33 Years Ago in Leafland; April 29, 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.
"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 line. That made it easy for their guy to keep the puck in." Smith himself said, "Obviously, I made a mistake on the play because I didn't play after that. However, I was just trying to cut the guy off and prevent him from getting it out to the guy in the slot." Adam Oates was the eventual second goal scorer as he worked his way out of the corner, sidestepping Borje Salming and firing a low shot from a bad angle.
After a dominant Game 4, Wendel Clark was rendered mostly ineffective by the shadowing efforts of his cousin, Joey Kocur. "He had a job to do and did it," said Clark, "He deserves more credit than he gets. He's a good hockey player." After the game, the media continued to ask Clark why he wouldn't just fight Kocur to which he replied, "Do you want me to fight you? Just keep on asking about it," to the Detroit reporter who pressed him. He continued, "That's the toughest I've been shadowed in my career. He stuck to me and I couldn't get rid of him."
The Leafs missed the defensive presence of Chris Kotsopoulos in their own end, Brophy was forced to go with only five defenders most of the time, Salming was most affected. The additions to the lineup, Bob McGill, Ken Yaremchuk and Kevin Maguire were used sparingly if at all. As well, Daryl Evans, who replaced the injured Mark Osborne was out with a back spasm incurred in practice.
On the Detroit goaltending front, Greg Stefan now promises to be available for Game 6 in Toronto. Glen Hanlon said after the game, "The shutout was important but not as important as the win. Our defence played great and forwards back-checked well."

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