"The feat wasn't big enough for the Maple Leafs penalty killers to high five and chant: 'We're No. 29!'

But it beats being 30th in the NHL, where they were sentenced for almost all of the first half for their frequent failings with the man advantage. Then came a major strategy session on Jan. 2, with meetings, videos and special drills. Since that date, they are 17-for-17 in 13 games and slightly better than Columbus, at least before Friday night (75.4% to 75.3%).

"Hey, it's all about incremental steps," winger Joey Crabb said. "We feel really good about doing that. I read a stat (in the Toronto Sun) that we're the first team since 1974 not to allow a power play goal in one month of games. That was pretty cool. I know there weren't a lot of kills for us to make, but it boosted our confidence."

No club in the 30-team NHL era has ever made the playoffs with the league's worst penalty killing. And according to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time Toronto posted at least a 13-game streak without a power-play goal against was 1940-41 when it was up to 15 games."