from Rosie DiManno of the Toronto Star,

After the longest gestation period in history, followed by a week of sweat-inducing labour contractions and anxious floor-pacing, the Toronto Maple Leafs have finally delivered: A little bundle of joy called Playoffs.

It took nine years rather than nine months.

Go ahead, pass around the cigars. Cue the cowbells and air horns too, pull the car antennae pompoms out of storage, gut the kids’ university fund to buy scalper ducats and dream as big as you dare.

On the 91st day of the 2013 schedule, in their 45th game, the drought ended — with a 4-1 win in Ottawa — and an “x’’ has been affixed next to Toronto in the NHL standings denoting post-season inclusion.

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