Flyers VS Maple Leafs (2-4)

Flyers are on a 7 game win streak and will look to continue that trend against Brian Burkes Toronto Maple Leafs tonight. I am hearing Marty Biron for the Flyers and Toskala for the Leafs. Andre Deveaux will be playing tonight as well. Should be a good game and I see the Leafs players being fired up for this one with the new boss in town and this essentialy being an audition to stay a Leaf.

1st Period: Period started slow for the Leafs but they did a little better in the later stages nice to see Stempniak get his 1st goal with the Leafs. I didn't like the Philly goal and I feel it should have been goalie interference as the Flyer player flew over Toskala and smoked him in the head with his legs. Should be a good 2nd period.

2nd Period: Great job by the Leafs in the 2nd to really ramp it up goals by Antropov and a beauty by Moore on a breakaway, a little bit of a breakdown that led to the 2nd Philly goal. But the Leafs didn't quit and are still attacking the Flyers down low something have been good at in most of there games. Its nice to see Burke has some reaction to his new team when they score or don't score. The 3rd will be run and gun I hope.

3rd Period: ABSOLUTELY DYNAMITE GAME! The Leafs were great tonight and really deserved to win its funny to note that last year at this time Toskala really started to play well. He sure did prove that he is no sham and that even a bad start can be turned around. The Leafs were solid on the PK tonight and did a great job keeping the Flyers to the outside. Monday they play the Kings should be a good game.

The Source

BREAKING NEWS: Maple Leafs call 2pm presser for Saturday

Ok so its not exactly breaking news but yes it is official Brian Burke will be named GM and President of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. He has 6 year $18,000,000 contract in his hand and he will be looking for full autonomy over all preceidings that have to do with Toronto Maple Leafs.

I spoke with Interim GM Cliff Fletcher today over the phone and he told me "I'm excited for the Leafs, he is someone who will move the organization in the right direction and I'm glad I got a 6 month head start on the process"

I really enjoyed all the moves Fletch has made thus far and I hope that he can stay on as some sort of consultant. As well as Burke coming into the organization look for Dave Nonis to be named Asst, GM in the coming days.

The Source

Leafs Vs Senators (1-2)

2nd verse same as the 1st and with that we have round 2 of the battle of Ontario between the Leafs and Senators. The Leafs took the 1st game and with Lee Stempniak looking to make an impact and youngster Andre Deveaux looking to take someone's head off (Chris Neil) This should be a great game and perhaps another win for the Leafs. (UPDATE: BRIAN BURKE HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN GIVEN A CONTRACT BY MLSE)

1st Period: Really up and down period for the Leafs nice to see Kulemin score again. I think the Leafs need to work on there fore check a bit as they seem to be lacking in that department. Deveaux looks good and its nice to see him chirping off at the lips to the Sens. Should be a good 2nd the Leafs have about 1:30 left on their PP.

2nd Period: The Leafs gave a solid effort in the 2nd but need to convert on their PP opportunities. Toskala is having a much better game and I really am enjoying the effort he is giving. I hope Stempniak can pot a goal and Deveaux looks great as I said in the 1st. Lets hope for a terrific 3rd.

3rd Period: Blah! The Leafs had plenty of opportunity to win the game in this period and they couldn't capitalize on there chances.

OT: Great very fast paced but once again the Leafs didn't make the most of there chances.

SO: To bad for Stempniak I thought he made a great move the Senators identified Toskalas weakness and to advantage. Brian Burke will be spitting at the TV after this one despite the effort.

The Source

Leafs Re-Call Deveaux

TORONTO -- Toronto Maple Leafs winger Jason Blake will sit out the team's game in Ottawa on Thursday night with a suspected concussion.

The NHL team has recalled tough guy Andre Deveaux from the American Hockey League to take his place on the roster. Blake left Tuesday night's game against the Atlanta Thrashers after getting hit by Colby Armstrong in the third period.Coach Ron Wilson said afterwards that Blake had likely suffered a concussion.

Deveaux has six goals and 54 penalty minutes in 13 games with the Marlies this season. He just completed a four-game suspension for an attack on Manitoba defenceman Nolan Baumgartner. The 24-year-old former Montreal Canadiens draft pick has yet to appear in an NHL game.

Courtesy of Sportsnet

The Source

Thrashers VS Leafs (6-3)

Cujo will get the start and in other news Lee Stempniak passed his physical but will only play if Cola and Steener pass theres for St,Louis. Lee will wear the same number he did in St,Louis and that is 12. The Trashers and Leafs are both on 3 game losing skids and will look to get things going in the right track.

1st Period: OH MY GOD WHAT A SAVE BY BOTH GOALIES!! Stempniak looks very good in his debut and I think he may pot one (fingers crossed) the goal by Colby was unlucky one for Cujo as he went down from the fake-out, but Kaberle shouldn't have gave that puck away in the 1st place. Lets hope for an exciting 2nd.

2nd Period: The Leafs are playing well.................... The problem GOALTENDING and while Cujo has made some brilliant saves in this game neither him nor Toskala have been very consistent in any of there games. The Leafs not scoring on that 3 minute PP is a shame and really could have cost the Buds the game. Kovalchuk had a beauty and that setup from behind the net was beautiful. But as I said the Leafs need better goaltending if they have any hope of making the playoffs.

3rd Period: Another loss another bad goaltending show! Curtis and Vesa have been the most inconsistent goaltenders in the NHL this year. But it didn't help that the Leafs took terrible penalties and didn't really show any will to win tonight. Stempniak had a good game and really seemed to be the best Leaf in his debut to bad the rest of the Buds couldn't have fallen suit. Oh well bring on the Sens Thursday.

The Source

Breaking News: Leafs Acquire Stempniak

The Toronto Maple Leafs aren't waiting for Brian Burke to come in and start making moves, as the club traded defenceman Carlo Colaiacovo and forward Alex Steen to the St. Louis Blues for forward Lee Stempniak on Monday.

Stempniak, 25, has three goals and 13 points in 14 games this season.

In Steen and Colaiacovo, the Leafs parted ways with two former draft picks that didn't live up to their first-round billing.

Colaiacovo, whose career has been limited by numerous injuries, has played in 10 games this season with the Maple Leafs, recording one assist. The blueliner is in his sixth NHL season, having played in 111 career games with 33 points.

The Toronto native was originally drafted 17th overall in the 2001 Entry Draft.

Steen, 24, has two goals and four points in 20 games this season. He's in his fourth NHL season, playing in 253 games and amassing 126 points. The Winnipeg native - son of former NHLer Thomas Steen - was originally drafted by Toronto in the first round, 24th overall in the 2002 Entry Draft.

(The Sources Take: As 1st predicted by me over a month ago the Leafs acquired this young winger he is fast and gritty and so far is having quite a good season)

Van Ryn On Skates

Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Mike Van Ryn returned to the ice Monday for the first time since being injured by Montreal Canadiens forward Tom Kostopolous over two weeks ago.

Van Ryn skated for 20 minutes and said that he felt tired but hopeflu that he can return to the lineup in about two weeks time.

When asked if he received a call from Kostopoulus, Van Ryn said he did, but had not talked to him personally, just through text messenging.

Kostopolous was suspended three games for his hit from behind on Van Ryn on November 7.

Courtesy sportsnet.ca

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