It's important to give credit where credit is due and on Wednesday night the Toronto Maple Leafs did indeed skate with the Washington Capitals as if the two teams were racing each other for the gold medal at the Olympics in the 500-metre speed-skating event. Unfortunately, a hockey game plays out more like a 10000-metre race, with about as many twists and turns in the action as the last 30 seconds of an M. Night Shymalan movie.
Twice Wednesday the Leafs took the lead, including the first one of the game off this beauty of a goal by Nikolai Kulemin. Admittedly Washington defenseman John Erskine was doing his best impression of an oriental rug on the play, but it's still pretty to watch. Twice Wednesday, the Leafs also gave up said lead en route to losing the game in a shootout.
Now the Leafs skating with the Caps aside, the game give viewers the chance to bear witness to several other notable occurrences:
1) Mike Komisarek notching two assists... incredibly, thereby pretty much doubling his offensive output up to this point in his career.
2) Alexander Semin actually came through in the clutch, notching not only the game-tying goal in the third period but also a shootout goal to seal the win. It would seem that no sooner do I criticize him for his laclustre skills in the extra, extra frame does he go and make me look bad (link here). No worries, Mr. Semin. I will get you back. Mark my words. Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
3) Former Norris Memorial Trophy nominee Mike Green posting a +/- rating of -3. Surprising stuff really, if we weren't already familiar with his defensive style... the non-existent one, that is.
When all is said and done, there are a lot of positives that the Leafs can take out of Wednesday's game, and they should be proud. As should their fans. As for everyone else? Scared that the end is near... the Leafs actually played well against the Caps for crying out loud!!!
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