Hockey Is Back!

So last night marked the return of broadcasted hockey games aka the preseason! Now I understand it's only the preseason and half the players will be back in the minors in a month and wins and loses don't really mean a thing. It is nice to see your team, back on the ice and even winning a preseason game. Hey, hockey is hockey, whether it be the Stanley cup playoffs or preseason games, the point is still to score more goals than your opponent.Now I'm not comparing the preseason and the Stanley cup playoffs, but you get my point. So yesterday there were four games played; Leafs vs. Sens, Sabres vs. Canes and Panthers vs. Predators (2).
So to be honest the only game I was able to find a feed to watch was the leafs vs. sens, but non the less I will do my research and breakdown key things, lineups and what no for you guys!

So lets start with the game I actually was able to watch; Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators.
This was a pretty interesting game as far as preseason games that don't have key players like; Kessel, Connolly Reimer, Spezza and Alferdson can go. so lets break down the lines from last night.

Clarke MacArthur – Mikhail Grabovski – Nikolai Kulemin
Nazem Kadri – Tyler Bozak – Colby Armstrong
Joey Crabb – Joe Colborne – Matt Frattin
Kenny Ryan – Philippe Dupuis – Jay Rosehill

Keith Aulie – Dion Phaneuf
Jake Gardiner – John-Michael Liles
Carl Gunnarsson – Matt Lashoff

Jonas Gustavsson
Ben Scrivens

So due to the fact that its preseason and the leafs are just testing out rookies 3/4 of the forward lines will be completely different come October. As Connolly will be the number 1 center, along with Kessel on the wing. So the line that I'm predicting to start the season will be Kadri, Bozak and Armstrong. All of which had a fantastic night last night. the only difference for that line will be they will move down to the 3rd or 4th line. Of all players dressed last night only 6 of them are some what of a "lock" to be in the Maple Leafs starting line-up opening night. (MacArthur, Grabovski, Kulemin, Bozak, Armstrong and Phaneuf ).

Now lets talk about the actual game itself, lines look good on paper but its the ice that actually maters.

Right off the bat Phaneuf opens with a HUGE but legal hit on Ottawa's Tim Conboy, that immediately saw Jared Cowen jump to his teammates defense and fight Phaneuf.  "It seems whenever you make a hit, guys come after you," Phaneuf said. "It's part of the game. There's nothing wrong with that." The hit was massive and sent little Conboy's body flying, but luckily Conboy got up and seemed unharmed. Phaneuf was given 2 minute minor penalty for elbowing along with 5 minutes for fighting. But now different analysis say that Phaneuf may be getting suspended based on a rule change that happened just hours before the game! the rule states that any contact with a opposing teams head can be penalized. Essentially if the hit you deliver primarily targets your opponents head it is now a penalty. I don't think Phaneuf should be suspended it was a "classic" body check. Both players were reaching for the puck and Conboy had his head down which is how Phaneuf got him in the head with the elbow. Phaneuf decided to straighten up and hit Conboy. Phaneuf has always been known as a hard hitting defense man but never or dirty or cheap player and this is no exception, it was a clean hit in my opinion.

Now Props to Conboy who took the hit like a man and didn't whine or complain, got right back up and continued play. Good on Phaneuf for proving he is going to be a force to be reckoned in his second season as leafs captain.

Anyways moving on, the real standout line for the leafs last night was the second line anchored by Bozak.

Bozak potted two goals and Armstrong tipped in another. The line combined for 5 points, as Bozak also added an Assist on his way to a 3 point game. Bozak said he lost 20 pounds this off season and added muscle, it certainly showed tonight as he looked more mature out on the ice. "Your confidence gets down pretty low when things aren't going well and I haven't really dealt with a lot of that through my career on my way up," said Bozak. "I'm feeling a lot better right now and this year. Hopefully we can just build off tonight." Bozak was a key part of Toronto's 4-2 win as he scored both the winning goal and the insurance goal, to help give rookie goalie Ben Scrivens some more confidence. The offense last night was not hard to come by as defensman Carl Gunnarsson even got in on the offense magic. In all 4 goals were scored; Armstrong, Gunnarsson and Bozak were the scorers. "We're going to have a good top three lines here that all can score. It doesn't really matter what line you are on for all three of those because all three can score," Bozak said. Jared Cowen, yes the one mentioned above for fighting Phaneuf; scored both of Ottawa's goals, making his case for being a member of the Ottawa Senators.

In goal for the Maple Leafs were Jonas Gustavsson and Ben Scrivens both goalies allowed a goal and faced a combined 26 shots. This didn't really help establish who will be Reimer's back up come October but it is likely to be Jonas Gustavsson. The senators countered with Alex Auld and Robin Lehner, who faced a combined 30 shots. In all I think the young talented Toronto Maple Leafs squad iced on Monday night out-played the senators squad, and really gave Wilson a little more to think about when writing his starting roster lines, as for now everything will stay in pencil.

Next we move on to the Buffalo Sabres and the Carolina Hurricanes, a game I was extremely disappointed I could not see because I live north of the border. But any who the sabres beat the hurricanes 3-1.

the line-up for the sabres looked something like this;

 

Ennis/Leino/Stafford
Gerbe/Gaustad/Kaleta
Foligno/Adam/Kassian
Whitmore/McCormick/Tropp
 

Sekera/Myers
Weber/Gragnani
Brennan/Biega

Drew MacIntyre - will start in goal tonight
Enroth - will relieve him later in the game

Like usual many of the players that will be playing come October were not dressed and Miller was not in net. I'd say Buffalo dressed maybe 50% of what we will be seeing come October. Enroth will be Millers back-up there is no doubt in my mind about that, Enroth has a nice little back-up tenders salary and we all saw what he did when Miller was injured. Enroth will provide well needed rest for Miller through out the season.

Nathan Gerbe potted the winner for the sabres on a nice tip in on a shot from Paul Gaustad. Buffalo fought back from an early 1-0 deficit after Brandon Sutter scored for the canes. MacIntyre and Enroth faced a combined 21 shots and Enroth had a shut-out in his part of the game. Paul Gaustad, Patrick Kaleta, and Nathan Gerbe each recorded a goal and was the only really established line from last season. But that's all the sabres needed to take down the canes. And that's all there really was to it, kind of a boring game, no big hits or fights. "It's my first time ever as a real backup, and I'm not really sure what to expect," said Enroth, who stopped all 11 shots he faced Monday as the Sabres beat Carolina, 3-1. "Obviously, I know [Ryan] Miller is one of the best in the league, and he's going to play probably 60-plus games or something. I just want to take every chance I get and I want the coaches to really trust me that they can put me in wherever." 

 

 

Lastly we move onto the Panthers vs. Predators who played a double header yesterday. This was a "split" squad game for both teams as 2 different rosters played in each game. Nashville won the first game 5-3 and Florida won the second 4-3. First round draft pick Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and an assist in the second game.

 

Sorry folks I only watched the leafs game and there isn't much floating around about the other games yet.

But thats how things shacked out for the first day of preseason games last night.