They were returning to the Bell Centre for the first since it all went horribly wrong last Spring in Game 6. The Habs are banged up, having their worst season ever, and are in a back-to-back situation. Do the Leafs come out extra motivated to make a bit of a statement?
Nope, they were lit up for five goals in the first 40 minutes. Halfway through the game, they were getting ole’d by a home crowd that had cheered on exactly six home wins this season.
Mix in a scary injury to a key veteran who fell down awkwardly and hit his head off an opposing player/the ice, and this felt like a bad acid flashback to May 2021.