Pressure of playoff success no issue for Berube's Maple Leafs
Tkachuk scored at 11:22 on Thursday and it was 2-2.
Gaudette scored at 14:47 on Tuesday and it was 2-2.
Both games went to overtime. Both games were won by the Leafs.
Some 48 hours after Max Domi was the hero, defenceman Simon Benoit fired a point shot past a screened Linus Ullmark at 1:19 of the extra period at the Canadian Tire Centre
A sweep in the best-of-seven could become reality on Saturday night in the Battle of Ontario.
The Leafs didn't really have much to worry about during the 2024-25 regular season as coach Craig Berube moulded the team in his first year behind the Toronto bench.
Sure, the Leafs endured injuries. Captain Auston Matthews missed a chunk of time. Goalie Anthony Stolarz was out nearly two months. Defenceman Jake McCabe was out of the lineup for a few stretches.
Only William Nylander and Morgan Rielly played in all 82 games.
But after the Leafs won four and lost five in their first nine games, there never really was a time when we wondered what they were. They didn't lose more than three games in a row at any point from October to April.
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