Toronto Star: It was a flashback Saturday for the Maple Leafs.
The last time they hooked up with their historic rivals from Montreal, in Game 82 last season, they staged a wild comeback for a 6-5 victory and they were led by a dominating No. 1 line of Mats Sundin, Alexei Ponikarovsky and Nik Antropov.
Trailing 3-1 and fading in the second period last night, Toronto coach Paul Maurice dropped free-agent newcomer Jason Blake from his top line and inserted Ponikarovsky, reuniting the three towers.
The impact was immediate. Ponikarovsky scored late in the second period and again early in the third – set up by Sundin both times – to push the game, another tremendously entertaining tilt, into overtime.
Then, on a power play of all things, Tomas Kaberle fired a shot that squeezed past Canadiens goaltender Cristobal Huet and edged over the line for the 4-3 victory.
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Ponikarovsky had the kind of big night that finally might get his name spelled correctly on the scoreboard – it appeared with an «i» at the end when he was named the game's first star.
The big winger said he was comfortable with Matt Stajan and Alex Steen as well and he's happy to skate out with any linemates Maurice selects.
«We've got great skill in this dressing room so it doesn't matter who you're playing with," he said. «It's up to the coach. It worked for us this game but we'll see what's going to happen.»
Maurice said his line juggling arose because he thought the team was spent playing its third game in four nights, three games in which he relied heavily on his top lines.
«I thought Blake, Sundin and Antropov were tired. Ponikarovsky had a little more jump and the three of them just fell right back into place," said the coach.
Blake finished the game on a line with Stajan and Steen and Maurice suggested we could see the same events unfolding in future games with Blake and Ponikarovsky switching spots in mid-game.

Globe and Mail: The medical woes continued for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday when Alexei Ponikarovsky had to be helped from the ice during their practice.
Ponikarovsky appeared to injured his left knee when he was in a collision with teammate Chad Kilger.
Ponikarovsky laid on the ice for several minutes and had to be helped off as he favoured his knee.
Leafs head coach Paul Maurice did not reveal the extent of the injury but said «it was not as bad as it looked on the ice.» Maurice added Ponikarovsky may be able to play Thursday night against the New York Islanders

Globe and Mail: There will be no changes to the Leafs' lineup up front and on the blueline. That means Alexei Ponikarovsky will miss his second game in a row with the bruised ankle he suffered in practice on Wednesday.

The Canadian Press: Winger Alex Ponikarovsky (knee) missed his second straight game. «We're hopeful for Monday (at Buffalo)," Maurice said of Ponikarovsky. «We don't think he's that far off.»

Toronto Star: «It went perfect. I'm getting ready for Thursday and hopefully I'll be in the lineup," said the winger who, at yesterday's practice, skated mostly on a line with Nik Antropov and John Pohl. «I feel great.»

The Canadian Press: Alexei Ponikarovsky took three of Toronto's seven minor penalties.
«I got three tonight? I don't know, in my opinion, (the referees) could call some penalties on them, too, but for some reason, (they) were pissed off at us," said Ponikarovsky. «I don't know why, (but the referees) were just looking for us.»
He was especially upset about his last penalty — the one that killed any chance Toronto had of a last-minute equalizer with Raycroft out for an extra attacker.
«The guy turned, I tried to get his stick up, and he was too tired and just fell down," said Ponikarovsky. «I didn't hook him or anything. He dove and (the referee) called the penalty. (The referee) was looking for it.»