Oh, this is nerve-wracking one way or another. I think the least tense is if you're tied. Sure, you want to pressure and get the go-ahead goal, but at the same time you're content with making the safe play and just making sure it doesn't end up in your net. Next, I think being up by a goal is the next most tense. I think this is when you really get to see what you're made of as a contending team. Sure, you have the firepower to go up, but can you hold on? Can you not be the Leafs? That's a tough one. Lastly, I think being down a goal is the most tense. You need to pressure and get the tying goal before time runs out, but you also don't want to be the one making the dumb ambitious play and coughing it up, leading to the other team potting another one. Going down by 2 can totally deflate your team, especially late in the game. Its tough to toe that line, making this the toughest scenario.