Sabres goalie Ryan Miller keeps the puck out of the net as Leafs' James van Riemsdyk takes a jab at it in Toronto on Monday night. (Michael Peake/QMI Agency)
TORONTO - The Maple Leafs gave away free tickets, hot dogs and soft drinks at their opening game on Monday night at the Air Canada Centre.
They could have given away rabid scorpions and the fans still would have flocked down to Bay and Front with their arms stretched out and smiles on their faces.
Given the reaction by blue and white diehards at Monday’s game (most of whom seemed fast asleep), and the numbers on CBC and NBC on the weekend, NHL hockey fans were clearly never as angry about the lockout as we were led to believe.
Remember all those sad faces and angry words and those teary-eyed tykes on TV? Remember the angst, the boycott threats, the petitions, the angry protests? Nothing but a lot of empty bluster.
