SOUP SCOOPS PENS !

With 36 games to go, the Toronto Maple Leafs needed to prove their worth especially against opponents like tonight’s visitors – The Pittsburgh Penguins.  The perennial contenders are having another fine season, leading the strong Metropolitan division with a 33-11-8 record.  They have only lost 6 of their last 26 games and have an NHL best road record of 17-5-3.  Add to that the newly minted 500 goal man in Sidney Crosby along with linemates Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust and the home team would have their hands full – crowd or no crowd.

Toronto has a strong answer to the Crosby troika with Austin Mathews enjoying a 16 point streak (8g/8a),  Mitch Marner averaging 2 points per game over his last 11 and Michael Bunting scoring 8 goals in his last 14.  This was the 3^rd of 4 against these league leaders following a 7-1 spanking by the Pens back during the October doldrums and then a 2-0 win by Pittsburgh in November.

Not surprisingly the Coaches decided to go power on power (Crosby vs Mathews) from the get go.  Sheldon Keefe looked like a genius as Austin Mathews took a beautiful breakaway pass from TJ Broadie to open the scoring just 21 seconds in.  That was Mathews’ 33^rd, tying him for first in the Rocket Richard race.  Even with only 9000 fans in attendance, I am certain Jack Campbell appreciated the well deserved “SOUP” chant on 4 or 5 occasions throughout that first stanza.

Boy, Morgan Reilly sure has been earning his raise lately.  Mo went all Bobby Orr on Leafs Nation with an end to end rush to make the score 2 zip on a roofer that Bernie Parent wouldn’t have stopped.  Primary assist ?  Jack Campbell.  The Leafs got into penalty trouble in the second, sitting down 3 times in a row.  Again, Morgan Reilly steps up, this time on a give and go with ace penalty killer David Kampf to make it 3-0.  That was Kampf’s 7 of the season and his third SHG.  Despite being outshot 26-21 Soup was standing tall.

The Penguins finally solved Jack Campbell early in the third with a siege that ended with Geno Malkin popping in a Jeff Carter rebound at the 4 minute mark.  Not to be outdone, the Leafs’  juggernaut of Marner to Mathews to “rookie” Bunting deked a goal in  to get it back to a 3 goal lead.  Key to the third was a very sound 2-man advantage kill by the home team that included some fabulous goaltending from Campbell.  Later in the third, Austin Mathews took a goal post in the chops, only to return later with 1 maybe 2 teeth affected.  Final SOG Pitt 43, Leafs 28.  First star Jack Campbell, 2^nd Morgan Reilly and third Austin Mathews.  A well deserved win for the Leafs and their 7^th straight on home ice.

HOPPER NOTES:  Leafs play their next 6 games in 10 nights…Nylander hasn’t scored in 7 games – I’ve heard of streaky scorers, but is he in a bit of a “snit” ? …the Leafs are at a combined 115% on PK / PPG ratio – the highest since 77-78…didn’t disagree with minor d-man shuffles Keefe made – Muzzin with Sandin and McDermott with Holl…hope all the “Nervous Nellies” will now stand down on the “SOUP” thing…y’know, Michael Bunting seems like a nice boy from Scarborough – why do his opponents hate him so much – love it !

CHEERS – Discuss – Comments welcome