Leafs' pain still lingers

By LANCE HORNBY -- Toronto Sun
There's still a knife sticking in the hearts of the Maple Leafs -- a Sabre to be precise.

It has been embedded since the night of May 31, when Buffalo put an end to Toronto's thrilling playoff ride, completing a five-game win in the Eastern Conference final.

The spoil-sport Sabres are back at the Air Canada Centre tonight for the first time since then and the sight of the bison logo is sure to make many Leafs see red.

"Anytime you have a defeat of that magnitude it will stay with you," goalie Glenn Healy said. "There are some memories we would like to rectify."

Buffalo defenceman Jason Woolley said the animosity could continue to grow, saying, "I think it will be one hell of a rivalry for years to come."

The Leafs got off on the wrong foot last spring, squandering home-ice advantage with a series-opening 5-4 loss, as they failed to capitalize on the absence of Sabres star goalie Dominik Hasek.

Toronto poured six goals behind second-stringer Dwayne Roloson in Game 2, but Hasek returned and the Sabres dictated much of the play when the series changed venues. The Sabres' pursuit game wore Toronto down, Leafs such as Steve Thomas felt the effects of a six-week playoff grind, the penalty killing went south and Curtis Joseph sagged in net.

"No, it wasn't my best playoff series," Joseph said. "We just couldn't get it going. But they played well.

"It showed what a great rivalry there is between the teams, especially with the proximity of Buffalo. Look how much of a playoff atmosphere there was here when we played Pittsburgh again (Saturday). It's going to be a hot ticket (tonight)."

Defenceman Dmitry Yushkevich said the series underlined the value of special teams in playoffs. He remains disgusted at what happened to Toronto's excellent penalty killing after it was a combined 39-for-46 while eliminating the Flyers and Penguins.

Buffalo was 6-for-25 on the power play, with Stu Barnes getting four goals.

"Their power play surprised us," Yushkevich said. "They seemed to have a sixth or seventh sense about what to do with the puck."

Healy said the Leafs will be better adjusted if fate should get them as far in the 2000 playoffs.

GUILTY

"We were guilty of the same thing Buffalo was the year before," Healy said of the Sabres being caught up in the emotion of getting to the final four in 1998. The Washington Capitals beat them, but were ill-prepared themselves to meet Detroit for the Stanley Cup.

"By the time we opened our eyes, it was time for (the post-mortem) press conference," Healy said.

But defenceman Bryan Berard said he wasn't haunted by the close call with the Stanley Cup final.

"We don't look back," he said. "What we did learn from that series was positive; what it takes for us to get to the next step."

-- with files from Mike Zeisberger

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