Spezza takes full blame for blowing Leafs game last night

In case you missed it last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs dropped a 3-1 decision to the Colorado Avalanche at home despite outshooting the Avs 39-31. The game really hinged on a play, or mis-play actually, by Leafs veteran Jason Spezza at his own blue line though.

While heading for a line change, the puck comes Spezza's way without him knowing. By the time he realizes though, it's too late and Morgan Rielly is forced to try to fish the puck out of Spezza's skates. In the end, both Rielly and Spezza end up blowing it and send Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin in alone on a shorthanded breakaway. Not pretty.

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 Again... not pretty.

To his credit though, Spezza ended up taking full blame for the miscue last night and takes responsibility for the team's loss, as well saying that ,"the game falls on me."

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You just know that that's a tough pill for Spezza to have to swallow. While he has acquired many new fans as a result his early season treatment under former head coach Mike Babcock, this move might cost him a few supporters. Doing the "I'm a Little Teapot" dance on the ice might be cute when you're 5 years old and in the Timbits Hockey program... a little less so when you're an NHL veteran.

In any case, the 36 year old Spezza has actually been a fairly productive depth player for the Leafs so far this season. With three goals and 10 points in 19 games, Spezza is providing some secondary, if not tertiary, scoring.