Toronto Maple Leafs fail to close out Ottawa Senators, again

Toronto Maple Leafs fail to close out Ottawa Senators, again

On today’s show, the Battle of Ontario is being dragged back to Ottawa for a game six. We’ve got our first team eliminated and also moving on and another one tonight, an elimination game in Washington between the Habs and the Capitals. [Music] You’re Locked on NHL, your daily podcast on the National Hockey League, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. Hello and welcome inside this Wednesday, April 30th edition of the Locked On NHL podcast. Your team every day. Today’s episode’s brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new FanDuel customers can get $250 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. Just download the FanDuel app to get started. I’m Ross Levitan. You can find me over at Locked On Senators alongside Mike Dphano and we are giving New Reason to a Battle of Ontario edition of the Locked On NHL podcast. You can find us on our channels day in and day out. But this is going to be a very fun show, Mikey. Wouldn’t you say? It’s It’s kind of comical how last week when your boys were down two nothing, you mysteriously couldn’t find time to join us. You had to get Gil to come on the show to fill in for you, Ross. And all of a sudden, the Senators start winning games and you’re willing to come back on the show and talk. I find it very, very fishy, my friend. Yeah, very fishy. Well, if people want to see my misery, just tune in to our game three postcast. I was boo I was I was booing the boys. I was not in a good place. But uh yeah, that’s the cost of having a five-month-old. My schedule is getting busier and busier by the day. But I had to make some time to chat with you today because it was a four nothing win on the road in Toronto. The Scotia Bank Library was closed with four minutes left. So many it was loud in the building last You didn’t You didn’t hear those booze? Yeah, it was. You didn’t hear the booze? It got loud. Those booze. What are you talking about? If you look at the train to Lenus Almark giving head taps after the game, it looks like a pre-season crowd with all the empty seats. Oh yeah. No, they they the Leafs faithful left the second that Cousins buried that shorty. That was it. The the you know, you knew that the game was over at that point. And uh hey, stick taps to the sends, man. You know, I I credit to them. They they they were dead in the water. The Leafs had them on the ropes and and now they’re right back in this thing. It’s 3-2 going back up north to to Ottawa. They had a home game. You got Brady Kachchuck saying, “We’ll be back here. We’ll be back here.” His brother did the same thing in Florida a couple years ago and they did come back when they played Boston and they did come back and they won that game. So, we’ll see. They won the series, too. They won the series. Yeah, that’s right. They did. They came back and they won that game seven and won the series and went on to the Stanley Cup final. Um, I don’t see the same fate happening here for the Ottawa Senators. Bit of a different vibe, different team. Um, but I I This is the S Stanley Cup. If they beat the Leaf, they could get swept next round and then the season is a huge success. I mean, yeah, probably. I Yeah, of course. I mean, this is a team that’s just been fighting and fighting for seven, eight years just to make the damn playoffs. You beat the Leafs in a battle of Ontario for the first time ever. Yeah, they probably would hang a banner for that up in Ottawa. There has been a lot to celebrate there. I might hang a banner for that one. Dude, the two best players on the Ottawa Senators are 23 and 22 years old and both signed for seven more seasons after this one. I I I gotta tell you though, Ross, like after watching last night and and and and and you know, like you’ve been watching the Leafs, too. Like you lived in Toronto, you worked TSN, you worked at 1050, you were the Leafs game night producer, you’re well aware of the demons of the past when it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and some of those habits really started to creep back into their game last night. And those whispers that were there after losing game four, they’re getting louder and louder and louder now after losing game five. Let me tell you, those demons are are right in front of the faces of those Maple Leafs players. And there was no one more disappointing to me in last night’s hockey game than well, actually there was two guys, but Austin Matthews I thought did not play well at all. I get it. He’s battling through an injury, but everyone is at this point in the year. But he looked awful last night, and so did William Knander. Just no jam from those two. Everything was so passive. They weren’t direct at all. Obviously, the giveaway for the short-handed goal there by Matthews. Awful decision-m. It says he didn’t see the player. I didn’t see him there. Okay, whatever. Um, yeah, like last night was was was just not a good game overall. The power play was horrendous. They couldn’t get anything going there. You know, their power play in closeout games since 2018. 0 and 30. 0 and 30 with two short-handed goals against including last night. The last two like the last two games you have a chance to go through to the next round, right? Go chance to advance and your power plays a dash two in those games. That’s that’s pathetic. Simply pathetic. And uh this has been a common theme for this Maple Leafs team and this Maple Leaf core. They are now 1 for13 in closeout games. They’ve had 13 opportunities to win a series, Ross. 13 opportunities to win a series in the Matthews Marner Knander era. Only one time have they actually got it done. Only once. And last night was another failed opportunity just like it was on Saturday. Ross, if they can’t get it done on Thursday, Saturday night is going to be an absolute mess. It’s going to be a mess. It’s it’s I I hate to say this, but you know it’s true because it always happens this way. It’s Leafs in six or Suns in seven. S have never won a game seven in franchise history by the way. They’re 0 and7. Yeah. The le this current Leafs core has never won a game seven either. They’re 0 and I think five 0 and six in game seven. So I mean so someone’s making history. Someone’s making history this this year potentially if I’m not getting ahead of myself. The Leafs have been a great road team. They’ve already stolen one in Ottawa. It’s not a sure thing. But if it does go back for game seven, are they giving out rally towels or barf bags? Barf bags. Yeah, you could feel the tension right when Shabbat scored in the second period. You could literally feel the tension on TV. Oh, yeah. No, you could cuz it it just everyone’s like, “Oh, no. This can’t be happening right now.” And and Omar played well. like there was a couple of chances that they had uh you know but the problem is and I said this on the lock on lease podcast. Who would you say was the best line for the Maple Leafs last night? Which line? Probably Tvararez. I I felt like Tvarez individually had a good game. Individually, yes, but you didn’t really see anything from, you know, Doi went up there, didn’t play all that well. Pontis Holberg was kind of meh. Knander was a passenger for majority of the night, I felt. So I wouldn’t say the line played well to the L line. The L line. Lton, Lorren, and Cali Aron Croc was your best line last night except Lorent thought he was Marner going in on that twoon. Yeah, that was ridiculous. I mean, he beat the puck. He beat he beat all Mark. Like he had all Mark down. Well, he had himself beat, too. Apparently apparently like that. But but that was the best most effective line on both ends of the ice. But the problem, Ross, is when your fourth line is your best line, that’s usually not a good sign. That’s good for your fourth line. But I don’t think they’re the best line both ends of the eye. I think Tim Stutzel’s line had a great game. On the Leafs. On the Leafs. On the Leafs. On the Leafs. Yeah. On the Leafs. You know that Tim Stutzel, by the way, who gets soft allegations all the time, is fourth in the NHL in hits this postseason while being a point per game and being 56% in the DOT. Great for Timmy Stew. It’s It’s stick for Timmy Stewart. Yeah. Three-point night. Uh Tim Stutzel and Brady Kachchuck became the first Senators in team history to have three-point games when facing elimination. So, I know two of them were on empty nets, but you got to be out there defending a lead to have that happen. I was still nervous when it was two nothing with five minutes left, though, because the Leafs had ozone time and I felt like if they got one, they were going to get two. Well, I like when really Greg took that penalty last night, I I thought for sure the Leafs were going to capitalize. on a silver plat. That was even more of a platter than the two a four-minute high stick in game four. That was the dumbest penalty I’ve ever seen. The dumb the the guy thought he was like literally it’s like Oklahoma drill taking down the running back. Like he legitimately loses his stick and then just grabs him and brings him to the ground tackling. Mer had already lost the zone and lost possession. Like the danger was done. Had nothing. Had nothing. It made no sense what the hell Ridley Greg did. And uh instead of the Leafs making him pay for that mistake, they give him an absolute gift and uh they they get a give him a twoon-one short-handed and Cousins buries the and you know insurance marker. Cousins was only out there on a kill because Ridley Greg was in the box. He doesn’t kill penalties for the set. He’s got 30 seconds of short-handed time on ice this series. Well, good call by Travis Green to to to feel something, I guess. You know. Yeah, I I think Travis Green’s coached this series really well on the road. He’s gotten that Pinto line out against Matthews as much as you possibly can on the road. I think he’s he’s shown a lot this series. A lot of people were really questioning the decision to bring him in last summer. I think he’s coached himself a nice series and people were clowning on him after game three. You’re down three nothing and he’s saying he’s liking the game. Two go to overtime, you lose both. Game four goes to overtime, you find a way to win. This series has been a lot better than I think people would have thought after the first three. It’s been this close, but like even the first three games, like it has been this close. He’s not wrong. Like three games go to overtime. You’re one bounce away from, you know, this being 3-1 for the Senators realistically, right? Like game one, obviously Toronto completely, you know, took that game and ran with it with the power play success that they had. But game two, three, four, like Ottawa could have won those games. like easily could have won those games. Ottawa outshot Toronto in those two games that they lost. I think the team the team that’s been outshot has won every game. Yeah, funny enough. Somehow that’s that’s how it’s working. That’s that’s that’s that’s pretty much what’s been going on right now. And it’s bizarre bizar world, but um you know it’s it’s it’s been a decent series. I we’ve talked about this a bit on locked on Leafs and I guess we finally got one last night kind of sort of in the last 30 seconds. But I am surprised that it has not been nearly as aggressive as I thought it’d be. Like I don’t even want to call that fight last night a natural fight because it was more like a wrestling match, but like we haven’t seen a fight yet in this series. That floors me. Absolutely floors me. Uh Brady was was giving it to Doi a little bit in the in the second period by the net, but like yeah, no fights really. And and I think that’s kind of it’s kind of part for the course this postseason outside of the battle of Florida and we can touch on that a little later in the show. Like there’s been physicality this playoffs, but there hasn’t been as much hate. Yeah. Except for in Florida. in Florida. It’s been complete gong show, which again like it’s going like we always talked about how important it was going to be like whichever team makes it out of this series, Toronto, Ottawa, like they are killing each other over in that battle of Florida. Like you’re going to get a beaten, bruised team in the second round. a chance to really take advantage there and uh potentially, you know, a little bit of an easier path to an Eastern Conference final if if you can, you know, take advantage of that that that game or that that path. Um, but Toronto’s got to close it out. And in your case up in Ottawa, you know, they got to stay alive and try and do something that only four teams have ever done. Uh, the reverse sweep. Only four times has a team gone down 03 and uh made their way all the way through four straight and pulled off the reverse sweep. God, Toronto cannot afford to be that fifth team. I even want to think of what would happen in this city if that were uh to occur. Well, I’ve actually got a stat about that. I’ll save that for next. We’ll talk about the Hurricanes being the first team to move on and can Montreal stay alive? You’re listening to Locked On NHL, your team every day. Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. The Stanley Cup playoffs are on and FanDuel is giving new customers an incredible way to get in on the action. Right now, when you join FanDuel and place your first $5 bet, you’ll get $250 in bonus bets. If that bet wins, it makes it so easy. The props Brady Kachchuck hitting the over on his shots on goal with an empty net. Every moment matters with FanDuel and you can get in on the action before last night’s game. Senators were plus 900 to win the series and now they’re plus 300. So always look at FanDuel and check out all the great lines that are happening from assists power play points. FanDuel’s got it all. Plus after the games are on, you can combine live prop bets into a same game parlay for a chance to win big. Don’t miss out. Head to fanduel.com and claim your $250 in bonus bets today. That’s over at FanDuel. Welcome back. Locked on NHL. Shout out to the everydayers out here making us your first listen. If you haven’t checked out Locked on NHL game night, you can do that. We got local experts on the biggest stories five days, seven days a week. We got it all here because the Stanley Cup playoffs, there are no days off. So, make sure you’re liking, subscribing, everywhere you get your podcast. It’s been an incredible first round so far. We’ll get to the first team that’s advanced. But Mike, you mentioned four teams have come back from down 3 0. The last time it happened was 2014, the LA Kings coming back against the San Jose Sharks. That was in the first round. The time before that was the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Bruins. You know who was on that Philadelphia Flyers team? A man by the name of Cloeru who was in the lineup last night for the Ottawa Senators. And that’s not all. After going down 3 0, the Flyers got scored on late in game four and won in overtime. Take a guess what the score was in game five on the road. Gonna guess four nothing. It was a four nothing shutout win. So if game six is a 2-1 win for the Senators, there might be some extra demons in the barn on Saturday night. That’s all I’m saying. We’re living in a in a in a a parallel universe. That’s what it is. The Yeah. What do they say? The simulation’s broken. Is that what they say? Yeah, that is what they say. Uh look, we we had a little fun on locked on senators. Mikey, the title of today’s show is the Ottawa Senators core comes up clutch. Thomas Shabbat scores, Brady Kachchuck scores, Tim Stutzel scores. You can even throw back to the overtime winner Jake Sanderson in game four. It’s the Leaf Core where all the pressurees on them for game six in Ottawa. For more on that game and the series, go check out Locked on Lease Locked on Senators because we got lots of great playoff action. Before the Hurricanes though, we mentioned the Battle of Florida. Aaron Ecklad suspended two games. What’ you think of the hit and the result of it? I mean, that series has just been so brutal. Like, so brutal. And that’s what the second suspension we’ve had so far in the series. Uh cuz what Haggle had won and now you’re looking at at Aaron Ecklad. Um I mean, obviously I two games, you know, I thought maybe a game, but I suppose we’re going to get two games for this one. Yeah, it’s a penalty for me. Like that’s that’s completely t targeting the head. Elbow up and he follows through with the check high. Unnecessary. It’s a lot of force. It’s the playoffs, so I thought he would only get a game, but I’ll I’ll I’ll you know, two games. Sure. I I I can reason with it, I suppose. Does Aaron Ebad count as a repeat offender because he got suspended for peeds? No, I think it has to be like the same thing. Violence. Yeah. Yeah. Like definitely not. But the guy comes in for a game game or two and then it’s like, okay, you can sit for another couple. And what a way that uh that game four ended, right? Like the Panthers think that maybe it’s going to be a tied series. And with four minutes left, less than four minutes left, it goes from down 2-1 to a 4-2 win. Well, it was insane. Like I I remember like I I was literally just kind of keeping track of the game like on my phone keeping track what was going on and yeah, you see the the the the bolt score a couple quick ones then all of a sudden you check back and the Panthers won. It’s like what the hell just happened here? Like what just happened? And uh had to go back and watch uh watch the the highlights to figure it out. And I’m just like, God, like this Florida team, like they just they just know how to flip a switch. Like they really really know how to flip a switch. Um cuz they weren’t playing that well going into the playoffs. They’re playing awful. They had injuries. I get it. Like there was no Bennett, no Kachchuck, no Eblad. Um, but they’ve all come back and they’re all contributing and and and they’re somehow able to get up and get ready to go and play and they have been and and Florida that’s a dangerous team, a very dangerous team. But, um, yeah, I it looks obviously like Florida is is certainly going to going to end up going through and meeting whoever, Toronto or Ottawa in the next round. Uh um but that’s been a hell of a vicious series, that’s for sure. How are where are you at with the Carolina Hurricanes? First team to advance. They take care of the New Jersey Devils in five games. Unfortunately for New Jersey, they’re under man. No Jack Hughes in particular. Huge, huge problem for them. Give credit to the Hurricanes. Suffocating defensively, especially in those first two games where they held the Devils to a goal in each game. Devil’s only win happens in double overtime in game three, but then they just fell apart, right? You lose. I mean, double overtime in game five as well. Like I I give a lot of credit to New Jersey for hanging in as well as they did. I think Jacob Marstrom had himself a great series overall. But is this a Carolina Hurricanes that just took advantage of an underman team or do you think that they’re for real? Well, I mean, Carolina’s always great in the first round. Always. like they’re always a team that’s that’s going to win at least a round, right? Like that’s what they’ve proven to be able to do. Um I it’s interesting because I I felt for a couple years that you know the Canes they got a good team and they are for real, but then I thought this off season they lost a lot and I I I had just I don’t know like I thought they were going to take a step back this year and and they haven’t. So credit to them. They got some young kids like Jackson Blake has played really well, son of Jason Blake. He’s been good since coming up. You know, Logan Stanovven has what, three goals in the series, I want to say. Like, he’s been pretty solid for them. Uh, you know, filling in, providing some offense. Um, and then obviously you’ve got the cast of characters that are always there. And how about Andre Seshnikov coming alive? Five goals in the series, had a hat-tick in the last game. That’s a big development. getting Spikov back to being one of the best snipers in hockey would be a massive boost for this Carolina Hurricanes team. Um Rob Brendammore has always coached them very well. They’re an extremely structured group. So defensively, you know that they’re not going to give up a whole lot. The goalies can always make saves. Kachchka is pretty solid and it’s going to come down to whether or not they could score goals. That’s what it’s always come down to for this team. And if they have that killer instinct, that impact player that can get it done in those tight close games. Well, they’ve proven in a couple overtimes that they have dudes who can step up, but it was against New Jersey and a very battered and beaten New Jersey squad that’s missing a lot of their firepower. Like if it may be completely different story if they would have had Jack Hughes in this series, Luke Hughes miss games. Like it’s it’s it’s a very injured team. So, I wouldn’t look at them and be like, “Wow, cup contenders. They make quick work of the the Devils Cup contenders.” No, but they’re a good team. They’re a good team, and it wouldn’t shock me if they made a run. Wouldn’t shock me at all. The East’s wide open this year. It’s a bit of a soft path to get to the conference final, I think. Um, on that side of the of the board, at least like Washington doesn’t necessarily scare me a whole lot if I’m Carolina. I’d feel pretty confident going up against the Capitals in the next round and then next thing you know you’re sitting there in in in the third round and you’re one one away one one one series away from going to a cup final. So, um do I believe that they’re cup finalists champions? I don’t know. But, uh you got to be happy with the performances from some of their players. Svetchnikov reminded me of uh the first round series last year for the Colorado Avalanche against Winnipeg where Val Nushkin had five goals and an assist. Like very similar vibe where everything that was coming off that guy’s stick was finding dangerous opportunities. 22 shots on goal for Svetchnikov in five games. Albeit two double overtimes. I get it. Butchnikov’s having himself a heck of a series and Sebast leading the way with eight points for Carolina. They will meet the winner of Washington Montreal. Game five of that series goes tonight from DC. We’ll preview that game. Take a look around the NHL in the games tonight. I’ll be boots on the ground for one of them. That’s next. You’re listening to Locked on NHL, your team every day. Welcome back. Locked on NHL, your team every day, part of Locked on Podcast Network. Shout out to the everydayers out there that vent and vibe with us through the Stanley Cup playoffs. The roller coaster that is Mikey. I’ve been keeping my heart rate monitor on for the Senators Leafs series and for game four, the overtime game. I was in zone five for seven minutes. Jeez. Wow. Ridiculous. The Leafs I mean they were the Leafs were all over Ottawa on that overtime up until crazy the goal. Um, but how many guys are keeping that puck in, by the way? Like Sanderson to keep that puck in was incredible. He is such a stud. Yeah. Yeah. Well, crazy. He also saved a sure goal last night. Bobby McMahon back door on the power play. There was there’s a lot of close calls for Toronto, but uh all the bounces went Ottawa’s way, which is fine because the bounces kind of went Toronto’s way earlier in the series, and I had a feeling that it would come back to the equilibrium. And now going forward, all things are equal. Let’s head into game six. But uh I just I just kept saying like look, if you get swept, it’s embarrassing. You lose in five, it’s tough to handle. But if you’re a Senators fan at this point, it’s like you got to be proud with the way the team has battled back. Leafs and six was my uh that was my guess at the start of the series. Leafs and six and still very viable, still alive. But you tell me, would you rather be the Ottawa Senators down 3-2 in a series having played the way they have in two games? You’d rather be the LA Kings. That’s the other part of the hypothetical. Oh, no. Yeah. No, I would much rather be the Ottawa. Uh, yeah. No, LA’s going to Edmonton down 3-2 as well. So, a little bit. No, I’d rather be the the the Ottawa Senators at this point. I would rather I’d still rather be Ottawa because you’re feeling good about yourself. You got all the momentum in the series. Edmonton. I mean, like how they’ve ripped heart out rip the heart out of the LA Kings, man. Like LA’s in trouble, dude. They got to snap the harmonicas. They’re b they’re done. Toss them in the trash. They’re done. It’s It’s so impressive, isn’t it? How easily the Edmonton Oilers just went from crap. We’re down 02 so close to being down 03. We’re going to our backup goalie. And they go to their backup goalender Calvin Pickard, Winnipeg legend. He just to Toronto Marley’s legend, my guy. And you know, it’s not as though he’s been, you know, the the savior. He’s not out here putting up 50 say performances. Um, but it was a good decision. It put a jolt in the team in front of him and they’ve been outstanding. And last night was just just absolutely kicked their asses and uh the the score was not indicative, I think, of how badly Edmonton controlled that game. Um, but yeah, that was that was an impressive impressive way Edmonton was able to completely rip that series back into their grasps cuz it looked like they were dead in the water through two games and it didn’t seem like they were going to be able to to get it done. It was going to be an early early exit for McDavo and the boys. But yeah, three games later, they were up 3-2. They got the series lead and they were looking a heck of a lot better. And now you got LA shaking in their boots. Speaking of ass kickings, the last two games in the Winnipeg St. Louis series were blowout wins for the Blues. It’s still 2-2. The game in Winnipeg tonight. I’ll be there. Let me stop you. 8:30 start. The game starts at 8:30 local time on a week night. 8:30 local. Yeah, because they want the the Habs game at seven and then they want the Jets game to be the late game. The only problem is that Winnipeg’s in central time, not Pacific. Oh my god, that is outrageous. Okay, anyways, um you’re in Winnipeg, right? You want to see what I’m wearing tonight? Uh I Dad Is it a dad sweater? No. Nice. How beautiful is that? Very nice. And and I got a little Sens play on it, too. It’s a little big Walt. Okay. Okay. Big Walt. Keith Kachchuck. I see it. I need it because I when I moved here, I was like, you gota you got to have a white Jets jersey for the white out, which is one of the coolest things in the NHL. And I was like, how can I how can I send this up a little bit? And oh yeah. Oh yeah. Keith Kachchuck was the captain of the Winnipeg Jets. That works. I mean, either either either Chucky or Salani would have would have would have been fine. I actually have a Salani blue one. I got a little two for one special. Um, how what’s the concern meter like right now in Winnipeg when it comes to Connor Halobuck who can’t stop a beach ball right now? I mean, he was good in the first two games in Winnipeg. I think that’s what a lot of fans are kind of banking on right now. He allowed three goals in game one, but then in game two shut the door. Only one goal against and uh I I think this is the biggest game of his career. Forget the Four Nations final. This the biggest game of Connor Halabuk’s career. I I think any talk like he’s their guy no matter what. If he lets in 10 tonight, he’s playing game six. Like you’re not going away from you’re going to live and die with Connor Halabach who by the way is in the first year of an eight-year contract extension. So yeah, you 100% you’re going with Connor Hellbuck. That’s not even a not even I saw people floating that around. I think that had to be out of anger. Look, if you’re the Winnipeg Jets, you’re thrilled that Gabe Valardi’s back. I think that helps their power play monumentally and they need their power play to be just that. It was the number one power play in the National Hockey League this season and a big reason why was Gabe Valardi in the net front is a a complete difference maker and he hasn’t played in this series yet. They’re also without Nikolai Elers who practiced non-cont jersey so he’s not ready yet but I think that’s an underrated part of this this narrative about the Jets blowing the two games in St. Lewis, when you’re missing two top six forwards and you already have one of your one of your top six players as Vlad Neomestikov, perfectly fine player, but not a difference maker. Yeah, you need at least one of Ardiardi or Eers to play. You can’t just rely on Kyle Connor and Mark Shifley to have three points every night. Yeah, I’m going to be locked on to Gabe Valardi tonight. He’s got to at least get a point, maybe two, for Winnipeg to feel good about themselves. Yeah, a save would be nice, too. A save would be nice. Say would be nice. Like I saw a stat the other day where it’s like Connor Halabuk after his first loss of a series, his goal differential in the rest of the games is like minus 38 or something like that. Well, you want to bring that to a team stat? They have not won a game after losing a game in five years. No. Yeah. No, it’s they got swept in the COVID series by Montreal four straight. Then they win game one against Vegas. Lose four straight. They win game one against Colorado, they lose four straight. They win the first two here and then lose two straight. Yeah. Like that’s unbelievable. Yeah. Like once he once he loses a game, he loses his confidence. That’s that’s what I I took from that stat. It’s wild. And they’re like Yeah. Like something like dash 33 as a team uh in in that span. It’s it’s insane. Um I I don’t I don’t really quite get it. Um, it’s it’s actually like baffling and puzzling how you go from being potentially the best player on the planet, definitely the best goalie on the planet to being meh. Just me being awful. Hella buck hella sucks right now. That’s all I got to say. Yeah, he’s he’s got to have a big one tonight. So too does Yakob Dovich. We expect him to start for the Montreal Canadians. Samuel Montto left in game game three, did not return. I thought Dobbish was perfectly fine for the most part in game four. Heck, the Habs had a lead going into the third period, but Washington reminded themselves, hey, we won the Eastern Conference for a reason, and they put the pedal down. So, how do you expect game five to look tonight now that the Caps are back home? I want Montreal to keep it alive. I do want them to keep it alive. We deserve another game at the Bell Center. I think we deserve it. Yeah, I I would love to see to see it happen. I don’t know though. Like I I look at that. It’s just it’s a team that’s being overmatched right now and and rightfully so. The Washington Capitals are the better team. Logan Thompson’s a terrific goalender. He has been all year long. Uh and and and Obie’s still performing at the end of the day. So, I think the Capitals probably close it out on home ice. Although, I’m hoping that uh Montreal can can give us one more game. Yeah. So do I. And uh we should say though that series probably has the second most hate after the Battle of Florida. At least with Habs fans online complaining about every call. Well, I mean that’s that’s just part for the course for but I mean if two guys are getting into it in the benches. I mean we got to show a littleity in that. Yeah, you’re right. You’re right. You’re right. I mean Washington’s without maybe if there was a most improved player award in the NHL. Protach. This protach kid. He’s unbelievable. And back yet, he’s back. Yeah. Yeah, I think he came back. Did he play game four? I thought I saw I thought he played game four. I will let you know. He is not. No, hasn’t played a game yet this series, but maybe he’s back tonight. Maybe he’s back on the ice. Maybe he gotating. Okay. Yeah, may return in game five. Okay, they’re built for playoffs, the Washington Capitals. They are big, mean, physical, and they they were getting a ton of saves from Logan Thompson in game four after he left game three with an injury as well. I’ll be uh I’ll be very excited to see what happens in tonight’s game. Wouldn’t be mad if another team got eliminated. Look, you know, Ottawa, we’re worried. You don’t want to be that first team eliminated. Now the Devils are out and the Montreal Canadians could follow suit tonight in five games. We will see what happens when the puck drops in DC. Um, I’m just excited for another night of playoff hockey. I I just love this time of year. Every night, three games, four games. Could not be more thrilled. So, really, another great show, man. We’ll do this again next Wednesday. One way or the other, the Battle of Ontario will be done by then. And, uh, we’ll be on to round two in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Cannot wait for that. For more, go check out Locked On Maple Leaf with Mike Dphano. You can find me at Locked On Ottawa Senators. This has been the Lockdown NHL podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.

Ross Levitan (Locked On Senators) and Mike DiStefano (Locked On Maple Leafs) cover all the biggest stories from the NHL.

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