The Good:
Phil Kessel, after fighting through a slump has posted ten points in their last five; which includes five goals.This surging offensive production is a relief to Kessel and Leaf fans alike. He is now tied for the team lead with 49 points.
James Reimer has rebounded from a knee to the head he recieved against Atlanta and posted a .931 S% in the Leaf's last game against Pittsburgh. Reimer a glimmer of hope in the lockeroom, has steamrolled into the NHL winning 11 of twenty contests.
Nikolai Kulemin - the longest serving Leaf - has been, in my opinion, the most consistant Leaf this season. He may not put up points every game, but he plays hard at both ends of the rink and competes every night. He has passed his career high in all offensive numbers: Goals with 23 and assists with 22.
The Rest:
The Leaf's sit in tenth place, four points out of the playoffs. In front is Buffalo (sixty-seven points with twenty games remaining) and Carolina (sixty-nine points with eighteen games left). It should also be noted that The New York Rangers are also fighting for a spot in 7th place with seventy points and they only have seventeen games left.
With Buffalo playing twenty games the Leaf's must hope they: flop in this last dash, or that they can beat both Carolina AND New York for that coveted eighth spot.
It will take a lot of effort to push themselves into that final spot - effort that has been absent from their last few starts - but it isn't unreasonable to believe they can make it.
On to Philly.
