Mediocre continues to be the name of the game in Leafs land

Ronald Neal
Staff Writer
Perhaps this week – or more accurately this entire Leafs season – can be best described as an Oreo. They’ve got to be tough cookies on the outside to handle that crushing defeat, but they can depend on – and savour – their soft and creamy victory in the middle.
We were greeted Jan. 19 with what can best be described as the “massacre at Madison Square Gardens,” where the team came up against a hungry playoff contender, the New York Rangers, and their redemption seeking superstar, Marian Gaborik, to the tune of a 7-0 defeat.
Fortunately, the team was given little time to dwell, as the players immediately returned home and countered with an impressive 5-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. While there was no lack of motivation in the home dressing room after Wednesday’s game, Jean-Sebastien Giguere was particularly interested in the result, as he was facing his former team for the first time on home ice. Speculation on his future and a sub-par season aside, Giguere is a winner and the consummate professional, and showed us this again Jan. 20.
The week was rounded out with a 4-1 setback to the Wash- ington Capitals on Hockey Night in Canada. It may be tempting to blame the result on Alex (Alexan- der the Great) Ovechkin – he did finish with his first hat trick of the season, adding to his already dominating career total of 38 points in 22 games against the Blue and White – but maybe Lady Luck just wasn’t on our side.
“We missed empty nets, we had some great scoring opportunities in the first two periods,” said head coach Ron Wilson to TSN. “We could have, and probably should have, had the lead. Their goalie made some unbelievable saves.”
Regardless of who or what is to blame, the city and the nation is once again left with mixed results: one solid performance sandwiched between two abject losses.
To be perfectly frank: mediocrity continues to be the name of the game.
But despite said mediocrity, next week the Maple Leafs will be represented in the National Hockey League (NHL) All-Star Game by superstar Phil Kessel.
It’s tough to say whether this was the right pick, especially considering the other all-stars who were picked, but who knows what Kessel can bring to the table?