Even when winning a series last year (against Tampa was it?) I don't believe I've seen this Leafs play better team hockey than in the past 3 games. Their physical play, defensive effort and structure, their commitment to shutting down the center of the ice and not allowing the Bruins any chances was quite unlike anything the Leafs have done in recent memory. The team made huge progress this season and was probably man for man better than Boston. Swayman stole that game last night.
Oddly they lost more because they didn't score than because they didn't defend. Again quite unlike Leafs' teams past.
Keith in my mind deserves a fair amount of credit. They were determined and physical. Focused. They showed a good stock of heavy, young and reasonably fast players too in this series. That big dude (Kise, Kiese? hmm) has a good future.
It's unfortunate that they may now make a whole lot of radical changes based on losing a single game. This series was very different from the pattern that's developed over the past decade or more. This club was quite different. It was for me a much more appealing team to watch and I feel badly that they lost last night, when they had so many looks at Swayman especially in the 2d period and simply couldn't finish, and then there's one quick breakdown in OT.
Samsonov could have read that game winner better and gotten to the puck first with a poke check. A leaf defender didn't turn and go with Pasta. And that was all she wrote.
If I'm a rational Toronto GM I hesitate to break up this team. Kept more or less together I think they can be a winner and I haven't felt that way about them any time in the recent past.
