Six wins into what鈥檚 already the best playoff run of the Shanaplan era, it couldn鈥檛 be going much better for the聽Maple Leafs. But there鈥檝e been moments when fans will be forgiven for imagining a handful of those wins taking a turn for the worst.
For all their success, including a 2-0 series lead over the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Maple Leafs have been watching third-period leads disappear on the regular.
In Wednesday鈥檚 Game 2, for instance, 海角社区官网watched a 3-2 advantage turn to a 3-3 tie early in the final frame on a goal by Anton Lundell. For past iterations of this Leafs team, that tying goal might have turned the tide, with the Leafs proceeding to drown under the weight of a blown lead. On Wednesday it took all of 17 seconds for Mitch Marner to restore the 海角社区官网lead聽on the way to a 4-3 win.
It was hardly the first time this spring that the franchise with the extensive history of collapsing in the clutch found a way to meet a big moment, looking relatively comfortable in the post-season鈥檚 inevitable chaos.
Game 2 against Ottawa saw a 2-0 lead turn to 2-2. But 海角社区官网won on a Max Domi overtime goal.
And in Games 3 and 6 against the Senators 海角社区官网saw 2-1 third-period leads evaporate. But the Leafs won the former in overtime thanks to a hero named Simon Benoit, and the latter in regulation with Max Pacioretty producing the goal that clinched the series.
Against Florida, Game 1鈥檚 4-1 lead became 4-3, and yet the Leafs held firm in a situation in which they鈥檝e previously been known to let go of the rope.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 been all year, most of the year and in playoffs, where we respond,鈥 head coach Craig Berube was saying on Thursday before the Leafs set off for South Florida and Friday鈥檚 Game 3. 鈥淲e get scored on, it鈥檚 like, 鈥極K. We need a good shift now.鈥 And I think our guys, one through four on the lines and the D, go out there with that mentality.鈥
It鈥檚 worth remembering the way Sheldon Keefe, Berube鈥檚 predecessor, used to view this team 鈥 at least, view it as immortalized in Amazon鈥檚 鈥淎ll or Nothing.鈥 That was the miked-up docuseries focused on Toronto鈥檚 2020-21 season, the one that ended with the Leafs coughing up a 3-1 series lead to the Montreal Canadiens en route to another first-round exit. In the show Keefe referred to his team as 鈥渇ragile鈥 more than once, and talked about the desperate need to validate Toronto鈥檚 regular-season success with playoff advancement. In one memorable practice-ice conversation with then-captain John Tavares, Keefe expressed palpable anxiety about the team navigating tight games.
鈥淲e shouldn鈥檛 be winning every game by one goal, having the goalie out and having to grind our way through,鈥 Keefe said. 鈥淗ow can we build something here where we can have a great level of confidence that when we get a lead, the games are f—-in鈥 over?鈥
You鈥檒l understand why the coach was jittery. The Leafs were 10-10 in one-goal playoff games during his tenure. They鈥檙e 4-1 so far under Berube. What used to be a coin flip has so far been money. What鈥檚 changed?聽A better mentality, superior manpower, and Berube鈥檚 straightforward north-style strategy聽don鈥檛 appear to be hurting the team. Neither does the fact the Leafs are getting their share of good breaks.
For all that Brad Marchand, the long-time Leafs nemesis, expressed his respect for these new-look playoff Leafs.
鈥淭hey came ready to play in this round. We see that,鈥 Marchand said after Game 2. 鈥淲e have our work cut out.鈥
Marchand can toss those flowers, but he also knows what it鈥檚 like to lay a bouquet on another victim鈥檚 coffin. He knows no post-season lead is safe.
鈥淭hese series can change on a dime,鈥 Marchand said.
A series can change on a dime, just like the perception of a team can turn in a small handful of big moments. For years Keefe tried mostly in vain to coax better crunch-time results from this team. Heading into overtime of Game 7 against the Canadiens in 2021, he delivered an impassioned speech: 鈥淭hese are the f—-ing moments you鈥檙e remembered for 鈥 We want to be a great team, you want to be great f—-ing players, you鈥檝e got to push through.鈥
Most of four years since those words were spoken, the Leafs are pushing through in unprecedented ways.
Good teams certainly don鈥檛 watch a third-period lead disappear and brace for the worst. So far, neither do these Leafs.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to sit back and 鈥極h, here they come.鈥 We鈥檙e going to go after 鈥榚m. That鈥檚 the mindset you鈥檝e got to have,鈥 Berube said. 鈥淲e get scored on and there鈥檚 ups and downs. We talk about composure all the time. Just go out and play.鈥
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