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Leafs and Oilers top NHL Standings. Makes Perfect Sense...

November 4, 2011, 1:04 PM ET [ Comments]
Habs Talk
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1) By now, surely you're aware that Toronto's on top of the Eastern Conference with 19 points.

The Leafs are on fire despite losing James Riemer to a concussion against your Canadiens nearly two weeks ago.

If it isn't Jonas Gustavsson, Ben Scrivens came up from the Marlies and helped the Leafs beat the Blue Jackets last night.

So... Toronto in first, Boston in last... makes sense, no?

Montreal in 13th, Buffalo in 9th, and Ottawa's got 14 points in 13 games--sitting in 6th.

This was what you predicted before the season started, right?

2) If you're having a hard time making sense of the East, let's take a look at the West.

Edmonton in 1st place--of course.

Dallas leading their division with 16 points in 11 games; that makes perfect sense.

The Red Wings losing six-straight, sitting in 13th place with 11 points in 11 games.

Minnesota in 4th place, Vancouver in 10th?

I don't think I've ever put as much stock in the concept of not judging a team before 20 games are played.

3) Of all the good teams doing poorly, who's this year's New Jersey?

4) Of all the good teams doing poorly, who's this year's Buffalo?

5) Who's most likely to be fired of the following coaches in charge of under-performing teams?

-Claude Julien

-Mike Babcock

-Alain Vigneault

6) On the flip side: Remember this P.K. Subban "How you like me now" video?

Someone should make one of these for Coach Ron Wilson.

7) Enough about the Leafs. It's not about how you start, it's about how you finish. It's kind of about everything in between though, too. Isn't it?

That's what it's going to be about for the Wings, the Bruins, the Canadiens, the Canucks, and any other supposed playoff team on the bubble right now. Can they alleviate themselves of the pressure they're sure to face down the stretch by putting together a good middle?

The middle of the season is by far the hardest part of year to do well in. You don't have the enthusiasm you have at the beginning of the season, and you don't have the drive the nearing playoffs inspire.

Who of the teams above will strike in January and February?

8) Six-day break sucks. Everyone agrees. It sucks, unless you get it at the end of February before taking on March and early April.

This early in the season--it sucks.

If the Canadiens win tonight, people will be talking about the necessary rest enabling them to practice the things they were deficient at, and heal nagging bumps and bruises.

If they lose, we blame the schedule.

Next longest break in the Habs schedule: five days, January 26-30.

9) What do Mike Cammalleri, Mike Blunden, Jaroslav Spacek, Aaron Palushaj, and Chris Campoli have in common?

If you guessed that none of them have taken a penalty so far this season, you win.

No more than two penalty minutes: David Desharnais, Petteri Nokalainen, Matt Darche, Alexei Emelin, Andreas Engqvist,

No more than four penalty minutes: Scott Gomez, Lars Eller.

Brian Gionta: 10 PIMS.

P.K. Subban: 19 PIMS.

Travis Moen: 22 PIMS.

10) One of the things you have to love about Max Pacioretty is that he doesn't take anything for granted. It was reported he was spending extra time at practice this week with Randy Cunneyworth, working with a rebound board set up on the goal line, and trying to improve his finish around the net.

Pacioretty is a co-leader in scoring; 9 points in 11 games, same as Plekanec. But he knows, his place among the leading ice-time getters depends on his day-to-day performance.

Last two games against Boston, he was blanked and only played 13:51 and 12:07.

In the game against Philly, in which he had two goals and an assist, he played 16:29.

His only other multi-point game this season was against Colorado--he had a goal and an assist in 22:21.

In order to get the ice-time, he needs to finish his chances, needs to go hard to the net, and needs to keep taking that excellent shot of his, which hasn't been easy to do with the wrist damage he did against the Panthers last Monday.
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