Like a number of bloggers, journalists, freelance writers and others who covered Game 4 of the Columbus Blue Jackets versus Toronto Maple Leafs play-in series, many of us had starting writing an article about how the Leafs were destined to become the fifth team out of six possible eliminations in one day. Most of the titles were likely to read something to the effect of, ‘Maple Leafs Season Ends in Disappointment’ or ”Blue Jackets Prove to Be Too Big a Challenge For Leafs’.
Things still could wind up going that way, but the Maple Leafs made a heap of writers delete countless words and did so with dramatic flare.
Perhaps I’m not old enough to remember some of the great five-games series’ of the NHL’s past. It’s been years since the NHL had that format or that teams played anything but a best-of-seven. But, for the life of me, I can’t imagine how any series would have measured up to the drama we’ve seen so far in this play-in round between these two Eastern Conference hopefuls.
This series will see the winner move on to the playoffs and the loser enter the Alexis Lafreniere sweepstakes. There have been dramatic injuries, yelling matches between players and coaches, incredible comebacks and amazing individual efforts. What else could you ask for?
Pre-Game Notes:
In Game 3, Pierre-Luc Dubois was lights-out fantastic down the stretch as he led the charge, the Blue Jackets scoring four unanswered, goals, including one in overtime. In Game 4, it was Auston Matthews who led the Maple Leafs, the team scoring three goals in a span of just over three minutes to storm back. Head coach Sheldon Keefe pulled his goaltender and the Maple Leafs Big Four forwards went to work, combining for 10 points in the final 17-plus minutes. Needless to say, if you were a Maple Leafs fan who turned off the television in the third period, you’re certainly kicking yourself today.
It’s hard deny that this series between the Blue Jackets and Maple Leafs is now the most entertaining of the lot. There have been a variety of storylines to come out of the play-ins so far — including injuries, early eliminations, and individual performances — but at no time in NHL history, have two teams in the playoffs scored three goals like that in two back-to-back games where the team down by three came back to eventually win in it overtime.
I don’t know who will win the Game 5 of this series, but there’s one bet I will make. Fans will stay tuned in until the end to watch the outcome.
Game Notes:
I hate to admit it, but with six minutes left in the third period, I paused the television and made some supper – believing that I would come back and watch the game minutes wind down at the Blue Jackets defense stifle the Maple Leafs until the horn sounded. How wrong I was. Incredibly, the Maple Leafs rallied from three goals down with just over three minutes left in the third period.
First, the almost expressionless William Nylander slid home a puck that trickled through Elvis Merzlikins’ legs with 3:57 left. Second, John Tavares connected from the slot with a seeing-eye shot off a great pass from Auston Matthews less than a minute later. Third, with everyone thinking Matthews would shoot, he fed Zach Hyman who fired one in the from the top of the left circle to tie the game with only 23 seconds left. Finally, in overtime, Auston Matthews finally shot – and the result was an overtime power-play goal 13:10 minutes.
Talk about payback. By the same score, the Blue Jackets (4-3) won on Thursday night, the Maple Leafs won on Friday night. As a result, the best-of-five qualifying series is now tied at two wins apiece.
Frederik Andersen had 36 saves in 39 shots.
As William Nylander said of the comeback: ”Probably some of the craziest events I’ve ever seen.”
Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe added, ”We were getting CPR there for a little bit, and we found our way back. Here we go.”
Matthews said the Leafs never lost their cool, even when the team was behind 3-0 late. He noted, ”I think once we got one pretty quickly there, we just want to keep pushing and keep pressing, we got two and obviously there was time left, we’ve still got a game. So we just kind of rallied everybody, got everybody excited to give us a little bit of an extra boost.”
Next Game Notes:
Both teams meet again on Sunday evening, with the winner moving on and the loser drawing for the first draft pick. Really, there’s not much more to say about the series. It’s been evenly matched, with two games going into overtime.
Final Score
MAPLE LEAFS
BLUE JACKETS
4
3
Scoring Summary:
Period 1
Goal
Assists
Cam Atkinson
Pierre-Luc Dubois, Elvis Merzlikins
Period 2
Goal
Assists
Vladislav Gavrikov
David Savard, Alexandre Texier
Period 3
Goal
Assists
Boone Jenner
Nick Foligno
William Nylander
Zach Hyman, Mitchell Marner
John Tavares
Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner
Zach Hyman
Auston Matthews, William Nylander
Overtime
Goal
Assists
AustonMatthews
John Tavares, Mitchell Marner
Game Highlights:
Discover more from NHL Trade Talk
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
