Jarred McCann of the Seattle Kraken joins Nathan Horton and Robin Lehner as some of the former Leafs who never played a game for Toronto. He just signed a 5 year $25m contract to go along with his career high 21 goals for former Leaf Assistant Coach Dave Hakstol so he’s got to be OK with that. The Kraken had lost to Carolina and Washington on the first leg of this eastern trip.
The Leafs top line stood out again in the first 3 minutes as Austin Matthews posted his 41st to finish a beautiful PPG from Nylander and Reilly.
Again, all the talk seemed to be about Toronto’s inability to clear the front of their own net. While that is a serious issue, this reporter has observed the lack of finish in getting the puck out when they get above their own D-Dots. A perfect example was when Seattle pressured a fancy exit pass to let Carson Soucy tie it up.
John Tavares later deked in a beauty after an equally beautiful lead pass from TJ Brodie to Pierre Engvall who lead a breakaway pass to the Captain to take back the one goal lead.
Somebody’s got to ask – how can a team with 36 wins be tied with a 30th place expansion team with 17 W’s after two periods on their home rink ? Not unlike last night’s escape in Columbus, the Leafs had a pretty good handle on things when William Nylander scored his 22nd on a powerplay to make it 3-1. Seattle came back with a real nice 3 on 2 rush goal and then just as Nylander got off my “shit list”, he hands the Kraken a shorty on a horrific giveaway 2 ½ minutes later to allow the visitors to tie the game up at three’s.
A pitiful start for the Leafs in the third had them smothered by an inferior opponent. Just 6 minutes in and the Kraken take a 4-3 lead. That must have set some lights off on the Toronto bench because Mathews took a clever feed from Bunting (and of course Marner) to score his 42nd to tie it right back up. Mitchell Marner has been smokin’ hot – he pumped in a laser right off another Tavares faceoff win. His 6th goal in his last 6th put the Leafs up to stay. That’s 41 points in 24 games. Matty got his “Hatty” with an empty netter for his 43rd goal in 54 games. MAN, I don’t know where this club would be without the “Big 3”.
HOPPER NOTES: Great tribute for Wayne Simmonds’ 1000 game celebration before the opening faceoff – so nice to see it happen in his home town with his Mum and Dad, wife and kids there to help him celebrate…why can’t the Leafs ever find a 6’ 5” 270 pound defenceman…still feeling sorry for Morgan Reilly having the burden of babysitting Lars Liljgren, the still not ready for prime time d-man (he makes me SO nervous !)…players I wish I had on my team – Yanni Gourde…kinda missed Jason Spezza not anchoring that 4th line tonight … and, not to be a “Debbie Downer”, but this Maple Leaf play has got to stop ! Tampa Bay and/or Florida will eat them alive in the first round…Kyle get some defencemen…
CHEERS – Enjoy -Discuss – Comment !
They continue to allow four goals a game.
Not a recipe for success in the playoffs.
I didn’t like Matthews hot digging it after getting the fourth goal to tie it in the third.
Your team is having trouble hip eating one of the worst teams in the league.
That tells me personal goals are more important than team play..
Again not a recipe for success in the playoffs.
How about the rumour of getting Marc Andre Fluery?
Trade Mrazek to the Blackhawks for Fluery, get a third team involved to make the money work.
I like it!!!
Hi Dave; Glen told me about your posts on the Leafs. I enjoy reading them. The things that continue to bother me about the Leafs is why they can’t play a continuing 3 periods of hockey. They play 1 maybe 2 good periods then that’s it, 3 periods doesn’t seem to happen, they just can’t focus. Secondly I don’t like the showing off (Matthews) when you score a goal. Okay you got a hat trick (nice) but this team has no reason to hot dog right now, barely a win against Seattle. Anyway really enjoy your posts, take care, Lynn
love your comments Lynn…agreed, they just can;t put 3 (sometimes two!) periods together