Welcome |Account|Sign Out 
NEW! SIGN IN WITH YOUR SOCIAL PROFILE
OR
Username or EmailPassword
Toronto
Maple Leafs
WATCH
Florida
Panthers
WATCH

1st2nd3rdT
TOR
FLA
Game Recap

Maple Leafs 2, Panthers 1

Tuesday, 08.16.2011 / 5:48 AM

Associated Press

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) - Ed Belfour knows all about the man he tied for second place on the NHL's career victory list.

``I had a chance to read his biography,'' Belfour said after matching Terry Sawchuk with 447 wins Monday night in the Toronto Maple Leafs' 2-1 victory over Florida.

``He was a fierce competitor, very acrobatic and obviously very brave, not wearing a mask most of his career. I'm just honored to be tied with him.''

The 40-year-old Belfour made 34 saves and will stand alone behind all-time leader Patrick Roy (551) with his next win.

Sawchuk was a member of Toronto's last Stanley Cup winner, in 1966-67, when he shared goaltending duties with Johnny Bower.

``It's just unbelievable to be in the same ballpark as him,'' Belfour said. ``I just wish he was alive to meet him.''

Bryan McCabe scored the winning goal on a 5-on-3 power play midway through the third period. His slap shot from just above the right circle beat Roberto Luongo to the high stick side at 10:18 of the third with Florida's Gary Roberts and Juraj Kolnik in the penalty box.

It was McCabe's 10th goal, adding to his league-leading points total (33) for defenseman.

``We had 1:15 ... 1:20, so we knew, 'Let's be patient here, let's wait for the right play''' McCabe said. ``We moved the puck around and got lucky, I got a clear shot.''

Stephen Weiss' power-play goal tied the score 1-1 with 1:33 left in the second period. Weiss dived for a rebound of Lukas Krajicek's shot and put the puck past Belfour for his seventh goal.

``We deserved a better result,'' Weiss said. ``Three of four times we had pucks laying on the goal line, in the crease, and we didn't seize on it.''

Darcy Tucker gave the Maple Leafs a 1-0 lead with his ninth goal at 11:59 of the second period. Positioned all alone to Luongo's left, Tucker put home a pass that deflected off Jeff O'Neill's stick.

Tucker, who missed the Maple Leafs' previous two games following the birth of his son, has scored in three of his last four games.

Belfour made the Maple Leafs' two goals hold up as Florida lost for the 14th time in 15 games.

``He was the difference in a game where you might think he would be pressured because of the statistical relevance of it,'' Toronto coach Pat Quinn said.

Notes: The game was the first for Florida on a four-game homestand that will include two games (Thursday vs. Washington and Monday vs. Ottawa) that had been postponed after Hurricane Wilma hit South Florida in late October. ... Toronto finishes its three-game road trip at Tampa Bay on Wednesday and Atlanta on Thursday. ... Joe Nieuwendyk, who sat out Saturday's loss at Atlanta, assisted on Weiss' goal.


Scoring Summary
1st Period
NONE
2nd Period
11:59
TOR
D. Tucker Snap - ASST: E. Lindros AND J. O'Neill
1 - 0 TOR
18:27
FLA
PPG - S. Weiss Tip-In - ASST: L. Krajicek AND J. Nieuwendyk
1 - 1 TIE
3rd Period
10:18
TOR
PPG - B. McCabe Slap - ASST: T. Kaberle AND J. Allison
2 - 1 TOR
Penalty Summary
1st Period
02:18
TOR
Aki Berg : Hooking
11:22
FLA
Mike Van Ryn : Hooking
15:26
TOR
Bryan McCabe : Delaying Game-Puck over glass
18:06
FLA
Chris Gratton : Hooking
2nd Period
04:52
TOR
Ken Klee : Hooking
14:14
FLA
Stephen Weiss : Hooking
14:59
TOR
Tomas Kaberle : Hooking
16:59
TOR
Nik Antropov : Holding the stick
3rd Period
00:54
FLA
Jay Bouwmeester : Holding the stick
08:37
FLA
Gary Roberts : Hooking
09:21
FLA
Juraj Kolnik : Hooking
17:16
TOR
Alexander Khavanov : Hooking
Goalie Stats
  • Ed Belfour
    SA: 35TOI: 59:49
    SAVES: 34EV: 18 - 18
    PIM: 0PP: 14 - 15
    SV%: .971SH: 2 - 2
  • Roberto Luongo
    SA: 26TOI: 59:14
    SAVES: 24EV: 16 - 17
    PIM: 0PP: 8 - 9
    SV%: .923SH: 0 - 0