from Michael Grange of Sportsnet,

And so comes Round 3 Wednesday, in a season series that has way more oomph to it than could possibly have been imagined when the league was lost in its lockout limbo and otherwise entering the second generation of the league's hard cap era, in which big market rivalries between winning teams are thing of past; victims of the rush toward parity.

Not quite. The Canadiens, their two losses to the Leafs notwithstanding, have been the class of the East and have strung together eight games without losing in regulation since the Bell Centre drubbing.

The Leafs are equally surprising. Their win on the road in Philadelphia Monday had them tied with two other teams for fourth in the Conference with 24 points.

It's been 20 years since the teams in hockey's premiere markets were occupying such lofty heights, back when the Leafs were about to embark on their first magical Doug Gilmour spring and the Habs were on the cusp of a Patrick Roy hot streak into history and their last Stanley Cup.

more as the teams approach their matchup on Wednesday night...