A Monster This Way Cometh

by Yankee Canuck on Oct 22, 2009 2:08 PM PDT Comment 17 comments

Don't lie pothead. You want this.

In case you missed it, Mirtle is now covering the Leafs for the Globe And Mail in addition to his blogging duties. So it's helpful to have him close to Toronto for updates as they head to Vancouver (apparently right now).

As such, here's the latest update about Saturday's opponent:

Gustavsson was the centre of attention yet again at Leafs practice on Thursday, as the rookie continues to recover from a minor groin injury that has kept him out of all but 97 minutes of action this season. With Toronto's other goaltenders – Vesa Toskala and Joey MacDonald – struggling through the early portion of the season, the inexperienced youngster's return to a full-blown practice Thursday is the No. 1 story line heading into Saturday's road game against the Vancouver Canucks.

Head coach Ron Wilson said earlier in the day that there was a chance Gustavsson could play against the Canucks as his team, 0-6-1, continues to search for its first win of the season. If he is unable to go, third-stringer MacDonald will get his third consecutive start.

So the Canucks will be aiming at the monster or MacDonald. At least the alliteration will be easy. Stats for the two netminders so far:

	Wins	Losses	GA	GAA	S%
MacDonald	0	2	8	4.00	.860
Gustavsson	0	2	5	3.08	.890

While it's tempting to mock the Leafs record (and please do), we should know better than most just how dangerous a team on a skid can be. Don't think a truculent winless team is an easy two points. As Minnesota showed, those easy two point games don't exist right now. Just as with Chicago, Vancouver had better come prepared for a physical game where composure will be key for both sides (they're averaging 16.4 PIMs a game and Vancouver is averaging 13.7).

More on the Leafs/Canucks tilt in a bit. For now, enjoy the cupcake.

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Comments

nice cupcake.
only thing keeping me away from it is the creepyness level that comes from it looking like the cookie monster…..

http://canuckpuckbunny.blogspot.com
GO CANUCKS GO!

by missy on Oct 22, 2009 2:13 PM PDT reply actions

You know you would eat that thing right now if someone gave it to you for free.

'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.

by Yankee Canuck on Oct 22, 2009 2:15 PM PDT up reply actions

i don’t know, dude…..it is a little creepy…..maybe if i didn’t pay attention at first…..

http://canuckpuckbunny.blogspot.com
GO CANUCKS GO!

by missy on Oct 22, 2009 2:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Funny that’s kinda what Towes looked like after Mitchell steamrolled him from the box.

by Villain85 on Oct 22, 2009 2:19 PM PDT up reply actions

No trick or treating for Toews this year. He’s too nervous about standing near a door before it opens; Willie Mitchell might come out!

by casual on Oct 22, 2009 2:49 PM PDT reply actions

lol good one

http://canuckpuckbunny.blogspot.com
GO CANUCKS GO!

by missy on Oct 22, 2009 3:27 PM PDT up reply actions

Someone should sell Willie Mitchell masks for Halloween this year and peddle them at the nearest preceding Canucks game. Be careful when the door opens, kids!

Stand away from that old door
Or you could end up on the floor
Whumpin’ Willie is up to his tricks
With 8 foot arms and and a 12 ft stick!

Boo!

by casual on Oct 22, 2009 3:35 PM PDT up reply actions

btw, funny stat i just found: SOB currently has the best +/- on the canucks roster at +4

http://canuckpuckbunny.blogspot.com
GO CANUCKS GO!

by missy on Oct 22, 2009 4:03 PM PDT reply actions

being on the third pairing helps

'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.

by Yankee Canuck on Oct 22, 2009 4:35 PM PDT up reply actions

While it’s tempting to mock the Leafs record (and please do), we should know better than most just how dangerous a team on a skid can be.

You’re not the first person to say this, but it is another piece of conventional wisdom that is absolutely false, logically and empirically. Think of this scenario:

Let’s assume a team that has won three games (or lost three games) in a row is considered to be on a roll (or slide).

Now, let’s look at the team that has lost three in a row—the Leafs, for example, of three games ago. Now, let’s assume that they do win in Vancouver on Saturday. Then, everyone will be trotting out the canard about “teams on a losing streak being dangerous opponents” canard. But, it’s absolutely false.

As mentioned earlier, the Leafs can be considered to have have been on a losing streak as of their 3rd straight loss. What have they done since? Lost three more games. So, even if they do win in Vancouver on Saturday, their record as a “dangerous team on a losing streak” will have been 1W-3L for a .250 winning percentage. In other words, their so dangerous to play that your chances of beating them while on their losing streak were about 75%.

The observe is true, of course, of the team on a winning streak, where your chances of beating them would be 25%. I wish that this canard—in addition to the “law of averages” canard—would go away.

by east_van_joe on Oct 22, 2009 4:43 PM PDT reply actions

Good points

I am just suggesting that Toronto is better than their record implies. No different than Vancouver who has underperformed for most of the season but we know (those who watch) they are better than their record implies. If you want jump headlong statistically into it, there’s probably a number of stats and anlaytics to suggest Vancouver shouldn’t be 4-5. The same can probably be said for being 0-6-1. So the casual outlook I was getting at is there’s no reason to look at Saturday as a walk away win. The dangerous implication is merely if you look at their record and extrapolate a win from there.

'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.

by Yankee Canuck on Oct 22, 2009 5:31 PM PDT up reply actions

In other words, take any team too lightly and you have a 100% risk of losing the game. Any team, even the Leafs. Too true.

I hope the Canucks take that wisdom to heart and come out loaded for bear. If they do, they’re the better team; if not, they’ll probably lay an egg.

by casual on Oct 22, 2009 5:43 PM PDT reply actions

TO is not as bad as they are being mocked up to be. They are a little short on elite talent, but i’m positive that Wilson will get them rollin. I can’t see them makin the playoffs, but they’ll be hangin around til the last 2-3 weeks I bet.
And yeah, the Nucks won’t take them lightly. Van played there guts out last night, and i’m sure they won’t let the effort be wasted Sat night.

And finally, is there any way we could ban all trolls on this site. My head starts to hurt and my eyes get squinty when I have to wade through the absolute garbage that gets written sometimes. That one Hawk fan in the last posts is a prime example.

by Nuckels on Oct 22, 2009 5:48 PM PDT reply actions

The thing is if Toronto doesn’t get Gustavsson in net it’s a guaranteed win for Vancouver.

The Leafs big problem is goaltending right now. I won’t say Toronto’s offense or defense don’t have problems but Toskala and Macdonald let in routine unscreened shots.

Gustavsson came in during the second period against Washington and got scored on three times, but the Leafs scored four in that time period. Then the Monster played against Ottawa where he got beaten on a questionably called penalty shot and a goal that was high sticked into the net after Ian White ran him over.

Gustavsson looks like he has the tools but since we’re doomed he also looks injury prone. Personally I’d just as soon let Gustavsson start on Monday to give him time to really truly be 100%, even if that means we have a really great chance at going 0-7-1.

Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.

by Chemmy on Oct 23, 2009 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions