Toronto_AGM_Adil
Registered User
- Apr 9, 2006
- 337
- 9
Toronto (AP): It's been an up and down first 10 games for the Leafs, where after starting off with a solid 7-3 win against the Wild the Leafs dropped five of their following 6 games. Worst of all four of those looses came at home. However, it looks like after a turn for the worse, the Leafs have managed to turn things around with a three game win streak, including two shut-outs against the Panthers and the Coyotes.
It's easy to come to the conclusion that a team with such defensive talents as Morrisonn, Sutton, Handzus, Laperrier, Armstrong, Straka and Staal have finally put it together... stopping shots and improving on the PK. However the stats don't support this assumption. Currently the Leafs sit at a rather unremarkbly average 21st in PK%, 13th in GA/G and 13th in SA/G.
So, the question arises how are the Leafs getting it done?
Two names come to mind... Martin Straka and Thomas Vokoun. Straka is currently leading the Leafs in points and has had 5 points during the three game win streak. The second name, and probably the biggest contributer to the recent rise in Leaf fortunes, is netminder Thomas Vokoun, who's managed two shut-outs and a game star in each of his last three starts. He has only allowed 8 goals on 140 shots in the last five games, maintaing a SV% of 94% in those games. Vokoun, has literaly stood on his head, not allowing a single goal in his last 140 minutes of play...
That brings us to the next question, how much longer can the Leafs rely on their star Goaltender to steal games? Well, given Vokoun's hot and cold history it's now or never for the Leafs to step up their defense and support their goal-tender.
It's easy to come to the conclusion that a team with such defensive talents as Morrisonn, Sutton, Handzus, Laperrier, Armstrong, Straka and Staal have finally put it together... stopping shots and improving on the PK. However the stats don't support this assumption. Currently the Leafs sit at a rather unremarkbly average 21st in PK%, 13th in GA/G and 13th in SA/G.
So, the question arises how are the Leafs getting it done?
Two names come to mind... Martin Straka and Thomas Vokoun. Straka is currently leading the Leafs in points and has had 5 points during the three game win streak. The second name, and probably the biggest contributer to the recent rise in Leaf fortunes, is netminder Thomas Vokoun, who's managed two shut-outs and a game star in each of his last three starts. He has only allowed 8 goals on 140 shots in the last five games, maintaing a SV% of 94% in those games. Vokoun, has literaly stood on his head, not allowing a single goal in his last 140 minutes of play...
That brings us to the next question, how much longer can the Leafs rely on their star Goaltender to steal games? Well, given Vokoun's hot and cold history it's now or never for the Leafs to step up their defense and support their goal-tender.
