Quote:
Originally Posted by timbit
The Leafs excel in perimeter play.
Between the dots compete level and execution determine Winners and who gets PP opportunities.
The refs were fine.
The Leafs weren’t.
Will beat skill.
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"Compete level" and "will" are pretty abstract things that probably have a lot less impact than people assume, and tend to mean pretty much nothing.
The two went into the playoffs evenly matched. Columbus is a better defensive team, Toronto is a better offensive team. Bounces probably went in the Blue Jacket's favour more, and they were able to shut down Toronto better than Toronto was able to overwhelm them. A lack of high-end offensive skill doesn't make Columbus an unskilled team or make Toronto more-skilled as a team.
It's a nice narrative, but hockey is just as much about luck as it is about skill. When two even-quality teams like Toronto and Columbus meet, they're likely to get near equal bounces, and it really comes down to how many end up in the net.
Look at Calgary/Winnipeg. If you watched the series, they were two fairly evenly matched teams. Bounces aplenty. It could easily have been a 3 game sweep for Calgary or even a series win for the Jets had the bounces gone slightly differently.
Basically, saying the Leafs are cursed is about as valid as saying Columbus won because of will power and compete level. It's the NHL, every team has will power and compete level. That's why those players are in the NHL.