Leafs’ big guns fire back
Lupul, Kessel help even series with first playoff win in 9 years
BOSTON— Desolation replaced by elation.
Yes, yes, it’s all coming back to us now. That’s how it works in the Stanley Cup playoffs, an unpredictable and stomach-churning rollercoaster experience for which fans of the Maple Leafs haven’t had a ticket to ride in such a long time that those who witnessed the last one as high school freshmen are now university graduates.
For a city already in May mourning over the dreadful state of its muchheralded baseball team, the rousing 4-2 victory by the Maple Leafs over the Boston Bruins on Saturday night in Game 2 of their opening round playoff series was like a cool drink on a hot day, particularly since it came after a depressingly dismal performance against the Bruins in the series opener three days earlier.
Now comes — finally — the first playoff game in nine years on Monday night at the Air Canada Centre.
“I think it will be crazy,” smiled Leaf winger Joffrey Lupul after scoring twice in the Game 2 triumph.
"I’m really excited. This game’s only been over for 20 minutes and I’m already thinking about playing back in Toronto. I can’t wait to get out there. Hopefully, it will be crazier than ever."
The victory tied the best-of-seven series at one win apiece. It was the first Leaf playoff win in Boston in 41years.
"It’s a great thing for our city," said head coach Randy Carlyle of his expectations for Game 3 on Monday. "But we’ve got a job to do. We’ve got to focus and the game is won on the ice."
In Game 2, the Leafs surrendered 41shots and kept Leaf Nation in a constant state of agitation as the Bruins pushed and pressured. But Toronto’s stars come to play, four reinforcements all contributed and more than anything, the Leafs competed in a way they had not in the series opener.
"Tonight, we eliminated that doubt that we could go out there and compete with them," said Carlyle.
As is the case with most noteworthy playoff games, there was no shortage of individual stories. But you could argue the two biggest came from the most important forward on the team, speed merchant Phil Kessel, and a 28-yearold journeyman from Oshawa skating in his first-ever NHL playoff contest, Ryan Hamilton.
Hamilton set the necessary tone of desperation by blocking shots, drawing penalties, delivering hits and even making a delicate and crucial pass between his legs in the opening minute of third period.
That only travelled 10 feet to teammate Nazem Kadri, who then spotted Kessel racing down the ice with a long, looping pass to create a breakaway opportunity.
The Leaf sniper, with only three goals in the previous 22 games against his team he demanded to be traded from in 2009, snapped a low shot past Tuukka Rask in the Bruins net for a 3-1 Toronto lead.
"It was nice to get one," said Kessel, hounded by questions about the trade and his poor play against the Bruins at the start of the series.
"I was happy, obviously. It’s been a long time versus those guys to score. I got lucky."
Hamilton spent September through April as captain of the Leafs’ top farm club, but Carlyle summoned him in the final days of the regular season, thinking he might just fill a need at some point.
"It feels good to be part of the battle and help the team any way you can," he said. "You’ve got to focus on what you’ve got to do, focus on the details, play the system. Stay in the moment." The Bruins had to split up their top defence combination of Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg because of a one-game suspension earned by blueliner Andrew Ference in Game 1, and while Chara took a pair of penalties, Seidenberg was victimized on two goals by speeding Leaf forwards, including Kessel’s game winner. "We have to watch where (Kessel) is because he’s a very sneaky player and he uses those chances to his advantage," said Seidenberg. "We were the ones in the first game who initiated and it was them this game." Ference will return for Game 3, while there’s a chance Leaf captain Dion Phaneuf won’t be available depending on how NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan evaluates a high, booming third period hit on Boston’s Daniel Paille. Lupul, meanwhile, now has 13 goals in 18 regular season and playoff matches in what has been an injury scarred but surprisingly fruitful campaign. "We would take goals from anyone right now," he said. "I think you want your best players to be your best and lead, but it takes every guy in the playoffs and I think that’s why we were successful tonight." Now comes a long-awaited homecoming on Monday night. The Leafs have stolen home-ice advantage against the favour Bruins, but one imagines folks are just thrilled to ride the rollercoaster once more.