What A Difference No Toskala Makes

Getty Images/ The first in a series of 41 ceremonies that will involve Johnny Bower this season

Still overachieving, under talented forwards.
Still underachieving, overpaid defense.
Add a clutch goaltender who actual comes up with the saves in the final minute, the Leafs are in the W column.

The Good:

• Penalty Killers actually killed penalties
• The top six forwards looked like top six forwards
• Zigomanis is Yanic Perrault 2.0 (can't compare him to Zezel after one game
• Giguere exhibited game stealing ability
• Bottom six forwards looked solid in their roles

The Bad:

• MLSE's tribute to water.
• Beauchemin looked slow, and needs to actually look up when he clears the puck
• Gunnarsson would probably like to forget about tonight as well
• As good as the puck was moving on delayed penalties, the powerplay was pretty impotent with the exception of the one goal that Price stole in the 3rd.
• Neither Orr, nor Brown punched anyone in the face
• The Habs were beaten, but not destroyed

Mission One for the 2010-11 season has been accomplished. They've won in October. Time to move onto phase two, a streak?

Top 3 Moments That Gave Me Hope:
3. Colby Armstrong pinching the defenseman on the first penalty kill to knock the puck out of the zone
2. Nik Kulemin draws a penalty, and the Leafs cycle the puck for over a minute on the delayed penalty
1. Everything that Giguere did in that last minute of the game.

On behalf of my fantasy hockey team I'd like to thank Kessel, and Giguere for the points they earned me this evening, and if you're not already following me on twitter please start, I'm like a Tamogoutchi, if I don't receive attention I wither away.