[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

Better not good enough

By BILL LANKHOF

The buzzword around the Maple Leafs all week has been energy. They've got it. Just ask head coach Paul Maurice, or any of his exuberant Kiddie Korps, and there's enough wind to float a Zeppelin.

And, truth be told, it is possible to beat a lot of things with enthusiasm ...the Buffalo Sabres just aren't one of them.

Humbling the Boston Bruins is one thing. Doing the same to the Sabres, well, that could take a little more practice for the Maple Leafs.

Last night, the Leafs played their youth (or inexperience for you non-believers) and energy against the experienced and talented dervishes employed by the Sabres.

Youth did not win out: Buffalo 4, Toronto 3. "But we're right there," Andrew Raycroft said. "They're the best in the East but we hung in there with them."

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The thing that should be more of a story is how they played while missing players like Kyle Wellwood, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Michael Peca, and Darcy Tucker from their line-up last night.

Had they not fallen into that 2-0 hole so early, and raycroft didn't let in Kotalik's weak wrister from the points, things could have been different.