Montreal or Boston? A Toronto fans perspective.

     With the playoffs fast approaching and the regular season coming to an end, which is the better team for the Toronto Maple Leafs to play? It goes both ways for Leaf fans, some would prefer a Montreal-Toronto first round playoff match as others would prefer a Boston-Toronto first round match. Ever since the Maple Leafs have been in a playoff position, the same statement always arises, "Toronto's players don't have the experience to make it far into the playoffs". James Reimer has been carrying the weight of Leaf Nation for three seasons, and he thinks that’s experience enough.

“We’re a young team, but there are a lot of guys who have played a lot even at their young age,” said forward Joffrey Lupul. “There’s a little more experience here than we’re given credit for.”

    This season Boston had the best of Toronto with a 3-1 record. Boston being the better team, it seems as though Toronto would still have a chance. While James Reimer has been on his game, against Boston his save percentage is .948, saving 91 out of 96 shots faced. That's only 5 goals in 3 games, which shows that goal-tending has not been a problem against Boston. With Tim Thomas being away from the net, Tuukka Rask, a less experienced goalie has stepped up and has been the number one goalie for Boston with a save percentage of .958 against Toronto this season, saving 46 of 48 shots he faced. With a power play of only scoring once on eleven chances, Toronto's difficulty scoring on Boston continues, but with Joffrey Lupul's return to the bench should that be enough to spark more opportunities of scoring and creating more chances?

     Toronto has had the best of Montreal with a record of 3-1 with still one game left on the season against each other. With James Reimer save percentage at .986, saving 73 of 74 shots, it seems as though he is more comfortable playing against Montreal. Toronto's power play being better against Montreal with scoring 5 goals on 15 opportunities. With games ending in scores of 6-0 and 5-1, Toronto's offence has been good with scoring and creating opportunities off the rush. Or maybe it is because of the Montreal net-minder Carey Price? With a save percentage of .840 and saving 68 of 81 shots faced, that's 13 goals against in the three games he has played against Toronto this season. It's the part I love about hockey which is being unpredictable. Will Carey Price step up his game and be the best that we all know he can be? It is questions like these that can be asked for so long, but can only be answered on game day. 

    The Canadiens and Maple Leafs have met in the playoffs 15 times. To date, Montreal has won 8, Toronto 7. It has been 33 years since the last meeting between these two teams in the playoffs, this only making the rivalry even bigger. With only five games left remaining in the regular season, and one still against the Montreal Canadiens, questions will become answers as everything unfolds. 

    

    

     

Being a Toronto Maple Leafs fan.

   
   Ever since the day I was born, (18 years ago) born into Leaf Nation as my father was and still is a huge fan of the Maple Leafs, I have learned and have familiarized myself with the year of 1967.  A year where the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup. Why would a triumphant year of the Maple Leafs, now haunt every Leafs fan? It has been 46 years since the Toronto Maple Leafs have last won the Cup. As a Leaf fan, when in an argument with another hockey fan, 99% of the time, the year 67 will come up. Always as an insult to say how over the years, we have struggled to make the playoffs, struggled to win games and overall struggled as a team. It is the year all Leafs fans have come to terms with and understand. But why does every non Leaf fan not see it like that? They think of it as a way to get under our skin, to make us mad, and to overall state that their hockey club is better. Personally, and I think I speak for most Leafs fans when I say it doesn't bother me.

   When the Toronto Maple Leafs do finally win the Stanley Cup, imagine the happiness, that overwhelming feeling that every single Leafs fan will have, some that may even bring tears to their eyes, I know there will be for me when they win the Cup. No one can truly understand being a Leafs fan unless they are one. It's the excitement going into every game, whether we win or lose, we are always at the edge of our seats cheering until the end. It's the game of hockey that is unpredictable and anything is possible. It is the best of reality TV. Unlike other hockey fans, we Leaf fans are happy with an overtime loss, we got the point. You never see a Pittsburgh fan happy about a overtime loss because they are expected to win. Let's face it, we as leaf fans are expecting the worst. That's why our joy when winning a game triumphs all. It has been the disappointment over the years, and the failures that have happened to shape and form us. I'd say we are a different kind, a breed of people who understands and never takes a win for granted. It's the passion that truly unites us all.

  You can go ahead and keep saying that the Leafs haven't won a cup since 67 and that being the biggest insult towards Leaf fans isn't even that big. We have had our upsets, we look to the future of the Leafs and see where it's heading. With not making the playoffs in 9 years, we have this year. I have no doubt that this year the Toronto Maple Leafs will be out in the first round of the playoffs, as does every other Leaf fan think this. It's the little steps we take until one day, these little steps have turned into something even bigger. With a young team this year, we can only expect in the years to come, experience and wisdom grows in each player. One day the Leafs will win the Stanley Cup again, it may not be this year, or next year but as each year passes, we are only getting one step closer.