RICK VAIVE: In praise of the blue line's unsung heroes and Leafs excellent work in faceoff circle (2025)

There’s nothing like a goal from a hard-working defenceman to bring a hockey team closer together.

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Just watch how the Leafs celebrated with Simon Benoit after Game 3 — you could see his elation and everyone else’s.

It’s the same when I played and a guy such as Barry Melrose or Bob McGill would get one unexpectedly, or even a more-gifted defenceman like Todd Gill was rewarded.

And to score in overtime? How about that!

We’ve all seen the old Leafs highlights of Bob Baun’s goal in the 1964 playoffs. You get the same feeling when a fourth-liner scores and they’re even more welcome at playoff time.

Of course, it starts with a big faceoff from Auston Matthews. I’ve been saying to people through this whole series how impressed I am at what Toronto has done on the draw. From 54% in Game 2 to 63% on Thursday.

Let that last number sink in, it’s so important to what the Leafs want to do in power-play and penalty-killing situations.

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Then look who they have down the middle: Matthews winning 13 in Game 3, then John Tavares, Max Domi and Scott Laughton behind him.

I know how vital a statistic it is. I was a centre until I got up to junior with Sherbrooke. We lost a couple of right wingers and our coach asked if I’d move over. But in Birmingham of the WHA, John Brophy might get me to take a big faceoff if the net was empty or we needed to win one on the right side.

Not only that, when Toronto loses a draw, they still know how to cover correctly. In general, that has helped them to take away the middle of the ice and stay strong defensively.

They’re not giving Ottawa a whole lot, other than Brady Tkachuk’s goal on Thursday, the first shot of that period and Anthony Stolarz might have been screened by his own guy.

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But it’s difficult to try and teach kids about faceoffs. Everyone has their own style and you don’t want to screw up someone when they’re doing it well. Leave them alone and step in only if you think you have to.

Ottawa is just not doing any of those things based around faceoffs, not getting the good looks they need to score.

I’ll finish by commenting on the stuff I read about Ottawa supposedly shooting pucks at the Leafs end during warm-ups. If true, it sure isn’t working.

Do they really think they’ll rattle a team like the Leafs, who have veteran players and have been very calm and cool about most things in this series?

It’s the same with the Senators running around trying to lay big hits. Maybe it’s because they haven’t been in the playoffs a long time and they’re too jacked up. But that’s not really what Ottawa’s success has been about this year.

They have to try something else — and quick.

The Toronto Sun welcomes former Toronto captian and three-time 50-goal scorer for our 2025 Leaf playoff coverage Rick Vaive. He played 16 NHL and WHA seasons and is the author of Catch 22: My Battles in Hockey and Life. He can be heard on Squid and The Ultimate Leafs Fan podcast with Mike Wilson and special guests.

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