By HOWARD BERGER
TORONTO (Dec. 2) — The three-night period from Saturday to Tuesday is one of idle contemplation for the Maple Leafs during much of the 2007-08 NHL season. That’s because the Leafs play every Saturday night in the schedule except for Jan. 26th, which is All-Star weekend in Atlanta. And, they play on 17 of the 25 Tuesdays — all but three of them at home. Only once this season do the Leafs play a Sunday game (Jan. 20th at New Jersey), and they have only four Monday dates. So, the Saturday-to-Tuesday rotation is commonplace for the Blue & White.
That is why last night’s 4-2 victory over Pittsburgh is so meaningful. It gives the players and coaches three full days of emotional tranquility before Nashville comes-a-calling. Contrast that to the Saturday-Tuesday period last week, and you see the difference. The Leafs had to sit on the 5-1 travesty in Phoenix for 72 hours before they could try to make amends against Montreal at the Air Canada Centre. And, that volatile 72 hours probably felt more like 72 weeks to John Ferguson, Paul Maurice and Co. A similar period of flux occurred back in October, after the Leafs fell apart on a Saturday night at home against Chicago. The questions were loud and biting until the puck was dropped the following Tuesday at the ACC against Atlanta.
“Yeah, it sure makes this three-day period much more pleasant,” said defenceman Ian White after last night’s conquest of the Penguins. “The days between games can be pretty intense when we come off a loss.”
Beginning this Tuesday, the Leafs play every other night for almost a full week (Nashville here; at N.Y. Rangers Thursday; Boston at home Saturday; Tampa Bay here next Monday). The game against the Lightning is most imperative for mental well-being. If they fail that night, the Leafs have four full days to digest it until they begin a mammoth, seven-game road trip in Atlanta the following Friday. The only other four-day break in the schedule occurs after a Saturday, Feb. 9th afternoon game against Detroit at the ACC. The Leafs don’t play again until the following Wednesday (Feb. 13th) in Buffalo.
Though Toronto is full of ”background noise” — as Ferguson called the uproar earlier this week — that sound can be deafening after a loss. And, relentless when there is a 72-hour period between games. That’s why, as we speak, the Leafs are undoubtedly enjoying a rare period of calm.
Hang in there Howard! Avery is a scum-bag and he’s listening to his master, er, employers at the Garden and their lawyers.
Everytime you think of him remember those scars the loser’s got under his mouth…they will never heal!
Also, let’s get some Gilmour to the HOF talk going!
- Clark