Leafs prevail

 Leafs are in fist place in the Canadian Division.

After a hard fought 4-3 win against the Calgary Flames last night. 

Here's how I saw it.

Mitch Marner's been working on his shot and it showed in the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 win Tuesday over the host Calgary Flames.

Marner's quick one-timer amid a crowd of Flames produced the game-winner at 12:14 of the third period.

"Trying to get more of a shot mentality," Marner said.

"I feel like I really want to try and make an extra play most of the time, but this year, trying to be more of a threat and more of a guy that can be more of a consistent shooter on net, and kind of change things up a lot on goalies."

Marner, who also assisted on an Auston Matthews goal Tuesday, continues to vie for the early lead in the NHL points race.

He was tied with Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid at five goals and seven assists Tuesday.

Matthews also had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs (6-2-0).

Wayne Simmonds and Travis Boyd scored Toronto's other goals. Frederik Andersen stopped 23-of-26 shots for the win.

Johnny Gaudreau scored twice for Calgary (2-2-1). Milan Lucic also scored for the Flames and Jacob Markstrom stopped 17 shots in the loss.

Calgary's sluggish start forced the hosts to chase Toronto.

Gaudreau's second goal of the game drew Calgary even at 3-3 in the third period, but Marner's deceptive release on a Matthews pass from the boards restored Toronto's lead.

"We did a good regrouping in the second getting ourselves back to an even hockey game, but they win from the inside of our slot.," Calgary head coach Geoff Ward said.

"The guy is standing right between three of our guys and finds a way to get a shot off. You can't give up four goals in this league regularly and expect to win games."

Gaudreau scored top corner from the face-off circle for a power-play goal at 9:03 of the third period.

Calgary outshot the visitors 18-5 in the second period, but still trailed by a goal after two.

A Juuso Valimaki pass caromed off Leaf Alex Kerfoot's skate to Lucic in the slot for him to beat Andersen between the pads at 14:21 of the second period.

Gaudreau halved a two-goal deficit at 1:08, but Boyd restored Toronto's two-goal cushion 61 seconds later.

Pierre Engvall dished to an unchallenged Boyd charging into the slot. Boyd scored his first as a Leaf fishing the puck out of his feet and chipping it over Markstrom.

Unchecked on Andersen's right side, Gaudreau had time to go backhand-forehand on Toronto's goalie.

Toronto outshot the Flames 10-1 and led 2-0 after the opening period. It took nearly 16 minutes for Calgary to register a shot on net.

"That was just an awful first period from us," Gaudreau said. "Not the way we're going to win games, playing catchup the whole game."

Matthews whipped the puck over Markstrom's right shoulder at 14:16 of the first period for a power-play goal.

Simmonds scored his second goal in as many games tucking his own rebound by Markstrom's right toe at 3:44.

Leafs backup goaltender Jack Campbell was replaced in the lineup by Michael Hutchinson.

Campbell's leg was injured in the final minute of Sunday's 3-2 win over the Flames when Matthew Tkachuk fell on him in a goal-mouth scrum.

Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe said Tuesday that Campbell will be sidelined for "weeks".

After enjoying the gentlest schedule to start the season of any team in the all-Canadian North Division, the Flames will now play 21 games in the next 40 days.

Calgary departs on a five-game road trip with two games in Montreal starting Thursday, followed by three games in four days in Winnipeg.

Toronto faces the Oilers on Thursday and Saturday in Edmonton to conclude a four-game road trip.

Notes: The Maple Leafs wore No. 10 patches on their chests in memory of George Armstrong, who captained Toronto to four Stanley Cups in the 1960s and died this week at age 90. Every Leaf wore No. 10 and "Armstrong" on their back during warmup ... Flames winger Dillon Dube was scratched for a second straight game with an upper-body injury.

 The Chief, George Armstrong, # 10.

 

 

 

 

 Hail to the Chief !

George Armstrong, who captained the Toronto Maple Leafs to four Stanley Cups in the 1960s, has died. He was 90.

His death was announced Sunday by the Maple Leafs, who said he died of heart complications, citing his family.

 Armstrong had 296 goals and 417 assists over 21 seasons for the Leafs, including 12 seasons as team captain, and remains the franchise leader in games played. The right wing had 26 goals and 34 assists in 110 playoff games.

Known as the "Chief," Armstrong was one of the first players of Indigenous descent to play professional hockey.

He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975. Some 41 years later, Armstrong was voted No. 12 on the franchise's list of 100 greatest Maple Leafs in its centennial season.

"George is part of the very fabric of the Toronto Maple Leaf organization and will be deeply missed," Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said in a statement.

"A proud yet humble man, he loved being a Maple Leaf, but never sought the spotlight even though no player played more games for Toronto or captained the team longer. Always one to celebrate his teammates rather than himself, George couldn't even bring himself to deliver his speech the day he was immortalized on Legends Row."

Armstrong would become one of a few Leafs honored with a banner at Scotiabank Arena, and his number was retired in October 2016 at the team's centennial anniversary home opener.

In 2015, Armstrong was added to the Leafs' Legends Row. The team released a statement Sunday with the words from Armstrong's unread speech that night.

"Hockey is a great game and I love it. I am part of a fading generation that you will never have again. Every one of us is one of a kind, that will never be repeated. To all of my friends and acquaintances, thank you for your advice and direction, that helped make me who I am today ... a very, very happy person."

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman paid tribute Sunday to the former Leafs captain.

"The National Hockey League family is saddened to learn of the passing of George Armstrong," Bettman said in a statement. "For 70 years, he represented his beloved Maple Leafs and the entire NHL with class and distinction as a player, coach, executive and ambassador.

"A humble man and revered leader, Armstrong captained the Leafs for 12 seasons -- including to three straight Stanley Cups in 1962, 1963 and 1964 and the stunning 1967 title -- and scored the final goal of the Original Six Era in Game 6 of the '67 Final.

"Our game will miss him dearly."

After retiring in 1971, Armstrong coached the Toronto Marlboros to Memorial Cup victories in 1972-73 and 1974-75 before accepting a scouting position with the Quebec Nordiques in 1978.

He spent nine years with Quebec before returning to Toronto as assistant general manager and scout in 1988. Armstrong served as interim coach for the final 47 games of the 1988-89 season after John Brophy was fired following an 11-20-2 start.

The next year, Armstrong returned to his role as a scout for the Leafs.

Armstrong scored 20 goals four times during his career but was better known for his leadership and work ethic, helping restore the franchise's winning touch. A smart player and talented backchecker, he worked the angles to get the best shot at his opponent and formed a formidable penalty-killing tandem with Hall of Famer Dave Keon.

Born in Bowland's Bay, Ontario, to an Irish father and an Iroquois mother, Armstrong honed his hockey skills near the nickel mines where his father worked.

It was during the Allan Cup tournament in 1950, specifically a visit to the Stoney Indian Reserve in Alberta, that he got his nickname. When the band heard of Armstrong's ancestral background, they made him an honorary member with the name "Chief Shoot-the-Puck" and presented him with a ceremonial headdress.

It was a different era and "The Chief" nickname stuck. Armstrong, who was proud of his mother's heritage, would become the first player of Indigenous descent to score in the NHL.

He spent most of two seasons in Pittsburgh with the Leafs' American Hockey League farm team before making the big league. He made his NHL debut in December 1949 and became a full-time member of the Leafs in time for the start of the 1952-53 season.

Toronto owner and GM Conn Smythe named Armstrong his captain before the 1957-58 season. Smythe would later call Armstrong "the best captain, as a captain, the Leafs have ever had."

The Leafs won the Stanley Cup in 1962, the first of three straight championships.

Armstrong was 36 when the veteran Leafs won the franchise's most recent championship in 1967. His insurance empty-net goal with 47 seconds remaining in the clinching 3-1 Game 6 win was the final goal of the Original Six era.

The 6-foot-1, 204-pounder played a few more seasons but suffered a knee injury during the 1969-70 season that forced him to retire. Armstrong was persuaded to come back for the 1970-71 season before quitting for good at age 40.

 

He will be missed, as an icon of the Maple Leafs.

 

 

 

 

Well hockey returns to my household this Wednesday night as the Maple Leafs take on the blue, blanc et rouge. Meaning their arch rivals , the Montreal Canadiens. My friend JF , who lives in Montreal has always appreciated the romance that this match up brings. He longs for the days when Lafleur would skate wildly down the wing and wind up and send a booming slapshot towards the net, hoping for a goal.

Me, I want to see Davey Keon stick handle and dipsy doodle around a defenceman ( doesn't matter what team ) and deke out the goalie.

Some wish to see John Ferguson duke it out with Eddie Shack, fisticuffs at centre ice. I wouldn't mind to see that brawl either, but the key is Montreal vs Toronto for ice supremacy. 

I have had the unique honour of being in both Montreal Forums, Maple Leaf Gardens, and the Air Canada Centre ( now named the Scotia Bank Arena ), and let me tell you, it is electric when these two teams play one another. Hair stands up on end, fingers tingle, fans try to stay in their seats, straining to see a glimpse of their heroes skate up and down the ice in the name of the best game ever invented.

So, it is my honour to name the All Time Leaf team and the All Time Habs team, my preferences, my favourites.

Montreal will be coached by Toe Blake, assisted by Scotty Bowman, how's that for hall of Fame coaching.

1st Line, at centre Le Gros Bill, Jean Beliveau, at right wing Yvan Cournoyer, and on left wing Guy LaFleur.

The second line will be manned by The pocket rocket , Henri Richard, Bob Gainey and Dick Duff.

The 3rd line will be centered by Elmer Lach, wings are Rocket Richard and Bernie Geoffrion.

On defence, only 6 are on my list, Serge Savard, Doug Harvey, Tom Johnston, J.C. Trembley, Guy Lapointe and Big Larry Robinson.

Tending the twine tent, Ken Dryden, backed up by Patrick Roy.

For the Maple Leafs, their first line will be Dave Keon, Frank Mahovlich and Wendel Clark.

Their second line will be Auston Matthews, Lanny MacDonald and Rick Vaive.

Their 3rd line will be Doug Gilmour, Paul Henderson and George Armstrong

On defence, old Coffee Baron himself Tim Horton, Borje Salming, Allan Stanley, Red Kelly ( I had to to find a spot for the old Redhead) Bobby Baun and Ian Turnbull.

Manning the cord cottage, Johnny Bower and Curtis Joseph.

Oh and the coach will be Ted Kennedy. The ol' Teeder.

Signing the national anthem will be Roger Doucet, and calling the game will be Foster Hewitt and Danny Gallivan.

Enjoy the game JF, as will I.