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And how about those Leafs?
Hal Gill has been especially impressive.
Hal Gill has been especially impressive.
The star of this particular horror show was defenceman Hal Gill, who made two of the most egregious turnovers you will ever see in 35 seconds, one with seven seconds left in the first period and the other 28 seconds into the second period.
First, Gill was the last man back in the Toronto zone and tried to carry the puck out himself. Now, in the recent three-game winning streak that followed the seven-game losing streak for this team of extremes, Gill showed he is a proficient penalty killer and at keeping order in the Leafs end.
But he is definitely not Bobby Orr, even if he is a former Boston Bruin. So, when Gill let the puck roll off his stick, Panthers forward Ville Peltonen was there to grab it and Raycroft was left facing a breakaway that gave the Panthers a 3-1 lead.
Then, before the flood was dry at the start of the second period, Gill decided it was not a good idea to carry the puck out of his own end. So he tried a long pass across the ice. This was picked off by Gary Roberts (great, says our culprit, another ex-Leaf), who ripped a shot past Raycroft for his second goal of the game.
A few minutes later, things got downright surreal for Raycroft. There on the scoreboard video screen was his heir apparent, prize goaltending prospect Justin Pogge, who is learning the business with the Leafs' American Hockey League farm team, the Toronto Marlies.
Pogge had a microphone and was told to exhort the 19,444 gob-smacked fans at the ACC to make some noise. "Hi, I'm Justin Pogge of the Toronto May- . . . uh, Toronto Marlies," he said, correcting himself just in time as everyone laughed at the Freudian slip.
No one could be sure if Raycroft were listening, but it sure did not seem like a coincidence that he coughed up goal No. 5 a couple seconds later.
First, Gill was the last man back in the Toronto zone and tried to carry the puck out himself. Now, in the recent three-game winning streak that followed the seven-game losing streak for this team of extremes, Gill showed he is a proficient penalty killer and at keeping order in the Leafs end.
But he is definitely not Bobby Orr, even if he is a former Boston Bruin. So, when Gill let the puck roll off his stick, Panthers forward Ville Peltonen was there to grab it and Raycroft was left facing a breakaway that gave the Panthers a 3-1 lead.
Then, before the flood was dry at the start of the second period, Gill decided it was not a good idea to carry the puck out of his own end. So he tried a long pass across the ice. This was picked off by Gary Roberts (great, says our culprit, another ex-Leaf), who ripped a shot past Raycroft for his second goal of the game.
A few minutes later, things got downright surreal for Raycroft. There on the scoreboard video screen was his heir apparent, prize goaltending prospect Justin Pogge, who is learning the business with the Leafs' American Hockey League farm team, the Toronto Marlies.
Pogge had a microphone and was told to exhort the 19,444 gob-smacked fans at the ACC to make some noise. "Hi, I'm Justin Pogge of the Toronto May- . . . uh, Toronto Marlies," he said, correcting himself just in time as everyone laughed at the Freudian slip.
No one could be sure if Raycroft were listening, but it sure did not seem like a coincidence that he coughed up goal No. 5 a couple seconds later.
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