LEAFS BLOW 4-1 LEAD

In one of the more anticipated games in early 2022, top NHL contenders came into the Ball Arena in Denver on Saturday pitting the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs and the red hot Colorado Avalanche.  With so many postponed games recently, it’s really not fair to measure teams by point totals but rather winning percentage to date.  The Avs are at an impressive .666 while the Leafs come in at .687.  Top teams indeed.  (BTW Carolina leads at 24 and 7 for a .750)

And why not – the Colorado squad presents a very deep roster lead by Nazem Kadri with 42 points, returning winger Mikko Rantanen with 36, Captain Gabriel Landeskog (coming off a hattrick) and superstar Nathan MacKinnon both with 33.  That is not counting superstar in the making D-Man Cale Makar with 28.  Makar and his mates on defence have in fact contributed 33 of the Avs 129 goals to date, including 14 of his own.  He and Devon Toews contribute over 25 minutes of ice per game.

As advertised, both clubs came out with a fierce pace to open the game.  A huge goalmouth save by Jack Campbell at the 6 minute mark showed he was in his zone.  Alex Kerfoot had been moved up to play with Austin Mathews and Mark Bunting due to the COVID related absence of Mitchell Marner.  It didn’t take him long to prove his worth as he floated in a beauty backhander to move the Leafs up 1-0 over his former team.  The Mathews show took over at the 5 minute mark as the Rocket Richard Trophy winner pumped in his 21^st and 22^nd in less than :30 seconds.  The first, from Reilly was another well-placed backhander and the second from Kerfoot was a typical sniper in off the post.  Coach Jared Bodnar gave starter Darcy Kuemper a “mercy” pull after the 3-0 goal, despite his recent 7-0 record.

You just can’t leave a team that has a ton of 7 goal games alone to sit around feeling sorry for themselves.  Sure enough, a sloppy, over passing play by Toronto lead to a MacKinnon goal on a nice 3-way passing play from linemates Landeskog and Rantanen.  3-1 after one.

The Leafs had to scratch Kase, Marner and Engvall.  In came Clifford, Seney (who ?) and the recently banished Nick Ritchie.  Guess who shows up with his second of the year on a second unit PP from dependable Wayne Simmonds ?  Daz right !  4-1 Tranna.  When was the last time you heard this ?  The Leafs have the second best defensive record in the entire NHL.  Soup Campbell of course has had a huge say in this remarkable stat with a slash line GAA 1.87 and a save percentage of .939.  None the less, the never say die Avs kept it interesting with a patient “walk the line” goal from Maker to make 4-2 after 2.  This game wasn’t over !

You can only rely on your goalie for so much.  The Leafs Jack Campbell had 49 shots sent his way and despite his herculin effort, it just wasn’t to be.  First it was Landeskog finally pounding in a rebound to make it 4-3 less than 10 minutes in.  The Avs relentless pressure did not subside until Comfer tied it up with 8 minutes to go.  The Leafs had been outshot 15 to 2 at this point.  Overtime !

Devon Toews put it away 5 hole to allow the Colorado club to win its 11 game in a row on home ice.  Great Game !

HOPPER NOTES: HNIC gave great support to the Hockey Diversity Alliance (HDA) throughout the broadcast.  Somewhat surprising to hear that a lot of high-profile hockey celebrities of colour did not show up for support.  Kadri, Dumba, Simmonds et al have led the way – it’s time for those “brand conscious” people to fall in line…great skating analysis (edges etc) from Kevin Bieksa pre game using Makar and MacKinnon as examples…so nice to hear “live” cheers from Colorado…could really do without that dumb KIT KAT TV spot from Brent Burns…gotta love the versatile Kerfoot – @ $3.5 mil, he’s a bargain…I was OK with Mikahev  on the left side with Tavares and Nylander…it doesn’t get any easier for Toronto, with future dates in St. Louis, Vegas and Madison Sq Garden…guys I wish I had on my team:  Devon Towes.

Discuss – feedback welcome – cheers !