Maple Leafs control playoff destiny
Will ACC stand for the “Always Comfortable Confines” for these young Maple Leafs? We’re about to find out. Through the grind and the grit of the first five months of the regular season, Mike Babcock’s Leafs have sweated and swaggered their way to get to this very spot, battling through a series of ups and downs in order to put their playoff fates in their own hands.
And, thanks to an impressive 5- 0 thrashing of the Tampa Bay Lightning Thursday, that’s exactly the position they are in.
The analytics of the situation are simple: The Leafs, by virtue of their victory over the Lightning, hold the second wild card slot in the eastern conference, leading Tampa Bay and the New York Islanders by a point. They have a game in hand on both those teams. And, perhaps, most importantly, eight of their final 13 contests will be held at the Air Canada Centre, where they have accrued a respectable 17-10- 6 record.
In other words, they control their own destiny, a position every team in the league strives for.
With just one playoff appearance in the past 13 years, very few meaningful March games have been played at the ACC. As such, expect Leafs Nation to be going bonkers on Bay St.
For their part, the Leafs understand the opportunity that lies in front of them, thanks in part to so much imminent home cooking. Question is, can they take advantage of it?
“I think you have an advantage playing at home. It’s huge,” forward Tyler Bozak said. “You get the favourable matchups you want, you get the last change, and obviously you are more comfortable there.”
Added defenceman Morgan Rielly: “I think if you asked any sports team they’d tell you they’d rather play at home. That’s where you’re comfortable, that’s where you spend the majority of the time.
“We’re comfortable at the Air Canada Centre.”
Beginning Saturday with a visit from the high-powered Chicago Blackhawks, the Leafs will have the chance to prove it.
Without further ado, here is a gameby game breakdown of the Leafs remaining schedule. Note that the final four games will be held at the ACC.
March 18 vs. Blackhawks ( Hawks lead season series 1- 0)
Hawks defeated Leafs 5- 4 in a shootout at United Center back on Oct. 22 … Leafs coughed up 4-2 lead in final 2: 28 of regulation, then lost in overtime when Jonathan Toews and Artemi Panarin scored shootout goals … Hawks come into Air Canada Centre on a three-game winning streak including a 2-1 win in Ottawa Thursday.
March 20 vs. Bruins ( Leafs lead season series 3- 0)
Leafs have chance to sweep season series with a victory … Defeated Bruins 4-1 at ACC Oct. 15; Beat Bruins 4-1 in Boston Dec. 10; Edged Bruins 6- 5 in Boston Feb. 4 … Have outscored Bruins 14-7 in three games … This will be the first time they’ll face Boston with Bruce Cassidy behind the Bruins bench … Boston will come into this one on three days rest after having been drubbed 7-4 in Edmonton Thursday night … Leafs are just four points behind Boston for third place in Atlantic Division. Toronto has two games in hand.
March 22 @ Columbus ( Blue Jackets lead season series 1- 0)
Blue Jackets defeated the Leafs 5-2 at Nationwide Arena on Feb. 15 … Defeat spoiled the return to Columbus of former Jackets goalie Curtis McElhinney, who faced 35 shots … Nazem Kadri scored both Leafs goals … As of now, Leafs are 5- 4- 4 since that loss … Two teams will play season finale at Air Canada Centre on April 9.
March 23 vs. Devils ( Leafs lead season series 1- 0-1)
Both previous meetings were played in Newark … On Nov. 23 Devils defeat Leafs 5-4 in shootout at Prudential Center … Auston Matthews scored twice to snap 13-game goalless drought … Leafs rebounded to defeat host Devils 4-2 on Jan. 6. with Matthews collecting the winning goal.
March 25 @ Buffalo ( Leafs lead season series 2-1)
Leafs registered a rare victory in Buffalo on Nov. 3, edging Sabres 2-1 with Mitch Marner scoring both Toronto goals....On Jan 17 James van Riemsdyk scored the winning goal as Leafs chased Sabres goalie Robin Lehner en route to 4-3 victory on home ice … Less than a month later, Marner scored the only Leafs goal in a 3-1 loss at ACC on Feb. 11 … This will be the first of two remaining games in the Queen City.
March 28 vs. Panthers ( Leafs lead season series 3-1)
Leafs will be seeking retribution after allowing season high seven goals in dropping 7-1 stinker Tuesday in Sunrise … Prior to that humiliation, Leafs had won all three previous meetings: 3-2 in Toronto Oct. 27, 6-1 at ACC Nov. 17, and a 3-2 shootout decision in Florida Dec. 28 … Panthers goalie James Reimer is 1-1 against his former team.
March 30 @ Nashville ( Leafs lead season series 1- 0)
Leafs exploded for six goals against one of the NHL’s better defensive teams en route to a 6-2 thrashing of the visit- ing Preds on Nov. 15 … van Riemsdyk scored the winning goal as part of a hat trick, the second of his career … He also chipped in with an assist.
April 1 @ Detroit ( Leafs lead season series 3- 0)
This will be Leafs final visit to The Joe … Wings will be moving into the new Little Caesar’s Arena in the fall … Leafs can sweep Mike Babcock’s former team with a win … Auston Matthews scored the overtime winner in front of 40,148 at BMO Field in the Centennial Classic on Jan. 1 … Later that month, Frederik Andersen stopped 22 shots to blank the Red Wings 4- 0 in Detroit Jan. 25 … Earlier this month the Leafs built up a 3- 0 lead then held on for a 3-2 win March 7.
April 3 @ Buffalo ( Leafs lead season series 2-1)
Leafs are an all-time 28-70- 6 in Buffalo.
April 4 vs. Capitals ( Leafs lead season series 1- 0-1)
Potential first- round playoff matchup … Leafs defeated Capitals 4-2 at the ACC on Nov. 26 with Nazem Kadri scoring the winning goal … Caps rebounded with a 6- 5 victory on Jan. 1 with Alexander Ovechkin — who else? — blasting home the overtime winner past Andersen.
April 6 vs. Lightning ( Leafs lead season series 2-1)
The big question here: Will Steven Stamkos be healthy enough to play in his hometown ( OK, technically he’s from Markham) after undergoing knee surgery in November? … Leafs turned in one of best efforts of season in blanking Bolts 5- 0 Thursday as Andersen collected his fourth shutout of season and 10th of career … It was a different story back on Oct. 27 when Lightning drubbed Leafs 7- 3 at ACC … Leafs rebounded with a 3- 2 win on Dec. 29 thanks to a Kadri OT winner … Home team has won every game this season.
April 8 vs. Penguins ( Season series tied 1-1)
Penguins peppered Andersen with 49 shots in a 4-1 win over Leafs in Pittsburgh on Nov. 12 … One month later Jake Gardiner scored the OT winner for a 2-1 Toronto triumph at the ACC on Dec. 17… Sidney Crosby has been in on three of the five Penguins goals, collecting a goal and two assists.
April 9 vs Blue Jackets (Jackets lead season series 1- 0)
Rare back- to- back home games on consecutive days … Likely will be crucial to playoff seedings.