Kubina's heroics give Leafs overtime win
Toronto comes back from being 3-0 down, but the Flyers still earned a key point
Last Updated: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 | 11:24 PM ET
CBC Sports
The Maple Leafs are still alive, even if just barely.
Pavel Kubina banked a shot in off goaltender Martin Biron's left pad late in the overtime to give Toronto a 4-3 come from behind victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night, keeping their slim hopes of a playoff spot in play.
Toronto's Bryan McCabe might be reminding the Flyers his club isn't quite done yet as he gestures from the penalty box on Tuesday night during the Leafs' 4-3 victory.
(Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)
It was Kubina's second of the game and finished off a Toronto comeback from 3-0 down early in the third period.
Though exciting and heartening for both the blue and white and the crowd at the Air Canada Centre, the bare facts still say this is going to be almost impossible to pull off, especially since the Leafs allowed the Flyers a single point in the standings.
That leaves Toronto still seven back of Philly with 11 games to go and three other teams (Buffalo, Washington and Florida) to pass in the standings to get to the eighth and final post-season spot in the Eastern Conference.
Leafs and Flyers are back in the City of Brotherly Love on Wednesday night and again, a win by Philadelphia will about end any hopes for the Leafs.
Scottie Upshall in the first, Braydon Coburn in the second and Daniel Briere at 1:12 of the third put Philadelphia up 3-0.
Mats Sundin, Kubina and Jeremy Williams with just under four minutes left in the third brought the Leafs back to 3-3, forcing the overtime.
Toronto was full measure for the victory, outshooting the visitors 55-25, pouring shots at Biron who looked ready to steal this one until things fell apart late.
Sundin cues comeback
Sundin started the comeback with a hard shot from high in the left circle that took advantage of Alexei Ponikarovsky's presence at the top of the crease right in Biron's face. In it went for the captain's 32nd of the year at 4:48.
With 6:44 to play and Toronto buzzing all around, Kubina fired one from the point that deflected off a skate and in to make it 3-2.
And that brought young Williams onto the stage. He raced in behind the play and gobbled up a turnover caused by the hustling Alex Steen.
The rookie sent one into the corner for 3-3 at 16:19 of the third.
Toronto coach Paul Maurice tried for the regulation time win that would have prevented the Flyers from picking up the huge single point by pulling Vesa Toskala in the final minute as the Leafs were on a power play. Despite a couple of close chances, they couldn't get the fourth one at that point and off to overtime it went.
Bad defence to start
Philly's first goal of the night threw a spotlight on why the Leafs likely aren't going to the post season again.
After a turnover at the other end, the Flyers broke out with Upshall racing up the left side. He passed off to Vaclav Prospal and took off to the net.
Prospal merely had to wait for the Toronto defence to do the inevitable — let Upshall zip right by both of them untouched — and he put a perfect pass from just inside the right point all the way to the left side of the net where the flying Flyer popped it by Toskala.
That made it seven straight games the Leafs have given up the first goal and it came on only four shots throughout the period. Toronto had 13 on Biron at the other end, plus a goalpost off the stick of Ponikarovsky.
But Toronto, to its credit, kept battling, eventually outshooting Philly 13-4 in the opening frame.
Bad penalty by Sundin
Late in the second, Sundin took a penalty for slashing and the Flyers took advantage.
Moving the puck around the offensive zone with some sharp passing, Coburn fired one from the point that went off Stajan in front of him and changed altitude from low to high.
Unfortunately for the Leafs, Toskala was committed to low and the only thing he could do was watch the disk laser by over his left shoulder for a 2-0 Philly lead.
Toronto had a 30-12 shot margin after two.
