I've Had Phaneuf Of This

Last night's game against Calgary was another disappointment. Taking 20 shots in the second period alone, there should not have been a one-goal deficit going into the third. The Flames were giving turnover after turnover in goal-scoring areas but it never amounted to a tie-game. Miikka Kiprusoff played a stellar game but nothing close to the extent that was celebrated by the game's commentators. We did with Kipper exactly what we did with Luongo in Vancouver, Niittymaki in Tampa Bay and a few other goalies this year - make them look good.

Granted, Kiprusoff played a great game and Luongo... is Luongo, but it doesn't help that our shooters play target practice with the other team's crest. Shot after shot from Ponikarovsky, Stempniak and Grabovski being placed in exactly the same place - the goalies chest. This has to stop. Poni had 3 great chances from point blank without a defenseman hindering his movement and he shot right at the 'Flaming C'. Kiprusoff is a good goalie but with shots like that, he's going to stop 19 out of 20 shots, like in the 2nd period. One thing is to celebrate a high number of shots but another is to start asking yourself why they aren't going in. Kessel, the only player on the team who has any glimmer of hope as an offensive player, is doing his job hitting post after post and taking shots from anywhere that make the opposing goalie sprawl for the puck.

That's the kind of shot that we need, shots from anywhere that will make the goalie move and get out of position. For example, on Stajan's goal last night the rebound came from a Phil Kessel shot that was taken as he was falling to the ground. He got the shot off and Kiprusoff was too far out of his net to get the rebound. Beauchemin's goal was just a blast from the point with a screen in front. Too many times, Gunnarsson or Ponikarovsky were shooting right at the goalie after he's gotten set for the shot. It's not effective hockey and it's not going to win games.

As a Leafs fan, I'm tired of using the excuse that a goalie just had a good game when really we're forcing the good game on to him. Make the goalie move, force him to make mistakes and maybe we'll win a couple games. Even against their best pairing of Phaneuf and Regehr, we were capitalizing on their turnovers with scoring opportunities but not doing anything about it. I've had Phaneuf of this.