Should the Senators rout the Leafs on Tuesday (say, 5–1, which has happened repeatedly to good teams early in the playoffs), all hell will break loose. — my blog after Game 4
TORONTO (Apr. 30) — I had the precise margin, yet the incorrect score. As it turned out, I gave the Leafs too much credit. Expecting the big–money boys to pour one whole goal past Linus Ullmark in the Ottawa cage.
Couldn’t be done. Not on home ice. Not with pressure mounting by the minute; the nightmares of past playoff calamities beginning their diabolical swirl. The Core–4 is again turning into the Corpse–4 in front of the hockey nation. There are still two chances to get it right; two chances for the Leafs to avoid — in the words of Globe and Mail columnist Cathal Kelly — “completing their Bingo card.” A direct reference to becoming only the fifth team in Stanley Cup history to cough up a 3–0 lead and lose a best–of–seven series. But, it’s true. We are possibly four nights removed from the crowning “achievement” of the Core–4 era; from a disaster that will dwarf all other playoff misadventures in the Brendan Shanahan administration. There’s a chance to avoid scorched earth in Ottawa on Thursday. But, who, now, truly believes this series is not destined for a winner–take–all at Scotiabank Arena?
As the clock wound down on the 4–0 Ottawa triumph in Game 5, Hockey Night In Canada analyst Craig Simpson took temporary leave of his senses. Looking ahead, he wondered “what the conversation would be about [in Toronto] the next couple of days” before astonishingly implying a switch in goal for Thursday night, with Joseph Woll stepping in for Anthony Stolarz. After a brief and indredulous pause, Chris Cuthbert came to his partner’s rescue by insisting “it’s pretty hard to blame Stolarz” for a game in which his teammates shot blanks. Indeed, I’ve never come across a netminder with a minus–1 goals–against average. How could Simpson point the finger at Stolarz and not the perennial playoff chokers up front? The headline to this blog is a recurring theme from the 1970 Crosby Stills, Nash & Young song Deja Vu. Which should supplant The Maple Leaf Forever as the club’s theme jingle. This horror show has denegrated from living color to sepia before our very eyes. The leading actors never change. Neither does the plot. Nor the outcome. Only the calendar flips between exasperating years.
We knew about the peril of the Maple Leafs going beyond Game 5 against such a weaker opponent as the Senators. Now, we’re back into frighteningly familiar territory. Back in the Columbus play in series of 2020 during the COVID–19 pandemic, when the Maple Leafs couldn’t score to save their lives, except for a late flury that prevented elimination in Game 4. There were no goals in Game 5 and Toronto went off into summer without joining the Stanley Cup pool. The following year still represents the nadir of the Core–4 era: that spitting up of a 3–1 series lead against a Montreal club largely inferior to the Ottawa team the Leafs are currently facing. The 2021 humiliation can remain at the bottom of the memory barrel so long as the Leafs do not lose their next two games.
Otherwise, it falls into second place. Mightily.
The Leafs are now a horrendous 1–13 in close–out playoff attempts during the Core–4 era. 1–and–13 gets a coach fired. In any sport. At any time. That’s how small these regular–season magicians perform when the stakes begin to rise. Every year. Regardless of opposition. Yet, just think, the cries of “run it back!” are merely two weeks in the distance. If anything prompts the Maple Leafs to wildly overpay Mitch Marner in free agency, it’ll be another playoff implosion. The most spectacular, to date. Nothing speaks “money” louder at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment than its hockey club pooching in the Stanley Cup tournament. It’s pay time… every time it happens.
I’ll be intrigued to notice how the local writers and columnists handle the Game 5 blowout. William Nylander, Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and John Tavares are freezing up again. On cue. Veteran scribblers that should know better have been anointing the Leafs; exulting Craig Berube, William Nylander and others that have won nothing for the hockey club. Why they routinely jump to such–immediate conclusions, knowing what has transpired in previous years, puzzles me. It must be a hidden desire emerging in print. Beyond that, it makes limited sense. Even if the Leafs go on to finally eliminate the Senators, what will they have accomplished? Other than shaking off a pesky, weaker opponent and matching the longest playoff march of the Shanahan administration: two rounds.
Florida will run them out the arena and into the Everglades.
We’ve been here before, Leafs Nation. And, it doesn’t seem as if we’re going anyplace.
EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM
Well….. Mission accomplished. Hoo-f*****g-Ray!
“We want Florida”
The Leafs….they love to win, they don’t hate to lose!
Howard,]
Tiger Williams said it best…”they’re done like dinner”. I predicted Ottawa in 7 in one of your earlier blogs and I stand by that opinion. This team should have been “blown-up” after that 5 game series vs. Columbus.
Good column, HB. My ten-year-old son summed up the Core 4 era watching the game last night: “Dad, how come the forwards never throw any checks in the playoffs?”
Good question. I’m too old to ever vote for another NHL team, but my lord do I hate this version of the Leafs. I don’t think I watched more than six regular season games this year; if they resign Marner in the off-season, I can’t see watching a single regular-season game. The guys sucking up 53% of the payroll account for about 5% of the team’s heart….
100%. I would take 93 over 16 and 31 over 34 anytime. One pair had heart and the other has instagram.
Couldn’t agree more with this take. Absolutely no pulse from the ‘big dogs’. Sit the core for game 6. I’d rather watch some gritty Black Aces play balls to the wall than these prima donnas soft perimeter play with zero grit. To quote McDavid, “dig the f*** in! Right F****g NOW!!!”
Whoever wins this series between the Maple Leafs and Senators will likely get swept in the Eastern Conference Semifinal by the winner of the Panthers-Lightning Series.
Leaf fans have been played for suckers since Ballard ran things. I’m absolutely astonished by the number of otherwise-intelligent grown men who should know better but who buy $400+ sweaters to wear at the games, and who believe that “this is the year”, year-after-year. Mind-boggling.
I’m glad I got out when I did, about 30 years ago. There’s hope for the rest of you. Save yourselves. You’ll be happier.
Even though we are out we are still in… LOL
Even if their balls finally drop and they “beat” (nope not the right word) “win” against the Senators, Florida or Tampa will clean their clocks.
So taking inventory the organization has changed GM, coach, assistant coaches, various 3rd/4th liners, added “toughness” and leadership, swapped out too many defencemen to list, lucked into a large, useful power forward of some quality, acquired what appears to be a really good goaltender and has been reputed to be playing a playoff-style hockey on occasion this season.
So what is it that is wrong with this team? How can they do so many things but still provide predictable pratt falls in must win games? Oh I think I know…..the core 4/leadership group/highest paid/lowest intensity players NEVER, EVER, EVER show up and live up to their hype in actual BIG games!
Auston Mathews is a pretender. He’s got zero leadership capabilities, as demonstrated by his multiple performances in big games. He broke a stick (that he doesn’t have to pay for) on the bench because he a frustrated, petulant, low intensity man-child. If things don’t come easy for him then he has no answer. I have heard idiots comparing him to McDavid and saying he’s superior to MacKinnon. Good lord, what in the name of crap are they watching? He’s nothing but a marketing campaign. I don’t know if Marner IS too small/slight for physical games but he sure plays that way in this group, but he’s no more culpable that the WORST captain this franchise has ever banked on. “Elite” my arse.
I think listening to or reading the compliant leaf boosters masquerading as media in this town is worse than watching. The way they ALL fall over themselves providing cover and excuses for Mathews is nauseating.
Win or lose this series. Who cares. They’ll be out in 4 in round 2. Maybe 3.
I believe Modano is the only American Captain to win a Stanley Cup (I haven’t really followed the NHL since that era so I could be wrong). 34 should’ve been traded or at least allowed to walk to free up 11 Million which could have been used prudently (if you believe the Leafs know how to do that). But we are stuck with him and 16. I think a reverse sweep by Ottawa would be a crowning moment for this era that started so promisingly with Shanny, Lou, and Babs. 34 and 16 will wear it well. Run it back!!! That being said I think they win Thursday and we can see what happens beyond that. I think the supporting cast, and Goalies, can carry them both and they will fluke something off here and there to provide some headlines and relief to the current mgmt. Leafs suck dude. Not worth any time or money other than the TSN and\or Sportsnet highlight packages.
LOL I was at the only game Toronto won last night. Barely but nevertheless a W. Can you guess who?
I often think you are bitter and overly critical of the Leafs but after this column…you are bang on and may be the Nostradamus of Toronto.
Bitter over what? Am I covering the Leafs any differently than I did on radio?
I find you based in reality instead of most of the media who glorify the Leafs. Sometimes, I disagree some with your opinion but glad to hear it.
It would be inspiring if the Leafs’ core could transform into playoff studs. I’m still foolishly hoping they will. But I’m also preparing myself for another disappointment. Why can’t Leaf fans have just one magical spring?
They did… 58 years ago.
Leafs were outplayed and have been outplayed all season and playoffs long by Ottawa. Managed to outscore the first three games and couldn’t close the deal in OT in game four. Leafs are too soft to battle Ottawa. Sens are too talented. Leafs traded all those first and second and third round draft choices over the years and the cupboard is bare. The offense for the Leafs is dried up this series. The powerplay is now giving up short-handed goals. Goalie Stolarz is being screened by his own teammates so Ottawa can score goals on shots that should be stopped. Compete! As I have said all season long, Domi Rielly Tavares will help you win nothing but will help you lose games and series. Hope those three players are gone after this season.
Losing confidence in our team is a familiar feeling and that happened watching the Sens beat up the Leafs. You’ve covered the Leafs for many years and this is nothing new to you but I’m always hopeful that this is the year they show off the talented players and give us the big “moment” hoisting the Stanley Cup.
In my opinion, the Ottawa team played really good hockey. They’re young and eager to beat us and I think they will.
I’m also following St. Louis -Winnipeg series.
Really all I want is at least ONE Canadian team in the final match up.