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Maple Leafs, Canadiens bring fireworks in another memorable Saturday clash

There’s a real chance that was the last time we see those competitive juices flow. Those are, of course, the ones that run specific to Toronto and Montreal.

Given the divides shaping up in the Atlantic Division, and the fact that their final meeting is scheduled on what could very well be a completely meaningless final day of the regular season, Saturday’s clash between the Maple Leafs and Canadiens may have been their final act this season — and not the saga it could shape up to be over the course of seven games.

And better circumstances.

So at least, then, the teams did right by the fans.

Between Max Domi’s sticker into the chest of Andreas Johnsson and Auston Matthews becoming one of the rare ones to earn a pinfall victory over the behemoth Shea Weber, to Kasperi Kapanen miming kisses at the Montreal bench, and that mysterious and fortuitous bounce that found the stick of William Nylander in order to level the terms, Saturday’s clash was all you could hope for in a game between the oldest of rivals.

Eventually, and for the third time in three tries this season, the spoils belonged to the Maple Leafs, who racked up six unanswered to erase a three-goal, first-period deficit and avoid a fourth straight loss with a 6-3 victory over the Canadiens.

And with it, the divides that will likely prevent a postseason meeting between the two teams were exaggerated. Montreal surrendered its chance to pull within a point, and now trail by five.

“What a win for us. To end a losing streak, to come back as we did Saturday night versus Montreal — it’s a good feeling,” Zach Hyman said, moments after scoring another empty-net goal.

“I think it’s the first time since I’ve been here that both teams are really good. Both teams are playing for real. It’s a rivalry that has been around forever. You hate losing to a team like that, and they hate losing to us.”

(Getty)
(Getty)

I’m amazed by how little it takes.

Whether it’s the buzz in the rink, the noise from travelling fans, the hoards of media, or that it’s just drilled deep into the subconsciouses of these players that it’s supposed to be nasty and crazy and fun when Toronto and Montreal meet.

The minimum requirement is competitiveness.

If met, it’s fireworks.

“They competed, we competed,” said Matthews. “That’s what you expect against two teams with a lot of history against each other. It was a good hockey game. Not a lot of space out there. Teams play pretty similar to each other. We knew it was going to be a tough match.”

This is why just a few weeks ago, in the conversations that preceded and followed John Tavares’ overtime winner in Montreal on Hockey Night in Canada, players on both sides were lumped in with the majority starving for the postseason meeting between the two rivals that seemed possible for the first time in 40 years.

Unfortunately since, both teams have struggled a bit, while Boston has surged, and different realities seemed to have set in with each.

It won’t be this delicious, coin-flip matchup that everyone wants to see. Instead, for the Maple Leafs, in all likelihood they will be running it back with the Bruins regardless of how well they play down the stretch.

And for Montreal: it’s going to be dog fight to make the postseason with three spots available between the Blue Jackets, Penguins, Hurricanes — each now separated by one point.

For Montreal and Toronto, success in their specific situations will require the resolve that both must still prove they have.

Or the sort that seems to show up when they play each other.

Harness that, who knows? Maybe they do meet again.

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