Oilers channeling 1942 Maple Leafs in stunning comeback to knot Cup Final | NHL.com

Fatigued and a sudden-death underdog, Toronto’s momentum not to be denied, the Red Wings were swamped in the third period by a Maple Leafs express that was cheered on by a frenzied home crowd. Detroit crashed historically, the first and only team to blow a 3-0 lead in the Final.

Toronto’s Billy Taylor led scoring in the series with nine points (one goal, eight assists), Schriner’s five goals tops in that category. Broda gave up 19 goals for a 2.71 goals-against average, compared to Mowers’ 25 against and 3.57 average.

It was the sixth of 23 playoff meetings to date between Toronto and Detroit, their second of seven in the championship round. It’s close overall — 12-11 in favor of the Maple Leafs — but very one-sided in the Final, Toronto winning six straight since Detroit’s 1936 best-of-5 title.

The Red Wings exacted a measure of revenge 10 years later; Detroit snapped Toronto’s 1922-1932-1942 streak when they swept the Maple Leafs in a 1952 semifinal, then went on to crush the Canadiens in four to win the Cup.

Now, in their first postseason meeting against the Panthers, the Oilers are poised to join an elite club of one. If that happens, surely someone in the Edmonton dressing room should utter “By jiminy!” to celebrate a time when Apps was a brilliant player, not something on a smartphone.