The Friday Spreadsheet

After the initial experience on Twitter, one might say the service is more annoying than fun. You meet some interesting people with interesting views, and then you block them once they go from discussing (and I use that word losely) something you care about to selling you things or ideas you have no use for.

Fine. Just a part of a day on Twitter. But when the Maple Leafs happen to lose a game ... run for cover because Twitter is about to explode. Toronto is melting down. All hope is gone. Civilization as we know it is doomed.

But isn't this a kick in the head. You actually wake up the next morning and the world appears to be fine. At least, it's not doomed. But the Leafs watch continues each day, as if that team truly was the most important one in the NHL.

And just to spice things up on Twitter last night, a few reporters who apparently had no deadline to meet, were talking about the troubles of the Senators, Flames and Maple Leafs in tones that seemed to indicate the collapse of government and all that Canadians hold dear to themselves. Here's TSN's Bob McKenzie on Twitter:

Don't recall a time when things were messier in TOR, OTT and CGY at the same time. GMs looking to deal, coaches on hot seats, not pretty.

And here's an Ontario-centric view of the world from ESPN's Pierre LeBrun.

Leafs and Sens being shut out at home so far tonight... both coaches possibly on hot seat... Ugly times in the province of Ontario

James Mirtle, beat writer for The Globe and Mail, care to offer a tweet on the Leafs alone?

Booing in Toronto was louder than it's been in a long, long time. The "Fire Wilson" chant was fairly loud, too, at least near the press box.

So I get it. Things are bad. But Edmonton won, so something good came out of the evening. The Leafs may very well fire Ron Wilson one of these days. But I don't need the daily splat of 140-character bird droppings about doom in Toronto. I'm not surprised the Leafs are bad. For the most part, they have not been good since I was 6. The world did not end, the seas did not part, and the sky did not fall in. Heck, the Rangers even won the Cup in that period. But the sky did not fall in.

At least, I don't think it has. I better check Twitter for updates.

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
N.Y. Rangers 6, at N.Y. Islanders 5
At Boston 8, Tampa Bay 1
Montreal 5, at New Jersey 1
At Pittsburgh 3, Atlanta 2
Edmonton 5, at Toronto 0
San Jose 4, at Ottawa 0
At Dallas 2, Washington 1
At Los Angeles 3, Florida 2
Roundup is here.
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Houston 4, Rockford 3 SO
Recap is here.
Summary is here.
Standings are here.

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Greenville 7, Gwinnett 1
At Wheeling 5, Trenton 2
Las Vegas 3, at Utah 2
At Idaho 2, Alaska 1
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Moncton 4, Lewiston 3
Recap is here.
Summary is here.
Standings are here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Mississauga 3, at Brampton 2
Belleville 8, at Peterborough 6
At Oshawa 3, Kingston 2 OT
Niagara 5, at Windsor 3
Sudbury 4, at Barrie 3
Roundup is here.
Summaries are here.
Standings are here.

NCAA DIVISION I MEN'S HOCKEY
HOCKEY EAST
New Hampshire 3, at Massachusetts-Lowell 0
Summary and recap are here.
Standings are here.