Leafs rally to clip Wings

By JIM KERNAGHAN -- London Freee Press
In the end, it was more than an overtime victory for the Toronto Maple Leafs and less than a defeat for the Detroit Red Wings.

On the scoreboard, the high-tempo affair read 4-3, advantage Toronto. But it was something more than that.

In the little games within the game, last night's clash was a pre-playoff prep, an assessment of resources and strategies by two of the NHL's elite teams.

In a league that can be easily broken down into divisions like overseas soccer, this pair is in the Premier class.

And as usual the premier players, captains Mats Sundin of the Leafs and Steve Yzerman of the Wings, stepped it up a notch under the spotlight.

"We've proved we can play the top teams and beating a top team in the West Division is a great test for our club," said Sundin, who scored the winner on a power play 1:38 into overtime.

"You always learn something."

And this time?

"We have to be more disciplined. We shot ourselves in the foot (via penalties). We're not that popular a team with the refs and should remember that."

Sundin got three straight penalties, two of them on the same play, but Toronto survived the four-minute Wings' power play.

In the dunce department, Detroit defenceman Chris Chelios also got a refresher course when he matched Sundin's sins in overtime, drawing a double minor for high-sticking Igor Korolev to kill any real chance of Detroit pulling out a win.

The Wings' three goals all came in the third period after Sergei Berezin and Dmitri Khristich scored in the first and second for Toronto. Brendan Shanahan clicked while Sundin was in the box and then the ageless Yzerman, as dangerous at 34 as he was at 24, scored a pair of highlight reel efforts to give Detroit their first lead with less than seven minutes left.

But Berezin again, while Sundin was being pushed into the net by Shanahan, forced overtime with nine seconds remaining.

"A game like this is a good barometer," Toronto coach Pat Quinn said. "I was happy with several things."

Still, the Leafs have to know Curtis Joseph alone simply cannot stem the sort of playoff tide Toronto is sure to meet next month and they won't be able to relieve heavy pressure in their zone by icing the puck as they often did in this one.

The Wings need work on their left-wing lock.

When a pair of true contenders face off, meaning is enhanced. It is fashionable to call this part of the season the stretch drive, but it is more like a quarter-horse race going on in the stretch. To continue the analogy, it's all about jockeying.

While the Wings and Leafs present each other with a reasonably sound self-assessment, the result is of importance only in the context of positioning in the standings as the wire approaches.

Should they somehow meet in the Stanley Cup final as representatives of their respective conferences, there is always some value to taking a strong head-to-head season performance into the fray.

Sundin said the loss of defenceman Bryan Berard, who was struck in the eye by a stick last Saturday and could lose all vision in it, has hit the team twice as hard as most injuries. Aside from his ability, they lost an important guy in the locker room.

"Many of us feel if something like that has to happen, it should happen to an older guy who has had a longer career," Sundin said. "He's a very popular guy."

The playoffs are the heart of reality. You carry on no matter what.

To discuss the opinions of columnist Jim Kernaghan, call 667-4557. Outside the London dialing area call 1-800-265-4167, ask for extension 4557. Write him at The London Free Press, Box 2280, London, Ont., N6A 4G1, fax 667-4528 or e-mail jkernaghan@lfpress.com.

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