GAME SUMMARIES
Updated: Sunday October 31, 1999 5:15PM EST
Saturday October 30, 1999 Calgary at Toronto
After leading the NHL in offense last season, the Toronto Maple Leafs are trying something new: leading the league in defense.
Curtis Joseph made 29 saves as the Maple Leafs beat the Calgary Flames 2-1 Saturday night for their fourth straight win.
The Maple Leafs have allowed just 23 goals in 13 games for a league-best 1.77 goals-against average.
Along the way, Toronto compiled a shutout streak of 210:49, the third-longest in team history. The longest was a five-game shutout run from Nov. 13-22, 1930.
Calgary's Valeri Bure broke the shutout streak when he circled the Toronto net and put a shot up high over Joseph at 11:13 of the third period.
"We didn't count the minutes, but sure, we take great pride in that," Joseph said. "That's great defense. The pairs are working well and it's a team thing."
After allowing a goal 24 seconds into the second period in a game against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 23, the Maple Leafs shut out the Dallas Stars and Atlanta Thrashers in consecutive games on Monday and Wednesday.
Toronto has allowed one goal or fewer in seven of 13 games this season.
Bryan Berard and Igor Korolev scored for the Maple Leafs, who won four games in a row for the first time in five years. Saturday's game marked Toronto's 21st attempt since 1994 to win a fourth straight game.
Despite the impressive 9-3-1 start that put Toronto at the top of the NHL standings, coach Pat Quinn wasn't happy with his team's effort.
"I'm not so sure we deserved the fourth (consecutive win)," Quinn said. "We quit moving, we quit skating. We were outshot, outworked. We didn't have anyone in position to move the puck out. We were lazy coming out."
The Maple Leafs dominated the first period, outshooting Calgary 15-6. But the Flames took control the rest of the way and had 24 shots in the second and third periods compared to just 12 for Toronto.
"It's tough to swallow," said Calgary forward Jarome Iginla. "We pushed hard and played well after the first period and got lots of chances."
Berard's first goal of the season opened the scoring at 15:44 of the first period. He drilled a slap shot from the top of the circle between the legs of Calgary goalie Grant Fuhr with the Maple Leafs on a 5-on-3 advantage.
Korolev converted a behind-the-net pass from Sergei Berezin to put Toronto ahead at 1:58 of the second period.
Wednesday October 27, 1999 Atlanta at Toronto
Before arriving in Toronto a week ago, Dmitri Khristich had never heard of Nik Antropov and he wasn't all that sure who Mike Johnson was. The three have become the Maple Leafs' hottest line.
Khristich scored two goals, Johnson got the game-winner and the unit combined for five points as Toronto beat the Atlanta Thrashers 4-0 Wednesday night.
Khristich has three goals in three games since arriving in a free agency prompted trade from the Boston Bruins on Oct. 21. The 30-year-old Ukrainian has looked sharp playing with Johnson, a fourth-year forward, and Antropov, a 19-year-old rookie.
"I never even heard of Antropov before I got here so I didn't know what to expect," Khristich said. "He has a great future. And Johnson plays the type of (fast-skating) game that works well."
Glenn Healy had 16 saves for his 12th career shutout as Toronto won its third straight and remained first overall in the NHL with an 8-3-1-0 record.
Healy was making his third start of the season, giving Curtis Joseph the night off. His toughest test came against Denny Lambert on a goal-mouth scramble midway through the second period.
Toronto outshot Atlanta 16-2 in the scoreless first period.
"Usually it's good to get a lot of shots like that early so you get into the game right away," Atlanta goalie Damian Rhodes said. "Then we got going a bit in the second period.
"It could have been a different game had we scored first. When Toronto got one goal, it was enough for them."
The Maple Leafs opened the scoring at 2:25 of the second period when Antropov swatted the puck away from defenseman Darryl Shannon and onto Johnson's stick. Johnson lifted a high backhander over Rhodes' shoulder for his fifth goal of the season.
"Once the first goal went in, it gave the guys" confidence, said Toronto coach Pat Quinn. "They were getting frustrated on the bench.
"That entire line is doing well. Nik is gaining confidence each game he plays. Khristich is a smart player and Mike's game has picked up."
Johnson also did all the work on Toronto's second goal, outskating two Atlanta forwards, going around another and getting a shot on Rhodes. Khristich flipped in the rebound at 17:39.
Alexander Karpovtsev made it 3-0 at 5:40 of the third, with the Maple Leafs in the midst of a two-minute five-on-three man advantage. Khristich rounded out the scoring with a power-play goal from the high slot at 16:09.
The Maple Leafs close out their five-game homestand Saturday against Calgary.
Monday October 25, 1999 Dallas at Toronto
General manager Pat Quinn found a new player for the Toronto Maple Leafs last week. This week, coach Pat Quinn found a new line.
Dmitri Khristich got his first points for Toronto with a goal and an assist, and Curtis Joseph made 17 saves for his second shutout of the season as the Leafs defeated the injury-riddled Dallas Stars 4-0 Monday night.
Khristich, who signed with Toronto last week, and linemates Mike Johnson and Nik Antropov combined for six points in just their second game as a unit.
"They have the skills that can blend with one another to produce a good threesome instead of three good onesomes," Quinn said. "We'll leave them together for a while and see how they develop."
Johnson also had a goal and an assist for Toronto, while rookie Antropov assisted on both goals.
"I felt really good out there and, with time, we're going to get even better," said Khristich, who played the last two years in Boston. "I'm getting close to 100 percent."
Khristich became a free agent after the Bruins refused to pay him the $2.8 million he was awarded by an arbitrator in August.
Steve Thomas and defenseman Tomas Kaberle also scored for the Leafs.
The Stars played without seven regulars: Darryl Sydor (groin), Richard Matvichuk (knee), Joe Nieuwendyk (back), Shawn Chambers (knee), Jere Lehtinen (ankle) and Grant Marshall (groin).
Dallas went with three rookie defensemen -- Brad Lukowich, Alan Letang and Richard Jackman -- and paid the price.
"We didn't play well at all," said Stars center Mike Modano, who was held without a shot on goal. "It was probably our worst game of the season. We had no flow in the game. It felt like we were constantly chasing the puck."
Johnson opened the scoring 2:08 into the game when he put in a rebound of Antropov's shot. Thomas made it 2-0 at 13:34 when took a pass from Yanic Perreault, waited for Belfour to commit and snapped the puck over the goalie's right shoulder.
It was Thomas' first goal in 11 games this season.
"I knew they were going to come at some point," he said.
"People may look at the fact that I'm not playing with (injured) Mats Sundin is the problem, but I've been getting some pretty good chances."
Kaberle scored with 7:58 left in the game.
"We were not competitive," said Dallas coach Ken Hitchcock. "You have to fight through things. It had nothing to do with injuries."