For the first time in the “core four” era, the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing playoff hockey like a genuine contender. Game one demonstrated Craig Berube’s considerable impact on the team; he has transformed the Maple Leafs into a gritty, clinical, and disciplined Stanley Cup threat.
Of the many positives that came from Sunday night’s playoff opener, the environment at Scotiabank Arena was a sight to behold. In recent memory, the league’s most fervent fanbase hasn’t displayed the full extent of their passion at home. From chanting “Brady [Tkachuk] sucks” to the roaring of Van Halen’s “Panama” after each goal, the electricity in Scotiabank Arena was palpable. In game one, Leafs nation brought the noise, and it clearly had a profound impact on the roster.
To the delight of many fans, Matthews, Marner, Nylander and Tavares were humming, combining for nine points. The special teams were clinical on both ends. They got an impactful outing from their fourth line, and Anthony Stolarz had 31 saves on 33 shots. This was the game one showing that all Leafs fans yearned for, and it has already completely changed the trajectory of this series.
For those who aimed to be “edgy” and picked the Senators to win this series, your feeble attempt to stir the pot of Leafs nation has failed. Ottawa’s return to postseason play after an eight-year absence was not at all what Sens fans envisioned. Unlike their provincial counterparts, the Senators lacked discipline. Aside from the meaningless roughing at the end of the game, they racked up six penalties through regulation; three of which were for cross-checking.
The lack of playoff experience of this team made the Senators vulnerable in key situations and they completely lost their identity in game one. The hungry, fast, and hard-hitting Senators of the regular season were replaced by a team trying to fit in with the “playoff hockey” narrative.
If all this wasn’t enough, Linus Ullmark had another—which is now becoming a trademark of his—horrible playoff performance. He ended with a save percentage of .750, saving only 18 of 24 total shots. Ullmark has been incredibly inconsistent this season. In December, he had a .947 save percentage, and he went 7-0-1 in that span. In contrast, his save percentage in November was an abysmal .870, and he went 2-5-1 over an eight-game stretch. Unfortunately for the Senators, their success in this series hinges on the performances of Ullmark, and he’s already proven to be unreliable in the playoffs thus far.
With game two tonight, there are few improvements to be made for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Leafs nation should be hoping for two things for this evening’s game: another lights-out performance from Stolarz, and for Lorentz, Laughton, and Järnkrok to be effective again.
The “core four” did their job on Sunday, and we should expect them to do it again tonight. With their newfound mentality of ‘we belong here, so we are going to play like it’, the Maple Leafs’ superstars have shown consistency in their output. However, winning in the playoffs is about depth. Unquestionably, the Maple Leafs have a deeper team than the Senators, and this disparity was accentuated by a dominating performance from a Laughton-led fourth line.
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Ahead of game two, speculation suggests that Berube will move Pontus Holmberg up to the second line alongside Tavares and Nylander. This comes after he made the switch with Max Domi halfway through game one.
This Maple Leafs team is ready for a deep playoff run, and game one clearly showed that they have not only tightened up their style of play but also become a formidable mental force. Everything must go right for Ottawa for them to even have a chance of winning this series. Whereas Toronto just has to stick to their formula and be themselves.
