The Toronto Maple Leafs are main the Spherical 1 collection towards the Ottawa Senators 3-0 and it’s a reminder, in case there have to be any extra of them, that this group seems to be totally different. They’ve seemed totally different all season and proved it time and time once more, from their steady profitable even throughout Auston Matthews‘ damage to the pivot to offense when Anthony Stolarz was damage. Now, the Maple Leafs are displaying the hockey world as soon as once more that that is the most effective suited to go on a run, and their play towards the Senators is a reminder of that.
Associated: How the Maple Leafs Defence Is Stealing Video games within the Playoffs
They often lose these video games within the playoffs that go to additional time, particularly video games the place they’d a late lead however didn’t shut the door. This time round, they’re discovering methods to win with 3-2 additional time wins in Recreation 2 and Recreation 3. The blown leads within the third interval are a priority, however what’s stood out is their capability to complete the job, which they’ll look to do on Saturday to comb their division rival on their method to the second spherical (and what they’re hoping is their first Stanley Cup title since 1967.)
Maple Leafs Take Issues Up a Notch In Extra time
Hockey is crammed with backhanded compliments. “This group has an ideal penalty kill,” appears like reward, for instance, and it’s solely an ideal penalty kill within the first place as a result of the group should take a number of penalties. The identical applies to complimenting the flexibility to get better after blowing a lead. Positive, the win is nice however the one cause it’s a restoration is as a result of they blew a lead within the first place.
But, that’s the place the Maple Leafs stand after boasting a 2-1 lead within the third interval of Recreation 2 and a 2-1 Recreation 3 lead with solely 8:38 left in regulation, solely to win each video games 3-2. This time, it’s an even bigger deal contemplating this group’s historical past and extra notably, their latest playoff historical past and the collapses that include it. They’ve misplaced video games late, fallen aside in additional time, and had possibilities to shut out a collection and struggled to take action, together with blowing the 3-1 collection result in the Montreal Canadiens in 2021. The Maple Leafs are profitable these video games. When the strain has amped up, they’ve delivered.
They don’t ask how, they ask what number of, and the one factor that issues is what number of wins the Maple Leafs have and what number of the Senators have. Likewise, they don’t ask who scores so long as somebody does, which is true concerning the previous two video games, the place depth skaters discovered the again of the online. The depth skaters are scoring the additional time winners whereas the celebrities are main the best way as effectively, making this group specifically a particular one.
Maple Leafs Star Energy Main The Manner
Because the “core 4” was assembled, they’ve constructed a status for disappearing when the Maple Leafs want them probably the most. Within the first, they’re those main the best way. Matthews and Mitch Marner have two targets and 9 assists mixed, together with a Recreation 3 purpose the place Marner hit Matthews on an ideal centering go from behind the online. John Tavares and William Nylander have added three targets and 5 assists mixed to the highest six. Add all of it up, and the 4 forwards have scored 4 of the 12 targets and recorded 14 of the group’s 20 assists.
Their offense stands out however it’s not simply the offense making an influence. The 4 forwards have stepped up on each ends of the ice and have performed outstanding protection to arrange the offense. Matthews and Marner have been at all times recognized for having the expertise to play protection effectively; in any case, they have been Selke Trophy finalists in 2023 and 2024 (Matthews being a finalist was a shock to many however not those that watched him carefully). Nonetheless, they’ve kicked issues into one other gear within the playoffs.
The Recreation 3 additional time purpose embodied how the star gamers are taking part in the whole 200-foot sport. Matthews received the faceoff, and the puck was despatched again to the purpose, the place an open look resulted within the dagger. Profitable faceoffs is an usually neglected attribute within the NHL however not for Matthews, who helped the Maple Leafs win their thirty second draw (the Senators solely received 19) and the sport due to it.
When Wanted, Depth Is Additionally Stepping Up
The Recreation 3 additional time purpose was a working example of the depth skaters serving to the Maple Leafs to manage this collection. The Maple Leafs didn’t ask Simon Benoit to be a scorer all season, because the middle-pair defenseman had one purpose in 78 regular-season video games. He was on the ice to defend, and nonetheless, the puck discovered him with an open take a look at the purpose and he buried it.
Benoit, a 26-year-old defenseman who’s hitting his stride, is a mirrored image of the protection as a complete. There aren’t star gamers however they’ve a number of nice gamers who make the unit a whole one. Chris Tanev leads the best way along with his defensive-zone instincts and talent to eat up pucks, whereas Jake McCabe is the workhorse, averaging 21:51 ice time on this collection. Throw in Morgan Rielly’s play from the purpose, and the Maple Leafs have a protection that may shut down opponents and gas a playoff run.
Benoit can be simply one of many many depth skaters who’ve stepped up on this collection to date. Max Domi had his huge second in Recreation 2 as his shot gave the Maple Leafs the win in additional time. Matthew Knies has two targets, and at 22 years previous, is a younger ahead who continues including a spark to the offense.
As a result of that is the Maple Leafs, no one will imagine them till they get the job carried out. They will have a 4-0 lead in Recreation 4, and everybody will marvel how the Senators would possibly discover the again of the online just a few instances to make the followers sweat it out. This group to date seems to be just like the one who can seal the deal. It may not be fairly as they might blow a lead within the third interval however they’ll get the outcomes.
The place Third Interval Struggles Will Come Again to Hang-out Them
The best way issues are shaping up, the Maple Leafs will face the Florida Panthers, who’ve a 2-0 collection lead, within the second spherical. The Panthers usually are not solely the group that beat the Maple Leafs within the second spherical in 2023 however have additionally appeared within the Stanley Cup Ultimate in back-to-back seasons and are the reigning champions. The Japanese Convention runs by them till it doesn’t.
The Senators are a very good group, and other than Recreation 1, which received out of hand, they’ve performed effectively towards the Maple Leafs. They are going to be a drive within the Japanese Convention sooner or later with a younger group that’s solely getting higher. The issue is the Senators are nonetheless a younger group, and it exhibits.
They’ve battled again within the final two video games to drive additional time however have failed to finish the comeback. Brady Tkachuk had a clutch purpose in Recreation 3, but he hasn’t taken over this collection. The Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk is the kind of participant who can take over a collection, and the Panthers have loads of skaters unfazed by the large stage, making an additional time interval or a late-game deficit a non situation.
The Maple Leafs are doing what they’re presupposed to do within the first spherical: caring for enterprise towards a less-talented group. That stated, they nonetheless should shut out video games, one thing all Cup-winning groups do effectively. Even the high-flying offensive-minded ones just like the Colorado Avalanche in 2022 tightened up and performed nice protection when wanted. The Maple Leafs employed head coach Craig Berube with playoff hockey in thoughts, and when the Maple Leafs have a late lead, they need to shut the door.
