What an incredible series it has been after just three games, and really, what a magical time to be a diehard fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs!
Toronto’s fan base is one of the largest as we all know, but us true fans who have supported the blue and white through thick and thin are finally getting something to rave about. The spring weather really has the buds flourishing at the right time; playoffs. Players like Leo Komarov and Nazem Kadri have been a handful for the Washington Capitals. They are playing hard, playing to win and are representing the Leafs like true playoff warriors.
The Leafs may have been down two goals last game in the early going, but it didn’t faze them one bit. Nazem “the dream… Kadri took matters into his own hands and laid two solid hits on Capitals defensemen Orpik, one thunderous hit in the offensive zone and then another at center ice before a line change. Both hits were crunchers and each ignited the Leafs home crowd with loud cheers and lifted the spirits of not only the fans but the players. It wasn’t more than 20 seconds later that our go to man Auston Matthews scored his first National Hockey League playoff goal. It was a huge goal for the Leafs as they were able to cut the lead in half as the first period ended.
Andersen was playing well but the Capitals were pushing hard in the first and second period. It seemed as if the Leafs were in some trouble when the Caps scored another goal to make it 3-1, but that mattered not as ‘Dart Guy’ stood up and begun a “Go Leafs Go… chant which electrified the crowd at the Air Canada Center. What a beauty he is!
A couple greasy goals from Kadri and Nylander and boom the Leafs tied the game up in the last minute of the second period. The Leafs had a tough period but were able to pop two behind Holtby in the last five minutes of the period and did an excellent job at carrying over the momentum into the third period.
Toronto pressed hard, really hard in the third. The Capitals were garbage, getting only a handful of shots in the period and didn’t register a shot on net for a good thirteen minutes or so. When you are being pressured and burned with the speed the Leafs have you are bound to make a mistake eventually and that’s exactly what happened in the dying minute of the third period. Lars Eller got his stick up and caught Hyman in the face, giving the Leafs a power play with just 15 seconds left in regulation. It wasn’t until overtime that Kadri fed a beautiful pass to Bozak who made no mistake tipping the puck passed Holtby giving the Leafs another overtime victory and a 2-1 series lead.
Leafs nation ERUPTED!!!
Frederik Andersen has been stellar in this series, certainly outplaying Holtby and making a number of clutch saves on the dynamic forwards Washington possesses. Andersen has been a difference maker all season for the Leafs and is continuing his magical playoff play that he had while playing for the Ducks over the past couple season prior to this year. This is likely one of the stats that the Leafs management group looked at when scouting Andersen.
What the Leafs need to do tonight is come out the gates flying. I really feel like if they can stick it to the Capitals in the early going of the game it may be a spontaneous combustion moment for Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. It would be a great game for the Leafs to dominate out the gates, rattle Holtby and the rest of the slew-footing brigade as we all know things will get dirty quick if Washington falls behind in the early going.
Last game it was the Hyman-Matthews-Nylander line that was dominant. I expect nothing less tonight as they now have confidence on their side to go hand-in-hand with their supreme skill sets. The addition of Brian Boyle was one a lot of Leafs fans were somewhat surprised about, but it’s certainly paying off now in the playoffs as Boyle is a face-off champion and has been very effective in this series as has the entire fourth line for the Leafs.
So far so good, let’s hope the boys can keep up the intensity and continue to put the puck in the back of the net where it belongs.
Babcock is in his glory with home ice advantage with his strategic line matching; there really isn’t a coach that does a better job than Babs. Look at the intensity on his face when he’s behind that Leafs bench as he chews his gum and ponders his next move. Like a shark preparing to feed on his next victim, big Babs has the Leafs hungry for victory! Just two more wins and we can send Ovechkin back to the Motherland with his Kleanex sponsorship.
Prepare for battle tonight Leafs Nation, the Caps will be hungry! Let’s hope the Leafs are ready for it and can set the tone early with a couple quick ones!
Go Leafs Go!
Thanks for reading, have a great hump day and enjoy tonight’s game four!