NHL Monday: Blackhawks snap Kings winning streak at seven

Babcock clearly wants to ride the hot hand with Reimer, a smart choice with normal starting goaltender Bernier yet to win a game for the Leafs this season in seven games played. Reimer has a chance here to take the starting job out of Bernier’s hands if his strong play continues. It’s early, for sure, but playing the hot goalie is a proven sound strategy.

Brad Boyes has waited a long time for his first goal with the Maple Leafs. The forward originally was drafted by Toronto, but has played for six teams over the last 15 years after spending the first few years of his professional career in the minors. Boyes bounced around the league until he got a second chance with the Leafs after signing a professional tryout contract with Toronto in the offseason, and then making the cut by October. The goal was quite a hard fought one, with Boyes sneaking in behind the Dallas Stars defense and lifting a backhander up and over the pads. Boyes almost had his second late in the first period, but the play was ruled offside on a Dallas coach’s challenge.

Talk about a stick flip.