“His name is Lukas Dostal. He had 55 saves last night. He was NHL Rookie of the Month in October. Be better, @TheTorontoSun ,” wrote the Anaheim Ducks social media account. This came after Maple Leafs’ reporter Lance Hornby of the Toronto-based publication made no qualms about being totally disrespectful to the Ducks goaltender. Dostal had a stellar performance in a close loss. It was a good ol’ fashioned blasting from one team to a media member of another.
Fans all over the league weren’t fond of the article title either. When Hornby referred to Dostal as a “no-name” goalie, the idea was to say a lesser-marquee netminder put up a huge number and almost stole a game from the Leafs who peppered him with shot after shot. Auston Matthews said of the performance, “It was a little bit (shocking). You try and think ‘next one’s going in, next one’s going in,’ but he played a hell of a game and you have to tip your hat to him.”
Fans agreed with Matthews. Their response regarding the article title was diverse. One fan highlighted the irony, noting that the “no-name goalie” in question has won as many Cups as the entire Leafs organization in his lifetime. Another criticized the title, calling it a joke and attributing it to why people dislike Toronto media. A different fan humorously recalled the Leafs’ past defeat to a zamboni driver with a similar description. Criticism extended to Leafs media members, with some accusing them of focusing solely on Toronto and neglecting to learn the names of players across the NHL.
For Maple Leafs Reporter to Insult Dostal Deserved a Blast from the Ducks
While the article itself was complimentary of Dostal’s performance, it was about as one would expect in that it focused more on the Leafs lack of ability to score than how good the goaltender actually is. The fact the author decided to insult Dostal before people had a chance to even read the piece is what likely irked most people.
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