Article content
For a few years, their division has been the ‘Battle’ of the Atlantic in name only.
Article content
But the Maple Leafs realize the neighbourhood turf is now a lot tougher. The Detroit Red Wings had swept them in a home-and-home series for the first time in many years and Toronto barely avoided a similar fate Saturday versus the Buffalo Sabres with an overtime win. There were 45 combined hits Saturday after the Leafs unleashed 30 themselves in Buffalo, having obviously wearied of hearing about their soft play.
Article content
Between the Wings and Sabres, through which Toronto built an NHL high nine-year playoff qualification run, is almost a quarter century of missing the dance. Yet the two remain ahead of the Leafs as of the weekend, with the Montreal Canadiens leading the Atlantic.
“This is a hard division,” Toronto coach Craig Berube warned. “We saw Montreal and the (Ottawa) Senators take a step last year (making playoffs), Detroit, Buffalo … Tampa is Tampa and (Stanley Cup champion) Florida is Florida. It’s a battle.”
Article content
No one is counting out Boston, of course.
Saturday night was alright for fighting, with bad blood after Sabres’ Alex Tuch thought Jake McCabe belted Bowen Byrum in a vulnerable position. He went after the Toronto defenceman, though McCabe was prepared and got the first hard punch in.
“In that situation, I just wanted to stand up for my teammates,” Tuch said, though he had to be shocked at getting 17 minutes in penalties as the perceived aggressor. “We’re not going to get pushed around and I was the one answering. I couldn’t get my glove off and McCabe got in a nice right hook.
“But I’m not afraid to do it. That’s the type of team we are.”
Lhornby@postmedia.com
X: @sunhornby
Share this article in your social network