Leafs Watch

By MIKE ZEISBERGER AND LANCE HORNBY -- Toronto Sun
SHAKIN' ALL OVER: The earthquake which rumbled through communities east of Toronto late Friday afternoon was felt at the waterfront Ajax home of Maple Leafs goalie Glenn Healy.

Just ask Susie Healy, his wife.

"She said it was like a train coming through the house," Healy said.

Healy didn't have the opportunity to experience it first-hand. He was on his way back from Philadelphia, where he was Toronto's starting goaltender in a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss to the Flyers.

"The house was shaking and the dogs were barking," Healy said. "She had no idea what it was."

NET GAINS: A few eyebrows were raised when coach/GM Pat Quinn started Healy against Eastern Conference rival Flyers, opting to pplay No. 1 goaltender Curtis Joseph last night against the struggling Edmonton Oilers of the Western Conference.

But there was method in Quinn's madness and the numbers certainly back him up.

Joseph has a losing regular-season record against the Flyers but has sparkled against the Oilers, his former team. Entering play last night, Joseph was 10-2-2 versus Edmonton.

SAVE THE LEAFS: Glen Sather is not too supportive of a plan by the Flames and Canucks to scrap inter-conference play to save travel costs. The Oilers are already down 2,265 fans per game and Sather doesn't see cutting such teams as the Leafs, Flyers and Habs from the schedule as a way to improve that.

"I don't see any sense in eliminating some of the better teams," the Oilers' president said. "The popularity of teams like Montreal and Toronto in the West is something you have to consider. Are you going to be completely sold (out) if you see Vancouver and Calgary more?"

SAM-BONI STREAK ENDS: Sam DeAngeles, the long-time Zamboni pilot of the Gardens and Air Canada Centre, had a streak snapped last night.

His ice-grooming machine, one of two the Leafs use on game night, malfunctioned and forced him the post-warm up ice cleaning.

"It is the first one I have missed since Darryl Sittler was traded (in the 1981-82 season)," DeAngelis said.

The machine was repaired in time for the first intermission. DeAngelis is in contention for the Zamboni driver of the year, a North American wide fan voting competition.

BRIEFLY: The Leafs don't play another Western Conference team until Jan. 14, when they meet the Oilers to open a three-game Canadian road swing ... The Leafs roster has an averge height of 6-foot-1, a weight of 202 pounds and an age of 28.1 years.

Bert's back on blades
Blue Jays boot game
Bombers drop Peterson
Felicien rebuilds race

Visit our Polls Archive

SLAM! Sports SLAM! Galleries Help CANOE