Matthew Iaboni March 23, 2010
Air Canada Centre
Toronto, ON
FINAL
P1
P2
P3
T
1
0
3
4
0
0
1
1
The Maple Leafs struggled all night to solve Scott Clemmensen and when David Booth tipped home the Bryan McCabe shot in the third period for his second of the game, it sealed the Leafs fate.
Although the Leafs would eventually score on Clemmensen late in the third, the Panthers scored three times in the period to halt the Leafs' three-game winning streak.
Last Leafs' loss at Air Canada Centre before Tuesday night.
25
Shots blocked by the Panthers.
1st Star
Scott Clemmensen
SA
SV
GA
TOI
SV%
43
42
1
60:00
.976
2nd Star
David Booth
G
A
P
+/-
Shots
2
0
2
+2
5
3rd Star
Bryan McCabe
G
A
P
+/-
Shots
0
1
1
+4
3
On this night it was a fairly easy decision, Scott Clemmensen. The former Leafs netminder picked up his second straight win and seventh of the season.
Clemmensen held the Leafs in check in the first period as he turned aside all 19 shots that were fired at him. He stopped 42 of the 43 shots for the game which are both season highs for shots against and saves. He has allowed just three goals on the last 74 shots against.
Fredrik Sjostrom was the best Leaf in Tuesday's loss. The speedy winger was strong on the penalty kill as the Leafs killed off all six Panthers power play chances
He scored his first goal in the Blue and White on one of the Leafs' weaker shots on net as he spun and slid the puck under Clemmensen's pad with just over three minutes to go in the game.
The struggles on the Leafs' power play were quite evident against the Panthers on Tuesday. Toronto went 0-6 with the man advantage with 12 shots on net but not many quality scoring chances.
It was a battle all night to get possession and to be able to set up the power play against a Panthers' team that has the sixth worst penalty killing unit in the NHL. On a night when they couldn't generate offence 5-on-5, not having a strong power play hurt the Leafs.
Ron Wilson's thoughts on the game:
"That's been the pattern when we've gotten down to a team like this where we're outplaying them and outchancing them and don't get rewarded and they score a goal on a mistake, we kind of lose what we should be doing in terms of generating offence. We had a lot of shots but guys weren't going to the front of the net and stopping and paying a price, it's simple."
Thursday March 25 @ Atlanta Thrashers 7 PM ET (Leafs TV, AM640)
Game Notes:
The Leafs head out on the road to face the surging Atlanta Thrashers. The teams have split the first two games of the year with the home team winning each time.
Atlanta is coming off a tough 4-0 loss to the Bruins and they now find themselves three points behind Boston for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
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