33 Years Ago in Leafland; April 27, 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.
"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 were outnumbered two to one. I was yelling for help. Then I saw Allison coming around the net and the next thing I saw was Allison raising his stick. But I don't know how the puck went in. Maybe it didn't go in," he said with a grin. "I would have preferred winning, but if anyone had to beat us, I'm glad it was Allison. I played with him and he's a heck of a competitor."
The game was scoreless after one period until Mel Bridgman tipped home a Peter Klima shot, his 5th goal of the playoffs in the third minute of the second period. Toronto peppered Glen Hanlon with 21 shots in the middle frame which saw Clark score with three-and-a-half minutes to go on the Leafs 33rd shot. Clark tipped home a Rick Lanz point shot to tie it up. After Gerrard Gallant made it 2-1 for Detroit in the first minute of the third period, Toronto managed only three shots over the next 13 minutes. Clark one-timed a shot from his off-wing off a Mike Allison pass that Glen Hanlon couldn't react to with just over six minutes to go to tie the game again.
The Red Wings goaltending situation has all of a sudden turned into soap opera as Greg Stefan has essentially gone on strike. Stefan refused to suit up as backup for Game 4 or any future games. Apparently Stefan objected to shouldering the blame for the Games 1 and 2 losses. Jacques Demers was forced to dress the inexperienced Mark LaForest as backup. Demers explained, "He told me that if something happened to Hanlon, he wouldn't feel comfortable going in against the Leafs. But let's face facts. He's upset because of things I said after those first two losses. I can understand how he feels but that doesn't mean I'm happy with the situation we're left in." Stefan said, "I need time to get my head together. I'm in a bad mood and that would only hurt the team. I just don't feel like part of the team. I couldn't even play if I wanted to. My mind isn't into it."
Toronto looks to claim the Norris Division title and face the mighty Edmonton Oilers who completed a sweep of the Winnipeg Jets on this day.

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