Leafs Postgame: Inevitable

After all the discussion, you knew a game like this was coming. For a series where the shots were separated by four and the goals were separated by one, there was far too much talk about how the Leafs have broken the confines of hockey with their expertise domineering, or how the Capitals were irrepairably broken choke artists who have already lost the series.

It made no sense. These were two very good teams, one of which still a safer bet, that were neck and neck with each other through just three games. There really wasn’t a story to dig up, and there was no reason to believe that the Capitals couldn’t pull out a typical Capitals game out of their pocket.

Tonight.. was a very good example of that. For much fo the game, the Leafs were outplayed, out possessed, and generally out-hockeyed in a 5-4 game that felt even more lopsided than a single goal.

The Capitals flew out of the gate in this one, winning an offensive zone faceoff and quickly converting it into a TJ Oshie goal just three minutes in. A minute later, Tyler Bozak took a penalty for a high stick on Lars Eller, and seconds after that, Alex Ovechkin turned it into a powerplay goal.

The Leafs were quick to respond, though. William Nylander sent the puck from the boards to Jake Gardiner’s stick, and his ensuing shot found its way off Zach Hyman and into the net to close the gap. The Leafs nearly tied the game up a later in the period, but then…

Total, total misfortune. Minutes later, Wilson was at it again, perhaps getting away with a charging/interference penalty and burying a feed from Andre Burakovsky to make it a 4-1 game.

The Leafs did their best to rally, though, and even made the game a close one as it progressed. James van Riemsdyk picked up his second of the playoffs by banking a shot off of Dmitry Orlov and into the back of the net, and in the third period, Auston Matthews struck again with a heck of a drive to the slot:

Toronto then followed this up with an absolute catastrophe of a play in their own blue line to give TJ Oshie the dagger, and while Tyler Bozak picked up a fourth tally with 30 seconds to go, they couldn’t get any closer.

Not taking advantage of a two-minute 5-on-3 to start the third period was pretty big, but I’m going to place this game almost squarely on this goal. Also the slow start and feeling a little too comfortable with the Caps, but especially this goal. It might be the worst sequence I’ve seen from a group (not just an individual) of Leafs in my adult life.

Morgan Rielly was not just Toronto’s top possession player, not just a point getter, and not just second on the team in ice time, but also had a blue collar blue warrior moment when he kept chugging after getting a skate to the face just before the second Wilson goal.

Saturday. 7PM. Verizon Centre. Send Dart Guy.