Toronto’s giant expectations for the 2009-10 season took a kick in the guts on Thursday night, when Josh Gorges of the hated Montreal Canadiens scored with 12.8 seconds left in overtime. After outplaying the Habs for three periods, the Leafs came up short in the end, while the game exposed a few flaws in their revamped roster. Newcomer Mike Komisarek recorded 15 penalty minutes in his first game as a Leaf, while the Leafs’ penalty kill, one of the worst in the league last season, surrendered goals on two of his minor penalties. Vesa Toskala, under an incredible amount of scrutiny after the signing of Swedish phenom Jonas Gustavsson, turned in a less than stellar performance, allowing 4 goals on just 27 shots.
All that aside, however, the opening game of the 2009-10 season was a very tightly fought and well-played match in a long list of meetings between these two ancient rivals. Montreal opened the scoring early in the first, as Brian Gionta notched his first tally as a Canadien on a powerplay brought on by the first of Komisarek’s penalties. Toronto answered quickly, however, with a goal from Alexei Ponikarovsky. Montreal would go ahead again in the 2nd, as Travis Moen scored just six minutes into the frame, putting the Habs up 2-1. Matt Stajan scored on a 5-on-3 for the Leafs four minutes later, knotting the game at 2.
In the 3rd, the fans at the Air Canada Center were treated to some excellent back and forth hockey, as Toronto went up 3-2 on Stajan’s second tally of the night, and continued to press for more throughout the period. Montreal keeper Carey Price made a number of crucial saves throughout the frame to keep his team in it, and was rewarded when grinder Glen Metropolit scored on another Montreal powerplay to even the game. Komisarek was in the box serving time for his fifth minor penalty of the evening. In overtime, both teams had chances to end it, but it appeared destined to be settled in a shootout until Gorges came in late on a Montreal rush at the end of the period, and banged a shot past the sprawling Toskala.
It was a disappointing finish for Toronto, as they outshot the Habs 46-27 and were still unable to come out with the win. As was the case last season, their penalty kill was unable to get the job done, and the goaltending that was their Achilles’ heel last season did not look much better. At the other end of the rink, Carey Price has to be feeling pretty good after an offseason full of questions about his ability to carry the workload in net. A 43 save performance against the Canadiens’ most hated rival should do wonders for his reputation in Montreal.
Andrei Markov was injured in the 3rd, and will require ankle tendon surgery that will keep him out at least a couple of months, after taking the skate of Price to his ankle on a scrambled play that Toronto scored their 3rd goal on.