Ken Beckett: Door Mats - Carey Price, Habs Blank Leafs on Mats Sundin Night

Bet Mats was glad he wasn't playing tonight.

That was a tough game...it will happen though...I can't believe I took the Habs to win by 5 or more prop bet just for fun...I just won a lot of money

The Leafs pretty much locked up a playoff spot when they took 11 of 12 points in 6 games a week ago.

That's what they believe, anyway. Since then, they've decided to take a well-earned break.

That's got to be the most frustrating thing about this team this year: they follow up periods of stellar success with complete meltdowns. That's been a trend for about 2-3 years now, actually.

How ironic, when Mats was a Leaf he had no proper wingers to play with, fast forward to 2012, the Leafs now have great wingers but no top line center like Mats.

On the bright side, I'm glad to see us playing so disciplined.

So disciplined, in fact, that we look like a bunch of eunuchs. I'm so glad to see we resisted taking a penalty with 5 minutes to go and the game on the line.

Let's just send out a memo to the entire league that taking shots at our best players is A-OK with us. We'll even send you a nice card and flowers afterwards.

The Leafs pretty much locked up a playoff spot when they took 11 of 12 points in 6 games a week ago.

That's what they believe, anyway. Since then, they've decided to take a well-earned break.

That's got to be the most frustrating thing about this team this year: they follow up periods of stellar success with complete meltdowns. That's been a trend for about 2-3 years now, actually.
- Leeman4Gilmour

Like the guys on HNIC said, Leafs at one point being far ahead of Buffalo, Winnioeg & Montreal, they had a chance to bury them all where they would have zero chance to catch the Leafs, but the Leafs have breathed life into them all by losing critical games to them all.

How ironic, when Mats was a Leaf he had no proper wingers to play with, fast forward to 2012, the Leafs now have great wingers but no top line center like Mats.
- GCHonda

The Leafs have two great wingers and one third of a second line.

MacArthur and Kulemin were invisible for about the 45th game this season. Even Grabo couldn't carry them tonight.

How ironic, when Mats was a Leaf he had no proper wingers to play with, fast forward to 2012, the Leafs now have great wingers but no top line center like Mats.
- GCHonda

Bahahahaha. Yeah that's the problem.

Sundin must feel real honored.

You guys are just being a bit hard on the Leafs - give them a break - the Habs just played better tonight

Wow. That was really awful. The ceremony was so special, it's sickening that the Leafs couldn't play an inspired game, especially with so many legends in the stands. And if you're going to suck, at least get physical and stand up for eachoter. Tonight really made me miss the Sundin/Mogilny days (it seemed like they never took off nights) but also made me miss guys like Tucker, Corson, and Domi (they played with toughness and heart). The lack of heart was obvious tonight, Brown was our best player tonight.

You guys are just being a bit hard on the Leafs - give them a break - the Habs just played better tonight
- MTL1

Yeah but this one stings a little more. There are several reasons why its shocking that we played a horrible game (we're in a playoff push, it was hockey night in canada, we were playing the habs, and it was FRICKEN MATS SUNDIN NIGHT).

I missed the trolls the last couple weeks. It is good to see them returning.

... like I said, week from hell.

Let's keep talking about winning playoff series.

the Habs are closer to the Leafs now than the Leafs were to the Sens when the Sens collapsed.

They could easily be ahead of the Leafs in about 10-14 days... especially after a couple more losses coming up on the western swing.

... but everything is OK...

Like the guys on HNIC said, Leafs at one point being far ahead of Buffalo, Winnioeg & Montreal, they had a chance to bury them all where they would have zero chance to catch the Leafs, but the Leafs have breathed life into them all by losing critical games to them all.
- GCHonda

Yeah, that was probably the most insightful thing Healy has said all year. We can't step up and pick up the winnable points against the teams trailing us.

And worst of all, we always lose the chance to drop rivals off the radar for good. Montreal and Winnipeg could be very distant long shots to catch us right now, but we keep them hanging on.

Sundin must feel real honored.
- ThePresident

This was the perfect result if he had any pangs of missing being a Leaf. I bet it brought back so many memories

Yeah, that was probably the most insightful thing Healy has said all year. We can't step up and pick up the winnable points against the teams trailing us.

And worst of all, we always lose the chance to drop rivals off the radar for good. Montreal and Winnipeg could be very distant long shots to catch us right now, but we keep them hanging on.
- Leeman4Gilmour

The Leafs are the most gutless and mentally fragile team in the league.

- wingz4life

Wow. That was really awful. The ceremony was so special, it's sickening that the Leafs couldn't play an inspired game, especially with so many legends in the stands. And if you're going to suck, at least get physical and stand up for eachoter. Tonight really made me miss the Sundin/Mogilny days (it seemed like they never took off nights) but also made me miss guys like Tucker, Corson, and Domi (they played with toughness and heart). The lack of heart was obvious tonight, Brown was our best player tonight.
- dionschenn

In all of those montages of Sundin, you see guys like Clark, Domi, Tucker, Roberts, Yushkevic...

It reminds you that while Sundin was the star, he was surrounded by guys that went a fought in the trenches. Somebody needs to get their hands dirty to send the right messages to your opponents.

That came to mind as I watched Kessel taking cheap shots from Subban. Maybe Kessel would have to tear his ACL before anybody decides they'll step up for him...

i don't get how the leafs/and their fans can call Toronto the "center of the hockey universe" when they haven't won anything since 67. they weren't a force in the 70's 80s or 90s really, they had their moments but nothing to earn that kind of title. Even today on hockey day in canada there wasn't one story about the leafs or the veteran/retired players doing anything special for the sport. The fans, ex players and cbc spoke alot about the habs, Boston and their alumni, and nothing about legendary leafs. Albeit its not all about the habs but id put the leafs 5 out of 6 of the original 6 teams as being an influence to the sport, mtl,det,bos,nyc,to,chi. Man did phanuef get burned today... he looked so bad, embarrassing. Lastly ACC has to be one of the quietest and boring arenas in the NHL. Barely an ovation for Sundin and the momentum didn't carry on into the game at all... you could hear a pin drop in that building and its like that almost every game. One day hopefully the acc will be a hard arena to play at like the other original 6 arenas. I feel bad for your team to have to play in that kind of atmosphere. the 2000 Nordique's fans at the Ottawa game today were louder than your whole building combined!

Yeah, that was probably the most insightful thing Healy has said all year. We can't step up and pick up the winnable points against the teams trailing us.

And worst of all, we always lose the chance to drop rivals off the radar for good. Montreal and Winnipeg could be very distant long shots to catch us right now, but we keep them hanging on.
- Leeman4Gilmour

You don't keep them hanging on - the Leafs are not World Beaters - they arent a team equipped to dole out knockout punches like that to other teams - the Leafs are not part of the upper echelon of the league - that's why homers like Healey make listening to HNIC unbearable these days

i don't get how the leafs/and their fans can call Toronto the "center of the hockey universe" when they haven't won anything since 67. they weren't a force in the 70's 80s or 90s really, they had their moments but nothing to earn that kind of title. Even today on hockey day in canada there wasn't one story about the leafs or the veteran/retired players doing anything special for the sport. The fans, ex players and cbc spoke alot about the habs, Boston and their alumni, and nothing about legendary leafs. Albeit its not all about the habs but id put the leafs 5 out of 6 of the original 6 teams as being an influence to the sport, mtl,det,bos,nyc,to,chi. Man did phanuef get burned today... he looked so bad, embarrassing. Lastly ACC has to be one of the quietest and boring arenas in the NHL. Barely an ovation for Sundin and the momentum didn't carry on into the game at all... you could hear a pin drop in that building and its like that almost every game. One day hopefully the acc will be a hard arena to play at like the other original 6 arenas. I feel bad for your team to have to play in that kind of atmosphere. the 2000 Nordique's fans at the Ottawa game today were louder than your whole building combined!
- munky123

Do they have Enter keys on french keyboards?

You don't keep them hanging on - the Leafs are not World Beaters - they arent a team equipped to dole out knockout punches like that to other teams - the Leafs are not part of the upper echelon of the league - that's why homers like Healey make listening to HNIC unbearable these days
- MTL1

"[Leafs] homers like Healy"

Probably the first (and last) time that phrase has ever been written.

Do they have Enter keys on french keyboards?
- Leeman4Gilmour

I missed the trolls the last couple weeks. It is good to see them returning.

... like I said, week from hell.

Let's keep talking about winning playoff series.

the Habs are closer to the Leafs now than the Leafs were to the Sens when the Sens collapsed.

They could easily be ahead of the Leafs in about 10-14 days... especially after a couple more losses coming up on the western swing.

... but everything is OK...
- GoneFullRetard

I hope we hear more about how the Leafs shouldn't make any moves for fear of disrupting the chemistry.