VANCOUVER - After carrying the baggage of last place across the country, the Maple Leafs found two points on their last stop with a most unlikely cast.
With call-up Brendan Leipsic scoring in his first NHL game and goals 16 seconds apart from Mark Arcobello, the Leafs sunk their teeth into a Canucks’ team that was getting its playoff mojo vack and hung on for a 5-2 victory. A loss would’ve been four straight on the Canadian portion of this road trip and six if you count earlier losses to Montreal and Winnipeg.
While they’ll still likely be 30th after coming home via Cup-champion Chicago’s barn on Monday, it was a feel-good game that coach Mike Babcock was looking for after injuries and the Dion Phaneuf trade made life miserable.