Maple leaf is abused on Island
By LANCE HORNBY -- Toronto Sun
UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Anything with a Maple Leaf on it was a target last night, whether it was on a flag or a Toronto jersey.
The few Toronto fans who braved the trip were harassed in the parking lot before Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarter-final against the New York Islanders, including a couple with a big Canadian flag and a smaller Maple Leafs pennant hanging out their car windows. Both were torn away and set on fire in front of the shocked visitors.
Clearly, fans had been watching the controversial hits in Game 5 and listening to loose local radio talk of what Maple Leafs "thuggery" to expect that evening. Islanders supporters, two-thirds of them in team sweaters, were in position hours before the game, the traditional cacophony of car horns sounding the team cheer.
Inside, they ringed the Leafs zone during the warmup like bear-baiting pit, with many hopped-up patrons pounding the glass and shouting obscenities at any player who came near the boards.
As the arena darkened before the teams came out for the game, the scoreboard message read: "Tonight we do it. For Kenny (Jonsson) and Michael (Peca). Our fans. Our home. Our game."
The huge ovation that followed was the cue to start booing the Canadian anthem as soon as Jamie Lynn Sigler had even begun. Sigler was no match for the crowd and the first part of the anthem couldn't even be heard. It ended with chants of "U-S-A!, U-S-A!" and some applause.
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