HEARTBREAKER FOR LEAFS
Capitals strike in OT to take Game 1
As playoff lessons go, this one stung the student Toronto Maple Leafs like getting 49 per cent on an exam.
Getting a 2-0 lead on the firstplace Washington Capitals was just the test they wanted to take in this unexpected playoff sequel to the regular season — but holding it in a hostile venue is quite another.
The end result was a 3-2 overtime loss in Game 1, with Toronto native and fourth-line rogue Tom Wilson supplying the winner at 5:15 after he cut off a Martin Marincin clearing attempt.
After the Caps erased the Leafs’ lead late in the second period, Toronto had to close ranks, kill a Matt Martin penalty and plug their ears as sustained pressure brought the Verizon Center volume to its loudest.
The Caps moved ahead on the shot clock after Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen snared a Marcus Johansson tip with less than four minutes to play.
Then Wilson, who had seven goals during the season, somehow found a short-side hole — the same Wilson that coach Mike Babcock looked past when it was suggested to him the Leafs should watch out for his size.
It looked like a long night for the Leafs off the opening draw, as the ad hoc defence pair of Jake Gardiner and Roman Polak were pushed back and Dmitri Orlov got a hot point shot away to force an Andersen glove save.
But despite nine Leafs playing in their first NHL playoff milieu, it was the Caps who looked like puck-fumbling first-timers much of the period, dumping the puck into no man’s land and not picking up their man as the quicker Leafs snuck in behind.
After a couple of close calls, Tyler Bozak held on as he swept around the net and his shot bounced to an uncovered Mitch Marner. The latter recorded the first playoff goal by a Leafs rookie since Jeff Farkas in 2000, first by a teen since Daniel Marois for the John Brophy Leafs of 1988 and earliest in a game by a freshman since Andy Blair in 1929.
But wait, there’s more. Several unforced errors later, Kevin Shattenkirk’s poor clear went right to Jake Gardiner. His wrist shot struck T.J. Oshie’s stick and beat Braden Holtby, who immediately claimed Nazem Kadri had somehow interfered with him.
An incredulous Babcock couldn’t use his coach’s challenge fast enough and the goal stood.
Washington snipers fanned or broke sticks on a 5-on-3 until Justin Williams finally scored in the dying seconds with Brian Boyle already out of the box.
Capitals coach Barry Trotz kept his team in the room a little longer before coming out for the second period. But twice the Leafs threatened to make it 3-1 while holding a shot lead through another period.
James van Riemsdyk, on a solo rush, flipped it between Orlov and partner Matt Niskanen and caught up to it, one of the many plays he’s adopted off the rush of late instead of relying on blue paint goals.
Matt Hunwick hit the post through a screen as well.
But Washington tied it as Babcock was unable to hide littleused sixth defenceman Marincin from the growing red surge. A successful Caps push resulted in a slot shot that Andersen lost track of after his save, rising from his knees to allow Williams a five-hole tap in.
While many lamented the Leafs losing their last game and not drawing Ottawa in the first round, Babcock immediately saw the silver lining. Instead of opening on Wednesday as Ottawa’s building conflict dictated, his newbies had a chance to watch other teams get their baptism on TV, particularly the youthful Oilers.
“I always like to start the second night,” Babcock said before the game. “It’s important for your players, who get to watch how hard everyone plays, and how little room there is, how the game works. I thought that was good for us last night.”
The battle-tested Babcock seemed right in his element.
“From our own team, I know the players (well), and I know the situation good. We talked a little bit about that this morning. We asked players what you saw last night, what’s one thing that jumped out in your mind, to try to get prepared for what they’re going to see.
“The game is the same. The energy in the building is different and the energy in each shift is different. So you’ve got to find a way to bring your game within that game.”