The 2-1 shootout victory over the Phoenix Coyotes may have not been the most exciting game of the season, but for the struggling Toronto Maple Leafs, it was definitely a step in the right direction.
The Leafs were noticeably more energetic and persistent on Thursday than they were against the Florida Panthers two nights before and their hard work paid off, as Troy Bodie cashed in a rebound of a Cody Franson point shot past Coyotes goalie Mike Smith for his first NHL goal in more three years.
That persistence waned slightly in the middle frame, as the Coyotes stepped up the pressure to score the tying goal as they outshot the Leafs 25-17, but it was clear that the club was heeding the call from head coach Randy Carlyle to play a more responsible two-way game.
Toronto held the precarious one goal lead until late in the third, when Phoenix’s Martin Hanzal beat James Reimer on a wraparound for his ninth of the season.
The Coyotes dominated the five minute overtime, but could not solve Reimer, who made 34 stops on the night. After James van Riemsdyk and Mikkel Boedker exchanged goals in the shootout, After Joffrey Lupul scored on Smith on Toronto’s third attempt, Reimer preserved his eighth victory of the season by stoning Antoine Vermette with a blocker save.
With the victory, Toronto improves to 18-16-3 with the victory and after the contest, Carlyle was effusive in his praise of the Leafs netminder.
“Our goaltending has been one of our strongest suits and both guys have really given us A-level quality goaltending all year and tonight is just another example of James Reimer stepping up.… Carlyle said
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The holiday trade freeze is in effect around the NHL, but that has not stopped the rumors of potential upcoming deals. TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on 1050AM radio in Toronto Friday morning that the likelihood of Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner being traded is increasing and the latest of inquiries regarding the availability of the 23-year-old blueliner came just before the deadline from New York Rangers GM Glen Sather.
The Rangers are in need of bolstering on the blueline as veteran Dan Girardi is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and are without defenseman Marc Staal due to concussion issues. New York inquired not only about Gardiner but also Leafs blueliner Cody Franson.
Dreger indicates that GM Dave Nonis has been looking for a top six forward (preferably a center) in return for the slick skating defenseman but that he may be willing to swap Gardiner for another quality defenseman.
Sather has reported been shopping defenseman Michael Del Zotto for most of the season, which might be a fit for the Leafs. The 23-year-old blueliner was selected three spots after Gardiner in the 2008 NHL Draft and made the NHL as a 19-year-old. The Stouffville, ON native played on the Rangers top two pairings under former coach John Tortorella and had his best season(10 goals and 31 assists in 77 games) with the Broadway Blueshirts in their run to the 2012 Eastern Conference Final, but has been scratched for eight games this season and is playing bottom pairing minutes under new coach Alain Vigneault.
Both are left handed shooting, offensive-minded defensemen who have struggled in their own zone who will be restricted free agents at the end of 2013-14 season. Gardiner is completing his entry level deal, while Del Zotto is in the last year of a two-year, $5.1 Million bridge deal, which means that he would have to be signed to a long-term extension sooner to avoid becoming a UFA at age 26.
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