October 27th 2011
The New York Rangers (3-3-2) were handed a 4-2 defeat, as
they played their first home game of the year, to the visiting Toronto Maple
Leafs (6-2-1). Earlier in the day
James Reimer was placed on injured reserve. He felt severe headaches during the
Wednesday’s skate. The so-called whiplash injury is sounding more and more like
a concussion. Gustavsson also fueled the rumours with his comment after morning
state today, when asked about Reimer’s current set back “With concussions you
never know, right? Career band-aid Tim Connolly made his season debut after a
training camp shoulder injury.
Girardi started it off with a soft shot that squeaked five
hole past Gustavsson giving the Rangers a 1-0. New York continued to dominate
the Leafs leading to a disallowed goal due goaltender interference from
Callahan. Minutes later there was another goal disallowed guess who? Callaghan again.
Initially called two minutes for interference then seconds after he was set
free.
Lombardi tied the game that seemed to spark the Leafs
although nothing else materialized in the period. Two minutes into the third
Lupul continued his good start to the season with his fifth goal of the year to
give the Leafs a 2-1 lead. The Leafs continued to out shoot the Rangers as MacArthur
laced a slapper right through Lundqvist. Mike Brown then added an insurance
marker with a laser snap shot over the glove of Lundquist bringing it to a 4-1
Leafs lead.
Del Zotto tried to help NY climb back with a point shot that
deflected off Leafs’ Connolly edging it to 4-2. In a rarely called penalty Dubinski was given two for
snowing Gustavsson. The Leafs looked a little timid in the last few minutes but
were able to hold off for a big 4-2 especially against a goaltender like
Lundqvist.
Questions will continue to be asked of Gustavsson even
though he had a fairly decent game. The city and fans have grown to Reimer and
as his health remains in question so does that of the entire team.
By: Liam Niven