$50M coach Babcock gets 1st win with Maple Leafs

The win was the first for the Maple Leafs under new coach Mike Babcock.

A rebuilding Toronto Maple Leafs doesn’t need mediocre players right now because their focus is on young prospects until they are able to make the team and veteran players that will act as role models for those young players. The Buds will turn to Jonathan Bernier between the pipes as he will go up against Marc-Andre Fleury who is coming off a shutout victory against the Ottawa Senators.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, losers of their first three games, recorded a 6-3 win over Columbus at Nationwide Arena for their first victory of the season. I think it’s a positive for them and they got points two nights in a row, which is a long way from where we started.

At this point, beyond getting their heads into the game and playing the way they know how, that familiarity with each other’s playing style could be just the panacea for what ails them. Defenceman Jake Gardiner erased an early Columbus lead before James van Riemsdyk and Nazem Kadri made it 3-1 in the second period.

Speaking of telecasts, TSN noted that the Blue Jackets are equaling the 1995-96 Montreal Canadiens in a dubious stat: they’ve lost their first five games, with each defeat coming by a margin of at least two goals.

“I like winning as much as the next guy – maybe more than the next guy actually”, said Babcock. “If you keep doing those things you will be rewarded over time”. The Leafs regained the lead at 4:00 of the third, a goal Bobrovsky would probably like back.Lupul gathered a rebound in front and turned toward the net as he skated away from it. Bobrovsky inched toward him and opened his legs, allowing Lupul to slide between his pads for the go-ahead goal.

“We’re looking more at the total body of work (than anything else), but it feels much better to get that first “W” for sure”, said Lupul. “I’m really happy with how the guys battled”. We came out and had a great second period and showed more resiliency when they tied it in third.

Van Riemsdyk scored at 7:34 on what appeared to by an innocent play moving into the Blue Jackets’ zone. Jack and Savy have played a few big minutes for us in the past.

Things finally boiled over with about five minutes to go in the period after Dion Phaneuf drove a solid crosscheck into the back of former Leaf David Clarkson, and the two had a frank exchange of views that ended with coincidental roughing minors and an additional minor to Phaneuf, putting Columbus on the power play.

If not, there continues to be believers of the 2009 first rounder’s offensive abilities and the Leafs could get a handsome return.

The Leafs will take on a team that’s given up 20 goals while opening with four consecutive regulation losses for the first time. The Ducks fell to 0-3-1 with just one goal all season. That’s because the organization is more concerned about process than playoffs this season, though spirits were high as players packed up and headed to Pittsburgh ahead of Saturday’s game.

In Winnipeg, Dustin Byfuglien broke a tie with 1:28 left, and Ondrej Pavelec made 19 saves in the hosts’ win over Calgary.