maple leafs

Leafs Maul Hapless Sharks, Samsonov Recalled; New Convo

Jan 10, 2024 • 8:36 pm

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The Toronto Maple Leafs avoided the usual traps that they fall into. They did not struggle in the first home game after returning from a lengthy road trip and they did not play down to the level of one of the NHL’s lesser lights, stomping the San Jose Sharks 7-1 at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.

Toronto scored four times in a span of 5:18 at the end of the first and early second period, with newly inked winger William Nylander setting up Rielly and Matthews, and later registering a third assist on Marner’s 17th of the season.

PONTUS HOLMBERG 🚨

ONE-HANDED GOAL! pic.twitter.com/tDXeQdaWPj
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) January 10, 2024

"We have always known what we are capable of, but we have just found a groove. “ Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said after the game. “Things just kind of snapped into place. Over 82 games, you snap into one of these stretches where things go well, you are feeling good, and you are in a groove. And then you get some stretches where you just can’t quite get it. You are out of sorts. Right now, we are in a good groove. We are feeling good about how we have performed here of late. The schedule is going to get busier and more difficult for the rest of the month, so we have to keep building on this.…

The Leafs have a hectic schedule over the next two weeks, with eight games between January 11th and the 24th, including a pair of back-to-backs. This week, Toronto travels to New York to face the Islanders on Thursday and returns to Scotiabank Arena for back-to-back home games against Colorado and Detroit.

Because of the back-to-back scenario and since it is apparent that the Leafs do not think 22-year-old Dennis Hildeby is ready to play in the NHL, Toronto recalled goalie Ilya Samsonov from the AHL on Wednesday. Samsonov did not play any games for the Marlies, in what GM Brad Treliving referred to as a mental and physical reset. It is likely that Samsonov will play one of the two weekend home games against the Avalanche or Red Wings.

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