Comments on a Game I Didn`t See

There was something magical about listening to Saturday night hockey while driving down the Las Vegas strip. There was nothing magical about the Leafs exploding with five unanswered goals to seal a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers. That was the reality of hard work and perseverance, although the Leafs were in mind when rubbing the feet of the Winged Angels at Hoover Dam for good luck.


I didn`t see John Mitchell`s two goals. I didn`t see any of the five goals the Buds scored in 5:21 to obliterate Steve Valiquette`s shutout bid. I didn`t see Dominic Moore, plucked off waivers by Toronto last season, rule the circle with an 80% faceoff average.

I didn`t need to see. I felt the excitement of Leafs fans 3629km away from Air Canada Centre. Best of all, being so far from the arena, no media pass around my neck, cloaked in the anonymity provided by thousands of tourists, I tossed journalistic impartiality out the window and cheered. Not necessarily for the Leafs, mind you, but for the story.

Fans, media, and experts did not expect the Leafs to have a winning season. More efforts like this one and they`ll be winning respect from those who had written them off.

Read More......