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TSN Toronto Maple Leafs Reporter

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TORONTO – The Maple Leafs failed to eliminate the Montreal Canadiens once already this postseason. And once was plenty. 

Toronto could have sent the Canadiens packing from their first-round playoff series with a win in Thursday’s Game 5. Instead, the Leafs had to claw their way back from a three-goal deficit that forced overtime, only to lose less than a minute in off one brutally self-inflicted mistake. 

So the Leafs returned to Montreal for Saturday’s Game 6, with another shot at winning the series and making the franchise’s first visit to the second round since 2004. 

“We want to make sure this ends tonight,” Mitch Marner said following the Leafs’ morning skate on Saturday. “Last game wasn't our best at all. Everyone is aware of that; we know we've got to do better. We expect a lot better from ourselves, especially in those opportunities and those moments. Tonight is another great opportunity to show how good of a team we are and really finish this out.”

The Leafs’ performance through that 4-3 overtime loss in Game 5 was their worst of the postseason, marred by costly turnovers and poor defensive zone execution. Toronto was down 3-0 early in the second period before responding with three unanswered goals (including two from Jake Muzzin) that had Montreal on the brink of heading home in sudden death overtime. 

But it was the Leafs’ own miscue that was deadly. In the opening seconds of overtime, Alex Galchenyuk send a blind pass off the boards and right onto the stick of Nick Suzuki. That sent Suzuki into a two-on-none breakaway with Cole Caufield, and ended in Suzuki’s game-winning goal just 59 seconds into the extra frame. 

That painful end was tough for the Leafs to swallow, and could potentially derail Galchenyuk’s terrific postseason to date. After being a healthy scratch in Game 1, the 27-year-old roared back in Toronto’s next four games with a goal and three assists. 

That ties Galchenyuk for third-most points among Leafs this postseason, even with the missed action early. Head coach Sheldon Keefe made sure in the aftermath of Game 5 to let Galchenyuk know how valuable his overall contributions have been. 

“It is a difficult [mistake] to overcome and it would hit any player hard,” Keefe said of Galchenyuk’s turnover. "But it's really important you don't let one play define you as a player and as we look at the big picture, he's done a lot of really good things. He was a major difference-maker for us [in a three-point performance] in Game 4. It should give him the confidence to come back here today, and recover from a mistake like that.”

The same could be said of Keefe’s entire team. While falling behind in Game 5 was concerning, the Leafs also managed to fight their way back and be in position to win. And if not for one poor decision by Galchenyuk, the outcome could have been in the Leafs’ favour. 

Still, Montreal did its job by capitalizing on Toronto’s many errors. They won’t hesitate to do so again, and the Leafs can’t afford to tempt fate with another poor start. 

“The fact we were able to find our way back into [Game 5] despite not playing at our best helps our confidence here coming in today,” said Keefe. “But at the same time, we know Montreal showed that they're not going to go easily and they're going to make it really difficult on us and today is going to be more of that. We’ve got to play our way through their pressure and their speed and look to establish our game earlier than we did the other night.”

Keefe is also prepared to make a couple lineup changes. Rasmus Sandin is coming off an awful Game 5, where the rookie was minus-two from a couple brutal defensive zone gaffs. For Game 6, it’ll be Travis Dermott stepping back onto the Leafs’ third pairing with Zach Bogosian. Dermott has been a healthy scratch in all but Game 4 of this series, and Keefe liked when he saw from his defenceman that night. 

“Derms played a good game for us the other night, and Rasmus is coming off of a tough night and we just felt that going with Derms would be the right move for us,” said Keefe. “It gives Rasmus a little bit more time to settle in. There's a combination of both learning from the previous game and then gaining a little extra experience as he's making his way through his first playoff series in the NHL.”

There’s also the potential for Nick Foligno to return. Toronto’s prized trade deadline acquisition has been sidelined for the last three games with a lower-body injury. He took the team’s morning skate Saturday on a line with Galchenyuk and Nylander, but was visibly grimacing at times and didn’t look entirely comfortable. 

Keefe said Foligno remains a game-time decision. Adam Brooks, who was dressed as an extra for the skate, didn’t remain out with the other projected scratches for additional work following the session, indicating he’s most likely to draw in if Foligno isn’t available. 

Whoever is dressed for the Leafs better be prepared to execute. Keefe said he’s emphasized to the group how well they played in Games 2-4 (when Toronto outscored Montreal 11-2), and that one bad blip doesn’t change who the Leafs are at their core. 

“The guys have confidence in themselves and their ability and we just have to go out here today and be who we are,” said Keefe. “You look at what you've done to get to this point in the big picture and that gives us confidence to be able to go out and play a good game here tonight and finish this series off.”​