z_The Hockey Page - Toronto Star

More trouble a-Bruin'

McCabe makes Team Canada after all, but that's not the story today. There's not many issues to argue about with the roster, very similar to the one chosen by Star readers in an online survey this week. The one difference is a biggie -- our readers left Todd Bertuzzi off their Team Canada, Gretzky, Lowe and all, not. So we're asking today if Bertuzzi deserves to be on the team. Does he represent Canada's Olympic ideals? Check the website for our yes/no survey. Early returns are about even but the comments are anti-Bertuzzi. Seems our readers don't want this guy on our team.

Leafs and Bruins tonight in one of those home-and-home deals. Back in Toronto tomorrow night.
Boston, 9 points behind Buds, are thinking making up 4 of those points in two days will help.
Hey, that Thornton trade isn't really working out yet, is it? Sturm does have 4 goals since the trade (Thornton has 3 goals and 16 points in 8 games) and is skating with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Boyes (yeah, that guy) on the B's second line.

Mark Zwolinski has the latest on the Leafs injuries, including "good to go" from both Tie Domi and Jeff O'Neill.

But seriously, Todd Bertuzzi? Yes? No?

UPDATE: Damien Cox with some words today on the topic: why including Bertuzzi is not only a mistake, but a political move.

2 minutes: delay of game

Chris hands over the reigns ... and I take a couple days off.

So we'll call it 2 minutes for delay of game. Because everybody's complaining about penalties.

I didn't get to see the Islander shootout up close. Managed to find a a pub after watching a giant ape fight three (three!) T-Rex. But let's just say it was difficult to order a drink, what with the bartender cheering all those goals, studying all those replays of shady Islanders in the crease.

Mark Zwolinski reports today on the Leafs confusion -- in their last two games: 21 minor penalties over 5 periods, resulting in 9 goals against. Read Zoro for the story of how the Leafs are dealing with the officiating issues.

Watched the Ottawa "game" -- Sens 6-for-11 on the PP, Leafs 1-for-6, me falling asleep. The 4-on-4 hockey was okay, I guess. All 20-odd minutes of it. The Oilers-Canucks game that followed on HNIC Saturday was so much better. Rarely get to see western teams play but it always seems to be better hockey.

Again, sorry for no posts this week, we've been busy preparing for today's Team Canada announcement, and putting together Team Toronto Star readers -- at 5 pm we get to see the official roster. One question there. If Canada was down a goal and on a power play with 3 minutes left in the third period of the gold medal game, who would you want shooting from the point?

Comments are always open, please, what the heck is wrong with those two-faced Leafs?

Back tomorrow to set up Bruins and their long list of problems. (SW)

From hurting to hooey

A whole lot of hurtin' goin' on.
Eric Lindros has a torn wrist ligament, and Belfour's "got a groin" as they say in the trade.
Allison made it after being iffy following some dental surgery -- a gamer, he is. Leafs win 3-2 against Anaheim, showing more zip than any night out since that late November overtime tilt against Montreal -- although it was no sure thing right up until the end, hanging on against a team that has won just three road games.
Still, they won without a couple of major ingredients.

BERNARD WEIL/TORONTO STAR

Mats Sundin doll: Just pull the string and he does his little dance with 110% effort.

Time to pull the cord on the side of the Mats Sundin doll:

"I think that's the sign of a good team. Good teams in this league can do that; they can win games when certain people are out of the lineup."

Hey, amazingly lifelike and just in time for Christmas.
At least this will make the next few days a little less shrill around here, with the Senators coming in next following four off days with airwaves to be filled and prints to be printed. Add a four-game losing streak to the usual hooey re Lindros, Belfour et al., not to mention organizing a search party for Jeff O'Neill and more pulls of the Sundin doll cord, and it would've been even more unbearable than usual, so count your blessings out of this one.
Only a couple of notes from last night worth passing along: Keith Carney was awful for the visitors, suffering through a Belakian evening and as Ken Campbell points out, even Kyle Wellwood had no choice but to shoot after Carney set him up beautifully in front of the net. And Alexander Steen was the best on the ice by a mile to everyone except the three star selectors, who pegged him at No. 3 -- that was as mystifying as all those NHL scouts on hand in the boxes, and not a trade rumour to be found.
I guess that's what these four off days will be for.

Other stuff:

With Mario Lemieux not confident about the Penguins remaining in Pittsburgh, it's time to round up the usual suspects.

Jiri Fischer talked yesterday: "I don't foresee myself coming back in the next couple of weeks. But this is what I know. It's all I've worked for my whole life. I don't want it to be taken away."

(Oh, one more little thing. A little while back I mentioned William Shatner's commercial and after enduring it again last night, I'm reminded of a link regular poster Carla sent in that got lost in the shuffle. It's a bit old, and I guess my well-used Shatner Shield protected me from it before, but here's her explanation for the "simple man" conceit behind that unwatchable combination of product promotion and Bill's usual mugging: Shatner and Pulp, Common People (WM player req'd).)
(C.Y.)

No offence, but...

Inside of two weeks until Christmas, and the Leafs are pulseless. Time for a bit of a ramble here, so pour yourself a fresh cup, extra bile.
First, let's call the roll: Three losses in a row, and four in five games; just 21 goals scored in their past nine games; a power play down to a 9-for-66 conversion rate the past 10 nights.
Pat Quinn notes a "lack of urgency", at least in Ken Campbell's interpretation (over at the Sun, Lance Hornby drily notes the Leafs can't even use their customary excuses):

"I think our team has a feeling that they're a pretty good team and they can be, but we're not right now."

Not much to go on there. Sounds like every team I've ever heard of.

"We have to have a different mentality right now. We're not okay right now and we've got to work in different ways to get okay again."

A little warmer. Sounds like the coach figures his team -- and by definition, that means the key parts -- don't care, or aren't putting the work in. (An old coaching trick, which conveniently leaves the coach's role out of the process.)
Here's Allison, in the Sun, on the ailing power play:

"In Los Angeles (a few years ago), we did have the best power play in the league, but we had stretches just like this. I'm not saying we don't care about this stuff, but I also don't think it's panic-button time, either."

I wasn't able to watch all of Saturday's game, but I did note a moment when, instead of using McCabe and Kaberle as its focus, shifted down low to Allison set up as the hub behind the net. The Leafs got a good chance out of it. They oughta try it some more. Everybody has adjusted to McCabe, playing a longer box. And Allison, over the last month, has been the club's most consistent and productive forward not named Darcy Tucker.
There remains the five-on-five troubles, where the Leafs have stacked up quite poorly in the league's pecking order all season long -- they're 18th in the league in 5-on-5 production this morning.
Among the backsliders of late:

Jeff O'Neill has gone missing -- Pointless with just four shots on goal in hsi last five games.
Mats Sundin's goal on Saturday ended a five-game drought. (Don Cherry puts this down to wearing the visor, of course.)
Kyle Wellwood has one point in his last eight games, and has gone 12 games without a goal. (Note to Don: Wellwood doesn't wear a visor). Kid needs more ice time and a clearly defined role.
Eric Lindros has one goal in his last 10 games. (No visor. Hmmm.).

These are all problems in the one area they were supposed to have covered: generating offence (and not wearing visors, perhaps).
Against Dallas's tight checking, the Leafs had no answers -- even that one goal that got fans talking, Lindros and Sundin playing together, doesn't have Quinn planning a permanent union of the two on a line, although he is starting to talk about his plan to separate Lindros, Sundin and Allison in the past tense, so stay tuned:

"I did like the idea of three big guys in the middle. I felt that both in our zone and the offensive zone, in the way the rules were going to be called, we could have some real success in both ends with strength up the middle. I didn't want to mix that up. But maybe there is something there."

Tonight Anaheim comes in, then they have a whole week leading up to Saturday before they play again -- plenty of time to hear and read about how horrible they are, and push the panic button in earnest (over at Budblog, it's already started).
A little while back, regular poster Denial said the Leafs were if anything overachieving in the first six weeks or so of the schedule. It sure looks that way to me. Mind you, this is right where most of us figured they'd be -- just barely hanging on to a playoff spot -- so at least in the big picture, none of it should come as any surprise.

A couple of other links:

With Alex Khavanov doubtful, the Leafs defence will look different tonight against the Ducks (brace yourself, but Wade Belak practised as a D-man yesterday).

Fresh off his one-year blogiversary, James Mirtle takes a look at what the Olympic roster(s) would look like if they were based on current form.
(C.Y.)

Now on defence: Tom Foolery

PAUL HUNTER/TORONTO STAR

Black sweater might be more appropriate.

Pat Quinn is an obliging fellow.
The media pack following the Leafs around is ravenously hungry, so he throws them a pork chop now and then -- change up the defence pairs, say. Instant headlines. Blog heaven. Thanks, coach.
So Bryan McCabe -- you know there's a law saying he has to be mentioned every day, right? -- was moved alongside Alex Khavanov yesterday instead of Tomas Kaberle, which is like switching a lightly chilled '01 Pinot for Mateus out of a wineskin. Aki and Carlo, Klee and Kaberle, and among the forwards, there was even a Marius Czerkawski sighting (perhaps the last, so enjoy it while you can).
"Just sort of an experiment," said Quinn, who has also talked about changing up the power play formation.
No one asked about how this ... tomfoolery is the word that comes to mind ... would affect B-Mac's Olympic team chances, but I'm sure that's coming tomorrow when Quinn is quizzed about today's team selectors' meeting in Philly. Just a prediction, mind you.

Elsewhere this morning:

Mario Lemieux is feeling much better and may be back in the lineup in a week to 10 days, which is very good news indeed. And Damien Cox wants him on the team for Turin (er ... what happened to the double standard?).

The Globe's Tim Wharnsby looks at the Leafs schedule -- it's been hectic, now it's easing, and it'll get hectic later on.

Alexander Steen is feeling better; not so Staffan Kronwall.
(C.Y.)

 

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To some linkage, which will be light today. Still tired from shovelling all that snow. But don't think we won't have some wonderful bits o' hockey info, like:

Did you know Adam Mair's nickname is "Scud"? It's because he plays like a ballistic missile. Or,

"He gives our team smack," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff tells the Buffalo News.

So should Aki Berg's (Leafs traded "Scud" for Berg, remember?) nickname be "Mayday"? Czerkawski sure sounds like a "Dud". Please send us your suggestions.

Top line alert:

Sakic-Hejduk-Tanguay are on fire. And tonight, the Senators meet the Canucks and Vancouver is thinking outside the box in their attempts to stop the best line in the NHL.

It's become a daily stop in San Jose around here, for good reason. 6-2 win over Florida last night. Thornton 2 more points. Marleau 3 more. "Patty", as it appears they call him, has completely picked up his game since the trade -- four  consecutive 3-point games. Four straight wins for Sharks and Joey-T tied for third in scoring with 41 points. Heck, they're even having more fun in the dressing room.

Quick hits:

We don't do trade rumours here, but it certainly looks like Petr Sykora will be traded.

Roberto Luongo is going through a horrible stretch. Panthers are going to give him some time off.

Last word to Sid the Kid. Showing off those leadership skills in Pittsburgh. After a 5-0 loss last night:

"I don't know if the effort was there. NHL teams, they've got to find a way to be prepared for an opponent. They've got a good team and a good system over there, but that doesn't make it any better."

He's on my Team Canada. (SW)

Olympic speculation, Take 24

(UPDATE: Before you go any further, you. must. go. here. Thanks to J.E. Skeets for sending this one along as it makes the rounds of all-star hockey blog sites, and this one too.)

Leafs lose, Gretzky talks.
Both of them were kind of anticlimaxes.
Gretz, in the midst of an eastern Olympic scouting tour while the Coyotes have some days off, said this on Sportsnet's broadcast (not high-def, if you're scoring at home) on the subject of Bryan McCabe's inclusion in Canada's Olympic team, as long-winded and cheerful a no-comment as you'd ever hear:

PETER POWER/TORONTO STAR

McCabe does all the things we like - like making Sean Avery eat glove.

“He’s been outstanding. And good for him, it’s a great story. I love when guys do well, and I love the controversy it creates, that people back there favour players and their favourite teams. That’s what it’s all about.  I don’t have the right answers. Unless we win a gold medal it’s going to be a controversy.
“I said the last time we went in ’02 when we leave this room, these 23 guys, we have to really believe these are the guys that are going to help win a gold medal. We can’t waver. And we didn’t waver with the group we had. We were pleased with the 23 guys and fortunately we won the gold medal and stopped all the controversy. I’m kind of glad I’m in Phoenix two months after the team is picked. I won’t have to read or hear about it too much.
“Everybody brings an element to the hockey club. You just don’t want all skaters or all puckhandlers. You’ve gotta have forecheckers, physical guys, guys who can block shots, power play guys, and it becomes a tremendous group effort.”

He said "power-play guys", did you hear that? So there is a chance for McCabe after all.
More Gretzky, from a between-period scrum:  "He is a good defenceman and we are watching him closely. Everybody wants to add guys, but who gets taken off?"
Well, Steve Yzerman, for one. He begs off, but McCabe can't beg in, writes Damien Cox, who calls it a double standard. I call it The Way It Is -- someone's always going to be left off. This ain't Italy playing hockey, or Canada playing soccer. We have a surplus of good players in this game -- including Mario Lemieux, whom Gretzky will talk to on Saturday, and Jason Spezza, who says, "I think what's I've done shows I can play there."

Oh, and about last night: Mathieu Garon was extraordinary in the Kings goal -- there was the difference in a tight 2-1 game. McCabe was ordinary, and so it followed that the Leafs' power-play was as well, going 1-for-9 and prompting Pat Quinn to talk about changing the setup when on the advantage.
(C.Y.)

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Some linkage today, starting off with a great piece from yesterday's Detroit News on Jiri Fischer and the medical team that saved the Red Wings defenceman's life.

"As you're walking down there, there's the thought that, 'Well, maybe he was light-headed and passed out. Maybe it's his mouth guard.' You're just getting your thoughts together. When I got to his side, which was probably just shortly after Tony got there, maybe 10 seconds, 15 seconds after it happened, there was no mistake because he was unresponsive at that point."

Former Leaf Mike Johnson, skating in Phoenix for the Coyotes had two goals Monday night late in the game. With the goalie pulled, he found himself in position for an easy hat trick via open net.

"I gave him the puck, and he gave it back to me. And I'm thinking to myself, 'He should have taken that shot,' " says teammate Mike Comrie.

Heck of a team player, that Johnson. A bit weird too.

More ex-Leafs in the links today, Tampa's Fred Modin is among a dying breed of NHL lumberjacks. From the St. Petersberg Times:

According to manufacturer CCM, Modin is one of 42 players, not including goaltenders, using all-wood sticks. That means of 540 skaters eligible to play on a given night (18 on each of 30 teams), just 7.8 percent use wood.

Cue the Got Wood? jokes.

Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of the Patrick Roy trade that saw the legendary goalie leave Montreal for Colorado. The Montreal Gazette remembers the day:

"It's so sad how it finished in Montreal," Roy tells the Gazette. "I've never been back there, not even for a game or anything."

Finally, now that they've seen Joe Thornon in San Jose, do you think they're happy about the trade? From San Jose Mercury News:

Dang, the guy can create hockey goals. And dang, a new era of rock-and-roll offense has arrived. And dang, Thornton is going to have a lot of other people saying "dang'' before his work is done here.

Thinking the Bruins and their fans will be near the top of the list of people saying a few "dangs". (SW)

Some Leaf numbers

Over at the Battle of Ontario, The Meatriarchy is wondering about Jeff O'Neill:

Did Jeff O'Neil play last night? According to the reports he did but he never even registered a shot on goal and played a grand total of 9:33 of which 3:55 was on the power play. So he had just over 5 minutes of ice time at even strength. Is there something going on that we don't know about?

Good question. The Leafs' designated trigger man is running a unique triple double so far this season: 11 goals, 11 assists and a team-worst minus-11. That offence looks okay on the surface, but the guy is virtually invisible at even strength, only two of his goals coming outside the power play. I guess that's why he's fallen down to the No. 4 line with Stajan and Wellwood.

Speaking of 11, the Leafs played seven in that many nights, their most taxing stretch of the season so far, and in crunching the numbers O'Neill didn't fare that badly. Here's the individuals for that period, in which Leafs won three (one of those in OT) and lost four (one of those in a shootout) and in general struggled offensively (Listed are goals-assists-plus/minus):

Allison 3 - 4 - E
McCabe 2 - 4 - minus 2
Tucker 5 - 0 - plus 2
Steen 1 - 4 - E
Sundin 1 - 4 - minus 1
O'Neill 2 - 2 - E
Kaberle 0 - 4 - plus 2
Lindros 1 - 3 - minus 1
Ponikarovsky 1 - 2 - plus 1
Antropov 1 - 2 - plus 1
Kilger 2 - 0 - minus 1
Stajan 1 - 1 - E
Wellwood 0 - 2 - plus 2
Colaiacovo 0 - 1 - plus 2
Berg 0 - 1 - plus 1
Klee 0 - 1 - minus 3
Kronwall 0 - 0 - plus 3
Wilm 0 - 0 - minus 1
Czerkawski 0 - 0 - minus 1
Domi 0 - 0 - minus 2
Khavanov 0 - 0 - minus 3

Belfour 5 games, 3.23 GAA, .897 save pct.
Tellqvist 2 games, 1.45 GAA, .952 save pct.

Other Leafs links this morning:

The Montreal Gazette's Dave Stubbs has a nice one on pesty Sean Avery, in town with the Kings tomorrow night, including this from Mathieu Dandenault:

"He says stupid things sometimes, but he's still a decent guy. He came to my wedding. But being a French-Canadian here, I took the opportunity when I had it. That was a good, clean hit."

Mark Zwolinski has an early look at those Kings, including some western conference aggregate numbers.

Team Sun asks, can the Leafs win the Cup? The answer: um, maybe, maybe not.
(C.Y.)

Over-and-overtime

You'd think Chris was travelling with the Leafs this weekend, working all that overtime -- somehow he managed to get the morning off. But life goes on. And on the weekend, it went on... and on... and on... heck, even the CFLers got into the OT spirit.

Leafs, shootout losers Friday to Hurricanes (thanks a lot, referee), then back home to trump the Habs in overtime (thanks a lot, referee). Proof that in even the hockey world the forces of good and evil will balance out: Leafs were wondering why video replay wasn't used in Carolina to give them what appeared to be Sundin's overtime winner, only to lose in yet another shootout (more on that later).
Then, back at home Saturday and a penalty call just in time for extra time and, yup, Sundin gets his OT goal, Leafs avoid the dreaded shootout, Canadiens go home fuming and Leaf Nation is back in balance.

AP PHOTO

No dice on the poke-check from Mikael Tellqvist Friday night.

Today, Leafs hit the road for a mini three-game road trip. Panthers (hey, Joe Nieuwendyk is supposed to play!), Lightning, Thrashers -- three teams below them in the standings (Tampa's played 26 games for 29 points, Leafs played 24 games for the same). A quick look at the East:

Ottawa       36 points
NY Rangers  35
Carolina       31
Montreal      32
Buffalo        29
Philadelphia  29
Toronto       29
Tampa Bay   29
----
NY Islanders 25
New Jersey  24
Atlanta       22
Boston        21
Pittsburgh   20
Washington 18
Florida        18

Leafs are 1-3 in shootouts this season. Allan Ryan has the stats: they've taken just nine shots in four shootouts. Eric Lindros has their only goal.

Maybe it's too early or just too silly to do this, but even just two extra points in the standings puts Buds deeper into the playoff picture and closer to fourth seed and some of that home ice advantage. (more importantly nobody wants that 8th seed and date with Ottawa in the first round - hands up if you wanna play the Senators in the first round. They've played the fewest games in the league (21) and are tied with Detroit with the most points (36).

But we won't hate on the shootout today. Not after Satruday's 15-rounder at Madison Square Garden.

A quick look around the league shows the Bruins deathwatch is still going, and the undertaker is looking this way. The coach is too often the goat when a team is struggling, and today we spot a mention of Paul Maurice as a possible new man in Beantown.

Tonight, Leafs meet Florida, formerly known as 12-game losing streak. Paul Hunter has their sad story and the trade rumours. Not that trading Roberto Luongo will help:

''Our poor goalies have been getting killed out there", says Gary Roberts.

One lineup note from Ken Campbell this morning Colaiacovo back on the Buds' blue line. (SW)

Case for the defence

The Leafs have a nice little string going, and Ken Campbell hits it right on the head in his morning gamer off last night's tidy 4-1 win in Boston against the limpid limping (thanks, Matthew) Bruins (another one of those broadcasts from "Canada's sports leader in high-definition" that wasn't available in HD):

In their past two games, the Leafs have taken a total of just eight minor penalties and have surrendered only one goal while killing them. In the new NHL, power plays are so important that you'd better make sure you're not getting your lunch handed to you 5-on-5 on a regular basis. In their past two games, both wins, the Leafs have given up one 5-on-5 goal.

Those penalty stats  are a bit skewed, too, by the double minor O'Neill took in the last two-plus minutes last night, well the Bruins had turned into human white flags. Up until recently, the Leafs were good for a couple of dumb stick penalties a night -- I haven't seen one since a careless O'Neill trip in the first period at Montreal last Saturday.

Which brings me to a question -- is it just me, or do you see the referees changing the way they're calling the game? It was noted last night on the broadcast that players who dump the puck in are being ridden off into the boards now with some gusto, and although that seemed to be a penalty a month ago, it's not now.

There are, too, at least one or two occasions a game now where apparent penalties aren't called (last night, it was a cross-check on O'Neill in front of the net; based on just impressions, the front of the net area does seem to be a little more vigorously contested of late). The Leafs are playing with some added discipline (finally!), but it also looks to me like the refs are letting a little bit more go -- although I'd love to hear some opinions from those of you who are watching more games from elsewhere around the league than I confess I am right now.

I had some defensive stats to throw at you, but I've left them at work and will update this later when I get into the office next week.

Meantime, here's some good reads, some of them I've been hoarding after yesterday's technical-difficulties day made for a compressed posting:

Ace hockey scribe Paul Hunter gets dressed to kill as an extra in the National Ballet Company's Swan Lake production, and compares the pas de deux to a cross-ice pass -- a great morning read from one of this paper's best writers:

It is when the dancers traipse off the stage and drop the elegant facade, that one gets a better understanding of how hard they push themselves. Unheard over the orchestra is the panting as they gasp for their breath and grab for water bottles, not unlike a hockey player after a tough shift. Unseen are the pained expressions as they stretch and contort their bodies, limbering up for the next scene.
There's nothing like the image of a swan maiden, doubled over, spitting in to a garbage can to dispel the notion that this is easy.
(snip)
As for myself, my task at yesterday's matinee consisted mostly of standing and nodding the odd time, a role made for a sports reporter.

Ace blogger Eric McErlain has his weekly podcast out -- and also this week, he writes about taking up an invitation to attend a Caps game in owner Ted Leonsis's box (Imagine -- a blogger getting that kind of recognition. Nice job Mr Owner. Nice job Eric).

NHL.com has a bunch of blogs going, including one by 24 star Elisha Cuthbert. (If pushed, I'd take a blogging seminar with Elisha over an invite from Larry Tanenbaum).

Hockey Analysis has tinkered with its Entertainment Index (yeah, I couldn't resist, that's me with the comment about adding minus points for Pierre McGuire on the broadcast)..
(C.Y.)

What team is this

Leafs are in Boston tonight, looking to extend themselves to a third successive win.

This is a little more than your garden-variety November night on the schedule. It's a division game, for one thing, but also more importantly, they've been icing their most complete and excuse-free lineup of late, making some conclusions into focus. Finally, observers can judge something that's been up for debate since the beginning of the season -- just what's the identity of this team, anyway?

This argument can be contrived -- I mean, in a 30-team league where talent is spread so thin, some are just crap and you leave it at that -- but any group with playoff aspirations gets some kind of shorthand attached to them that sums up what they're about. Big team, grinding team, speed team, finesse team, veteran team, young team -- that kind of thing. So I want to know -- what are these Leafs? C'mon, not everyone at once. Lance Hornby at the Sun touched on it today, so can you.

Some links for you (and sorry for being so late with this, but you know what happens with these computers sometimes. More to the point, you know what happens to me with computers sometimes. We just don't get along):

Ken Campbell, on a reconnaissance mission in Boston, finds the Bruins "hungry, motivated and irritable."  Which sounds a little (and only a little, maybe just the hungry part) like, well, this guy. (Thanks to a pair of essentials, Vancouver Canucks Op-Ed and James Mirtle, for the tip).

Everybody's in denial -- the state, not the comments guy, although I'm sure he'll pop up soon -- about ongoing reports of friction between the triangle of Allison, Quinn and JFJ: "In Toronto, these are the stories you hear here. What happened and what was reported are two different things." (Ed. note -- *Yawn*).

Rosie DiManno looks at Tomas Kaberle, content with his role as Bryan McCabe's server.

(C.Y.)