The Flyers were badly outplayed in the first period, and Montreal finished with a 30-23 advantage in shots.
But Leighton was the difference.
"We didn't play our best game. We know it," said a scoring machine named Danny Briere. "Sometimes, you need your goalie to steal one for you. I felt that was the case, especially for the first 40 minutes."
In essence, the lanky, unflappable goalie is auditioning for next season because he can become an unrestricted free agent in July.
"I think," said Leighton, who has been with seven NHL teams or their affiliates since 2005, "you're always auditioning."
Barring a total collapse, it now would be surprising if the Flyers didn't sign Leighton after the season. He can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
"I'm not looking that far ahead right now," he said of his impending free agency "Obviously I want to have a good playoff here and go from there. In the summer we'll see what happens. It's been nice to travel around and play for different teams, but it would be nice to stay with one team and get my family there and get a house and have some stability."
After the Flyers claimed him off re-entry waivers from Carolina in December, Leighton went 16-5-2 with a 2.48 goals-against average and .918 save percentage. But the career journeyman suffered a high ankle sprain and was sidelined for nearly two months.
The fact he didn't play down the regular-season stretch run and wasn't expected to play in the playoffs was supposed to cripple his off-season marketability.
That was before Boucher went down with a knee injury, and the 6-foot-3, 186-pound Leighton suddenly was back at center stage.
He is 4-0, with a 0.87 goals-against average and a staggering .969 save percentage in five playoff games.
