For the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter The Toronto Maple Leafs kept up their post-All-Star momentum, winning their third game in a row and taking sole possession of third place in the Atlantic Division with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday in a game that was low on scoring chances and tightly contested. Mitch Marner scored the game-winner on a Toronto power play with 1:06 remaining in overtime, after Mark Borowiecki and Jason Spezza exchanged goals in the middle frame. Michael Hutchinson was strong in his first start since January 4 with a 24-save effort, and made big stops in the extra frame during a 4-on-3 man advantage to keep the game tied until Marner scored after drawing Ottawa’s Mike Reilly into a minor. “It was clear that this game was important to (the Senators) in how they played. It was important to us as well. I thought we stayed with it. It wasn't an easy day for us.… Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “Ultimately (we) found a way to make sure we got the one point and then in overtime, being what it is, a bit of an adventure, but I thought that our special teams -- both in regulation and in overtime, were very good.…
Spezza was arguably the Leafs best player in the game, nearly scoring on an end-to-end rush in the first period and scoring his eighth of the season on a short-side blast on a feed from rookie Rasmus Sandin. The 36-year-old has shown that he still has the speed and skills to contribute and one wonders whether if he would be willing to re-sign with Toronto for another year. “I shot it more(recently) than I’ve shot it in weeks, so maybe we should talk about it more.… Spezza said. “My whole life I’ve been told I’ve got to shoot the puck more. You know you take what’s there. (Ottawa) shaded off me there and got a good look and Sandin did a good job getting it over to me quick.… Toronto received a bit of a scare in the first period, when John Tavares headed to the dressing room with what turned out to be an ankle injury. The Leafs captain returned before the end of the period and indicated after the game that he wanted the club’s medical staff to check it out. Kasperi Kapanen was mysteriously missing from the pre-game skate and a late scratch, which raised speculation of a possible trade, but according to Keefe the 23-year-old winger was sat for “internal accountability… and would not elaborate further, saying that he would discuss the issue with the media prior to the Leafs key matchup against the Florida Panthers on Monday.
There’s no margin for error when @nickrob2001 is bearing down on you 👀 @MapleLeafs prospect scores in an 11th straight game, the longest such streak in the #OHL this season as @PetesOHLhockey got off the schneid. pic.twitter.com/7AY6WiIbM9
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) February 2, 2020
New podcast out now! @MikeInBuffalo @TheLeafsConvo #NHL#TheLeafsConvo #TMLTalk #LeafsForever https://t.co/PzzQ6pJGXU
— Norman James (@IamNormanJames) February 2, 2020