The sturdy play of goaltender Jack Campbell and ahead Wayne Simmonds has made an ideal distinction within the ambiance across the Toronto Maple Leafs dressing room and, barring any key accidents, Toronto seems to be like one of the best group within the North Division.
Simmonds, who had 5 targets via 14 video games, is exhibiting the shape that made him a 30-goal man with the Philadelphia Flyers. It’s not simply his scoring contact that has returned, his presence within the lineup makes the Leafs tough to play in opposition to.
Campbell has given the Leafs high quality goaltending and proper now he’s the go-to man even when common starter Frederik Andersen returns from harm. Campbell gained his first 4 begins with two shutouts and a .965 save proportion.
It’s not simply the play of those two that has Toronto followers pondering of a protracted Stanley Cup run. Veterans Jason Spezza and Joe Thornton have performed very properly. In lots of the latest Leafs video games, ahead Zach Hyman has been their greatest participant. All 4 forwards have dimension, one other ingredient lacking from earlier Toronto playoff appearances.
Within the Leafs glory days of the mid-Sixties, coach Punch Imlach most popular veterans over prospects and youth. He did depend on a younger vet in Dave Keon, and a solid of oldies like Purple Kelly, Andy Bathgate, George Armstrong, Bob Baun, Bob Nevin, Tim Horton, Allan Stanley with ageless Johnny Bower and Terry Sawchuk within the pipes.
I’m not suggesting the Leafs will win the Stanley Cup this 12 months, however I do consider they emerge because the division winners.
Condolences
Colin Campbell will not be a reputation aware of lots of at this time’s sporting or media crowd, however he was a colourful determine, working for CTV and CBC throughout Canada.
Colin, who in his day performed junior hockey with Rogers Rangers and highschool soccer with Saint Dunstan’s College, handed away all of a sudden in Summerside late final week.
He was one in all Main Mike Campbell’s boys, one of the crucial revered clans within the metropolis. His older brother Mike was GM on the Charlottetown airport, a gentleman and a horse proprietor and the following in line, John, who is predicated in Halifax, was a high hockey official in Maritime junior and senior circles within the Seventies and Nineteen Eighties.
Robert, Philip and Gordon, a outstanding Charlottetown decide, are well-known within the metropolis as is their sister Susan.
Unhappy information from the West Coast as David Smith, a longtime proprietor, coach, driver at Calgary, Edmonton and B.C., has handed away.
He’s a member of the gifted Smith household from Hunter River, and a brother to P.E.I. Corridor of Famer Clarkie, one of many biggest drivers ever to return out of P.E.I.
Clarkie was seven-time Previous Residence Week main driver and simply missed successful the 1962 Gold Cup and Saucer with Tammany Corridor.
His older brother, Elmer, dealt with greats like Edgewood Scott, 1961 Gold Cup winner Conflict Cry Ranger, Syms Finest, Miramichi Fred and lots of others. My condolences to these related to this gentleman.
Excelling
It’s at all times nice to see and listen to about gifted P.E.I. children excelling in hockey past our shores.
Tyler Wooden, grandson of former Sandy’s Royals rugged defenceman Earland Wooden from the Sixties and Seventies, is starring with Mount Saint Charles Academy in Rhode Island.
Tyler, who’s on the under-14 group, has 14 targets and 13 assists in 17 video games whereas Charlottetown defenceman Matt McQuaid, Adam’s first cousin, is a star defenceman with the under-18 membership.
Milestone birthday
Persevering with on that completely happy path, Kingston’s Garth Holmes, who starred with the Sherwood Parkdale junior hockey Metros about 50 years in the past, turned the massive 70 this week.
He’s carrying a brand new Toronto Maple Leafs hat and retains telling people the Leafs will simply win the North Division.
Harness racing
No stay harness racing right here within the Maritimes, however loads of motion up-country.
Bettim Once more appeared superior in successful Monday night time at Mohawk with a pointy 1:53:4 victory for driver Sylvan Filion. The three-year-old appeared like a Sherman tank and Sylvan by no means requested him as he cruised dwelling in 27:2 underneath wraps.
In the identical race, Card Swap was second for coach Terry Gallant and proprietor Jennifer Doyle. The four-year-old Cams Card Sharp hustled dwelling in 27:2, charted in 1:54:1.
Additionally on the cardboard, Camco Lissie was a stable fourth overwhelmed by two lengths, dwelling in 27:2 for driver Jody Jamieson and charted in 1:57:1 in a $15,000 occasion for fillies and mares. The mare is owned by the native father and son duo Alby and Brendon Curran.
Island-bred Confirmed Lover took a brand new report of 1:50:4 in successful final week at Pocono. On the similar monitor, Magical Mistress was a detailed third in 1:51:1 in a $10,000 mares check whereas Easy Kinda Man was again in an $8,800 tempo. Each pacers are owned by Don MacRae.
Lovedbythemasses was a detailed fifth in 1:53:3 within the $18,500 Meadowlands open trot Saturday. Search for him to take a brand new report quickly. On the subject of trotters, Islander Brett MacDonald (Ron’s boy) set a brand new Western Honest monitor report for mares getting dwelling first with Energy and Grace in 1:57:1 in Wednesday’s $13,000 trot.
Brett is a high driver proper now and an ideal younger man. Additionally at Western Honest, Charlottetown’s Paul MacKenzie took the $9,400 trot co-feature with Twin B Hugs in 2:00.
Fred MacDonald’s column seems each Saturday in The Guardian. He might be reached at [email protected].
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