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Potent Leaf offense, superior goaltending and solid defense stifle Wings |
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Game Summary:
Before I go into Detroit’s game, let’s give credit where it’s due. Toronto scored 4 goals on fewer than 20 shots through 2 periods. Murray played an excellent game. The Leaf defense is the best I’ve seen as Matthews is going strong in his 7th season. The PK for Toronto continually split the D, and Marner was a true 3 zone player. What Ovi is on the offside circle is what Matthews is to the wrist shot. He may have the best wrist shot I’ll ever see in this league.
On to the Wings. Even when the team wins games, concern was given to the fact that for 15-20 minutes the team just stopped playing. Husso had to play Atlas until Detroit found their game again. Well tonight, Atlas shrugged. Kudos to Ned who gave Detroit a fighting chance, but Toronto was too good in and around the net. Seider factored in on both goals, which is a plus. Erne made some nice moves, one of which got Detroit within 2.
Whenever a team from the Atlantic is on the other side of the ice, it’s going to be a different game. Especially Toronto, Tampa, Boston and Florida. All 4 of those teams expect, not hope, to leap frog Detroit in the playoff picture. Tonight was a taste of what many of you have echoed. The Wings were winning against teams that weren’t near as potent as their divisional opponents.
All that said, Detroit played a hard 3rd period. It was just too late. Husso’s uncharacteristic play combined with the team’s struggle to play a full 60 showed what this division will do to the Winged Wheel unless they figure things out.
There’s another factor. Kadri got his name on the Stanley Cup last year. In Matthew’s 6 previous seasons, the Leafs haven’t seen the playoffs. Management went all in on 4 forwards assuming the cap would go up. Bettman’s early remarks of a potential 3 to 5 million boost could end up like all of his past hopes. It was announced in January the players still owed 1 billion in Escrow from lockdown hockey. There is a guaranteed 6% escrow from the original MOU, but there is now an NHL team playing in a 5,000 seat arena. With the assumption that Matthews will stay in Toronto, he’s going to be well compensated. His 5 year “gamble” could eat up a nice bit of any additional cap even though he has a year left on this deal.
The Leafs want to head to the post season making a statement. This team is at a near rabid state to finally make a deep playoff run. Nylander’s fantastic start may be part of what is used to bring a highly coveted defenseman to the blue and white.
This was the best 3 zone game I’ve seen Toronto play on Detroit ice for some time. It used to be that if you could get the puck out of their attacking zone it could throw the team off. This year, there were three players back ready to intercept and come back at it.
Detroit, to their credit, didn’t quit playing in the third. Unfortunately, they just imploded after getting a hard working goal from last year’s top rookie. My honest hope is that the players hash this out amongst themselves before talking to LaLonde. Not to yell, but to step back and realize that they are facing a steep climb to make some noise in this division. You never like losing, but losing and not learning is a theme the Detroit fan base has had enough of for the past several years.
Murray, again, just looked so confident. The much maligned multi cup winner found himself watching his tandem partner and the talk was that the pairing, not his individual goaltending, was key to the cup wins. He has pride. Murray wants to lift a cup again. Toronto has an interesting window. Muzzin is on the injury carousel, and Tavares is going to start showing more wear and tear at some point.
We saw 2 periods of what the Leafs can do to you with a few good looks and a ton of confidence. Hopefully Detroit can reflect on this night and realize that they have to play the whole game. In an 82 game schedule, it’s just not possible to be your best every night. However, the trend of lapses still seems to haunt this young team.
First Period Detroit goals:
At 4:45, Kubalik and Larkin found themselves in a 2 on 1 situation. Kubalik got the puck on net, Larkin swiped at the rebound. It was Seider who got the puck in by as he jumped into the scrum and found his 2nd of the season.
At 8:24 Matthews tied it up on Toronto’s first shot of the game
At 9:15 Nylander scored on the power play and Detroit is now in a hole
Shots on goal 12 or 10 to 5 Detroit (scoreboard and NHL app disagree on SOG tonight)
Score - 2-1 Toronto
Second Period Detroit goals:
No Detroit goals
52 seconds in Marner got a goal past Husso that was far too pedestrian for Detroit’s top netminder. Credit to Marner for lining up a shot, but that was a stop Detroit needed Husso to make. Leafs have 3 goals on 6 shots
8:37 - leafs score again as Matthews helps to stir the drink again. Detroit learning a hard lesson tonight. Sandin gets the tip, Husso out for Ned. Could be a disaster. Leafs have 4 goals on 13 shots
Shots - 25-19 Detroit
Score - 4-1 Toronto
Third Period Detroit goals:
At 12:41 it looked like Seider got his second of the game, but on review it was a tip from Erne that finally got past Murray. Detroit was outshooting Toronto 30-20 but Murray was fantastic. Save after save and impressive defense and PK from Toronto had frustrated Detroit. The second goal got some energy flowing for Detroit again. Chiarot with 2nd assist.
Final Shots - 43-25 Detroit
Final Core - 4-2 Toronto
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