Four games on the schedule tonight - NJD at TOR; TBL at PIT; ANA at PHX and NSH at LAK. For me the games to watch are in Toronto and Los Angeles.
This is a huge week for the Maple Leafs as they face New Jersey, Ottawa, Boston and Pittsburgh. Not only do they have the opportunity to create some separation between them and the best-of-the-rest and continue to solidify themselves in the playoff conversation, but they have the opportunity to leapfrog all of those teams and finish the weekend within striking distance of the Northeast Division lead and maybe - just maybe - the conference lead.
The good news is that everyone is contributing and Nazem Kadri - who most fans were ready to trade in September when Marlies Head Coach Dallas Eakins called him out for his lack of conditioning and poor performance in training camp - is leading the way with 21 points. James van Riemsdyk - who I always felt got a raw deal in Philadelphia by playing musical lines - has found consistency playing with Phil Kessel and Tyler Bozak earning 12 goals and an even plus/minus in his first 22 games as a Leaf.
They're also starting to get a more consistent effort from the blueline and are benefitting from having some right handed options. Mike Kostka, a product of the University of Massachusetts, seems to be the biggest beneficiary of that as he's averaging nearly 23 minutes a game - second on the team only to Dion Phaneuf - but Cody Franson and Mark Fraser are also seeing increased minutes as seasoned vets - and left handed shots - John-Michael Liles and Mike Komisarek have become regulars in the press box. But beyond what they're bringing to the offensive side of the game, I've noticed a tighter defensive game as fewer shots are finding their way on net. It's still a relatively high number, but seems to be improving with every game.
The bad news is that special teams continues to be a serious problem at both ends of the ice. Their power play isn't very powerful, scoring an average of once every six opportunities, and their penalty kill allows an average of one goal every five opportunities. The latter is further perpetuated by the fact they are one of the most penalized teams in the league. The only bright spot regarding that fact is that only have of those are due to "lazy" penalties. The bad news is that means the other half are majors and misconducts and due in large part to undisciplined play.
Like I said, last week, I really don't know how this team is doing it, but they've been staring down the face of adversity every single game and finding ways to win. That kind of toughness isn't something that can be taught it must be earned and if they can keep that going during their challenging schedule this week, it could pay huge dividends. It starts tonight against New Jersey.
The game out west intrigues me only because of the intense game of Musical Standings they've been playing. A win by either Nashville or LA will take them from 10th or 11th in the West to 4th if the Ducks defeat the Coyotes and 5th if they don't. With the obvious exception of the Blackhawks, who have yet to lose in regulation, and the Ducks, who only have three regulation losses, no one in the West has been very successful at putting together a long winning streak. In fact, only six points separate 3rd and 14th in the conference. Some like to call it parity. I call it mediocrity. It's only a matter of time before someone gets hot and starts creating some separation amongst the middle of the pack. Who's it going to be?
Julie
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