J.S. Aubin the Hab Killer

 

Justin Dahan (HV)

 

Andrew Raycroft started the game, which could only be described as crucial, but Aubin finished it. He stepped in for Raycroft who allowed 4 goals when he faced only 20 shots. All 4 of the goals were very stoppable and Raycroft looked soft.

JS Aubin saved them and the Leafs knew it. Without him the Leafs wouldn’t have been in the game and in the words of Maple Leafs defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo, “He kept us in the game.”

Aubin was modest about his performance. “I think I made one or two (good saves) other then that it was pretty simple,” he said. Nobody should be surprised with Aubin’s performance. He has always played well against Montreal this season.

Aubin has faced 62 shots against the Canadiens this year and only has allowed 6 goals. Toronto ’s starting goalie, Andrew Raycroft, has not fared so well against the Canadiens. He has faced 150 shots and allowed 17 goals. More importantly he has been pulled twice and let in his fair share of soft goals.

With this win the Toronto Maple Leafs playoff chances hinge on the New York Islanders game tomorrow where the Islanders will face the New Jersey Devils. If the Islanders win they will make the playoffs, otherwise Toronto holds on to that last spot.

For Montreal the season is done. They have been eliminated from the playoff race. After this game the Montreal Canadiens dressing room was somber, filled with faces of dejected and disappointed players. Pretty fitting since that was the face that most Canadiens fans wore after most of their games.

This season has been quite the disappointing season for the Canadiens. After started the season on fire they succumbed to the Norwalk Virus in early January and dropped in the standings. The Canadiens relied too much on the goaltending of Cristobal Huet and later in the season Jaroslav Halak. Few of their offensive players have put up decent numbers. Alex Kovalev finished with only 18 goals. Hardly close to the 44 goals that he once put up in Pittsburgh . Kovalev is writing a book right now. Perhaps his mind is on his book and not hockey because it is clear he is not into the game.

And when you’re talking about disappointments of the Montreal Canadiens who could forget the acquisition of Sergei Samsonov? Although many Canadiens fans probably wish they could. Samsonov has been more noted for his off ice comments than his play, which has been awful.

It hasn’t been all bad for the Canadiens, this season they have seen the emergence of many of their young guns. Guillaume Latendresse, Maxim Lapierre, Andrei Kostitsyn, Tomas Plekanecs, Chris Higgins, and Jaroslav Halak. They have all proven to be a part of a bright future. Until that future is ready the Montreal Canadiens will begin an early off-season.

 

 

Photo: Darcy Tucker from Maple Leafs © Andris Jansons (HV)