BOSTON (Dec. 5) – The Maple Leafs have done themselves and their fans a rather unexpected favor by capturing four of their past five games – all in regulation time. Nothing in the post-lockout NHL is more rewarding than winning games outright and the Leafs have put together a mini-streak that has them on the fringe of the Eastern Conference playoff scramble: a pack of six teams [Florida, New York Rangers, Philadelphia, Montreal, Tampa Bay and New York Islanders] they must overcome in the final two-thirds of the season.
This task will be more difficult than the current point differential makes it appear. The Leafs are “only” six points removed from eighth place in the conference, but the teams ahead of them play fellow Eastern opponents so often that continuous advancement in the three-point-game era will be a chore. Additionally, the Leafs have a low victory total [eight in 27 games], which is damaging in the event of a points deadlock in the standings.
That said, the Buds have a wonderful opportunity between now and Boxing Day to eat up acres of ground… providing, of course, they can somehow perform at their current pace. Starting tonight, at the TD Garden here in Boston, the club plays 12 of 13 games against Eastern foes – the lone exception being a visit to the Air Canada Centre by Phoenix on Dec. 16th. But, imagine where the Leafs could be sitting on Dec. 27th if they take copious advantage of meetings with Boston [three times], Buffalo [twice], the Islanders [twice], Atlanta, Washington, Ottawa, Montreal and Pittsburgh. Perhaps “imagine” is the appropriate term, because it isn’t generally expected the Leafs will maintain their tempo of the past week-and-a-half. But, the schedule provides the opportunity.
Standing in the way – of all things – is a thwack of games on home ice… eight of them in the next 17 days. Most teams would consider such a calendar overwhelmingly favorable, but the Leafs are performing at a historically inept level at the ACC thus far in 2009-10. In fact, it’s almost unimaginable that a hockey team could appear so much more at ease away from its familiar surrounding. The Leafs have absolutely no chance of getting into the Eastern playoff mix without a stunning reversal at home; as it stands, they are a sickly 2-7-3 in Toronto, and a more-than acceptable 6-5-4 away from the Big Smoke.
That combination – though admirable in one respect – will undoubtedly extend the club’s record post-season drought.
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There are few cities on earth more splendorous to walk around in than Boston – perhaps not at this time of year, but certainly in the spring and fall. I have superb memories of the times spent here early in my radio career – 1988 and 1990 – when the Bruins were in the Stanley Cup final against Edmonton. Boston Common, Fanieul Hall, Quincy Market, the historic Back Bay neighborhood… it goes on and on in Beantown.
But, one of the best things I’ve ever done here occurred on Friday. I have my son, Shane, with me on this trip [he turns 13 on Sunday] and we took a guided walking tour of Fenway Park. I’ve been to a couple of Red Sox games over the years, but I haven’t had a chance to explore all the nooks and crannies of baseball’s oldest stadium [Wrigley Field in Chicago was built two years afterward, in 1914]. This tour was absolutely fascinating. It took place rather late on a glorious, sunny afternoon, so we had to move quickly between spots before daylight evaporated. But, there were only a dozen or so people in our tour-group and we had the entire ballpark to ourselves. In that situation, it’s incredible how enormous even the most intimate park in the majors can seem.
We visited the right-field roof deck – a spot above the bleachers, roughly 450 feet from home plate, in which fans can rent tables-for-four at $480 a game [including a $100 food certificate]. We sat in the first row of the overhang on either side of home plate, which provides one of the best viewing locations in all of major league baseball. We visited the Fenway Park press box; its capacity enlarged for the influx of Japanese reporters that follow the Red Sox in the Daisuke Matsuzaka era. And, we sat in the novel chairs above the famed Green Monster that were installed, somewhat sacrilegiously, in 2003. But, what a location to watch the ballgame.
Fenway is being prepped for the NHL’s Winter Classic on New Year’s Day — an encounter between Boston and Philadelphia. The venerable, hand-operated scoreboard at the base of the Green Monster already shows the Bruins and Flyers in advance of the novelty match.
Touring the ballpark was quite a treat – one of many such delightful activities in this city.
Now, we hunker down for a projected four inches of snow here overnight, as the first winter-storm of the season approaches from the Carolinas.
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