Turning back clock to ’93
The Leafs were outscored 12-5 in the first two games of their first-round series against Detroit in 1993, but rallied to win the series. Leafs hope that history might be repeating itself 25 years after comeback
The Maple Leafs were manhandled through two games. Thoroughly outscored. Thoroughly intimidated. Looking like a shadow of themselves.
It’s as true in these playoffs against the Boston Bruins as it was 25 years ago in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Detroit Red Wings.
Cliff Fletcher, the architect of the 1993 team that stands as the franchise’s most successful since 1967, sees some similarities between then and now. The Red Wings outscored Toronto12-5 in the first two games in Detroit.
“They totally embarrassed us,” recalled Fletcher, now a senior adviser for the Maple Leafs. “We had a pretty good year that year (99 points to Detroit’s 103). We didn’t look any better than a mediocre American Hockey League team.
“It just goes to show, after the first two games, no one thought we had a chance. Most people thought it would be four straight. I remember thinking: ‘This season can’t end like this.’ We found a way to win Game 3. It’s funny with the playoffs. It just takes one game to change the momentum totally.”
The Leafs would win the series against the Wings in seven games, do the same against the St. Louis Blues and go on to the Western Conference final against the Los Angeles Kings.
It’s quite possible something similar is happening. The Bruins were the better team in Games 1 and 2, and arguably Game 3 as well. Auston Matthews got a goal Monday, ending a slump that lasted all of two games but had been bothering him nonetheless. Frederik Andersen had his best game of the series, keeping Boston’s big guns off the scoresheet, sometimes in spectacular fashion. Centre Tomas Plekanec had his best game as Leaf.
In other words, the Leafs found a way to win. And in the nick of time, in the eyes of coach Mike Babcock.
“Some series, when it gets out of hand, there’s nothing you can do,” Babcock said Tuesday. “I thought (Monday) night for us, if we didn’t have success, I thought we were probably going to be done. This now gets us back to playing. To me we have a game at home, that’s all that really matters.
“I’m a big believer that, in the NHL if you win today, everything is OK. That’s the same approach you take (Thursday). You win (Game 4), you’re in the best-of-three. I think we’re set up real good.
“As far as the series being 3-0 or 2-1, I think that makes a huge difference. Can anything happen? Sure. You still want to be in a better situation, be in the driver’s seat. It’s important for us to even it up.”
To that end, Babcock gave his team Tuesday off to rest.
“In our situation, rest is real important,” Babcock said. “The first two (games) didn’t go very well for us. So the mental rest, you’re not getting freshened up. You’re spending too much time thinking about it. After success, today will be much more restful for our group. I think that’s important.”
Babcock admitted the team’s confidence level had been lagging. “We’re pumped to have the day to rest. Our confidence will be back and we can play the way we played all year. People might find it hard to believe but it’s easy to lose your confidence very quickly in playoff time. But I think we’re in a great spot to get it back.
“(The win) really helped Freddie. It helped Auston. A lot of our guys will be feeling better about themselves, which is awesome.”
Winger James van Riemsdyk experienced firsthand one of the NHL’s most remarkable comebacks as a Flyer, rebounding from a 3-0 series deficit to the Boston Bruins in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals. It started with an overtime win in Game 4. The Flyers went on to the Stanley Cup final, losing to Chicago.
“We had a collective belief in the group we had, and we have that belief in our group here. It’s a matter of keeping playing and sticking with it,” van Riemsdyk said. “This sort of stuff happens all the time.
“I remember my first playoffs, even before the playoffs, Chris Pronger was harping on it. He said if you go on the road and lose your first two, so what, they’re supposed to win. It’s up to us to hold serve here. We’re re-energized now, back on home ice.”