Yes, the Maple Leafs can protect a lead

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The Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs engaged in perhaps the most entertaining game of the National Hockey League season on Tuesday night. After the Maple Leafs jumped out to a four-goal lead, the Panthers were able to erase it and then some, prevailing 7-6 in overtime.

The offences were incredible, the pace frenetic, and the entertainment value at maximum. Considering we were watching two of the better teams in the NHL, it was hard to see much beyond two great teams challenging one another for 60-plus minutes. And yet, it goes without saying: The Maple Leafs blew another multi-goal lead in a big spot, which has become something of a calling card for this franchise in recent years.

In January, I wrote why I thought this Maple Leafs team is not the same playoff-pretender of years past – they remain an offensively dominant team, but the blueline is much more reliable than in years past.  Although the goaltending has been shaky at best, the return of a healthy Jack Campbell is surely a relief for head coach Sheldon Keefe and the rest of the organization. Yes, the Eastern Conference is as ferocious as it’s been in recent history. But so too are the Maple Leafs.

Of course, little of this will matter until this team does it when it matters. The core has been together for years now and the team has talked about titles, but we still haven’t seen a single playoff series victory. For as long as that’s the case, caution – and criticism – will reign supreme.

But I do think Toronto’s collapse against Florida is interesting, if only because it’s not something we have seen much of this year. In previous regular seasons, the Maple Leafs – despite generally being a favourite in most games – were notorious for