What the Toronto Maple Leafs Did Right to Win Game 4

Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs had their season on the line, needing a win to keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive. It’s safe to say they earned their right to keep playing.

The Toronto Maple Leafs faced a glaring 3-0 series deficit heading into last night’s game 4.

With fans and analysts all over social media acting like the series was over, it wouldn’t have been surprising if the Leafs came out with a poor effort.

But they didn’t, they put together a terrific defensive game and now the series has an entirely different outlook.

Here’s what the Leafs did right in game 4.

Joseph Woll Delivered In His First Playoff Start

With Ilya Samsonov out for game four with an injury, rookie goalie Joseph Woll was given his first NHL playoff start.

Woll was terrific in last night’s game. As he’s done all season, he played cool and calm, covering up almost every rebound and staying focused the entire time. Woll stopped 24/25 shots and it’s likely his crease to lose, even if Samsonov returns to the lineup.

The Core-Four Proved Doubters Wrong

With no goals through the first 3 games of the series, the Leafs “core four” faced tons of backlash from the media for not producing when it mattered most.

That changed in game 4. The Toronto Maple Leafs won 2-1 with both of their goals coming from members of the core four.

William Nylander scored his third of the playoffs to get the Leafs on the board first, and Mitch Marner scored his third as well(a playoff career-high for him) as well as adding an assist.

Also, even though they did not record any points, Auston Matthews and John Tavares both had strong games. Matthews had 4 shots and 3 blocked shots, and Tavares had 5 shots and won 7 faceoffs. The Leafs got a much-needed bounce-back game from their stars at the most important time of the season.

Toronto Maple Leafs Put On a Defensive Masterclass

The Toronto Maple Leafs are not necessarily known for their strong defensive play, but this game was different.

If any team wants to win a Stanley Cup, winning close, tight-checking games is a must. The Leafs did exactly that. Toronto kept the Panthers to just 25 shots, which is their least amount of shots against since game 2 vs the Lightning in round 1. The Leafs played patiently, took very few risks, and had a defense-first mindset all game.

Is this style of play sustainable for an entire playoff run? Probably not, but it worked in game 4, and now the Leafs have a lot more hope than they did 2 days ago.

The Momentum Shifts Back to Toronto’s Side

While the series still sits at 3-1 in Florida’s favour, it is far from over. Not only this, but the Panthers showed signs of frustration near the end of the game. Brandon Montour delivered an unnecessary hit on Morgan Rielly with only a few seconds left, Matthew Tkachuk attempted to fight Mitch Marner, and Sam Bennett jumped into the ensuing scrum to deliver a few punches even though the game was over.

All in all, as I’m sure the entirety of Leafs fandom probably does, I feel a lot better about this team after tonight’s game. Game 5 will take place in Toronto on Friday, where the Leafs will need another win to keep their season alive.

I have faith they can do it again, and I think the Leafs’ season is far from over.