Everything is going perfect for the Toronto Maple Leafs right now, so are we on the verge of the biggest collpase in team history?
For the first time since 2001, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a 3-0 series lead in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. By all accounts, the team is going to coast in the second round and we're not going to have to worry about a Game 7, or maybe even a Game 5 or 6 at this rate.
If you look at the first three games, everything has kind of gone flawless, right? Sure, they've blown a 2-1 lead late in the third period for the past two games, but overall, the team has played great and the core four has stepped up to the plate. The top line of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Matthew Knies has been even better than expected and the team already has four goals from their defensemen, which was something we rarely saw all season.
Not only has their offense been great, but their overall team defense has also been awesome. Every defenseman is averaging over 18:30 time on ice and no less than 21:51, so it's been a full team effort, which is rare. Typically you would see one player averaging around 30:00 TOI in the playoffs, but every player has stepped up and contributed equally.
Not only that, but the Leafs goaltender, who we all had questions about, has been brilliant. Anthony Stolarz has only allowed two goals in each of the three games and has done more than enough to win. He's bent a little bit, but he's yet to break and he's a big reason why the team is up 3-0.
Could the Leafs Blow This 3-0 Series Lead?
So with all of these positive thoughts, I unfortuntately have to start thinking negatively. As a die-hard Leafs fan, all of my fondest memories are terrible losses that usually result in me crying on the couch, so I just assume the same outcome will happen this year.
As we all know, the Leafs have lost in the most horrible ways over the years. Whether it was the 4-1 third period collpase in 2013, the multiple Game 7 defeats, or the 3-1 series lead against Montreal in 2021, the Leafs have always found a way to lose in devastating fashion.
However, the one thing that this core hasn't done yet is blow a 3-0 series lead, especially against their provincal rival. Although the Leafs have won three in a row, they're two bounces away from being down 2-1 in this series, as they've been lucky to secure multiple overtime victories. The Leafs have clearly been the better team, but it's been a much tighter series than the outcomes would suggest.
The Leafs have never been in this situation, so if they lose Game 4 in Ottawa, be prepared to get nervous. The Senators are a young team, but they're not going to go down easy. Linus Ullmark hasn't been amazing, but he's been getting better with every game, so it's possible that they'll revert back to the Vezina Trophy winning goalie that he is and play the games of his life in Game 4, 5, 6 and maybe 7.
I don't want to look too far in the future, but if the Leafs don't sweep Ottawa, things could get very insecure in Leafs Land. What if Ottawa wins at home on Saturday night, and then all of a sudden wins Game 5 in Toronto? The narrative of the "Comeback Kids" could start and this Leafs team who has always disapointed us may all of a sudden be on the verge of the biggest collpase in team history.
Obviously I don't want any of this to happen, but negativity follows me as a Leafs fan and it's just something I'm prepared for. Please don't make me put my broom back in the closet because I'm ready to use it for the first time since 2001.