While one Maple Leaf is thrilled to be back, Clarke MacArthur isn’t so happy to be on the sidelines. For Matthew Lombardi, it wasn’t exactly a game for the ages. Not one he’ll likely recall two months from now; never mind after he hangs ‘em up.
After nearly a year on the sidelines, the 29-year-old Montreal native felt good to get back into a game…to hit…to get hit…and everything else that goes with playing in the National Hockey League. “Obviously it’s a big weight off my shoulders,” said Lombardi, who suffered a concussion last October during his two-game stint as a member of the Nashville Predators and then sat out the remainder of the season. Lombardi was acquired by the Maple Leafs in a trade with the Nashville Predators in July. The veteran forward has worked diligently toward his comeback and has answered too many questions about his progress without really revealing too much. However, when quizzed if he’ll be healthy enough to be in the lineup next Thursday when Toronto opens its 2011-12 regular season with a home contest against the Montreal Canadiens, he enthusiastically said, “Yes!” Considering Toronto has been decimated with injuries at centre in recent days with Tim Connolly, Nazem Kadri, Tyler Bozak and, on Saturday night Mikhail Grabovski, that is good news. Even better news, though, is the fact Connolly, Bozak and Grabovski should all be ready for the season opener. Where that leaves Lombardi depends on what happens in practice. Leafs head coach Ron Wilson really didn’t get a good feel in one game for what Lombardi, who has 89 career goals to go with 236 points in 466 games, can bring to the table this season. “It’s hard for me to really judge him without watching (tape of the game),” Wilson said. “We wanted him to get his feet wet tonight, but when Grabovski went down it became a stressful situation for the three centres.” The three remaining centres, Lombardi, Mike Zigomanis and Philippe Dupuis, all played more than they otherwise would have. Lombardi’s stat line at the end of the night read: 17:08 ice time, two hits, one give away, five faceoffs won and nine faceoffs lost. All in all, a rather uneventful night. For Lombardi getting into action meant becoming, finally, an active part of the team. “The guys have been really good with me making me feel a part of things,” he said. “But I hadn’t played until tonight, so it’s nice to finally get in there. I just want to leave last year, and the injury, behind me. I just want to think about this season.” MACARTHUR PARKED: Leafs winger Clarke MacArthur sat out his first of a three-game suspension –one pre-season and the first two regular season games — Saturday night and he wasn’t exactly thrilled about it. In fact, he’s not pleased with the direction Brendan Shanahan is taking the game. Shanahan, the NHL’s new disciplinarian having replaced Colin Campbell, ruled MacArthur delivered a head shot worthy of a suspension in Toronto’s pre-season game against the Red Wings in Detroit Friday night. Considering some of the hits that have drawn the ire of the new sheriff, this one didn’t look quite so bad, but, at the end of the day, when you are trying to make a statement and change the culture of the game, a little nitpicking can go a long way. “I barely hit him,” said MacArthur. “I was disappointed (with the suspension and loss of salary). It’s such a grey area; I glanced off his shoulder and then hit his head. He comes after me and throws some sucker punches. It would be different if he was left lying on the ice. I just think there’s going to be no hitting in the game anymore. Guys don’t want to get 10-game suspensions. The puck carrier has no responsibility anymore.” MacArthur is coming off a career year in which he scored 21 goals and 62 points in 82 games. He was itching to justify his new two-year, $6.5 million contract, but now he’ll have to wait until Oct. 15 when Toronto hosts the Calgary Flames to make his season debut. “The upsetting part is not being with the guys for the first two games of the year,” MacArthur said. “I know it’s only a two-game suspension, but we have a week off between Games 2 and 3.
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