MONTREAL -- Tomas Kaberle has a surefire solution to upgrade moral victories into real ones.
"Don't get behind," said the Maple Leafs defenceman, who has had the offensive touch lately including the last-minute goal to force overtime against the Canadiens last night.
"Most of the games we've been behind one or two goals and we have had to fight back just to tie it. We have to be the team that's leading. Maybe then we will get some breaks."
With a goal and three assists last night, Kaberle has two and 15 on the season for 17 points and is easily the Leafs scoring leader. Helped by a career high five-point effort earlier this week against Anaheim, Kaberle is off to one of the quickest starts of his career.
"He's doing a great job, obviously picking up points by the bushel full on the power play and showing lots of confidence," Leafs coach Ron Wilson said of the four-point effort. "We're encouraged by that."
The Leafs will look for optimism - and offence - any place they can find it, but Wilson is already putting the brakes on Leafs fans getting overly enthused about the potential Toronto debut of forward Phil Kessel when the Leafs return to action Tuesday night against Tampa.
Clearly the spotlight will be on the sniper Leafs GM Brian Burke acquired just before the regular-season, but who knows how long it will take the former Bruin to accelerate to game speed.
"We'll see," Wilson said of the potential immediate impact of Kessel, who is listed as day-to-day in his recovery from off-season shoulder surgery.
"Phil hasn't played in six months so I know everybody thinks he's going to score six goals on the first night and I don't expect that of him if he does play on Tuesday.
"You've just got to remember that he hasn't played in six months. He doesn't even have an exhibition game under his belt and he's way behind the eight-ball so we will be patient when he does play."
Forward Alexei Ponikarovsky, who scored twice last night to end a six-game goalless run, feels Kessel can't help but bring a boost.
"We all know he's a good player and he's crafty," Ponikarovsky. "He's a goal scorer so he's going to bring a lot to the team."
ROB.LONGLEY@SUNMEDIA.CA
