Suffice it is to say, it was a very solid start to the Battle of Ontario for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

One by one, it was like they knocked off task after task on their playoff checklist. It really was a quality effort. And they should be commended for such.

The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta filled in for Jay Rosehill on the Monday edition of Leafs Morning Take. Don’t fret, though, you can find Rosey’s thoughts on Game 1 below:

At any rate, we kicked off the show by getting a scene/mood setter. DP was in the building at Scotiabank Arena, I took in the festivities at GRETA BAR YYZ. It made for a fun conversation as we shared our viewing experiences. One thing’s for sure: The crowd came to play, and that was great to see.

Brought to you by RVezy, we got into the full game recap of the 6-2 Game 1 victory. Obviously, the officiating was a big topic point. The Leafs took care of business, though, going 3-for-6 with the man advantage. Additionally, the Core Four combined for nine points and Anthony Stolarz made some timely saves. All in all, there’s a lot to be happy with as the Leafs get set for Game 2 tomorrow night. On top of that, the bottom six was excellent and Toronto stayed very disciplined, which obviously could not be said for the opponent. Remember all those learning lessons? Hmm.

Thanks to GRETA BAR YYZ, former Maple Leaf/Hockey Hall of Famer Eddie Belfour joined us to weigh in on the Battle of Ontario opener. In addition to dishing on his experience playing in it for Pat Quinn, he gave his thoughts on Stolarz’s performance, and his overall evolution has a netminder. Furthermore, Belfour was very impressed with Toronto’s performance in Game 1. He likes what Craig Berube has brought to the table. With that in mind, we finished up by talking about composure and discipline, two things the Leafs will have to continue to be cognisant of if they want to win this series.

To wrap, we got to the CRISPI HOT TAKE OF THE DAY, presented by the Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer. Producer Vick thinks that Game 1 outing was Toronto’s most complete playoff effort of the Brendan Shanahan era. That’s tough to dispute —to be fair.

Jay Rosehill will be back in the mix for the Tuesday edition of Leafs Morning Take. In addition to previewing Game 2 of the Battle of Ontario, former Leaf great Tomas Kaberle will make his first ever appearance on the show.

You can subscribe to TheLeafsNation (TLN) YouTube channel HERE. Additionally, we’re available in podcast form, too —wherever you get your podcasts. While you’re at it, be sure to leave us a 5-star review!