Monster stretching for No. 1 spot

Watching the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils waltz through their scrimmage Wednesday night, one couldn’t help but wonder about the goaltenders.

What? That wasn’t a scrimmage? Oops.

Toronto’s Jonas Gustavsson is trying desperately to take advantage of an opportunity to be the team’s starter with No. 1 stopper James Reimer sidelined with an upper-body injury (suspected to be a minor concussion). The harsh reality is, Gustavsson has not done anything to suggest he would be the answer should Reimer be out for an extended period of time.

At the other end of the ice, sure-fire Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur returned from a shoulder injury and did not look good. Maybe it was rust, but more likely it was age. At 39, Brodeur is coming to the end of an illustrious career as one of the best who has ever played the position in the history of the NHL. However, injuries – and it would seem his stand-up style – seem to be getting the better of him. That, and the fact he no longer has a great team skating in front of him, has exposed weaknesses.

The goalies may have been the main focus of the game, but they weren’t the only players of note. Winger Joffrey Lupul borrowed a little thunder from his linemate, Phil Kessel, by scoring three goals. Kessel was the NHL’s player of the month in October, but it was Lupul who stole the show in New Jersey with his sixth, seventh and eighth goals in 12 games. Kessel, by the way, had two assists, but was otherwise rather unnoticeable.

Another positive note for the Leafs was that Joey Crabb, recalled from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, scored a goal. Crabb replaced rookie Matt Frattin, who was goal-less in his first 11 games this season.

For the Leafs, penalty killing continues to be a sore spot. They gave up two power-play goals, marking the seventh game in 12 outings they have allowed the opposition’s power play to cash in twice. It was the first time this season New Jersey has scored two extra-man goals in the same game.

Brodeur was the starter when the Devils lost their season opener to Philadelphia Oct. 8 and then played just the first period of their third game of the year against Los Angeles. It would appear the crease is his for as long as he continues to play in New Jersey – he is signed through one more year beyond this season – but it is evident Brodeur is on the decline. That is not a criticism, just an observation.

The reality is Brodeur has had serious injuries in two of his past three seasons, and with age nipping at his heels, he simply is no longer money in the bank for the Devils. Games like Thursday’s against Toronto should not come as a surprise.

Brodeur’s backup, Johan Hedberg, is 38, so it’s not exactly like he’s waiting in the wings for his opportunity. Hedberg had been one of the best backups in the NHL the past few years, but his career, too, is nearing its shelf life.

To Brodeur’s credit, he did make the save of the game – and it may well be ranked as one of the best saves of the year at the season’s conclusion – when he dove backward and got the paddle out quickly to swat a Kessel one-timer out of midair at 5:58 of the third period. The save kept the Devils within two goals of the Leafs. Kessel, the NHL’s leading scorer, shook his head in amazement and smiled at being snuffed out by Brodeur.

Thing is, it’s not about the one big save; it’s about the five goals he allowed.

Gustavsson continues to try to prove he belongs in the NHL. He has battled nicely while Reimer has been out, but, really, there is nothing about his game that sizzles or suggests he’s ready to compete for the No. 1 role. In fact, there are some who wonder when Ben Scrivens will get his opportunity to show his stuff at the NHL level.

The funny thing is, Reimer is not even a proven NHLer himself, having played just 43 games in his brief big-league career.

All in all, Gustavsson had a decent outing. A memorable game, big picture? Not really. But he got the win and, with that, continues to make a case for himself remaining, at the very least, a capable backup.

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