The jolt comes when you factor in that TB didn't just edge the President's Trophy by a point or two courtesy of an easy schedule in a weak conference. They wreaked holy fucking havoc in a strong conference and won the Trophy by a just ridiculous margin of about 20 points..... only to fall like lambs to a wild card team.
Now this is a version of the Leafs I could live with and maybe even believe in. Hard, solid & patient game, under 30 shots against. If they could do this at least or 5 times in a series they're definitely alive in the conference. But can;t be just the odd game here & there.
Probably done tonight. I'm just picking up the game now. Watched game 4 having not seen the Flames since before the Christmas. Like the hustle but way, way to much depending on their goaltender. Game should have been 8:3 or 8:4 Colorado, Flames didn't look like a team that had any business being in first place of any division except may in German or Italian league , Is this really what got them to this point or have they fallen off somewhere??
The regular season a coach prepares his team to beat 30 other NHL teams over 6 months. The playoff...the coach prepares a game plan beat just 1 team for a series. The playoffs is start of a whole new season.
No excuses for that team with so much depth. Vassy was injured for a good chunk of games and the backup did an amazng job.
5 turnovers (these are forced turnovers) for the Leafs must be a record season low, given how they like to run and gun. Best and probably most complete game by the Leafs all year.
