The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing a monumental task in trying to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win their Eastern Conference Second Round against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Only four teams in NHL history have accomplished such a feat, making it a daunting endeavor for the Maple Leafs. However, former NHL goaltender Brian Boucher, who was part of a 2010 Philadelphia Flyers team that achieved the comeback against the Boston Bruins, believes that it’s not impossible.
Boucher’s key advice to the Maple Leafs is not to look too far ahead. He stresses the importance of focusing on winning one game at a time, as it is a difficult enough task that they don’t need to add more pressure on themselves. He also highlights the importance of getting the first goal, which can give them the momentum they need to build confidence and create doubt in their opponent.
Boucher believes that the fact that Toronto rookie Joseph Woll is starting is a positive. He thinks that Woll is the best of the three goalies available, including Ilya Samsonov, who is day to day with an upper body injury, and Matt Murray. Boucher sees Woll as a talented kid that the team can rally around and have confidence in.
To have any chance of completing the comeback, the Maple Leafs will need their top players to step up. So far in the series, Mitchell Marner, John Tavares, Auston Matthews, and William Nylander have yet to score. As leaders of the team, they need to be the ones to step up and lead by example, but Marner acknowledges that everyone on the team needs to elevate their play.
The Maple Leafs will need to take it one game at a time and focus on winning the first period, then the second, and then the third. With each win, they can create a crack of doubt in their opponent and build the momentum they need to complete the comeback. Although it is a daunting task, Boucher’s past experience proves that it’s not impossible, and the Maple Leafs will need to draw on every bit of their mental and physical fortitude to achieve it.
