Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 Key Storylines Coming From Game 1
By Luke Ryan
Jack Campbell Takes Round One of Goalie Duel
There’s been endless amounts written about the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending this season. Jack Campbell has been Vezina Trophy worthy at times, but has also been downright awful at other points.
On night one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he was flawless. Quite the opposite of two-time Stanley Cup winning Andrei Vasilevskiy. At the end of the game, one goalie was celebrating a playoff shutout, the other had been beaten five times. Arguably it should’ve been six too with Timothy Liljegren’s disallowed goal.
The Toronto Maple Leafs know all too well how absolutely vital strong goaltending is in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After all, the likes of Carey Price and Tuukka Rask have been their nemesis in the past.
Vasilevskiy certainly has the ability to do so too, but on night one he got beaten up on. His team allowed the Leafs the chances and they don’t need too many of them right about now.
Jack Campbell meanwhile cruised to a shutout with a certain degree of ease, such was the success of the collective team defense.
The team defense stepped up with 23 shots blocked with Morgan Rielly and deadline steal Mark Giordano leading the charge.
Granted, the team defended well but every shutout typically comes with a little luck and Steven Stamkos fanning on a largely open net was that little bit of luck.
When he was called upon to make the saves though, he was there. He looked confident and composed like the Campbell we saw early in the regular as season. Simply put it was Jack Campbell’s night. If that continues, it can only possibly mean good things for the Toronto Maple Leafs.