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The Maple Leafs found themselves on the fence Saturday night where the cross-border playoff picture was situated.
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Toronto was in the unique pre-game position of denying the Montreal Canadiens a playoff spot at least another day with a regulation win, while the reverse would help a fifth Canadian team qualify. Keep in mind it’s a politically-charged spring in these parts where everyone is wrapping themselves in red and white.
After watching the early part of Ottawa – Montreal on Friday night, in which the Sens took an insurmountable lead to make Saturday’s game post-season meaningful, winger Steven Lorentz switched his focus to beating the Habs to try and secure the Leafs first place.
“I know people want to see another Canadian team in the playoffs, but we don’t care,” Lorentz said. “It’s definitely huge to be able to clinch top spot, but wherever we finish, we need to be at the top of our game playoffs.”
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Lorentz gets it that fans are fired up that three Eastern teams will likely be in the mix as well as Winnipeg, Edmonton and perhaps Calgary.
“Hockey is extra passionate here and those cities would love to see their hometown teams get in. I don’t read too much into (politics) only that I’ve been a Leaf fan my whole life. Canada, U.S., Mexico, wherever, one team to cheer for makes it easier.”
Saturday was game no. 850 between the NHL’s oldest rivals (including playoffs) since 1917.
“This is one of the best ever, going way back, it’s what I watched growing up,” Alberta-born Leafs coach Craig Berube said. “To be part of that is pretty special.”
DEMIDOV DEBUTS, SORT OF
After newest Hab Ivan Demidov got the celebrity treatment at Pearson Airport Thursday when he arrived from Russia, the Habs teased their following with his appearance at Scotiabank Arena Saturday morning with a few players at an optional skate. Wearing No. 93, the KHL star and fifth overall pick last year, had several TV cameras and iPhones following his drills. He spent Friday waiting for his new team to arrive in Toronto by checking out the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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However, the Canadiens ignored media protocols and didn’t make anyone available to speak until just before the game. A left-shooting right winger, the 6-foot-3 Demidov had 49 points in 65 games, a record for a KHL rookie.
COLD SHOULDER
The Jets could win their first Presidents’ Trophy by next week.
Mark Osborne, a former Leaf traded to the original Jets in 1990, was reminded of his not-so-smooth arrival there when speaking at this week’s NHL Alumni Luncheon at Scotiabank Pond in Downsview. Osborne and Ed Olczyk were dealt for Dave Ellett and Paul Fenton at a time that fans of the small-market Jets were uber-sensitive to criticism of their city, before the NHL put teams in Carolina and Utah.
“When I was first interviewed by a Winnipeg media person, they asked me what I thought it was like being traded there,” laughed Osborne, now a pro scout with the Los Angeles Kings. “I talked about ‘the desolate cold,’ but they thought I said ‘desolate hole.’
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“I wondered why I stepped on the ice at the old Winnipeg Arena with that big picture of the Queen and people were booing me. But that was a definite misquote, a tough start.”
LOOSE LEAFS
Two sons of Leafs were chosen in the OHL entry draft, Gary Roberts’ boy, Sam, by the Oshawa Generals 16th overall, and Aleks Kulemin, son of Nikolay, ninth by Kingston. Sam is a winger from the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, Kulemin a centre from Don Mills. Nikolay tried to stay closer to Aleks this past year by joining with Ottawa on a PTO … Leafs entered play Saturday with a 53.7 per cent face-off record, best among current playoff-bound teams … A year ago Sunday, Auston Matthews recorded his 69th and final goal of his Rocket Richard Trophy season.
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