ONE DOWN !

Game One:  I can’t remember being asked so many times what I thought the outcome of an NHL Playoff series was going to be.  For the last time – “I don’t know”!  My most consistent answer has been, “I wish it was Boston rather than Tampa Bay.”  The Bruins have had their day, their time is up and that window is closing.  On the other hand, the Lightning are the defending Stanley Cup Champions (x2) and a chance for a 3 peat doesn’t come along very often (see Pittsburgh Penguins 2016-17).  In fact, the last team to pull it off was the Islander dynasty of the early 80’s.

Two of the key match-ups in this this Atlantic Division rivalry are goaltending and the fourth lines.  We’ve all heard the “best goalie on the planet” hype about Tampa’s Andre Vasilevsky and his 2.49 GAA and .916 save %.  Not far behind, despite his mid season slumber, is Jack “Soup” Campbell with his near identical 2.64 and .914 record.  The 4^th lines (Maroon/Bellemare/Perry for the Lighting and Clifford/Blackwood/Simmonds for Toronto) will know doubt smash and bash their way toward keeping everyone on their toes, both sides.  Ondrj Kase was back in (after 6 weeks) to play with John Tavares and Ilya Mikaev and Michael Bunting and Jason Spezza were held out TFN.

WOW, if that’s why waited 82 games for the playoffs – I’ll take it everyday.  The Scotiabank crowd (capacity) was absolutely electric.  Even missed opportunities created a bigger stir than you would have heard back in February.  The home team started a little jittery as might be expected, but once they got in their groove, they seemed fine.  That “groove” was interrupted by a number of minors that upset both coaches’ rotations.  Kyle Clifford made an impact with a huge defensive zone hit.  The only problem was instead of just rubbing out his opposing winger on the way back, he pile drove him in to the glass, causing a 5 minute major and a game misconduct.  The ensuing PK for the Leafs was a thing of beauty with several counter attack  2 on 1’s and more chances than the Lightning could muster with their 1 shot on goal.  With only 1:41 left, Jake Muzzin scored the series’ opener from Ilya Mickaev and Ondrj Kase.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got themselves in to an enviable position of a 5 on 3 early in the second period.  An 88 mph rip from 2 time Rocket Richard winner from his pals Marner and Taveres made short work of that.  Hard working third line centre David Krampf, who had been skating miles all night, was the recipient of a rather fortunate Marner clearing pass to break in alone and make it 3 zip home team.  “Soup” Campbell made a couple of solid stops to keep his team moving and when all-star Steve Stamkos missed an open net, the sarcastic “Stamkos, Stamkos” chant began from a now rabid home crowd.   The Marner curse (no goals in 19 playoff games) was finally put to rest from a full court press that saw #16 fake a shot and then slide the 4-0 goal under Valesky.  SOG after two: 20-16 Leafs.  Standby, there was still 20 minutes of nasty hockey to play.

Everyone in the rink knew that Tampa would come out with a vengeance in the third (one way or the other) and sure enough a pressure packed offensive attack was quelled by a nice glove save by the “Soup” at the 5 minute mark.  You don’t just leave a 60 goal man all alone on a lazy flip in !  Mathews made it look easy burying his second of the night – 5 to 0 TML.  The crowd got on Valevsky after a couple of routine saves right after that.  Wayne Simmonds laid on a pretty routine body check in the O Zone and was followed back down the ice by Correy Perry and a couple of others.  To his credit, Simmonds did not bite and the play seemingly ended there.  While the TV audience was away, we came back to what was described as a “line brawl” in which the Leafs Lyubinky, Perry. and Maroon were expelled. Mo Reilly had to take on a bloodied Ruttu.  At the end of it all the Leafs had a 4 minute power play.  One last “Souper” save ended it all at 5 to nothing for Toronto.

HOPPER NOTES:  I wish they could hand out “team” first stars because the Leafs PK unit (especially during that 5 minute disadvantage in the first) deserved it !…Captain John continued his faceoff dominance…I didn’t like the looks of Morgan Reilly’s knuckles after that dust up…kudos for Wayne Simmonds for not getting suckered in by Perry….nice comeback for Kase with 2 points…I’m going to ask for challenges here, but that may be the most complete game the Leafs have played since this date VS Montreal, 55 years ago (when they beat Les Canadiens for the cup on 1967)…OK maybe that’s a stretch but name a better performance ?! …Great games from Engvall, Mikaev, Kerfoot (especially on the 5 min major), Muzzin – Hell, even Nylander was hitting…loyal readers, I will have the pleasure of viewing game two from the Leafs Alumni Box courtesy of my pal Ken McRae (Leafs winger circa Pat Burns/Dougie/Wendal era ‘92/93)…Ken and I were Advertising Executives with CHEX-TV and the WOLF in Peterborough… not too sure what kind of a report I’ll send, but it will be an experience (thanks for the invite Ken !)

Cheers – challenge – be there for those you truly love !