“We’re up against a tough opponent, it’s a tough challenge, so it’s a great opportunity to rise to that and go out there and play well.”
After dropping the series opener 7-3 at home, Toronto strung together three consecutive wins, including back-to-back comeback overtime victories on the road.
“I think, obviously, finding ways to win those two games, not playing our best, shows us that, ‘Hey, we’re a good team here, we could find a way,”‘ said forward Ryan O’Reilly. “Over the course of a seven-game series, there are ones that you got to steal and that’s what we did. But It’s not the first time the Leafs have been in this position. They held the same advantage two years back against the Montreal Canadiens but were ousted after losing three straight.
“The core, of course, has remained the same and those guys have been through a lot together, myself included, so that’s real and that’s felt,” he said. “I think there’s growth inside of that. There’s motivation and focus because of those things.
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