Quite simply… a breakdown, and a failed shot. THE NET WAS EMPTY!

Toskala was fantastic, and had a shutout in the works until the Leafs defense could not keep the Carolina players from going to the net. A shot from the blueline, a rebound to Toskala’s right side, and Stillman pots the shutout breaking goal with 1:25 remaining in the game.

That happens though… it’s normal hockey. What is not normal you ask? It’s not normal to have the puck on your stick in the opponent’s zone with an empty net and not shoot. Who would do that you ask? Apparently Alexei Ponikarovsky would do that. And that’s exactly what he did. TO make matters worse, instead of shooting for the empty net and sealing the game, the puck was stripped, raced to the end end, and put into the back of the Maple Leafs net.

What in the world was he thinking?

The game goes to overtime, and of course, the Leafs get into penalty trouble and lose the game. This was one of the worst losses of the season, and it came after the Leafs played 58 minutes of outstanding hockey. Just needed another 2 minutes, and an empty net goal.