McCabe Baby, They Love You Again

It was only a short time ago the Air Canada erupted in boos every time Bryan McCabe touched the puck. After tonight, there's not a Leafs fan in the Golden Horseshoe who wouldn't bear his children if he asked.

With another must win game sent in to overtime, this time against Philadelphia, it was McCabe's 14th that saved the Leafs' season (and John Ferguson's job?) for at least one more night. It was, as power play point shots go, a pretty one, a tic tac toe between Sundin, Kaberle and McCabe that went on just long enough to scramble Phillie's three defenders. It was merciful that the Leafs won this one, because it's one thing to have the Flyers end your season in the second round of the playoffs, but it is an entirely different thing to have your season ended by a Philadelphia team in last place.

Montreal also won their game, a gimme against Boston, which is actually a good thing, well sort of, because it keeps both teams on pace for an epic clash next Saturday in Toronto, when both teams should duke it out for that final playoff spot, an entire season in one game. Standing in the way of that epic Hockey Night in Canada clash, is a pair of Thursday night games, both as it happens, in New York. Montreal draws the Rangers, who appear to have locked down their spot, and the Leafs get the Islanders, who are more or less done with the news that Rick Dipietro's season is over (Speaking of over, Carolina is 100% done, teaming up with the plummeting Oilers to combine as the first Stanley Cup finalists to both miss the next playoffs).

If the Buds and Habs follow the script, they should both win - or both lose even, to ensure that there is something to play for on Saturday. Montreal sits at 91 points, Toronto 90. This is going to be a great finish.

Jason