Maple Leafs Improving with OT Practice

If you have been paying attention to the Toronto Maple Leafs or sports on the web in general, you will have some recollection of the week that was. A certain NHL team has been on a specific kind of tear.

Toronto has played the last six games on their schedule into overtime and was victorious in the last four of them. Vesa Toskala has given the Maple Leafs pretty good goaltending, and Curtis Joseph even got into the act by posting the 4-3 overtime win over Ottawa in the nation's capital last Saturday.

Last Thursday, Feb. 26, the Leafs went into Long Island and beat the Islanders 5-4, getting the win in a shootout. Tim Stapleton was called up that day and scored the winner for the Leafs.

There was a ugly incident in the game when Brendan Witt of the Islanders took a five-minute elbowing major for a blow to the head of Niklas Hagman. It was totally uncalled for, and Witt ended up receiving a five game suspension.

I found it out-of-character for Witt, who usually plays a tough, physical game but does not resort to the cheap stuff. This hit was cheap, though, and had the intent to injure.

Vesa Toskala had a rather poor third period but still managed 40 saves on the night.

The night before that, the Leafs hosted the Rangers at the Air Canada Center. Toskala was stellar and the main reason for the Leafs 2-1 shootout win. Kulemin scored the winner.

It was John Tortorella`s first game on the Rangers' bench, but Toronto handed N.Y. their second loss in as many nights.

I think Tortorella may be pining to be back in TSN's broadcast booth after he gets a taste of coaching the Rangers. He'll only be a good fit in the Big Apple because he can usually give a good quote to the media scribes.

The Maple Leafs entertain the surging New Jersey Devils tomorrow night at the ACC. Maybe they can win one in regulation.

This will be tough to do, considering Martin Brodeur is back after missing 50 games with an elbow injury. He'll likely continue his assault on the NHL record books; he's won all three of the games since his return, two of them by shutout.

Old Marty is playing like he never missed a game. Watch the Devils down the stretch and into the Playoffs. That goaltender, well-rested, could win a couple of series all by himself.

`No Guts, No Glory.`

Walt Webb