33 Years Ago in Leafland; April 24, 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.
"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 January. What lets people get off saying something like that? What do they think they were playing, a bag of rags?"
Demers himself said, "We've been embarrassed by the Leafs in the last two games. The Leafs have toyed with our pride. For 120 minutes, the Leafs have outplayed the Red Wings. But it won't take a miracle to get back into this series. It will take hard work and solid goaltending." As for that, after sticking with his No. 1 goalie Greg Stefan for to games, Glen Hanlon will start game 3. "I have no choice," Demers admitted, "Given the same situation, I would have come back with Stefan the way I did in the second game because he's done such a good job for us all season. But Glen has always found a way to win and get us out of a jam."
At the World Championships in Vienna, Canada lost to the Soviet Union 3-2. Coach Dave King said, "It's nice to play entertaining hockey, but we aren't enjoying it much ourselves because we're not getting the points."Having now lost three in a row (although the West Germany loss was over-turned in favour of Canada), tomorrow's game against Finland will determine if Canada moves on to the medal round. The winner joins the Soviets, Czechoslovakia and Sweden in the top group.








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