Leafs home stand not exactly sweet

By LANCE HORNBY -- Toronto Sun
The Maple Leafs' Home Shopping Network commences its December sales drive tonight.

With a six-game winless streak on the road (0-4-2-2, longest since Jan. 6 - March 9, 1998) under their belts, the Leafs are grateful to be back at the Air Canada Centre for six of the next seven contests.

They own the Eastern Conference's best home record of 11-3-2, with a 1.68 goals-against average to boot. By Christmas, the Leafs could be well on their way to matching or bettering the club record of 25 home wins, set in 1961-62 and equalled in 1992-93.

But the calibre of opposition is worrisome to general manager/ coach Pat Quinn, starting with league-leading scorer Jaromir Jagr and the Penguins tonight. They are followed in 48 hours by the first rematch with Buffalo since the Sabres dashed the Leafs' Cup hopes on May 31 in the Conference final.

Conference rivals Philadelphia and Ottawa, who both have beaten the Leafs this season, are due here next week and the final two dates are against Montreal and the Islanders. The Habs are improving and ex-Leaf goalie Felix Potvin will want to avenge last season's Isles' overtime loss.

Quinn, who is gradually succeeding in his goal of making the ACC a house of pain for opponents, says there isn't a huge difference between his club's efforts home and away that would account for the varying records.

"I thought we played a good game in Pittsburgh (a 3-1 loss)," he said. "(Jagr) keeps finding ways to beat us."

Jagr is the second most dangerous active NHLer where the Leafs are concerned, with a 1.47 points-per-game average in 17 regular-season meetings against Toronto.

Tracking Jagr is a challenge defenceman Dmitry Yushkevich enjoys, although he admits it is not as exciting as in the playoffs last spring when he and Danny Markov were assigned full-time to harass the Hart Trophy winner.

"Pat doesn't like to play one or two defencemen against him unless in the playoffs," Yushkevich said. "You get excited to play the best. He's a superstar and no star likes to be bothered like we bothered him."

The Leafs are playing better defensively this season, 21 goals against better than 1998-99 and, when they falter, Curtis Joseph has been there to back them up. Joseph already is the leading candidate in fan balloting to start the all-star game in Toronto Feb. 6, though it is too early to start any Hart Trophy hype.

"He makes the hard saves look easy," Quinn said. "But the other guy who was here a couple of years ago (Potvin) wasn't exactly chicken liver.

"I hope it's not (Joseph's) best. I hope there's more to come."

The Leafs could have a slightly altered lineup this evening, with winger Mike Johnson ready to return from a rib muscle injury. That could bounce a fourth liner while defenceman Alexander Karpovtsev is doubtful as he rehabs from a week-long shoulder problem.

Centre Nik Antropov remains a week or two away from rejoining the team from a shoulder injury.

After talking with other members of the hockey office, Quinn decided not to make a waiver claim yesterday on 6-foot-4, 215-pound right winger Mark Lawrence, put on waivers earlier in the week by the Islanders.

"We've decided to use the people we have here," Quinn said.

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