Senators Have That Vetoed Feeling

The Stanley Cup playoffs begin today, which means frothing at the mouth has started in Canada.

With five of the six Canadian teams in the playoffs -- Edmonton fans can amuse themselves with Gretzky memories -- the lid is off Canadian sports pages.

The flash point for the first round is the Ottawa-Toronto series, which is billed as “the Battle of Ontario IV.” The teams meet in the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, the Maple Leafs having won the previous three.

Screamed an Ottawa Sun headline: “Bring On the Leafs”

Ottawa residents have long had an inferiority complex when it comes to Toronto, which the large number of Maple Leaf jerseys worn at Senator home games exacerbates.

Said Ottawa’s Marian Hossa, “Hey, if we beat these guys, maybe we’ll get more fans on our side.”

Toronto beat Ottawa in a regular-season game on Saturday, 6-0.

Trivia time: When did two Canadian teams last appear in the Stanley Cup finals?

Sitting Duck: Damian Cox of the Toronto Star took the final shot at goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere of the Ducks:

“Giguere, winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy last spring, made his most significant contribution of the season yesterday by stoning Jarome Iginla with 20 seconds left in the game to stop Iginla from winning the Rocket Richard Trophy outright.”

Skaters’ waltz: For those who have problems with the rough side of hockey, former Philadelphia Flyer Coach Fred Shero had an answer.

“If they want pretty skating, let ‘em go to the Ice Capades,” Shero once said.

Sponsor conflict: This season, Colorado Avalanche forward Teemu Selanne was complaining to reporters about a referee missing an obvious call.

“He must have been having a hot dog and a Coke at the time,” Selanne said.

Jean Martineau, Avalanche vice president for communication, immediately interrupted, “Teemu, not Coke, Pepsi.”

The Avalanche plays in the Pepsi Center.

No identity crisis: Last season, Martineau was asking about tickets for an Avalanche-Duck game and was directed to the Ducks’ ticket manager. According to a Duck official, Martineau introduced himself by saying, “My name is Jean Martineau, and my name is on the Stanley Cup.”

Fight nice: From Jim Armstrong’s America Online column: “With teams fearful of giving up power plays with their seasons on the line, the goons often find themselves healthy scratches in the playoffs. That means the next brawl in the NHL will come when the owners and players sit down to negotiate a new labor agreement.”

Trivia answer: 1989, when Calgary beat Montreal in six games.

And finally: As part of “Fan Appreciation Day,” San Jose Shark players gave their game-worn jerseys to selected fans after the game.

Coach Ron Wilson, however, refused to part with his necktie.

“Are you kidding?” Wilson said. “These ties are more expensive than our jerseys.”