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While this series against Montreal isn’t over yet — 13 NHL teams have reversed 3-1 deficits in this century alone — the Maple Leafs have been at their Ghostbusting best so far.
The vexation of Leafs Nation since the team’s last triumph in 2004, five first-round ousters in the years they managed to qualify, is painfully documented. Bitter fans recall where they were for The Causeway St. Collapse against Boston, they can rhyme off Nazem Kadri’s suspensions and still grouse about how Liam Foudy of Columbus was uncovered behind five Leafs to beat Frederik Andersen last year.
The Leafs did come close in their past eight appearances, four times taking foes to a deciding game. But something always came undone at the worst time or a slew of problems caught up with them. For this round at least, the squad are changing the narrative, though some won’t believe it until they see a happy handshake line.
A look at five ways the Leafs are into exorcism rhythm:
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SOUP’S ON
Andersen and James Reimer just couldn’t steal a series at the time of year money goalies make their reputations. Compare them to Jack (Soupy) Campbell, sitting atop all NHL stoppers as of Wednesday with a .965 save percentage.
Yes, he has a much more cohesive team shielding him than Freddy had in any of his spring flings and the Canadiens aren’t scaring the Leafs with their pop-gun offence to date. But Campbell has also stared down an average of close to four power plays a night and remain calm amid belligerent Habs’ traffic. He quickly moved on from a Game 1 loss in his NHL playoff debut.
EXTRAS, EXTRAS
Who could’ve fathomed the Leafs doing his well with John Tavares exiting Game 1, playoff insurance policy Nick Foligno sidelined after Game 2, then Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner largely held off the board?
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Matthews, Tavares and William Nylander accounted for what little offence was generated last year against the Blue Jackets. But at last there’s secondary scoring. Beyond Matthews’ three-point Game 2 it’s been Nylander (four goals), Alex Kerfoot, Jason Spezza and Alex Galchenyuk all stepping up. There have been too many moving parts to this Leafs’ offence for the Canadiens to cover.
DO THE RIGHT THING
One reason Kadri took an annual dive off the deep end into hot water with the league was to try and show the Leafs weren’t afraid of the Big Bad Bruins, Washington’s Tom Wilson or heavy teams.
General manager Kyle Dubas realized that imbalance during another long off-season. In this series, outside of Foligno going a bit too far to avenge Tavares, the Leafs have a veteran influence who are mixing it up without crossing the line. Matthews is taking some guff from the Habs, but giving it right back and never too far away in case of emergency are Wayne Simmonds and others.
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A FINE BLUE LINE
Maintaining a six or seven-man defence had been a playoff problem, and we don’t just mean Jake Gardiner’s personal highlight hell. But the Leafs bloomed back there this past regular season and haven’t wilted in the current spotlight. After shots on goal and goals against came way down from 2020, the Leafs kept that standard this series and in conjunction with Campbell, four goals against in the first four games is their best mark in playoffs since sweeping Ottawa in 2001.
Jake Muzzin and Justin Holl have been busy, but not overtaxed, TJ Brodie’s poise continues to rub off on Morgan Rielly, Zach Bogosian came back from injury in time as the ideal complement for Rasmus Sandin and in Game 4, for Travis Dermott. Toronto’s blueline has also added to the so-far perfect penalty kill and eight points to the scoring chart versus zero by their Montreal counterparts.
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KEEFE ON THE CASE
The sideshow of Mike Babcock keeping the bit firmly clamped on big horse Matthews when it came to more playoff ice time is in the past. While Sheldon Keefe doesn’t let Matthews or Marner run wild and free as he keeps an eye on the clock, he’s also got a lot more in his corral than Dominique Ducharme.
While the Canadiens’ boss won Game 1 and then chose to activate dynamic Cole Caufield, Keefe had Galchenyuk and Pierre Engvall on call when Tavares and Foligno were hurt and made the right move to Dermott and Adam Brooks on Tuesday when Sandin and Riley Nash were scratched. Babcock was bettered by Boston’s Bruce Cassidy and while Keefe had weeks to prep for Columbus and found himself out-foxed at times by John Tortorella, this series has gone smoother.
lhornby@postmedia.com
TOP FIVE: Maple Leafs driving away ghosts of series' past - Toronto Sun
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