It’s easy to overlook what’s actually been happening on the ice. For example, the Leafs just went through the month of February without allowing a single power-play goal against.
Their penalty kill went a perfect 19 for 19. For the season, they have now killed 81.5 percent of their penalties, which is good enough for 10th in the league. Prior to February, they were sitting in 16th at 79.3 percent. This is a good run of success to climb the rankings and hopefully build some confidence along the way.
There are a few notable disclaimers off the top, though.