I agree with both Iggy & Special K.
Here are my thoughts on the Boston/Toronto series:
-Yes, the Leafs choked. But they only choked because they were leading 4-1 late in the game. On the other hand, they should an incredible amount of resiliency by coming back in the series from a 3 games to 1 deficit. Had the Leafs managed to hold on to their lead in game 7, Boston would have been dubbed major chokers for letting a 3 games to 1 lead slip.
-Best players for the Leafs in this series were Kessel, Lupul, Grabovski, Gardiner, Franson & Reimer. JVR also had a very good series, along with the likes of Kulemin, Komarov & McClement. The penalty killing was great, and the powerplay very good. Nazem Kadri showed flashes of brilliance when paired with the likes of Kessel & Lupul, and Clark MacArthur had some key goals. Tyler Bozak had a good series & his absence from the lineup (due to a ruptured bicep) in the last two games was a blow to the Leafs. Reimer struggled in the last 10 minutes of the last game, mostly with his unability to hold onto the puck. But if it wasn't for his heroics during the series, the Leafs never would have managed to get to a game 7. Today on Primetime Sports, hosts Bob McKown & John Shannon praised Lupul for his leadership, Kessel for his two-way play & emotions showed throughout the series, and Grabovski's heart & desire. Shannon went on to say that Grabovski had, in his eyes, been the Leafs top performer & was truly impressed by his durability & courage throughout the playoffs.
-Dion Phaneuf had a so-so series, but a lot of his gaffes were likely due to the fact that he was playing between 26-30 minutes a game. His defensive partners were no better when goals were scored against that pairing, so i believe Phaneuf is taking a bad rap. Anyone who'll play that many minutes in a game is bound to get exhausted & make mental mistakes. Just ask P.K. Subban.
-Boston had been struggling over the past month or so & they were no better in the playoffs. If it wasn't for Tukka Rask's heroics, the series would have been over a long time ago since Toronto carried the offense in the bulk of games. Zdeno Chara was a horse in the final game & played over 30 minutes. So was Milan Lucic. If it wasn't for those two players & Patrice Bergeron, the Bruins would be playing golf today.
-Boston's best line throughout the series was the David Kreici line. The most disappointing was the Patrice Bergeron line. However, Bergeron was a kingpin on the faceoffs, which was the Leafs' achilles heel. The Leafs were inept when it came to faceoffs, but Boston is among the league leaders in this category. Tyler Seguin was a total offensive bust in the opening series, not getting a single point until the final goal scored by Bergeron. Brad Marchand was no better & he's very fortunate his boneheaded decisions (tripping Reimer behind the net, deliberately throwing a gatorade bottle onto the ice, etc) didn't wind up costing his team the series. As for Jaromir Jagr, he's lost more than a step. He can't skate as well as he used to, but he's still very strong with the puck. However, he's become one of the league's worst puck hogs & his lack of passing the puck hurt his team.
All in all, it was a very entertaining series, and i tip my hat off to Boston for their comeback. They never quit, and that was the key in the final outcome. As for the young Leafs, they deserved a much better fate than they got. However, they had nearly clinched the series & let it slip away. Sure, the non-calls by the referees in the final game didn't help, but the bottom line is that the Leafs have no one to blame but themselves for the final outcome.
Randy Carlyle's coaching was brilliant at times, but questionable some other times. Jake Gardiner should have been inserted into the lineup sooner, and he should have reduced Dion Phaneuf's minutes. But one key decision of his will haunt me forever: "What was he waiting for to call a timeout in those final minutes of the game when his team was clearly backed up against a wall, facing a Bruins onslaught?"
All in all, it was a very successful season for the Toronto Maple Leafs & i cannot help but be proud of how they performed in the playoffs. I hadn't even picked them to beat the Bruins, and if someone would have told me prior to the series that they'd take Boston to 7 games, i would have told them they're nuts! And to nearly come back from a 3 games to 1 deficit was absolutely astonishing. I didn't know they had it within them to come back from such adversity.
Go Sens!
