Games between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens are almost always soap operas.
Take the Jan. 18 game, for example. The Maple Leafs gave up the first three goals of the game in the first period before roaring back to score seven unanswered goals in a 7-3 victory.
As a direct result of that rollercoaster game, even first-year Leafs have had the Canadiens rivalry imprinted indelibly on their minds, even with a small chance of a first-round matchup between the two Original Six squads.
“Obviously, two big teams going head-to-head, big markets, and there’s not a lot of love between the teams,” Leafs left winger Steven Lorentz said Friday. “Going back to when we were down three (goals) and coming back in the Bell Centre, I’ll never forget that game for the rest of my life.
“That was so cool. It’s cool being out there, and they’re belting out the anthem, the place is going nuts, and they’re booing you. It’s just the best. It’s extra special being able to win there.”
The Canadiens won six-straight games ahead of Friday’s contest against the Ottawa Senators and Saturday’s matchup with the Maple Leafs. That hot streak has helped them solidify their hold on the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.
Toronto’s 2-1-0 record against Montreal so far this season indicates the Habs are no longer going to be a pushover for any opponent, let alone a hated rival in the Maple Leafs.
Leafs players and coaches acknowledged the steps they’ve seen the Canadiens take to be a likely playoff team this year.
“They’re playing really well,” Leafs left winger Bobby McMann said. “I think any time we play them and they’re playing well, they're playing fast, they’re really good on the forecheck, they can chip pucks in and get behind you and then make plays off the rush. So they’re so fast through the middle of the ice – we’ve got to make sure we’re picking guys up.”
Added Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube: “It’s been a rivalry for a long time, and they’re always pretty exciting games, big games. Their young players are growing, and I think the core of their team is growing together, their young guys. They’ve had pretty solid goaltending here down the stretch, which always helps. They're a good team. They've got a lot of fast players and skilled guys.”
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