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LGD: Can we get a Happy Ending?

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Photo credit:John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Jon Steitzer
5 years ago
Folk’s, what’s really left to say on this series. At times some players have been great and at other times they were underwhelming. Sometimes the series looked to be going the Leafs way, and at other times it looked like it Boston was dominating. We’ve had our highs and lows, and really the only constant has been the amazing play of Freddie Andersen, a magical goaltender who has taught me to love Leafs goaltending again.
We started with a best of seven series and now we’re down to a single elimination game yet again. History hasn’t been kind to the Leafs in this regard, but thankfully they’re not playing the game in the past, they’re playing in Boston, which just seems like past. The Leafs have all the talent they need to take this game, but unfortunately that is also true of Boston. And once the puck drops it doesn’t matter that the Leafs are due, and the odds favour Boston, it’s just going to be the most intense sixty minutes of hockey that a generation of Leafs fans has ever seen. A 15 year old Leafs fan has never seen the second round in their lifetime. Most of us haven’t seen the Leafs beyond the Conference finals in our lifetime, and in the year of first round upsets, the Leafs could very quickly become the Cup favourites.
But no pressure.
This series has been an absolute gem. It’s been intense, fast, physical, and given us the highs and lows we seek in sports fandom. Unfortunately for Boston, this is where you have to get off. It’s time for the Leafs to build a new rivalry with the *checks notes* Columbus Blue Jackets (sigh.)

Lineups

LWCRWForwards

ZACH HYMAN
Rating: 73.9#49 LW

JOHN TAVARES
Rating: 81.9#10 C

MITCH MARNER
Rating: 78.5#17 RW
FL1 Rating
Rating: 78.09#20 FL1

ANDREAS JOHNSSON
Rating: 75.3#36 LW

AUSTON MATTHEWS
Rating: 83.6#5 C

KASPERI KAPANEN
Rating: 74.1#44 RW
FL2 Rating
Rating: 77.66#3 FL2

PATRICK MARLEAU
Rating: 72.5#72 LW

WILLIAM NYLANDER
Rating: 75.3#47 C

CONNOR BROWN
Rating: 70.2#112 RW
FL3 Rating
Rating: 72.66#13 FL3

TYLER ENNIS
Rating: 72.2#80 LW

FREDERIK GAUTHIER
Rating: 69.2#179 C

TREVOR MOORE
Rating: 73.0#63 RW
FL4 Rating
Rating: 71.47#10 FL4
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGSDefense

MORGAN RIELLY
Rating: 79.6#5 LD

RON HAINSEY
Rating: 73.2#54 RD
DL1 Rating
Rating: 76.39#12 DL1

JAKE MUZZIN
Rating: 75.9#19 LD

NIKITA ZAITSEV
Rating: 71.0#86 RD
DL2 Rating
Rating: 73.45#20 DL2

JAKE GARDINER
Rating: 76.9#16 LD

TRAVIS DERMOTT
Rating: 74.7#29 RD
DL3 Rating
Rating: 75.83#1 DL3
A win away from Kadri being back and that lineup being a whole lot happier, but in the meantime this lineup card has served us well-ish. I mean, Marleau and Brown as Nylander’s wingers is far less than ideal, but a wise man by the name of Ryan Fancey has the right idea with his workaround…
To this point in the series #91 and #34 have floated around 20 minutes of ice-time in the six games leading us here. Tomorrow it has to be different. The Leafs have decent depth in their lineup, but they’re fortunate enough to also be a top heavy team; 25 shifts apiece for their top two centers shouldn’t be enough for game seven. Everything in the tank needs to be emptied.
LWCRWForwards

BRAD MARCHAND
Rating: 86.6#1 LW

PATRICE BERGERON
Rating: 84.6#4 C

DAVID PASTRNAK
Rating: 83.9#4 RW
FL1 Rating
Rating: 85.06#1 FL1

JAKE DEBRUSK
Rating: 77.0#26 LW

DAVID KREJCI
Rating: 77.4#30 C

MARCUS JOHANSSON
Rating: 73.5#56 RW
FL2 Rating
Rating: 75.95#7 FL2

DANTON HEINEN
Rating: 74.2#46 LW

CHARLIE COYLE
Rating: 72.4#96 C

KARSON KUHLMAN
FL3 Rating
Rating: 73.33#5 FL3

JOAKIM NORDSTROM
Rating: 69.7#129 LW

NOEL ACCIARI
Rating: 70.0#160 C

CHRIS WAGNER
Rating: 69.7#125 RW
FL4 Rating
Rating: 69.79#30 FL4
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGSDefense

ZDENO CHARA
Rating: 75.3#25 LD

CHARLIE MCAVOY
Rating: 78.1#18 RD
DL1 Rating
Rating: 76.73#11 DL1

TOREY KRUG
Rating: 81.1#3 LD

BRANDON CARLO
Rating: 72.9#55 RD
DL2 Rating
Rating: 77.03#4 DL2

JOHN MOORE
Rating: 71.5#95 LD

MATT GRZELCYK
Rating: 73.1#51 RD
DL3 Rating
Rating: 72.30#11 DL3
A lot of good players here. Can’t wait to see them at the Men’s World Hockey Championships. Hope Matthews and Tavares get to see a lot of that Moore/Grzelcyk pairing.

Goaltenders

The two stars of the series will be back in their respective nets tonight.
Nothing more to say. Game Seven starts at 7pm ET on CBC and Sportsnet. Seems like it will be a long day waiting for this.

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