HOCKEY LAST NIGHT: OLLI, OLLI, OLLI

Bruins 2 Leafs 1 (OT): Pretty easy for a Leafs fan to explain this one away... Toronto had four days off between games to read how great they are and the euphoria that came with the challenge of trying to win minus the injured Mats Sundin and Andrew Raycroft finally wore off.

Leafs goalie J.S. Aubin stole a point for the Leafs, playing well just to get the team into overtime before Patrice Bergeron won it for Boston. The Leafs get a day off before facing New Jersey on Saturday, which will help.

Panthers 5 Habs 1: Instead of their usual chorus of "Ole Ole Ole," Canadiens fans were left to moan, "Olli, Olli, Olli" after Jokinen fired a hat trick for Florida, who won for just the second time this month.

Wild 7 Preds 6 (shootout): Crazy game, and too bad only 12,759 were at the Gaylord Entertainment Center (was there a big high school football game in Nashville or something?). Minnesota rallied from three goals down after Manny Fernandez was lit up for five goals on 15 shots. The Wild's other goalie, Niklas Backström, made the comeback possible by stopping 24 of 25 shots and a penalty shot in overtime prior to the shootout.

Flyers 4 Kings 3: Philly scores three times in the final 10 minutes to make two straight wins in southern California, and after all the cracks made about Derian Hatcher it's only fair to point out he was plus-3 on the night. Even more impressively, he was plus-3 in a 4-3 win without scoring or assisting on any of the Flyers' goals.

Oilers 6 Blues 2: It will probably take more than Edmonton popping in four power-play goals against St. Louis to get Mudcrutch to yank the "Fire Craig Simpson" banner from the top of his blog. Ales (Pinto) Hemsky had three helpers and Joffrey Lupul had his first two-point game in quite some time, no doubt causing consternation among the people who sat him down this week in their hockey pool.

20 THUNDERBIRDS IN THE GARAGE

Ottawa, this should be a call to arms. The University of British Columbia Thunderbirds plan to play four games at GM Place, the home of the NHL Canucks, this season. On Jan. 13, Hockey Day in Canada, they're hoping to surpass the Canadian Interuniversity Sport single-game attendance record of 13,354 when they host the Regina Cougars.

How's about next season, when the Carleton Ravens will be a full-fledged CIS hockey team, playing a game against the Ottawa Gee-Gees at Scotiabank Place and trying to set a new record? Can't let the men's basketball teams at Carleton and the U of O be the only ones who get to play at the Vault (and sit in traffic afterward, it must be said).

Back with more later. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.