33 Years Ago in Leafland; April 26, 1987

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 understand why he is going back to Ken. Just because a goalie lets in a couple of goals, you can't punish the guy. He's played fantastic."
Toronto will be without Mark Osborne for a few games after he strained ligaments in his left knee in Game 3. Osborne said, "I was along the boards in our end and had just made a pass when some guy (Dave Barr) hit me from the side. It was a clean hit." Brophy will replace him with Daryl Evans who scored 27 goals for the AHL's Newmarket Saints this season. Evans said, "I think I can bring some offence to the team. I can skate and shoot the puck well." Evans only previous NHL playoff experience was with the 1982 L.A. Kings where he scored a memorable overtime winner against the Oilers and led the Kings in scoring that spring with 13 points in 10 games.
In Vienna, Austria at the World Championships, Team Canada came through with their best effort of the tournament with a 7-2 victory over Finland. The win secures Canada's spot in the medal round. Canada jumped out to a 3-0 lead halfway through the first period, and made it 5-0 before the Finns scored. Al Secord said, "We were really ready for the Finns because a loss and a spot in the consolation round would have made it a very long, depressing week." 

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