What a save! You know the one.
Bill Guerin has taken 2,948 shots, successfully blowing 349 of them by the goal line, over 1002 career NHL games. Last night, he was limited to two shots-on-goal, one harmless, the other a live grenade that Raycroft dove across his crease to cover, saving his battalion.
It was a game-saver, perhaps Andrew Raycroft's best save of the season, and thwarted Guerin's attempt to round his goals-scored figure to an even 350 for his career.
Raycroft allowed five goals in a start against the Penguins, to round out the following five games allowing six goals-against. There is a definite correlation to the Leafs recent success and the netminder's steadiness.
Take 'the save', for example. In a previous blog, I outlined the style that Raycroft played, going down initially too fast, while not recovering back onto his feet fast enough. This was a major problem throughout the first half, exemplified in sketchy performances in November and December. On the save against Guerin, he had taken the shot from the point down on his knees and dove across the crease to stop the puck from that same prone position. It was a great effort and one of the best stops this season by the former Calder Trophy winner. He gave up some rebounds, forcing his defense to scramble earlier in the season. The Leafs recognized that and have adjusted. Rebounds are less frequent now as he plays shooters from the top of his crease, cutting down the angle and allowing little space for pucks to whistle past him. A definite sign of confidence.
The success of Raycroft in recent games is not limited to a better stance, square to the puck forcing shooters to hit him (he is trapping the puck better too) or shoot wide as he comes out to cut the angle and better rebound control. Part of his success starts in the opposite end of the rink.
Over the Leafs current win streak, they have done a great job at getting the puck in deep, generating a scoring chance, or maintaining pressure. Alex Steen’s second period goal is a tribute to that pressure as his line with Matt Stajan and Jeff O’Neill was excellent last night. Part of the Leafs offensive system takes speed and transition into account, but the structure starts with penetrating the opposition zone, with an attempt to score. If the puck is lost deep in the opposing zone, Toronto's defense has time to set up, unlike turnovers at the opposing blueline forcing them to scramble back, reacting to the play, rather than controlling the play.
By setting up the defensive coverage, the defense as a unit has done a great job taking away the middle, forcing the opposition to the wings, and either going wide and taking low percentage shots-on-goal or losing the puck along the boards. This in turn has helped the transition and caught teams napping.
Even when the opposition does take a shot, Raycroft has handled the puck better, trapping it in his midsection, and stopping the play. The forwards are coming back in formation, taking open men on the defensive zone coverage and limiting their movement to loose pucks, should there be a rebound. Bates Battaglia did a great job in the first period tying up a Blues forward in front of the net after a rebound, and without taking a penalty - another major reason for the team's success.
Reducing pressure from scrambling into a defensive structure and Raycroft's better positioning, is a good formula for a five-game win streak. The penalty-killing has been marvelous and part of that is also due to awareness of where players are with respect to the puck.
Travis Green, while killing off the second of Alexei Ponikarovsky’s penalties, made a great play as the puck was passed on to the right winger just outside the Leafs blueline and had a lane going to the net. Green moved over and forced the winger to the boards and into the corner. Pavel Kubina (who made two gorgeous diving poke-checks last nights) had the man and angle covered forcing the puck back up the boards. Recognizing Kubina had the man covered, Green scooted back into his position and skated back to the point, while the puck eventually followed him there, and while stationed in the high slot he was able to block a pass across from the right point to the left, clearing the puck from the zone. That is what trusting your teammates is about. Recognizing the play and getting back into position to force the opposition into making mistakes.
Getting the puck in deep, reducing a panic into defense mode, understanding the style of their goaltender, better communication, and trust in each other, is what makes winning like this, more fun at another level. The Leafs were making a lot of fancier passes, a sure sign of confidence, with the caveat that confidence can tumble into arrogance pretty darn fast.
The team has done a much better job of playing into coach Paul Maurice's system. This is the same system that the Leafs burst out of the gates with in October and faltered in late November and into December, while they tried to tighten up defensively and got away from their game. It took a while for the squad to get the system down pat, similar to the Senators growing pains as they learned to grind out wins. The Leafs get it now and a playoff spot is definitely an attainable goal. They get it.
And they get their goaltender.
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