It’s a time-honored tradition in the NHL. When a rookie defenseman comes into your rink, you take some runs at him.

So nobody was terribly surprised when Maple Leafs hit man Ryan Hollweg went after Blues teenager Alex Pietrangelo Monday afternoon in Toronto. Unfortunately for the Leafs, the referees rung up Hollweg for a five-minute major penalty.

The Blues scored twice on the ensuing power play and rallied for a 5-4 shootout victory. The Canadian Press caught up with Blues coach Andy Murray afterward.

“An insignificant player made a poor decision and that’s unfortunate for him and for the Leafs, and fortunate for us,” Murray sniffed. “It shouldn’t happen in our game and it happened.

“If it was Keith Tkachuk or Alex Pietrangelo, I wouldn’t feel any differently about it. It’s unnecessary and certainly the league will deal with it.”

The Blues took advantage, scoring two power-play goals that tied the score and put them back in the game.

So now Leafs coach Ron Wilson has to work with Hollweg, just as Rams coach Jim Haslett has to work with Richie Incognito.

“There is a fine line you dance between being aggressive and pulling back,” Wilson told the Toronto Sun. “We will have to work with him on that.”

MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE

Questions to ponder while wondering why the Maple Leafs never had any use for Brad Boyes:

• Can we go ahead and place Brian Leonard on the Pantheon of Failed Rams Draft Picks?
• What, exactly, got into the Cleveland Browns Monday night?
• If Shaun Alexander really has something left, why didn’t the Rams sign him?
• Matt Stairs is still playing baseball? Really?

QUIPS ‘R US

Here is what some of America’s leading sports pundits have been writing:

Dan Daly, Washington Times: “Did you hear about the radio talk show hosts in Minneapolis who said they were convinced that Magic Johnson ‘faked AIDS’? In Monday’s show, I hear, they’re going to suggest that Lou Gehrig didn’t really have Lou Gehrig’s disease.”

Greg Cote, Miami Herald: “Evander Holyfield, 46 this month, has been offered a WBA fight. Because boxing got jealous of MMA getting all the ridicule and felt it had to do something.”

Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: “Too bad Johnnie Cochran wasn’t alive to see O.J. Simpson being led off to jail the other day. He probably would have just shrugged and rhythmically consoled the Juice with, ‘No need to shed tears; I gotcha 13 extra years.’”

Bill Simmons, ESPN.com: “As a Red Sox fan who normally stresses out in October, it has been an absolute pleasure to compete three times in the past five years against a team that tries ridiculous suicide squeezes in key moments; keeps innings alive with dumb errors; brings in its “I can only get three outs and that’s it and I thought we just spent 162 games establishing this” closer in the eighth inning; careens around the basepaths like they should be holding a bottle of Jack Daniels; puts guys on base to pitch to the greatest postseason hitter ever (Manny Ramirez) with the game on the line; gets so tight in the dugout that it looks like they’re watching a UFO land and everything else. I’d just like to thank you, Mike Scioscia. It has been a pleasure and a privilege.”

Steve Rosenbloom, Chicago Tribune: “The voting for the college football polls ought to create a special category to recognize the job done by the airbag running Notre Dame: Other receiving laughs. I mean, you’re Notre Dame. Shouldn’t you beat a basketball school? Can’t you win a road game? But hey, as a Southern Cal alum, I’m rooting for the Irish to give Charlie Weis a lifetime contract that also extends to his kids and grandkids.”

MEGAPHONE

“He tried to motivate us, but guys were off the bandwagon. There were things I disagreed with and that my teammates disagreed with. I didn’t appreciate it when he would say some off-the-wall things about me to the media. I guess one thing I can say is he gave me an opportunity to come to Clemson and play.”

Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper, celebrating to demise of coach Tommy Bowden.