Feb 16, 2007 04:30 AM
KEVIN McGRAN
SPORTS REPORTER
PHILADELPHIA–The good news for Leaf Nation came in bunches last night.
First, the Flyers traded Peter Forsberg just moments before game time, deflating an already beleaguered last-place team.
Jeff O’Neill also scored, pronouncing with some confidence he intends to get 30 goals this season.
And, most important, the Maple Leafs won, finding themselves this morning in a virtual tie for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
The City of Brotherly Love was good for the Maple Leafs’ father-son trip, as an energized Toronto squad put on a show for their dads, uncles and grandfathers and came away with a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
And if having the dads around was the magic formula for breaking a three-game losing skid, then coach Paul Maurice said he wanted to do it again soon.
“The good news is you’re coming on a father-son trip,” deadpanned the coach. “The bad news is you don’t get to leave until we tell you.”
Forsberg skated in the warmup, but didn’t make the opening faceoff. With their star traded by then to Nashville, the Flyers came out flat and the Leafs showed no mercy, a good sign for a team that wants its playoff run to be taken seriously.
“You don’t worry about that (trade) as the game starts,” said Leaf captain Mats Sundin, who scored the Leafs’ fourth goal. “We know before the game starts, whether Peter plays or not, we have to be desperate to start the game.”
They were. They flew past the Flyers and had a 3-0 lead by the end of the first, chasing starting goalie Michael Leighton. O’Neill, Nik Antropov and Carlo Colaiacovo did the damage. Simon Gagne and Mike Knuble scored for Philadelphia.
For O’Neill, whose Uncle Mike made the trip, it was his 19th goal of the season, matching his total goal output last season.
“I can get 30 goals,” said O’Neill. “That’s kind of what I’m looking at right now. Just to come through and help the team and have some timely goals, that’s all I’m asking of myself right now.”
O’Neill, who spent some time in Maurice’s doghouse early in the season, has impressed the coach lately.
“Jeff didn’t play much the first 20 games of the season,” said Maurice. “He’s not on our No. 1 power-play unit and he doesn’t get 5-on-3 time, which is where he was when he scored 40 (in Carolina).
“He’s a shooter, no question.”
O’Neill was set up by Matt Stajan, who picked up his 22nd assist and 30th point – both career highs. The line, with Alex Steen, has played remarkably well in filling the breach left by injuries to Darcy Tucker and Kyle Wellwood.
“The three guys all got here on skill, but they’re good defensively and that opened up their game for us.”
Colaiacovo picked up his fourth goal, which stood up as the game winner, by carrying the puck on a 3-on-1.
He had taken a penalty at 12:02 and Pavel Kubina fed him a pass right when he came out of the box.
“When you’re in there, you’re imagining somebody feeding you for a breakaway if you win the draw,” said Colaiacovo. “Kuby made a heads-up play and saw me come out with a second left, chipped it by the defenceman and I just tried to go as hard as I could to the net.”
That was the end of Leighton, replaced in the Flyers’ net by Antero Niittymaki.
The only downside to the Leaf game last night was a penchant for taking dumb penalties. They gave the Flyers two two-man advantages, and the Flyers scored on both to make the game closer than it should have been.
“It’s tough when you’re playing a team that came out flat like that, and all of a sudden they turn the jets on,” said O’Neill. “Then you realize you’re in a dog fight.”
Andrew Raycroft started his 19th straight game, running his record in that span to 11-5-3.
He was at his best in the third, when the Flyers outshot Toronto 16-3.
Life , A Small Spark Between Two Eternities 