Leafs String Together Back to Back Wins

The Toronto Maple Leafs won their second consecutive game, a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins; Cup parade plans are ready. Granted, they've been ready since 1967. In an NHL city where every loss is blown out of proportion, and wins usually get the same hyperbole, most Leafs fans are taking this with a grain of salt. The win moves the Leafs into 9th spot in the Eastern Conference.

The hereto hapless Jason Blake got a massive monkey off his back by scoring a goal in last night's tilt with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played LW on a line with RW Darcy Tucker and C Kyle Wellwood.

Leafs GM John Ferguson JR cut himself some slack in the noose hanging round his job; the best preformances of the night came from three of his off season acquisitions, Blake, LW Mark Bell, and G Vesa Toskala.

The Leafs held a rare open practice on Saturday morning, which drew about 10 000. In a city where game tickets are almost impossible to get, and affordable tickets are not really affordable, this gives the fans a chance to see their hockey heroes in action for $9.00, with all proceeds going to charity. I missed the autograph table because the kids I was with couldn't make up their minds if they wanted to wait or not! Oh well, those Billy Derlago and Peter Zezel autographs will be mine someday!

Maxime Talbot of the Pens played a little trick on the audience. Many waited for the Penguins game day skate, hoping to see Crosby. The Pens flight arrived at 01:00 so only 4 players showed up, none of whom were Sidney Crosby. Talbot put on Crosby's jersey, skated around waving his stick and then went back to get his own practice jersey.