fromLance Hornby of the Toronto Su,

The Maple Leafs had a dream they were starting their first Stanley Cup journey since 1967.

It’s fast becoming a nightmare from 1987, the last and only Toronto team to blow a 3-1 series lead when the other 11 finished the job. And though they still have their emergency seventh game option against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, the longest-serving members of his team have lost the last three since 2018 with everything on the table.

After the Leafs were in command of this series, they’re trying to avoid becoming the 30th team in NHL history to suffer such a fate. There has been role reversal as the course of the week, the Leafs going from a pro-active game plan that produced three straight victories to sitting back too much with little room for their skill players.

“I believe in this group,” insisted Nick Foligno. “You look around the room at our guys with the ability they have, I feel confident.

“This happens for a reason, Sometimes this is what catapults you.”

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from Luke Fox of Sportsnet,

Pucker factor.

That’s the military term for it.

How do you respond under duress? When the stakes are higher than the resale prices for the first fan-attended Canadian hockey game in 14-plus months? When history and past trauma and 2,500 Olé, Olé, Olés are cracking your amour if not your psyche?

continued

from James Mirtle of The Athletic,