Leafs dealt a harsh lesson in Game 4 loss: ‘We’ve got to be more prepared’
TORONTO — Mike Babcock watched a young team, much like his own, get spanked by a veteran opponent on Tuesday night and wanted his players to be prepared for a similar situation.
After seeing the inexperienced Edmonton Oilers fall 7-0 to the San Jose Sharks, the Maple Leafs head coach explained to his club that the level of play would rise higher with every game that passed.
“It’s so important that you get off to a good start here tonight and prepare to compete,” Babcock said before Game 4 on Wednesday morning. “They’re going to compete. We have to compete.”
It didn’t happen, as everything Babcock warned his players about ultimately materialized in a 5-4 loss that pulled Washington even with Toronto at two games apiece in their first-round matchup.