By Syndicated Content
Apr 3, 2021 6:43 PM
Goaltender Jack Campbell is on the verge of making some franchise history with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who open a two-game set against the host Calgary Flames on Sunday night.
Campbell has been the winning goaltender in all eight of his starts this season, most recently Friday night when he stopped 31 shots as the Maple Leafs (24-10-3) defeated the host Winnipeg Jets 2-1 in a shootout.
Campbell tied George Hainsworth (1934) for the second-most wins by a Maple Leafs goaltender to start a season, one short of the team record set by Felix Potvin (1993). We definitely could have given him a little more help (Friday) but he stole the show like he always seems to do, said Travis Dermott, who scored a goal on Friday. He s helping us out a lot more than we can ask for so far and hopefully he can keep it going.
Maple Leafs have thrived in shorter NHL seasons
Won Cup three straight times playing 60 games from 1946-47 to 1948-49; to play 56 in 2020-21 by Dave Stubbs @Dave Stubbs / NHL.com Columnist
You ll forgive fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs if they think the 56-game schedule for the 2020-21 NHL season is a good omen.
Three times in the NHL history has the schedule been in the vicinity of 56 games, and in each of those 60-game seasons 1946-47, 1947-48 and 1948-49 the Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup.
Toronto became the first NHL team to win three consecutive championships, the only time it would be done in the Original Six era of 1942-67.