The Leafs will WIN Game 6; here's why
Unfortunately, writing about the Leafs isn't my full time job. As I sit at my desk at work today, about 2 hours drive from Scotiabank Arena, all I can think of is tonight's game. I see customers walk in with their Leafs gear on, heck, I've got my Leafs hat on and a Leafs t-shirt under my work uniform. It isn't simply a Toronto thing. Leafs Nation is far reaching and above all else, passionate.
One thing I've noticed over the course of the epic playoff series that`s unfolded over the last week and a half is that even the most curmudgeonly of fans are starting to come around, starting to believe. The spectacular comeback the Leafs staged in Game 5 has galvanized a very skeptical fanbase. Jason Spezza rallying the troops during the first intermission must have been truly special. Because the way the team came out for the second and third periods was something to see. They didn`t just beat Tampa, they dominated after that. Call me crazy, but that game convinced me. This team is different. This team will slay dragons, this team will break curses, this team doesn't have demons, they ARE the demons.
The Leafs don't just have an opportunity to send the best hockey team in the world packing tonight, they've earned it. The stars are playing like stars, the depth guys are stepping up and Jack Campbell is making key saves in big moments. Will it be easy to knock off the 2 time defending champs? Absolutely not. The Lightning will be fighting for their lives like cornered animals. Still, this Leafs team has made a believer out of me. They can, and will win this series.
There are really 2 reasons why I feel this way. The first is actually Jon Cooper. His constant attempts to get into the Leafs heads through the media tells me one thing. He's scared, the Leafs are in his and the Lightning's heads. I didn't believe it until Game 5's post game availability where Cooper claimed that the Lightning had given the game away. Rather than credit the Leafs for a game well played, he sewered his own team. The cocky attitude is a facade and its going to come back to bite him.
Second, and more importantly, the look on Morgan Rielly's face when he scored the tying goal Tuesday night. It wasn't joy, it wasn't a cocky smile or a surprised yell. No, I saw fire in those eyes and a roar that could almost be heard over the 18,000 fans in attendance, including yours truly, losing their minds. It wasn't a celebration, it was a rallying cry. A war face that Gunnery Sergeant Hartman from Full Metal Jacket would have been proud of. That image is burned into my brain, and its the reason I'm here telling you the Leafs will win game 6. Lets GO boys!
You tell me this isn't the face of a warrior.
