has turned into good play and good luck, with exception to Tuesday night?s loss to Minnesota.
Oh yeah, bad goaltending has turned into good goaltending.
Vesa Toskala is struggling and while all of the fault should not be directed towards him, it?s clear that the Leafs play differently in front of a goalie they have confidence in just like the other 29 teams.
He is there mentally, but his game just isn?t there physically and it doesn?t help that new goaltending coach Francois Allaire is trying to change his style. Allaire has won Stanley cup rings, but you can?t change the only way he?s played for 20 years, part of the blame definitely has to lie upon the goaltending coach and not the goaltender himself.
It also doesn?t help that he?s small in goal, much more movement is required for him to make saves because you can try to be sound in terms of position all you want, but the NHL has the best hockey in the world and the players will eventually start to pick you apart. That is a huge advantage for Jonas Gustavsson because his legs can take away the bottom portion of the net, thus leaving the shooter with not as many options. After that, all he has to do is play the angle and hope the puck hits him somewhere he has padding.
Gustavsson has Toronto?s only three wins and even though neither Brian Burke nor Ron Wilson will come out and say it publicly, he is their number one right now.
Besides having the ?Monster? back in net, the arrival of Phil Kessel is a nice sighting for fans of the blue and white.
Already with four points (two goals, two assists) in as many games, his value cannot be understated off the score sheet. Just the fact he?s on the ice makes the opposing defense more prone to mistakes due to his speed. His quick release has also been evident early on as he?s gotten 21 shots on net, but also missed many more. He has instantly made Jason Blake better and more dangerous; there is much more space for John Mitchell to operate when he?s on the ice at the same time as 81.
It was nice to see him get his first of the season on the weekend, albeit not a highlight reel goal, and then get another in their last game.
Two difference makers give the Leafs hope that two points is suddenly a possibility any given night.
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