HOCKEY LAST NIGHT: LEAFS' CINEMA DEBUT GETS A RAZZIE

Panthers 4 Leafs 2: Obvious joke... since you can watch Leafs games at the movie theatre now, how many people walked out on this clunker?

From the sounds of it, the Leafs played like they did in Tampa on Wednesday, when they didn't put together three good periods yet still won. And they lost to old pal Ed Belfour.

Seriously, maybe this is a good idea, but anyone who's going to pay $10.95 to go to the theatre or whatever is a sheep. You know that if this works, the Leafs are going to use it as a wedge to get more games on digital channels and eventually pay-per-view. Bad enough the ACC is already a private party, now just watching games on TV is too?

Honestly, the fact there's even a market for this shows Toronto needs a second NHL team.

Sabres 5 Bruins 4 (shootout): Total gift for Sabres fans, the small-town kooks of the hockey world -- the Bruins blew a three-goal lead in the final nine minutes of regulation, with Ales Kotalik getting the equalizer with 55 seconds left and the equalizer. He thus gets to wear The Decider hat.

Wild 5 Canucks 2: The Canucks seem like a fragile team. They got up 2-0 last night and went to pieces after a disputed Todd White goal -- first ruled kicked in, then reversed on video review -- cut the lead to a goal. Finnish rookie Niklas Backstrom stopped 19 shots over the final two periods. He now has two wins, although he hasn't started a game yet.

Habs 4 Canes 0: The defending champs, who visit Ottawa tomorrow, have now lost to all four of the teams they beat during their Stanley Cup run. Cristobal Huet picked up the shutout as Carolina could do little in the second of back-to-back games.

Islanders 5 Devils 2: This can't last, but Charles Wang's Travelling Gong Show has now won three straight and is 6-1-2 in their last nine. The Devils didn't test Rick DiPietro much, as he saw just 16 shots.

HOMETOWN BREAKDOWN

Associate Blogger Neil Acharya was on hand to do colour commentary for Kingston radio last night at St. Mike's College Arena, but his words of wisdom couldn't inspire the Frontenacs as they lost 5-4 to the Majors.

Bad craziness for the Fronts (4-10-0-1). Their top line of Bobby Hughes, Cory Emmerton and Chris Stewart were a combined minus-9 on the night, which presumably ties in with Kingston being 0-for-5 on the power play with two short-handed goals against.

Neil figures the Frontenacs probably had something like 55 shots -- not 47, as the summary says -- on St. Mike's goalie Wayne Savage. My reply when I heard that was apparently the Frontes were playing hit-the-logo.

Live to fight another day, Frontenacs: It's East Division-leading Belleville at home tonight and Plymouth coming to town Sunday.

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.