DETROIT — Mike Babcock knew it was coming.



It was after a TV timeout in the first period. Defeated in three straight games, the Leafs were already down 1-0 at that point. Babcock knew the Dylan Larkin-led Detroit top line was coming out for a faceoff in the Maple Leafs’ end.



The Leafs coach put his fourth line of Dmytro Timashov, Frederik Gauthier and Nick Shore on the ice anyway.



“You don’t know what’s gonna happen,” Babcock said of that moment. “But if the guys can do it, obviously it’s a huge deal for you. It makes you a way better hockey club, and way deeper.”



Gauthier beat Larkin on the draw.



With seven minutes left in the third period and the Leafs up 3-2, Babcock did it again, put his fourth line out there for a key defensive-zone draw. Shore won that one, too. The Leafs iced the puck. It didn’t matter. Gauthier snatched the ensuing faceoff, and about 30 seconds later,...