National Post Sports

This sums it up: Leafs goaltender James Reimer lay face-down on the ice for minutes after Patrice Bergeron scored for the Bruins in overtime — capping an amazing comeback after Toronto held a 4-1 lead in the third period. (Photo: Charles Krupa/The Associated Press)

Yes, yes the Elisha Cuthbert eye roll is dominating the news today, which is kind of surprising given the OT thriller between the Leafs and Bruins on Wednesday night.

But we cleared a few things up: No, Cuthbert was not giving the stink eye to James Reimer’s wife April. OK? OK. You may now continue your life/stop making “Kim Bauer” jokes. Phew.

Read about it here.

So, the Leafs didn’t win on Monday night, in their first playoff game since 2003. But look at how excited Toronto is about actually having a team in the post-season. LOOK AT THEM. (Photo: Tyler Anderson/National Post)

(Source: sports.nationalpost.com)

‘Classless’ fan toting ‘Toronto Stronger’ sign, mocking ‘Boston Strong,’ at Leafs-Bruins game causes outcry
A Toronto fan sparked social media outrage on Monday night by toting a “Toronto Stronger” sign at the Leafs-Bruins playoff game.

The slogan appeared to be a mocking reference to “Boston Strong,” used to boost spirits in the wake of the Boston Marathon Bombings.

Boston fans quickly took to Twitter to berate the fan — and lost no opportunity to poke fun at the opposing team’s less-than-stellar record. (Twitter)

Infographic: The fight for the Stanley Cup
Much angst, and ink, has been spilled in recent years over fighting in hockey. Progressives say ban fighting. Traditionalists say ‘over our dead bodies.’ A moral debate rages. Yet what seldom gets asked is: How does fighting affect a team’s performance? Does toughness win games? Is meting out an ugly black eye as valuable as scoring a pretty goal? Let’s drop the gloves, shall we, and look at the numbers. (Illustration by Mike Faille)

It has been awhile since the Leafs have been made the playoffs, so here is a refresher on the protocols.

Several members of the Toronto Maple Leafs had already walked past, smiling, by the time the door opened. Head coach Randy Carlyle emerged, laughing and finishing a joke with someone still inside the room. There were more smiles.

Almost an hour earlier, the Leafs had secured their first National Hockey League playoff berth in almost a decade. Most of the players were showered and dressed and ready for a flight to Florida. The arena had emptied and gone quiet, and in the basement hallway next to the door, Leafs general manager Dave Nonis was talking about James Reimer, a player who was perhaps most responsible for the smiling outbreak.

“He’s been fantastic,” Nonis said. (Photo: Fred Chartrand/The Canadian Press)

Bruce Arthur on Toronto’s team (FINALLY) being playoff bound
The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to make the playoffs. This may seem like an obvious statement, but it has become an extremely unusual sentence to type in this day and age, like writing that newspapers are making galactic profits, or that the Internet is a nice babysitter for the kids. The Leafs making the playoffs used to be a pretty normal occurrence. It was a different time.

But it’s going to happen for the first time since 2003-04, when they had five guys on the roster who have since been put in the Hall of Fame. The site sportsclubstats.com has the Leafs at 99.8% to get in, with a 73% shot at fifth in the Eastern Conference, and an 18% chance at sixth, which is probably better. Either way, with nine games left and 48 points in the bank, the odds are overwhelmingly good.

“Oh, wow,” says defenceman Mike Kostka, grinning, when told of the 99.8% number. “Stats don’t lie, right?” (Photo: Abelimages/Getty Images)

This might seem like an ordinary Leafs photo of Nazem Kadri in Toronto celebrating with fans after he scored in the first period. But it’s not. This is not Toronto. This is in Buffalo. (Photo: Rick Stewart/Getty Images)