Regular season ends with overtime win, Maple Leafs pumped for playoffs

Article content

The Maple Leafs are about to realize the stark difference between first place and the first round of playoffs.

And hope they won’t have a disconnect between the two when the “real season” begins Sunday against the Ottawa Senators.

It’s fine to take a day now and celebrate the end of a fruitful 82-game schedule, their first division title in 25 years, with new coach Craig Berube’s impact on a 108-point season. But when the Battle of Ontario starts, the pressure is all on the favoured Leafs to get through what has been a minefield the previous eight years, with just one series win.

The NHL regular season wrapped Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena, with Toronto playing it understandably cautious, which helped the eliminated Detroit Red Wings come within less than two seconds of a win.

But after being out-shot 34-20, Chris Tanev scored a 6-on-5 goal just before regulation expired and Scott Laughton’s second since arriving at the trade deadline was the dagger to win 4-3 in OT.

“To end the season on a high note is big, find a way to come back and now the real fun starts,” Laughton said. “Get some rest and get prepared.

“We found some ways to win at the right time (closing with five straight victories), our goalies have been big, guys have stepped up on defence when there have been injuries.

“You’re going to need that in playoffs.”

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

Toronto ended the regular season with a record of 52-26-4, which crucially put them ahead of recent Stanley Cup champions Florida and Tampa Bay, avoiding an opening series with both. But young and playoff-deprived Ottawa, which swept three games from the Leafs this season, will test the confidence and defensive structure that Berube and his staff built into this year’s model.

Unable to rest any stars because of salary-cap constraints that will vanish as of Friday, the Leafs rewarded fans early in the game with a nicely executed first-line goal by Auston Matthews before the Wings closed the book on their own season with a strong effort.

One Leaf who could’ve used a strong outing was netminder Joseph Woll, the projected backup to Anthony Stolarz for Game 1. While sharp early and denying Lucas Raymond on a breakaway, he was the victim of a Dakota Mermis bobble that Austin Watson knocked in to tie it 1-1.

Then, Matthews stepped into his line of sight on ex-Leaf Justin Holl’s blueline floater.

By the game’s halfway stage, Alex DeBrincat added another on the power play with John Tavares whistled twice in the second period. But Woll stood tall from there to earn his 27th win.

Philippe Myers started the Matthews goal with a nice chip to Mitch Marner, on to Matthew Knies and finally to Matthews for his 33rd, a nice move in tight on Cam Talbot.

Then Myers, known more for his braun than his offensive brain, deked two Red Wings and Talbot to make it 3-2.

Mermis was in his second and final emergency recall game with Jake McCabe and Oliver Ekman-Larsson still out, but both vets are expected to be ready for Sunday.

PHIL HIM UP

No one knows how much Myers will play when McCabe and Ekman-Larsson return, but he left a Game 82 impression on Scotiabank Arena with his picturesque goal.

“Really nice,” Matthews praised. “He kept saying once a year he pulls something like that out. He waited until Game 82, but it was really nice.”

Said a chuckling Berube: “That might be the goal of the year. I wasn’t sure who it was, but a hell of a goal”

Myers had scored eight goals in 192 previous NHL games for several teams.

“I don’t even know what happened,” he said. “A little shake-and-bake and that’s it. That will help the confidence a little bit going into playoffs.”

GREAT SCOTT

Laughton has struggled to find his place with the Leafs in terms of position and senior hierarchy, but Berube says he has seen marked improvement in his play the past three games.

Centring the fourth line with Steven Lorentz and Calle Jarnkrok also seems to suit Laughton after some experiments on wing, but the Game 1 lineup remains to be seen.

“He’s really come around for us,” Berube said. “Got some chemistry going with those guys. It’s not the goals so much as how he’s playing the game.”

LOOSE LEAFS

The Leafs plan to have video scouting meetings on the Sens and an optional practice on Friday, with more prep on Saturday … The NHL officiating supervisor for the Toronto-Ottawa series will be Dan O’Halloran … Woll’s win was the 48th of his career, tying him with Jacques Plante for 22nd in franchise history … The Leafs’ 108 points are the third-best for the team all-time … The players, including general manager Brad Treliving, were wearing T-shirts commemorating assistant equipment manager Tom Blatchford’s 1,500th NHL game and he got a video tribute as he prepares for retirement after playoffs … Tanev admitted the Leafs were taking it a little easy on Thursday, noting the Dallas Stars lost Jason Robertson with a knee injury the night before. Neither team got to 20 hits Thursday … Pontus Holmberg was 13-3 on draws and got the rare start in overtime … Before the game, Berube said he was pleased that five Canadian teams made it to playoffs and saluted the job Jim Montgomery did in taking over his old team, the St. Louis Blues, and pushing them into the Western Conference bracket … Marlies winger Alex Steeves has been named to the AHL’s second all-star team. He has 61 points in 58 games, including 36 goals.

Lhornby@postmedia.com

X: @sunhornby