Leafs Lose 4-3 In Overtime To Islanders November 23rd

The Toronto Maple Leafs bombarded Islanders goalie Dwayne Roloson with a league-high 61 shots and came back from a 3-0 deficit to force overtime, but it was for naught as New York's second-year center Josh Bailey scored his 5th of the season with less than a minute left in the extra period to give the Islanders 2 points. Roloson's performance was amazing as the Leafs peppered the 40-year-old Isles' netminder.

That was the highest total of shots faced by any goalie so far this season. By contrast, the Leaf tandem of Jonas Gustavsson and Vesa Toskala faced a mere 21 Islander shots. Perhaps the Leafs should have picked up the aging Roloson last year when he might have been available, but he signed on with the Islanders for a further 2 years last July 1st, so the Leafs' goaltending woes will continue for the near future.

The Isles jumped out to a 3-0 lead on goals by Jeff Tambellini, Matt Moulson and Sean Bergenheim in the 2nd period. Bergenheim's goal at 14:17 was a shorthanded, and Moulson's 11th of the season lifted him into a tie for most points on the Islanders with John Tavares (who was held pointless) with both players having 19 points after 24 games.

The Leafs responded with 3 goals with Phil Kessel scoring his 6th in the ten games he has appeared in a Leaf uniform which cut the lead to 3-1. In the 3rd period, Wayne Primeau and Niklas Hagman scored to tie the game at 3-3. Hagman's goal was his 9th which is tops for Toronto this year. Leafs defenseman, Tomas Kaberle had assists on Kessel's and Hagman's goals giving him 24 points, which is better than a point a game. By forcing overtime yet again, the Leafs stole another point, but with the loss Toronto falls to a 4-11-7 record to tie the Carolina Hurricane for last overal in the National Hockey League, although Toronto does have one game in hand on the Hurricane.

The Leafs head to Tampa Bay for a game Wednesday against the Lightning, while the Islanders will be at home to face Philadelphia also on Wednesday.