The Toronto Maple Leafs Aren’t Just Happy To Be Here

It’s win or go home for the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight.

You all knew it would end this way. Everyone did.

From the moment Boston locked themselves in as Toronto’s first-round opponent, a seven-game outcome was more or less inevitable. These are the Maple Leafs we’re talking about, after all. They don’t make anything easy, and what is about to unfold at TD Garden tonight will surely be as hard as it gets.

This is the third time since the 2012-13 lockout that the Bruins and Leafs will have met for a game seven in the first round. We don’t need to relive the previous two occasions. You know what happened. In fact, the results from both instances are likely the reason why you’re reading this whilst on the verge of vomiting.

This time around has an entirely different feel to it, though. Maybe it’s the delusion of a “third time’s the charm” aura, but few would disagree that the Maple Leafs have been the series’ better team thus far, outplaying Boston in four of the first six games despite missing one of their top centres.

These Leafs aren’t just happy to be here; hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Mike Babcock‘s squad has controlled the play for large stretches of action, received elite-level goaltending from Frederik Andersen, and seen their biggest and most prominent star firmly elevate himself to the occasion.

What held them back in 2018 has largely been remedied. If there were to be any year for Toronto to vanquish their black-and-gold boogeyman, this would be it.

Of course, there are issues at hand. The penalty kill, namely. Sitting at a downright embarrassing 56.3% efficiency rate heading into tonight’s contest, that number is actually so low I had to take a moment to collect myself before confirming it to be true. Then there’s the fact that Patrick Marleau is currently getting the type of minutes which should only be reserved for a 31-year-old Patrick Marleau, not the version set to turn 40 in September. The same applies to Connor Brown as well, only he doesn’t have the age excuse to hide behind.

There are more to go over, but you get my point. This is not a perfect team. Such a thing simply doesn’t exist. But the Maple Leafs don’t need to be perfect tonight. They need to be good enough to eke out a victory within as hostile an environment as they’ve ever played.

Injuries, deployment, contracts; they don’t matter. Not tonight. The Maple Leafs’ path forward lies in setting aside all ancillary distractions, digging deep, and stringing together the best collective 60 minutes of all 18 players’ careers.

Do that, and you live to fight another day. Fail, and all that came before ceases to matter.

This team is good enough to do what’s needed. Now, all that’s left is to prove it.

Thanks for reading.

Stats courtesy of NHL.com