Don't blame the Monster

Well you sure can't hang that loss on The Monster.

Jonas Gustavsson, who was thrust into the spotlight when Toronto Maple Leafs starter, James Reimer, was knocked out of action after one period Saturday night in Montreal --after being steamrolled by Canadiens captain Brian Gionta -- responded with a solid effort, albeit in a loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Gustavsson's record on the season dips to 1-2 and he'll remain a question mark as Reimer's backup until he convinces the masses that he is indeed a bona fide NHL stopper, but for at least one night, he looked okay. Okay enough, perhaps, to quell the rumors that the Leafs must find a replacement for him, but probably not good enough to ensure he'll be the backup for the remainder of the season.

This was definitely a game that, if Gustavsson did not win it, he at least needed to give a good account of himself or else fingers would be reaching for the panic button. Reimer is entrenched as the team's No. 1 goalie, but even he only has 43 big league games on his resume. If the Maple Leafs are to make the playoffs they need Reimer to continue his Cinderella story, but they also need a competent backup that gives the team a chance to win when the starter is given a night off. Or, as in this case, when he's hurt.

Toronto coach Ron Wilson was pleased with Gustavsson's effort.

"He played well," the coach said. "He made a couple of spectacular saves, but we didn't do a good enough job in front of him to help him win the game."

Gustavsson had a solid start to the game, but in the end he was unable to contain a rather odd pairing of Jaromir Jagr and Scott Hartnell. Talk about a surgeon playing with a plumber. Jagr, once a superstar who is now trying to revive his NHL career after playing three seasons in Russia, scored his first goal…and his second goal…of the season and looked just a little like he turned back the clock for at least one night. Hartnell, meanwhile, is trying to get back into the good books in Philadelphia. When he's on his game he can be one of the best power forwards in the game, but too often he takes bad penalties and his commitment to the game has been questioned. Nevertheless, both players scored two goals; one each on the power play and one apiece while playing at even strength.

Even though Jagr beat him twice on breakaways, Gustavsson did make the save of the game on a 1-on-1 showdown, at 9:41 of the second period. To prove it was no fluke, less than a minute later he made another pad save on Jagr's net-directed backhand.

With Reimer apparently set to return to the crease Thursday when the Maple Leafs are in New York City to take on the Rangers in their home debut, Gustavsson will return to the backburner. That would be the end of the bench. One would suspect his job is safe, for at least the time being. Ben Scrivens, who was summoned from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League to serve as the backup in Philadelphia, is nipping at his heels. Scrivens, 25, has never played a game in the NHL.

So what you really have is three goalies, none of whom is established as an NHL starter.

That being the case, the players skating in front of them had better be good and for the most part this season, they have been. But not always: In Philadelphia the skaters had too many stretches of mediocrity and the final result was a testament of that. Its one thing to beat the likes of Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary and Winnipeg, teams that will struggle to make the playoffs, but when you are up against a club many believe will compete for the Stanley Cup, it is more of a litmus test.

And this was also on a night when that team's captain and best defenceman, Chris Pronger, suffered an eye injury early in the contest. Pronger left the game, actually screaming as he departed the ice surface, but was resting at home with the knowledge that there was no serious damage done; just a little swelling and blurred vision for the time being.

Wilson felt it was a game his team could have won.

"Our D lost assignments on two of their power play goals, but I was actually pleased with our effort," Wilson said. "I thought we had some real quality chances, but I'm disappointed we didn't shoot the puck more. We had opportunities, but we were trying to make an extra play…an extra pass. We hit a lot of sticks. The Flyers are really good in their own zone with their sticks. In Montreal we got pucks to the net, but we didn't do it tonight."

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy will cover the Toronto Maple Leafs for sportsnet.ca for the 2011/12 season.