HOCKEY REPORTER
Nazem Kadri wiped out any disappointment that the fans watching in person or across the country on TSN may have had because the Pittsburgh Penguins didn't dress Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin or Marc-André Fleury last night.
The dazzling Toronto Maple Leafs rookie scored the game-tying goal with 1 minute 8 seconds remaining in the third period and again in the shootout to help the Leafs to a 3-2 victory over the Penguins. Lee Stempniak also scored for Toronto in the shootout.
"I'm trying to make it hard to cut me," the 18-year-old Kadri said.
Despite the late-game heroics, Leafs coach Ron Wilson played down the possibility that Kadri will crack the opening-game lineup. The concern remains that at 6 feet, 185 pounds, he will not be able to stand up to the game-in, game-out rigours of the NHL.
"He made a great play to tie the game," Wilson said. "But I don't think this was his best game. All it takes for special players like him is to be given some room and they'll make a play like that."
The Penguins likely did not make any friends with TSN by not suiting up Crosby, Malkin and Fleury for the nationally televised preseason game. But who can blame them for resting the Big 3 for the regular season after going to the Stanley Cup final the past two years? Besides, the three stars dressed for the Penguins game in Montreal against the Canadiens on Monday evening - although Fleury did not play.
Despite the absence of Crosby and Co., the Leafs faithful filled most of the Air Canada Centre with a crowd of 18,910. They were still the battles for spots on the Leafs' roster to watch. As the Leafs entered the final week of training camp, with five preseason games in six nights, little has been decided up front.
There is the wild card Kadri and the strong bid that is being made by Tyler Bozak, Viktor Stalberg and Christian Hanson, who are trying to surpass incumbents like Nikolai Kulemin and Jiri Tlusty, who the Leafs pencilled in for a roster spot after his 25-goal season with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL.
Kulemin didn't score, but he had a strong two-way game. Tlusty continues to struggle.
"He just needs to relax," Wilson said.
Bozak had a strong game, Stalberg scored in the second period to make the score 2-1 and Hanson hit the post in overtime.
"I think they can one day be magical players for us," Wilson said. "They make things happen for us.
"That's the hard part of this job. We have 23 places and the young players have to outplay older players by a large margin. We have some young guys who have earned a job, but have they stolen a job? Not in my estimation."
Wilson said that these young players have to do more than score goals. He has noticed some defensive lapses in their games.
The news on Swedish rookie goalie Jonas Gustavsson, meanwhile, was encouraging. He got through his first full practice yesterday since undergoing a minor procedure to correct an electrical problem in his heart a week ago. Wilson thought that all signs point to Gustavsson to seeing some action on Friday and Saturday in games against Detroit.
Also on the injury front, Toronto right winger Jamal Mayers had his bell rung on a second-period collision with Pittsburgh's Tim Wallace and is expected to be rested until later in the week.
Vesa Toskala played the entire game in goal for Toronto and made 26 stops.