SPORTS: Hats Off to Leafs

Not being a Toronto Maple Leaf fan, it's hard to admit, but there are other Maple Leaf employees to admire beyond Mats Sundin.

The Leafs turned in a spirited effort to come from behind in the third period and beat the Philadelphia Flyers tonight and it was as good a period of hockey as I've seen in many a moon. Mind you, they didn't actually WIN the game in the third period. But scoring three, coming close to a fourth and then potting the fourth in the OT period was full entertainment value.

Of course, Sundin had a big hand in making the 3-0 Flyer lead seconds into the final frame disappear. Scored the goal that proved Martin Biron WAS human, on a night where the Philly netminder made 51 saves. His face-off win led to the second Leaf goal and for all I know, he whispered instructions to Jeremy Williams on where to shoot on Biron, Williams being the game-tier.

The other Leaf guy I want to single out is Paul Maurice, the coach. By every person's opinion who I have talked to, Maurice is the kind of man you hope your daughter brings home to meet the family. He exudes calm and dignity, even when internally seething. When asked what he was thinking during one galling Leaf loss earlier this season, he reflected a second, answered, "Mostly profanity," and walked calmly away.

I actually think he's about average as a coach. I've seen worse, lots that are better. But few handle the media with a polite frankness that makes me wish he had better soldiers to go to war with. On the other hand, I have no confidence he'd actually take advantage. He seems to be too good of a guy. I would have said he also lacks moxie, but he pulled his goalie in a TIE game tonight, trying to win AND deny Philadelphia an extra-time loser's point. Tonight, if not all nights, he HAD moxie.

Maurice is unlikely to return next year. I thought the same of Sam Mitchell in his final contract year, and look how prescient THAT prediction was! He's a young guy and somebody will give him another chance.

OR he can make a move that I think benefits him for the rest of his life. He'd make a first-rate TV analyst. With the turmoil that is the CBC right now, I bet an opportunity opens up for him. I hope he takes it.

He still has a bit less than a dozen games to coach this edition of the falling Leafs. I wish him well. It won't end well, but he should go out with the same dignity, tenacity and, dare I say it, moxie he showed tonight.