OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Turning Over a New Leaf(s): The 1988-89 Maple Leafs

uWoHollywood · 06-28-2023, 02:22 PM

ROUND TWO MATCHUPS
Norris Division Final: Toronto (92p) vs Minnesota (89p)

Smythe Division Final: Calary (103p) vs Los Angeles (80p)

Adams Division Final: Montreal (90p) vs Buffalo (83p)

Patrick Division Final: New York Rangers (95p) vs New York Islanders (78p)

Toronto Round Two Preview

Daniel Marois had returned from injury, but Clark had taken his spot on the 2nd line. This meant either Doug Smail or Greg Paslawski would have to sit: in the end Taylor chose to take Pawlaski out of the lineup, largely to avoid either him or Marois playing on their off wing.
Minnesota had given Toronto fits all season, and nearly caught them in the standings. The Leafs won 3 of their first four meetings, but Minnesota won 3 and tied the 4th of their final four games. Overall, Minnesota was 4-3-1 against Toronto in the regular season.
The North Stars were powered by star wingers Dino Ciccarelli (55-42-97) and Brian Bellows (45-52-97), centered by Neal Broten (66P in 60GP; he missed 7 weeks with a lacerated spleen). Minnesota also made a pair of solid pick-ups from the NY Rangers in C Kelly Kisio (10-26-36 in 36GP for MIN) and D Norm Maciver (7-23-30 in 35GP for MIN). Don Beaupre was an All-Star goaltender, going 35-21-5 with a 3.63 GAA and .885 PCT, and had been even BETTER in the playoffs (4-1, 3.21, .904). Bellows led the team with 8 points in 5 first round games. The downside (for them) is that Ciccarelli would miss Game 1, and POSSIBLY Game 2 with dizziness.

Round 2 Game 1 - 3-1 L v MIN
Minnesota came out strong, outshooting Toronto 35-24. Toronto led 1-0, but the North Stars scored twice midway through the third and then clinched on an ENG with 9 seconds left. McLean was absolutely phenomenal, stopping 32 of 34, but the Leafs were not able to solve Bellows, Broten and Brian MacLellan (with Bob Rouse and Curt Giles helping shut down the Leafs in the Minnesota zone).
The morning of Game 2, Toronto got word that Steve Konroyd was ready to play. He would line up alongside Todd Gill on the 3rd pair, with Craig Muni sitting out. Unfortunately, Daniel Marois had bruised his shin and would need time to recuperate, so Greg Paslawski was put back into the lineup.

Round 2 Game 2 - 5-4 W v MIN
Minnesota again outshot Toronto 29-20, but the Leafs were able to put 5 of 20 shots past Beaupre. The game was tied 2-2 after the 1st, and no one scored in the 2nd. The North Stars made it 3-2 just 58 seconds into the 3rd, but Toronto scored three unanswered goals (including a pair of SHG by Dave Reid and Randy Carlyle in 27 seconds on the same Minnesota powerplay). Igor Liba made it 5-4 with 5 minutes left, but the Leafs held on for the win. Freddy Olausson was the star for Toronto with 1G and 1A, 3 SOG, 4 blocked shots, 3 hits and 2 takeaways. Just a brilliant all-round game. Dino Ciccarelli returned, but failed to have an impact for Minnesota.

Round 2 Game 3 - 4-3 L @ Min
This officially became a nasty series: three Leafs’ penalties in the first 12 minutes, with the third PP giving the North Stars a 1-0 lead. Bob Rouse and Brad Marsh fought a few minutes later, followed by Dino Ciccarelli and John Cullen whaling on each other with 4 seconds left (each getting 5 and 10). Toronto scored 3 goals to end the 2nd with a 3-2 lead, but Brian Bellows and Curt Giles each scored midway through the 3rd to win the game. Todd Gill fought Dave Gagner to try and re-energize the Leafs, but to no avail. Kirk McLean was very good, stopping 34 of 38; but Don Beaupre was phenomenal, with 39 saves on 42 shots. Kisio, Ciccarelli and Bellows each had 2 points; Minnesota’s core was just on fire tonight. Todd Gill had 3A in a losing effort, but a rare off night by the first line helped solidify the loss.

Round 2 Game 4 - 4-2 W @ MIN
Peter Stastny absolutely unleashed on Minnesota, scoring a hat trick on just 3 SOG. Leeman and Courtnall also combined for 5A, while Don Beaupre just could not solve the Leafs’ first line. Kirk McLean again turned in a fantastic performance, stopping 27 of 29. Ron Wilson also turned in the defensive performance of the season, helping keep Ciccarelli and Broten off the scoresheet. 1-1 after 1, the Leafs scored twice in the second (including a Damphousse SHG), and the third period started with Toronto up 3-2. The Leafs then held Minnesota to just 5 shots in the 3rd period, and Peter Stastny scored an insurance goal on the PP with 2:30 left. And just like in Round 1, the Leafs return to Toronto facing a best-of-three. Some other positive news: Daniel Marois was back. Given that Paslawski played quite poorly in Game 4, Taylor chose to put Marois back in the line-up.

Round 2 Game 5 - 4-3 W v MIN (OT)
Toronto outshot Minnesota 47-34, and Beaupre did his damndest to steal the game with a 43-save effort. Fortunately McLean was also up to the task, stopping 31 of 34. The North Stars scored twice in 32 seconds to end the first period up 3-2, but Doug Smail tied it up 1:17 into the second period. Both teams combined for 30 shots in the 3rd, but neither goalie would let one in. And then 6:17 into Overtime, veteran Doug Smail scored his second of the night to give Toronto the 3-2 series lead. Toronto was able to muzzle Ciccarelli (1A, -2) and completely shut down Bellows. The Leafs had solid-to-very-good performances across the board, but the 4th line were the heroes tonight: Smail 2G, Marios 2A and Phil Bourque 1A. Back to Minnesota!

Round 2 Game 6 - 3-2 L @ MIN
The Leafs outshot the North Stars 36-26, but a fired-up Beaupre stopped 34 of them. McLean was good-but-not-great, allowing 3 goals on 26 shots. Toronto was also disappointing on the PP, going 1-for-5. Down 3-1 with 14 minutes left, the Leafs turned it on with 17 SOG in the 3rd… but Beaupre stopped 16 of them to hold on for the win, and tie the series 3-3. Minnesota’s stars played well, but Don Beaupre is the reason his team lives to fight another day.

Round 2 Game 7 - 4-1 L v MIN
The North Stars led 2-1 after 1, and that was as close as Toronto would get. Mike Modano put the Stars up 3-1 with 17 min left, and Ciccarelli officially ended the Leafs’ season on an ENG with 36 seconds remaining. Don Beaupre was nearly-unbeatable, stopping 25 of 26. The Leafs were arguably the better team in this series, and got very good goaltending from McLean; but Don Beaupre showed everyone why he is one of the best goaltenders in the world. The Maple Leafs Gardens faithful gave the team a standing ovation, proud of the effort their team showed in this series.

With the Conference Finals about to begin, here’s how the second round ended up:
ROUND TWO RECAP
Norris Division Final: Minnesota (89p) narrowly beat Toronto (92p) in a hard-fought 7-game series

over

Smythe Division Final: Calary (103p) easily handled Los Angeles (80p), winning in five games

over

Adams Division Final: Buffalo (83p) took down Montreal (90p) in six games, overcoming a 2-0 deficit with four straight wins

over

Patrick Division Final: The favoured New York Rangers (95p) defeated the New York Islanders (78p) in seven games, overcoming a 3-1 series deficit

over

Toronto Round Two Summary
Two factors were vital in the North Stars’ victory over the Leafs: Don Beaupre’s world-class goaltending, and Minnesota being able to cool off the Leafs’ first line. Leeman and Courtnall had 5 points each in the series, while Stastny had 4 points. Not awful, but not good enough. Would Ed Olczyk have been a difference maker here? Unfortunately we will never know.

Other April Updates:

Wendel Clark (8th), Ed Olczyk (13th) and Peter Stastny (18th) were among the best-selling jerseys in the month of April
GM Jason Taylor nominated ex-Leaf Garry Unger for HOF consideration

06-28-2023, 02:22 PM	#27
uWoHollywood Minors (Single A) Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 55	1989 Playoffs - Round Two ROUND TWO MATCHUPS Norris Division Final: Toronto (92p) vs Minnesota (89p) Smythe Division Final: Calary (103p) vs Los Angeles (80p) Adams Division Final: Montreal (90p) vs Buffalo (83p) Patrick Division Final: New York Rangers (95p) vs New York Islanders (78p) Toronto Round Two Preview Daniel Marois had returned from injury, but Clark had taken his spot on the 2nd line. This meant either Doug Smail or Greg Paslawski would have to sit: in the end Taylor chose to take Pawlaski out of the lineup, largely to avoid either him or Marois playing on their off wing. Minnesota had given Toronto fits all season, and nearly caught them in the standings. The Leafs won 3 of their first four meetings, but Minnesota won 3 and tied the 4th of their final four games. Overall, Minnesota was 4-3-1 against Toronto in the regular season. The North Stars were powered by star wingers Dino Ciccarelli (55-42-97) and Brian Bellows (45-52-97), centered by Neal Broten (66P in 60GP; he missed 7 weeks with a lacerated spleen). Minnesota also made a pair of solid pick-ups from the NY Rangers in C Kelly Kisio (10-26-36 in 36GP for MIN) and D Norm Maciver (7-23-30 in 35GP for MIN). Don Beaupre was an All-Star goaltender, going 35-21-5 with a 3.63 GAA and .885 PCT, and had been even BETTER in the playoffs (4-1, 3.21, .904). Bellows led the team with 8 points in 5 first round games. The downside (for them) is that Ciccarelli would miss Game 1, and POSSIBLY Game 2 with dizziness. Round 2 Game 1 - 3-1 L v MIN Minnesota came out strong, outshooting Toronto 35-24. Toronto led 1-0, but the North Stars scored twice midway through the third and then clinched on an ENG with 9 seconds left. McLean was absolutely phenomenal, stopping 32 of 34, but the Leafs were not able to solve Bellows, Broten and Brian MacLellan (with Bob Rouse and Curt Giles helping shut down the Leafs in the Minnesota zone). The morning of Game 2, Toronto got word that Steve Konroyd was ready to play. He would line up alongside Todd Gill on the 3rd pair, with Craig Muni sitting out. Unfortunately, Daniel Marois had bruised his shin and would need time to recuperate, so Greg Paslawski was put back into the lineup. Round 2 Game 2 - 5-4 W v MIN Minnesota again outshot Toronto 29-20, but the Leafs were able to put 5 of 20 shots past Beaupre. The game was tied 2-2 after the 1st, and no one scored in the 2nd. The North Stars made it 3-2 just 58 seconds into the 3rd, but Toronto scored three unanswered goals (including a pair of SHG by Dave Reid and Randy Carlyle in 27 seconds on the same Minnesota powerplay). Igor Liba made it 5-4 with 5 minutes left, but the Leafs held on for the win. Freddy Olausson was the star for Toronto with 1G and 1A, 3 SOG, 4 blocked shots, 3 hits and 2 takeaways. Just a brilliant all-round game. Dino Ciccarelli returned, but failed to have an impact for Minnesota. Round 2 Game 3 - 4-3 L @ Min This officially became a nasty series: three Leafs’ penalties in the first 12 minutes, with the third PP giving the North Stars a 1-0 lead. Bob Rouse and Brad Marsh fought a few minutes later, followed by Dino Ciccarelli and John Cullen whaling on each other with 4 seconds left (each getting 5 and 10). Toronto scored 3 goals to end the 2nd with a 3-2 lead, but Brian Bellows and Curt Giles each scored midway through the 3rd to win the game. Todd Gill fought Dave Gagner to try and re-energize the Leafs, but to no avail. Kirk McLean was very good, stopping 34 of 38; but Don Beaupre was phenomenal, with 39 saves on 42 shots. Kisio, Ciccarelli and Bellows each had 2 points; Minnesota’s core was just on fire tonight. Todd Gill had 3A in a losing effort, but a rare off night by the first line helped solidify the loss. Round 2 Game 4 - 4-2 W @ MIN Peter Stastny absolutely unleashed on Minnesota, scoring a hat trick on just 3 SOG. Leeman and Courtnall also combined for 5A, while Don Beaupre just could not solve the Leafs’ first line. Kirk McLean again turned in a fantastic performance, stopping 27 of 29. Ron Wilson also turned in the defensive performance of the season, helping keep Ciccarelli and Broten off the scoresheet. 1-1 after 1, the Leafs scored twice in the second (including a Damphousse SHG), and the third period started with Toronto up 3-2. The Leafs then held Minnesota to just 5 shots in the 3rd period, and Peter Stastny scored an insurance goal on the PP with 2:30 left. And just like in Round 1, the Leafs return to Toronto facing a best-of-three. Some other positive news: Daniel Marois was back. Given that Paslawski played quite poorly in Game 4, Taylor chose to put Marois back in the line-up. Round 2 Game 5 - 4-3 W v MIN (OT) Toronto outshot Minnesota 47-34, and Beaupre did his damndest to steal the game with a 43-save effort. Fortunately McLean was also up to the task, stopping 31 of 34. The North Stars scored twice in 32 seconds to end the first period up 3-2, but Doug Smail tied it up 1:17 into the second period. Both teams combined for 30 shots in the 3rd, but neither goalie would let one in. And then 6:17 into Overtime, veteran Doug Smail scored his second of the night to give Toronto the 3-2 series lead. Toronto was able to muzzle Ciccarelli (1A, -2) and completely shut down Bellows. The Leafs had solid-to-very-good performances across the board, but the 4th line were the heroes tonight: Smail 2G, Marios 2A and Phil Bourque 1A. Back to Minnesota! Round 2 Game 6 - 3-2 L @ MIN The Leafs outshot the North Stars 36-26, but a fired-up Beaupre stopped 34 of them. McLean was good-but-not-great, allowing 3 goals on 26 shots. Toronto was also disappointing on the PP, going 1-for-5. Down 3-1 with 14 minutes left, the Leafs turned it on with 17 SOG in the 3rd… but Beaupre stopped 16 of them to hold on for the win, and tie the series 3-3. Minnesota’s stars played well, but Don Beaupre is the reason his team lives to fight another day. Round 2 Game 7 - 4-1 L v MIN The North Stars led 2-1 after 1, and that was as close as Toronto would get. Mike Modano put the Stars up 3-1 with 17 min left, and Ciccarelli officially ended the Leafs’ season on an ENG with 36 seconds remaining. Don Beaupre was nearly-unbeatable, stopping 25 of 26. The Leafs were arguably the better team in this series, and got very good goaltending from McLean; but Don Beaupre showed everyone why he is one of the best goaltenders in the world. The Maple Leafs Gardens faithful gave the team a standing ovation, proud of the effort their team showed in this series. With the Conference Finals about to begin, here’s how the second round ended up: ROUND TWO RECAP Norris Division Final: Minnesota (89p) narrowly beat Toronto (92p) in a hard-fought 7-game series over Smythe Division Final: Calary (103p) easily handled Los Angeles (80p), winning in five games over Adams Division Final: Buffalo (83p) took down Montreal (90p) in six games, overcoming a 2-0 deficit with four straight wins over Patrick Division Final: The favoured New York Rangers (95p) defeated the New York Islanders (78p) in seven games, overcoming a 3-1 series deficit over Toronto Round Two Summary Two factors were vital in the North Stars’ victory over the Leafs: Don Beaupre’s world-class goaltending, and Minnesota being able to cool off the Leafs’ first line. Leeman and Courtnall had 5 points each in the series, while Stastny had 4 points. Not awful, but not good enough. Would Ed Olczyk have been a difference maker here? Unfortunately we will never know. Other April Updates: Wendel Clark (8th), Ed Olczyk (13th) and Peter Stastny (18th) were among the best-selling jerseys in the month of April GM Jason Taylor nominated ex-Leaf Garry Unger for HOF consideration