Nitzy's Hockey Den

Spring of 1987. The Maple Leafs went on an improbable playoff run. They got to within a game of meeting the mighty Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals. I was a 15 year-old hockey mad kid enjoying the fortunes of my favourite team. What better time than now to look back at this memorable time of my youth and Leafs history. "Our backs are against the wall. If we don't take this game at home it'll be tough going back to Detroit for the seventh game," stated Leaf winger Steve Thomas. Wendel Clark admitted that as well as Glen Hanlon was playing in the Wings net, he has not got to the Leafs psychologically, "Not yet anyway." John Brophy even suggested he may consider playing Clark at centre or defence saying,"I could play him on defence and he'd be as good a defenceman as we've got." Brophy also suggested that Clark's lack of production in Game 5 was caused less by the checking of Joey Kocur, but more the play of his  own...

Spring of 1987. The Maple Leafs went on an improbable playoff run. They got to within a game of meeting the mighty Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals. I was a 15 year-old hockey mad kid enjoying the fortunes of my favourite team. What better time than now to look back at this memorable time of my youth and Leafs history. "You can't win with the crew we had tonight. We had about six players standing around and acting like passengers," stated John Brophy after his Leafs were shutout 3-0 by Detroit in Game 5 of the Norris Final. Brophy continued, "I don't think we ever got into the game. The first goal was a gift. We stood around and watched them put it in the net." Lee Norwood  blasted a shot from the left point that beat Wregget on the glove side as he was being screened by Mel Bridgman. Brophy continued, "On the second goal we had a chance to get the puck out of our zone, but our right winger (Brad Smith) was standing outside the blue...

Spring of 1987. The Maple Leafs went on an improbable playoff run. They got to within a game of meeting the mighty Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals. I was a 15 year-old hockey mad kid enjoying the fortunes of my favourite team. What better time than now to look back at this memorable time of my youth and Leafs history. Leafs faithful began lining up outside Maple Leaf Gardens at 7:00 Monday night, even before the game began in which the Leafs defeated Detroit in overtime to take a 3-1 lead in the Norris Final. By today, there were thousands of fans willing to pay from  $11 for a Grey seat to $35 for a Gold for the next four home games. Four weeks ago, when Toronto was five points out of the playoffs with five games remaining, only two people bothered to pick up playoff tickets. "They're going to dig in like those guys at the Alamo," coach John Brophy said describing the Red Wings being down 3 games to 1, he added, "They had some all-stars on tha...

Spring of 1987. The Maple Leafs went on an improbable playoff run. They got to within a game of meeting the mighty Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals. I was a 15 year-old hockey mad kid enjoying the fortunes of my favourite team. What better time than now to look back at this memorable time of my youth and Leafs history. "From what I remember, Wendel Clark and Dan Daoust went into the corner. Somehow the puck came loose and it seemed no one saw it. No one went for it. I grabbed it, came around and stuffed it. Hanlon had it between his legs, but I don't think he knew he had it. He might have even kicked it in himself. I didn't believe it. I just fell to the ice, I was so happy," so Mike Allison described his second game winner of the 1987 playoffs. This one was the winning marker in overtime of Game 4 of the Norris Division Final to put Toronto up 3 games to 1. Hanlon himself said, "I didn't see it. We were scrambling behind our net and we...

Spring of 1987. The Maple Leafs went on an improbable playoff run. They got to within a game of meeting the mighty Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals. I was a 15 year-old hockey mad kid enjoying the fortunes of my favourite team. What better time than now to look back at this memorable time of my youth and Leafs history. "Ken Wregget will be back in goal," John Brophy stated referring to upcoming Game 4 of the Norris Division Final. Brophy added, "Why? Because he can play goal. You stay with the one that brought you." Even after allowing 3 goals in just over a period on Saturday night, Wregget's goals against average for the playoffs was a spectacular 2.11. Wregget himself said, "I feel good about it. Things can't always go right. Especially in the playoffs, you can't dwell on the past." Allan Bester, who replaced Wregget in Game 3 and allowed one goal in two periods said, "I want to play whenever I can. But I can ...

Spring of 1987. The Maple Leafs went on an improbable playoff run. They got to within a game of meeting the mighty Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals. I was a 15 year-old hockey mad kid enjoying the fortunes of my favourite team. What better time than now to look back at this memorable time of my youth and Leafs history. "We didn't skate as well tonight, no doubt about it," said John Brophy, "But give Detroit credit. They shut us right down. We certainly wanted to skate, but they wouldn't let us."Detroit won 4-2 at Maple Leaf Gardens to jump back into the Norris Division Final. Mike Allison agreed that the Leafs got away from their game plan of tossing the puck out of the zone and chasing it down, "After two big games in Detroit I think we wanted to put a show on for our fans. You come in here and hear the fans screaming for you and you get carried away and want to do too much. John is not going to let it go any further next game....

Spring of 1987. The Maple Leafs went on an improbable playoff run. They got to within a game of meeting the mighty Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals. I was a 15 year-old hockey mad kid enjoying the fortunes of my favourite team. What better time than now to look back at this memorable time of my youth and Leafs history. "Hell, they've had 992 practices and 88 games already this season," stated coach John Brophy on giving his Leafs a second day off in 72 hours after Toronto took a 2-0 lead in the Norris Final. He continued, "If we're not in shape, then I don't know what will get them in shape." Brophy was asked what he would do if he were in Demers shoes, "Quit, I guess," he replied jokingly. He added, "What makes me laugh is Demers saying that maybe we're a better team than he thought. We were leading the division as late as Jan. 7. They finished only eight points ahead of us and we didn't win too many games in ...

Spring of 1987. The Maple Leafs went on an improbable playoff run. They got to within a game of meeting the mighty Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals. I was a 15 year-old hockey mad kid enjoying the fortunes of my favourite team. What better time than now to look back at this memorable time of my youth and Leafs history. "We played probably the best game we have all year. We didn't fall into any traps. We stayed clear of any stupid stuff and played hockey," coach John Brophy said after the Leafs took a 2-0 series lead in Detroit with a 7-2 win over the Wings. Some Leafs were even talking of four game sweep of the Red Wings, Rick Vaive saying, "Certainly the possibility is there. But we're going to have to continue playing the way we have. We have to focus on the first one at home and then think if we win that one we can think of the fourth game." Wendel Clark was a bit more cautious, "No. We have to keep our heads down and continue ...

Spring of 1987. The Maple Leafs went on an improbable playoff run. They got to within a game of meeting the mighty Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals. I was a 15 year-old hockey mad kid enjoying the fortunes of my favourite team. What better time than now to look back at this memorable time of my youth and Leafs history. "I'm sure that everyone at some point in time thinks of the future and about playing in the Stanley Cup finals. It's not out of the question," explained Rick Vaive. Even coach John Brophy admitted, "We're tasting it a bit. Why shouldn't we think about it? Why not? We're allowed to think about it." Brophy, who gave the team the day off after the Game 1 victory added, "I'm sure they're probably saying, 'Here we go again'. What do we have to do to beat these guys?" Wings coach Jacques Demers sees no reason to worry about Dan Daoust shadowing Steve Yzerman. "The last change mea...

  Spring of 1987. The Maple Leafs went on an improbable playoff run. They got to within a game of meeting the mighty Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals. I was a 15 year-old hockey mad kid enjoying the fortunes of my favourite team. What better time than now to look back at this memorable time of my youth and Leafs history. "First, you've got to look at how well the Leafs played, they made us look bad. They played the perfect road game. They stayed on top of us," stated Red Wings coach Jacques Demers after Toronto took Game 1 of the Norris Final by a score of 4-2 at Joe Louis Arena. Demers continued, "Their six defencemen were phenomenal. Their defence did the same thing we did against Chicago a week ago." Wings goalie Greg Stefan wasn't as sharp as he was the previous series, allowing four goals on 17 shots before getting the hook near the halfway point of the game. On Stefan, Demers commented, "He wasn't sharp as he has been,...

  Spring of 1987. The Maple Leafs went on an improbable playoff run. They got to within a game of meeting the mighty Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals. I was a 15 year-old hockey mad kid enjoying the fortunes of my favourite team. What better time than now to look back at this memorable time of my youth and Leafs history. "Just one more light practice to go," exclaimed Detroit goalie Greg Stefan, "We've had too long a layoff. We're anxious to get going." Stefan doesn't see this series being a short one as it was in the sweep against Chicago, "The Leafs are hungrier than the Blackhawks. They've got  a lot of ability on offence and it appears their series against St. Louis that they've improved on their defensive work." Stefan played games 1, 2 and 4 against Chicago, allowing only one goal in each victory. Wendel Clark revealed he had some broken bones in his knuckles that were aggravated in a first round fight a...