Grade 10 math teacher Norbert Preiner and student Nick Spadafora at St. Francis Secondary School, St. Catharines. (JULIE JOCSAK/Sun Media)

TORONTO - A St. Catharines math teacher is using the Toronto Maple Leafs dismal season as a learning opportunity for his students.

Norbert Preiner's philosophy is when life gives you a lemon of a hockey team, you might as well make mathematical lemonade.

As the Buds crash through the basement floor of the NHL standings, Preiner and Grade 10 student Nick Spadafora are calculating how many games the blue and white would have to win to climb out of the cellar and -- God forbid -- actually make the playoffs this year.

"You try to bring some real-life scenarios in and sports is a great way of generating some interest," Preiner told the Sun Friday from St. Francis Secondary School. "Nick's a (Leafs) fan, so what we did was we figured out they need around 93 points to make it to the playoffs, so we said what do they need to do from here on out to make it to the playoffs and is it realistic?"

To get 93 points the Leafs would need to earn 81 points from the remaining 62 games.

"That's still a number that's hard to grasp so Nick calculated every 10 games they've got to win six, lose three and tie (get one point) one game," Preiner said.

After gaining a point against Carolina on Thursday, Spadafora said the Leafs would have to win six of their next nine and then keep on winning six games and tying one game every 10 games.

Don't be too optimistic.

It means the lacklustre Leafs would have to earn a .600 winning percentage and an overall record of 41-30-11.

"It is doable," Preiner said, almost with a straight face. "But they've got to play real well."

Spadafora, 15, said putting the math in hockey terms has helped him learn.

The teen isn't giving up all hope on the Leafs yet, adding he's been impressed by Leaf forward Phil Kessel.

"A permanent optimist ... must be a Leaf fan," his teacher said.

DON.PEAT@SUNMEDIA.CA

Editor's note: The Toronto Maple Leafs won a game on Nov. 21, 2009 against the Washington Capitals, after this story was filed.