TORONTO

Leo Komarov and some of his teammates heard gun shots.

Nazem Kadri didn’t need a television to follow the events that stopped a nation because, as he said: “Really, our window was the TV.”

Shocked and captivated, the Maple Leafs minds were far from hockey Wednesday as chaos unfolded at the National War Memorial across the road from the team’s downtown Ottawa hotel.

To a man, the Leafs were rattled by the tragedy and relieved the scheduled game against the Senators did not take place that night in Canada. The NHL did the right thing by postponing the contest and announcing on Thursday that it has been rescheduled for Nov. 9, two days before Remembrance Day.

Being in the shadow of the saga in the capital was a sobering experience for the Leafs, who were in a lockdown once the shooting began. That their hotel was attached to the Rideau Centre and within clear view of the spot where Canadian soldier Nathan Cirillo was shot to death, added to the shock value.

So, too, did the edict from team officials, who made it clear that players were not to leave the hotel and to stay away from windows, given that the earlier shooting took place sniper-distance away.

“Obviously, it was a tragic day and being that close to it made it seem even that much more real,” Leafs forward Joffrey Lupul said following his team’s practice Thursday at the MasterCard Centre. “It’s certainly not something you expect or even are aware of as a Canadian, that there is a possibility something like that could happen here.

“People like that at Parliament Hill and the prime minister being there and seeing it all unfold was surreal — especially seeing it from your room like that.”

Kadri’s room, on a higher floor of the hotel with a clear view of the Memorial and the buzz of police activity, became an informal gathering place. As many as eight Leafs, including captain Dion Phaneuf, watched the flurry of police and emergency response activity from that vantage point, with another eye on the television.

“We were watching right from our windows,” Kadri said. “It was a tough pill to swallow. Everyone was pretty worried. We were right in front of the statue, literally a couple hundred metres away and you could see it all unravel.”

Lupul first tweeted about the police activity shortly after 11 a.m.. Players who were awake at that point talked of hearing gunfire.

“I heard one early on,” Rielly said. “(Komorav) heard a few because he was up. We could see where it was, so it was pretty scary.”

Not surprisingly, then, the Leafs were in no mood for a game for multiple reasons, none of them related to the fact that they were weary after playing the previous night in Uniondale, N.Y..

Sure, there had been a team meeting and stretch in the morning followed by a pre-game meal. The team had tried to carry on business as usual, when they had no business doing anything. Before players even considered heading for a game-day nap, hockey and that night’s scheduled contest had long since been pushed from their minds.

“It would have been tough for sure, playing in Ottawa when that happened,” Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly said. “It’s not easy. It’s one of those things that you don’t want to experience again.

“You had to treat it like a normal game day, but it was tough with all the action outside, it was hard.”

“It was very difficult to keep your head on your shoulders and be prepared to play the game,” Kadri added. “We were trying to find the details on social media and looking on videos. Both teams probably had their heads in the clouds not only worrying about their own safety but everybody else’s.”

Around 2 p.m., players were informed by Leafs officials that the league had reached the logical, correct decision, deciding that the game was indeed postponed and that they would be catching a late afternoon flight home.

“Obviously if the game were to take place, you would do your best to focus, but you don’t want to put anyone at risk,” Lupul said. “The downtown was pretty much in lockdown. It was definitely the right decision not to play.”

The team returned to work on Thursday with a lengthy practice at the Mastercard Centre to prepare for Saturday’s home date with the Boston Bruins, still wrestling with the emotions of being so close to a tragedy.

“It’s obviously something we’ve never experienced before and none of us want to experience again,” Rielly said. “I’m just happy we didn’t have to play. We were all concerned.”

RESCHEDULED TILT ONE TO REMEMBER

In its own, sobering way, the rescheduling of Wednesday’s Leafs-Ottawa Senators game will provide an opportunity for a tribute to a fallen Canadian soldier.

The league announced on Thursday that the game will be played on Nov. 9, two days before Remembrance Day, making it the closest Sens home date to the time we play homage to our military.

The game doesn’t come at an easy time for either team competitively, however, as both play the previous night — the Sens at home to the Winnipeg Jets and the Leafs playing in Toronto against the New York Rangers.

For both teams, it will be their third game in four nights and, because of TV concerns, will be a 6 p.m. start.

Meanwhile, Leafs forward Joffrey Lupul, expects some emotional moments at this Saturday’s game at the Air Canada Centre when the Boston Bruins are in town.

Since 2012, Lupul has had a relationship with our military through his “Lupe’s Troops” program that donates two tickets to Canadian Forces personnel for every home game. The soldier is traditionally honoured during a stoppage of play.

“Just like anyone in here, my heard goes out to the soldier who lost his life,” Lupul said. “Obviously, the troops are at every game and hopefully we’ll be able to do something a little special this Saturday.

“I’m sure everyone is going to give them a good reaction.”

rob.longley@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @LongleySunSport