Blackhawks Ruin Leafs Party

The Chicago Blackhawks spoiled a gala goodbye party, embarrassing the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2 Saturday night in the final NHL game at historic Maple Leaf Gardens.

Unfazed by the nostalgic hoopla, the Blackhawks dominated all but a few moments of the second period to break a seven-game losing streak and subdue a celebrity-studded crowd.

There was symmetry to the victory, since it was the Blackhawks who won the opening game in the Gardens in November 1931, beating the Maple Leafs 2-1.

Though the Gardens will remain a venue for minor league hockey and other events, the Maple Leafs will have a new home as of next Saturday -- the 18,800-seat Air Canada Centre. The game with Chicago marked the NHL's departure from the last of the arenas built in the 1920s and '30s for the league's Original Six franchises.

The Maple Leafs, under an intense media spotlight heading into the finale, seemed nervous at the start of the game, and Chicago jumped to a quick 2-0 lead. Tony Amonte backhanded his own rebound past Curtis Joseph at 4:18 for his 28th goal, and Reid Simpson made it 2-0 at 6:41 with his first goal of the season.

Former Maple Leafs captain Doug Gilmour stretched the Blackhawks' lead to 3-0 on a power-play goal at 3:11 of the second period before the Maple Leafs rallied.

With a two-man advantage for Toronto, Steve Thomas knocked in a pass across the crease from Steve Sullivan for the first Maple Leafs' goal, and Derek King pulled Toronto within goal at 8:15, beating a sprawling Jocelyn Thibault from close range.

The crowd began to sound hopeful, then was stunned as Chicago put the game away with three straight goals in the third period. Simpson scored his second goal at 3:48, Eric Daze beat Joseph with a high slap shot at 5:19 and Bob Probert scored at 11:05.

Dozens of former Maple Leafs players were on hand for the game, including Red Horner, 89, the only surviving member of the 1931 team that played the Gardens' opening.

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Doug Gilmour (left) and Mats Sundin (right) wait for Red Horner (second from left) and Frank March to drop the puck. (AP)

Horner dropped the puck for a ceremonial faceoff along with Frank "Mush" March, now 90, who as a Blackhawk scored the first goal at the Gardens in the opener Nov. 12, 1931.

The Maple Leafs completed their 68-year run at the Gardens with a record of 1,215-768-356. They won 11 of their 13 Stanley Cups at the arena, but none since 1967.

Before the final game, Maple Leafs coach Pat Quinn reflected on the NHL's shift away from the old hockey rinks to new, all-purpose arenas.

"We've slowly lost our shrines," he said. "As we've moved to these monstrous buildings -- that are beautiful and great places to showcase our game -- we've lost the old element where it was just a place for the everyday guy to go."

Scalpers commanded $400 for the worst seats in the house, much more for good seats.

"This is history," said Phillip DuPre, who shelled out $1,000 for two mid-level seats for himself and his 13-year-old son, Jon. "I grew up watching the Leafs here. No price is too high for tonight."

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