Mikhail Grabovski doesn't really need any extra motivation to face the Montreal Canadiens. They are, after all, the team that drafted him, kept him in the minors and traded him away.
They're also the team that feature his Belarussian compatriots - the Kostitsyn brothers -whom he just happens to hate. The younger one - Sergei - especially.
But Leaf coach Ron Wilson provided Grabovski with extra motivation with a trip to the press box Wednesday as a healthy scratch.
"He needed to watch a game and understand what he wasn't doing," Wilson said yesterday. "When you're on for a lot of goals against, and the goals are the result of some of your poor decisions, with a young guy, sometimes it makes sense to not play a game.
"I'm sure he'll be pretty energized for this game. Obviously, he has a thing going for Montreal, and vice versa. So he'll be motivated."
Grabovski has one goal in his last 13 games and has been a minus-five in his last seven. His benching was a first for Grabovski in a Leaf uniform.
"I've struggled for a few games now," said Grabovski, through his broken but improving English. "Last game, I don't play. Coach gave me a day of rest. I feel good now. I know what I have to do, I'm ready to play in Montreal."
That means another meeting with his archrival, Sergei Kostitsyn, as the two add a Belarussian flavour to this historic Leafs-Habs rivalry. Neither player is known for fisticuffs - both are better known for their skill and speed. But they've been feuding all season.
In Toronto, in a 6-3 Leafs win Nov.8, Kostitsyn received a 10-minute misconduct after taking a run at Grabovski. The Habs thought Grabovski was showing them up by pointing to the scoreboard. Even Habs captain Saku Koivu had words with Grabovski as time expired.
In the Leafs' visit to Montreal - a 6-2 loss Jan.8 - Grabovski ended up with a three-game suspension for shoving a linesman in an attempt to fight Sergei Kostitsyn. Grabovski called the incident "history" and said he put it behind him.
"I don't think about players," said Grabovski. "I think about beating the team in Montreal."
Still, Grabovski has managed only three goals and five assists since coming back from suspension. He said his recent poor play has nothing to do with l'affaire Kostitsyn.
"It's my first year in the NHL and maybe I'm a little bit tired," said Grabovski. "Maybe I think too much, but I can score. I will play better."
In Montreal, Kostitsyn sounded gleeful when informed Grabovski had been a healthy scratch. "Scratched? Good," he said.
Habs enforcer Georges Laraque laughed at the suggestion of a bout between what he called "two little midgets," but added, "I think it would look really funny."
Leaf defenceman Mike Van Ryn figured it would be much ado about nothing. "They're just going to play hard. Guys are going to try to blow it up in to something that it's not."
Wilson sounded more worried about how Grabovski would respond from his first benching and doesn't want a sideshow, but sounded as if he was rallying his troops to Grabovski's side.
"We need to help him out in some of these situations," Wilson said of Grabovski. "He's not out there alone and he has to understand that. It's not him against the Kostitsyns, it's the Leafs against the Canadiens and if any of this stuff happens, we need to have people riding shotgun with him to make sure he gets through safely."
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