The Toronto Maple Leafs came home to host the Columbus Blue Jackets after a not-so-successful 2 game trip to the centre of the continent. After a hard-fought OT loss in Minnesota, the Leafs walked in to Portage and Main for a rather nasty 6-3 loss to the well rested Winnipeg Jets. Fisticuffs and revenge were on the agenda that night and resulted in suspensions, fines and bad feelings.
For tonight’s contest the Toronto club were without Rasmus Sandin (knee 2-3 weeks), Mitch Marner (3-4 weeks shoulder) Travis McDermott (knee) and Jason Spezza (suspension). In their place we saw Marlies rookie Alex Steeves (12 points in 12 games in the AHL) and 24-year-old Latvian defenceman Kristins Rubins playing third pair minutes with Liligren.
In what is being described as a transitional year, the 13-10-0 Blue Jackets were coming off a 6-4 win over San Jose. That came on the heels of a 4 game losing skid. Other than the first their first line of Boone Jenner centering Max Domi and Jakub Vorachek, defenceman Zach Werenski and a strong goaltending tandem, the roster is young and mostly unknown.
Every good team needs the big guns to show up. William Nylander and Austin Mathews are paid large to do just that. Willy Styles got his 8th (PP) in 6 and non-mustachioed Matthews got his 16th on strong plays from each other and a suddenly point motivated Morgan Reilly. 2- 0 Toronto. And, who should finally show-up when he’s really needed ? Rictchie Rich gets his first as a Leaf (after 27 games) to make it 3 zip after one.
The second started as a pretty much free flowing back and forth – you know, the kind that coaches hate ? A superior shoulder save by Jack Campbell at the 9 minute mark was shortly followed up by a well deserved goal by Bjorstrand to make it 3-1. Not too much later, the momentum swung back to the home team’s favor as Captain Johnny tipped in his 12th from a red hot Morgan Reilly to make it 4-1. Not 7 seconds later, Austin Mathews put in his 17th (again from Reilly) to make it 5-1. Once the insanity was reeled back in, you could see why the Maple Leafs are ahead in the standings as they are.
The home team got off to a real sleepy start in the third. And, before you know it D-man J Bean fires a net shot that Bjorstrand tips in to make it 5-2. Texier made it 5-3 and you really had to feel bad for “Soup” and his unassailable 1.78 GAA and his .942 SV % as his teammates faded before his very eyes. A 0.5 .second goal by Domi makes it an unjust 5-4 final. A very charitable final score.
HOPPER NOTES:
4 regulars out of the line-up = a pretty good showing….Spezza getting 6 games seems over the top to me (not a previous offender)…kinda liked #46 Alex Steeves – great speed, playmaking – just wish he was bigger…I hope you will enjoy my World Junior reports starting on Boxing Day…players I’d love to have on my team, Zach Werenski (and his 26 minutes/night)…does TSN have less pee breaks than Sportsnet or is that just me…Kase was not out of place in Marner’s spot on the PP…Max Domi is a free agent next summer – the Leafs are weak on the left side.
Discuss – Cheers !