Remind Me Again..........

......why I'm a Leafs fan?

Y'know, it's a good thing Eddie B's 12 kinds of awesome. Otherwise, last night's game probably wouldn't have even happened. Last night, Belfour carried the team to double OT, making a few saves that defied physics. I was on the edge of my seat all game, hoping that the REAL Maple Leafs would show up, not this alternate-reality version that's played the first round. The Leafs are using, I believe, the following game plan:

1. Play at the top of their game until the first goal is scored.
2. If the Leafs score the first goal, let the other team take shots at Belfour at will until either a) the game is tied or b) the game is over.
3. If the Senators score first, let them continue taking shots at Belfour until the game is out of reach and then try to start a brawl.

Good plan there, Patty boy!

I will be rooted to the sofa tomorrow tonight, cheering for the Leafs and hoping that Quinn will take off the leash and LET THEM PLAY! I have a sinking feeling, though, that we are about to see a redux of the 7th game display Toronto put on against Philly last year.

If that happens and the Leafs get turfed, John Ferguson Jr.'s schedule for Wednesday should include one item: FIRE PAT QUINN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The other thing I'm worried about is the crowd at the ACC tomorrow night. I hope that they come ready to cheer, as opposed to the regular, elitist crowd at Leaf games, who are content to sit on their hands. One of the things that made last night's game so exciting (and the same can be said for the Montreal-Boston and Calgary-Vancouver games on Saturday) was that the crowds were so amped. Towel-waving, singing, cheering hordes who loved the game and the home team. I find it alarming that I hear louder "Go Leafs Go" chants from the crowd at the Corel Centre than those from the quote-unquote fans at the ACC.

On a tangent, let me just say that the Calgary-Vancouver game Saturday was, quite possibly, the greatest playoff game in recent memory. Coming back from 4-0 to tie the game should count as a moral victory for Calgary and be enough to motivate them tonight. Going to triple-OT was icing on the cake. Hot crowd, great wide-open hockey, super goaltending (don't let the score fool you), clean hits and play. Perfecto. Bet your bottom dollar if the Leafs trailed the Senators 4-0 last night you wouldn't have seen a 4-goal comeback.

Saturday night was another reminder why I love playoff hockey. Sunday night was a reminder of why it's SO FREAKIN' HARD to be a Leafs fan.