Leafs v Montreal Playoffs 2021
The H stands for Hockey by the way, not Habitants, and the C stands for Club, not Canadiens.
W-L: 24-21-11, .429
SRS: -0.14 (19th of 31)
Goals: 159 (17th of 31)
Goals Against: 168 (18th of 31)
W-L: 35-14-7, .625
SRS: 0.60 (5th of 31)
Goals: 187 (6th of 31)
Goals Against: 148 (7th of 31)
Looks like a walk in the park, right? 35 wins against 24?
Leafs lost the first game 2-1. They won the second game convincingly 5-1.
In Montreal for games three and four, Leafs took both 2-1, and 4-0.
That would make the series 3-1, against the rag tag Canadiens, obviously this one is a lock, much like game 7 in Boston in 2013 when they were up 4-1 in game 7 with nine minutes left. Did someone say cursed?
This is the corona virus year so all they need to do is beat the Canadian teams and they are rocking into the semi finals.
Hmm
Leafs then lose 4-3 in OT, 3-2 and 3-1 for another first round collapse.
Game 6
This one stands out. The third period opens with a scoreless tie.
Early in the 3rd, Montreal scores for a 1 0 lead. Watch the clip at 2:00 below and ask if this looks a goaltender interference call. It does seem to require a penalty and a no goal call. Shelly Keefe was of the same view. The unsuccessful decision to challenge the call caused a two minute penalty. The clip below fails to show an important second penalty.
https://youtu.be/ZSXh16SmBNg (1)
If you asked yourself who would be the most reliable player for the Leafs, chances are 99 out of 100 fans would say Mitch Marner. Yep, the same guy who tossed the puck over the glass while killing this penalty for a bench minor. Did I say cursed yet? The video is below.
https://youtu.be/X_tNe4ydeWg (2)
So make the score now 2-0 on the resulting two man advantage. What really should have been a disqualified goal and a zero zero tie has now become a two goal disadvantage.
Spezza scores with 8 minutes left (5:09 game clip 1 above). Brodie scores with 3 minutes left on a fortunate deflection and it is 2-2. (5:50 clip 1).
In OT, Travis Dermott gets stripped ( that is said charitably, as he coughed it up big time) in his own end and the game is done. Cursed ? This was just an incredibly inane play. Dermott picked a somewhat inopportune moment in which to reveal his inner Bobby Orr. A spinarama play, really, in OT in game 6, up 3-2, in your own end yet? Bobby Orr, he is most definitely not. Simply incroyable. (7:22 clip 1)
Game 7
I can barely relive this. Goal 1 goes to Montreal. Marner gets stripped of the puck, a very rare event and Campbell, who has played extremely well all series, flubs a big one. (1:57 below)
Montreal makes it 2-0 on a power play with a deflection off Perry’s knee (3:50) in later part of period 2. Cursed indeed. Montreal scores in the empty net, now 3-0. Leafs score late for 3-1 with 1 minute and a half left.
Montreal wins the Canadian division beating Winnipeg 4 games to 0, beats Vegas 4 to 2 and gets blown out in the Stanley Cup final against Tampa 4 to 1.