The end score wasn't quite the same from what he used to watch on a nightly basis, but for Paul Maurice one time head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, watching the Leafs almost blow a huge lead must have seemed rather familiar.
Thursday night brought the Leafs together with the Hurricanes, Maurice's new/old team for the first time since his dismissal in Toronto and subsequent rehiring by the Canes in December.
As things started out he must have wondered where all that Leaf scoring had been hiding during his tenure behind the bench of the Blue and white, the Leafs jumped out to an impressive 4-0 lead, only to surrender it completely by the third period, providing what surely must have seemed like the same kind of collapse that cost Maurice his job in Toronto.
The Hurricanes battled back with a fury in the second and third periods, in fact with a disallowed goal to their credit, they should have been leading the game heading into the final stages of the third period, however in the end, it was a player that never seemed to understand Maurice's coaching style that caused him the most grief on the night.
Jason Blake counted three goals, including an empty netter late in the third to cement the victory, a burst of offensive prowess that must have had Maurice grabbing for a program to make sure that there hadn't been a last minute trade by the Leafs heading into the game.
Blake's five point night, brought to an end a four game losing streak by the Leafs who had been looking rather futile of late as they start to slide down the Eastern conference standings.
For Maurice, besides the disappointment in not besting his former team, he now has to try and find a way to reverse the Canes own skid, which ran up to four straight losses with the defeat to Toronto on Thursday.
National Post-- Blake's five-point night buries Hurricanes
Globe and Mail-- Blake's career night propels Leafs
Associated Press-- Jason Blake's five points carry Leafs past Hurricanes
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