Jonas Gustavsson: The Flake

Here's my problem with Jonas Gustavsson. The dude's a FLAKE!

It's much of the same we've often seen from "The Monster". He makes big saves, and blows the collective minds on saves no goalie has any business saving. And yet, he flakes out, and often allows a bad goal, or two a game. This explains a lot, and in why it took him so long to win a game in the league, without 4 or more goals in his favour.

On this night, he wasn't good. Three questionable goals, one of which was particularly frustrating, allowed the Penguins back into a contest in which they had zero business being in. The third goal, scored on a scramble in front of Gustavsson, could have easily been smothered, whistle blown, and a faceoff to his left. But instead of covering the puck, he attempted to casually scoop up the puck. That gave the Penguins time to keep the puck alive, and stuff it in for the 4-3. That goal made it possible for the Penguins to tie the game on a flukey goal by Malkin (deflected in off his arm/shoulder). The problem with Gustavssons poor play, is keeping a good team like Pittsburgh in a game like that, you know it will come back to haunt you.

Now I'm not completely down on Gustavsson. He has performed admirably in January and, deserves part of the credit for keeping the Leafs in the playoff picture. But I stress only part of the credit. Much of the credit should go to a Leafs penalty kill that (since December 31st), has not allowed a goal against.

Until Gustavsson can improve his focus in game, and clean up those goals that stink to high heaven, he is not a number one goalie in this league. The man has all the skill in the world but, he's just not focused enough to maintain a high level of play.

What Grinds My Gears!

Twitter Drama!

Well, it wasn't exactly drama, but a buddy on twitter brought up the point of how many of the anti fighting in hockey crowd in MSM are also Pro MMA. We both agree, this stinks of hypocrisy.

Take out context like fightings role in hockey, and it being the component in sports like MMA and Boxing, the hot point for the anti hockey fighting crowd is concussions, and brain damage that has caused other medical issues (depression, drug abuse etc). So if the most damning issue facing fighting role in hockey is the players health, how can the crowd w/ an agenda against the enforcer role, and fighting in hockey, support a sport like MMA? Isn't this about the health of the athlete?

PK woes.

So Wilson is saying he will use a different group to kill the pk starting this week? Ok, the first question I have is, why has it taken this long to shake things up? I expect the only player that should remain on the current group is Dupuis. He likely wouldn't get any ice time, otherwise.

Blaming Reimer?

I missed the game Friday but, I caught the game in 6. I wouldn't say any of those goals were soft. The guy was out well over a month. I want to give him more than 3 games before I give up on him, and hand the reigns to Gustavsson full time.

For me, I don't find a lot wrong w/ his game right now, other than starting a little shaky. He will work it out in practice, and find that comfort level he is used to playing at.