Michael Leighton Not Sharp, Still Wins Flyers Season Debut
It probably couldn’t have been scripted any better – if you’re into cruel twists. Michael Leighton, making his first start of the season and first since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals, gives up a goal less than three minutes in that looks awfully familiar.
Ryan Smyth back-handed the puck into the crease, it banked off the inside of Leighton’s skate and trickled into the net. Six months ago, it was Patrick Kane – from almost the same exact place on the ice – who sneaked the puck past the netminder to end the Flyers’ season.
Symmetry. Poetry. Not an ideal start to the season for Leighton, but on this night it didn’t matter that he was a little rusty. Leighton gave up two goals early on and didn’t look sharp, but he still picked up the victory.
“It was good to get back. I’m not too excited about the way it went. We got a win,” Leighton told reporters afterward. “The team really saved my butt tonight. They did a great job scoring some goals for me.”
The offense did just that in front of Leighton, who got better and stronger in a third period during which he didn’t allow a goal. He finished with 32 saves on 36 shots.
“That first goal was pretty weak,” Leighton admitted. “I definiteiyl felt better in the third period.”
And coach Peter Laviolette said that adjustment time was to be expected.
“I think that when you’re off for a long period of time and you’re coming off surgery and you step back into the National Hockey League without a whole lot of work, you’re probably gonna have to feel your way around a little bit,” Laviolette told reporters. “It was good for him to get through it.”
Leighton was thrown back into the fire Thursday night against the Kings. And while the highlights (see below) weren’t pretty, the end result was a win – his first in over half a calendar year.
First goal:
Second goal:
Third goal:
Fourth goal:
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