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Leafs have ‘grown’ since Game 1, says Phaneuf

Dion Phaneuf scores on Tuukka Rask

It seems like a long time has passed since the Maple Leafs were getting run out of TD Garden in Game 1 of their series with the Bruins.

To refresh your memory...

In reality, Game 1 was less than two weeks ago.

“We just self-destructed,” Toronto coach Randy Carlyle said after his side lost, 4-1, and got outshot, 40-20. “We didn’t do a lot of things right. I’ve never seen so many people fall down with nobody around them with situations with our group. Like we said, we know this going to take more than an ordinary effort, and tonight it wasn’t good enough effort.”

After Game 1, not many observers expected a long series. But the Leafs have since forced Game 7, back in Boston tonight.

For checking forward Jay McClement, the change in the Toronto team that started the playoffs, versus the one now, has been dramatic.

“We’ve learned on the fly here, for sure, but you can see the difference in our composure in Game 1 to now,” McClement said, per TSN’s Mark Masters.

“We’ve grown as a group,” Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf added, per ESPN.

Meanwhile, the Bruins -- with just two goals in their last two games -- are the ones sounding unsure of themselves.

“The bottom line is that we need to find a way to get the puck to go in,” said Patrice Bergeron. “Being frustrated right now isn’t going to help. It’s about being determined to find ways to put it in, and it’s all about [Game 7] now.”