Well, they did it. They went on a run.



Four games after a nightmare 7-2 loss in Florida, the Maple Leafs have eliminated most of the doubt around this team. They rang up seven of eight points against some very good teams – Tampa, Chicago, Boston and Columbus – in a seven day stretch to put them in firm control of their destiny.



If they win six more games, of their final 10, I simply can’t see a way the Leafs miss the playoffs. Not with 95 points.



In every realistic scenario, it won’t even take nearly that.



One key thing that has happened since Fish-mageddon last week is all of the Leafs’ closest competitors in the East have faltered. The Lightning don’t have a point in three games. Boston is 1-3-0. The Islanders came back tonight on the Rangers to improve to 1-1-1, but they have not been playing very well. The competition is drying up.



That, combined with Toronto’s hot streak...