LEAFS NOTES: First-place race takes precedence over Canadian content in playoffs

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At least the Maple Leafs made the Montreal Canadiens sweat another game.

Toronto, with an opening-round tilt against Ottawa drawing closer, was in position to deny the Habs a playoff spot at least another couple of day when Saturday went to overtime, unsettled in regulation. Toronto then enhanced its own first place hopes with a 1-0 win.

Keep in mind it’s a politically charged spring in these parts where everyone is wrapping themselves in red and white, considering more Northern teams at the dance the better. Montreal will have to wait for Monday’s home game against Chicago, though results through Saturday left Columbus as the only team that can deny them a post-season berth for the first time in four years. It’s a rather long shot at that for the Jackets, who will have to win all three remaining games and hope Montreal gets no more than a point

“Stay the course, stay the course,” urged coach Martin St. Louis, who saw two chances to clinch slip away this weekend when they lost Friday in Ottawa. “Play the game that’s in front of you like we did tonight. I’m really proud of the guys on a back-to-back.”  

After watching the early part of Ottawa–Montreal on Friday night, in which the Sens took an insurmountable lead, Toronto winger Steven Lorentz switched his focus to beating the Habs to try to secure the Leafs top spot in the Atlantic Division.

“I know people want to see another Canadian team in the playoffs, but we don’t care,” Lorentz said Saturday morning.

He gets it that fans are fired up that three Eastern teams will likely be in the mix as well as Winnipeg, Edmonton and perhaps Calgary.

“Hockey is extra passionate here and those cities would love to see their hometown teams get in. I don’t read too much into (politics) only that I’ve been a Leaf fan my whole life. Canada, U.S., Mexico, wherever, one team to cheer for makes it easier.”

Saturday’s match, with more Montreal fan presence than usual making Scotiabank Arena louder, was game No. 850 between the NHL’s oldest rivals (including playoffs) since 1917.

DEMIDOV DEBUTS, SORT OF

After newest Hab Ivan Demidov got the celebrity treatment at Pearson Airport Thursday when he arrived from Russia, the Habs teased their following with his appearance at SBA Saturday morning with a few players at an optional skate. Wearing No. 93, the KHL star and fifth overall pick last year, had several TV cameras and iPhones following his drills. He spent Friday waiting for his new team to arrive in Toronto by checking out the Hockey Hall of Fame.

A left-shooting right winger, the 6-foot-3 Demidov had 49 points in 65 games, a record for a KHL rookie.

“I haven’t even met him yet,” laughed centre Nick Suzuki. “We’re excited, the fans are excited, so hopefully we get in the lineup (in the two remaining next two games) and see what he can do.” 

NEW VIEW FOR CARLO

That was new Leaf Brandon Carlo’s 28th career game against the Canadiens, but first as a Leaf after his years with another arch enemy in Boston. The Colorado native wound up playing more than 23 minutes with Toronto down a defenceman.

“I Ioved it, at one point I was looking around just taking in the experience, recognizing how cool it was to be in a Canadian market playing Montreal. You can feel the energy and seeing a lot of jerseys from both sides. I’m glad I took a moment to embrace it.”

COLD SHOULDER

The Jets could win their first Presidents’ Trophy by next week.

Mark Osborne, a former Leaf traded to the original Jets in 1990, was reminded of his not-so-smooth arrival there when speaking at this week’s NHL Alumni Luncheon at Scotiabank Pond in Downsview. Osborne and Ed Olczyk were dealt for Dave Ellett and Paul Fenton at a time that fans of the small-market Jets were uber-sensitive to criticism of their city, before the NHL put teams in Carolina and Utah.

“When I was first interviewed by a Winnipeg media person, they asked me what I thought it was like being traded there,” laughed Osborne, now a pro scout with the Los Angeles Kings. “I talked about ‘the desolate cold,’ but they thought I said ‘desolate hole.’

“I wondered why I stepped on the ice at the old Winnipeg Arena with that big picture of the Queen and people were booing me. But that was a definite misquote, a tough start.”

LOOSE LEAFS

Leaf Max Domi could laugh at his failed attempt to dribble a ping ponging puck past Jakub Dobes in the third period as the Leafs were trying everything else to beat the goalie from Cechia. “Oh man, I like to think my hands are better than that,” laughed Domi,  “But not making excuses, it just kind of bounced at the last second, just exploded on me and I’m sure everyone got a good laugh out of that one. I should probably shoot that one if it’s rolling” …  The farm team Marlies defeated Cleveland 4-1 Saturday, reducing their magic number to four to get an AHL playoff berth with five games remaining. Nick Abruzzese, Alex Nylander, William Villeneuve and Topi Nielmela scored with Dennis Hildeby making 24 stops … Three sons of Leafs were chosen in the OHL entry draft this weekend, led by Nikolay Kulemin’s boy Aleks, ninth overall by Kingston. Gary Roberts’s son Sam was taken by the Oshawa Generals 16th. Sam is a winger from the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, Kulemin a centre from Don Mills . Late in the draft, Kingston chose goalie Mason Raycroft, whose dad Andrew won 39 games here … A year ago Sunday, Auston Matthews recorded his 69th and final goal of his Rocket Richard Trophy season.

Lhornby@postmedia.com

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