The Toronto Maple Leafs will face the challenge of being without star winger Mitch Marner, veteran forward Jason Spezza, and defensemen Travis Dermott and Rasmus Sandin for the rest of December, but those still in the lineup rose to the challenge in a 5-4 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.
Auston Matthews scored twice, William Nylander, Nick Ritchie and John Tavares scored, Morgan Rielly had four assists and Jack Campbell made 28 saves for Toronto, who snapped a two-game losing streak.
The Leafs charged out to an early 3-0 lead on goals by Nylander, Matthews, and Ritchie’s first of the season, and responded in the middle frame after Oliver Bjorkstrand got the Jackets on the board with goals from Matthews and Tavares seven seconds apart. Toronto sat back and allowed Columbus to rally in the third with three goals, but held on for their 18th victory of the season.
“We found ways to strike offensively, whether it was on our power play or some quick chances off the rush, but in terms of how we like to play and how we have played, there wasn’t a lot to like about the game tonight in any period.” Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said after the game. “(It was) not a great game for us, but it’s a good result obviously, we came out on the right side of it. It’s a funny game to play for our guys, because we had such big leads at different times so it’s all part of it. What it tells me honestly is that we’re a tired group here that needs time.”
The Leafs had two players making their NHL debut in forward Alex Steeves and defenseman Kristians Rubins. The 21-year-old Steeves had two shots on goal and played 8:28 on the fourth line with Kyle Clifford and Pierre Engvall, while Rubins played 13:40 alongside Timothy Liljegren on the bottom pairing.
“It was super special. I’m really happy we got a win, it’s always nice to be a part of a win in your first game.” Steeves said. “I just tried to play hard out there and keep it simple and do whatever I could to help the team.”
The Leafs received word regarding Spezza prior to the game that the veteran forward was suspended for six games for his hit on Winnipeg defenseman Neil Pionk. Spezza connected with a knee to the head of a falling Pionk after the hit on Sandin, in which the Winnipeg blueliner received a two-game suspension, but in the review of the incident it indicated that the hit caused an injury to Pionk.
Strangely enough, the Jets blueliner played shifts after the hit, so it is questionable whether he was actually injured. The severity of the suspension it appears has more to do with it being retaliatory for the hit on Sandin, but the fact that Pionk’s hit on the Leafs defenseman may have been retaliatory for Sandin’s hit on Jets captain Blake Wheeler last April was not factored in.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated on Tuesday that the Leafs and Spezza will appeal the suspension to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in hopes of getting it lowered from six games.
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