Coming off a 4–1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Toronto Maple Leafs were still without defenceman Jake McCabe heading into last night’s game against the Nashville Predators. Phillpe Myers remained in the lineup after a decent game against the Blackhawks, picking up an assist. Ryan Reaves drew into the lineup on the fourth line after serving his five-game suspension, replacing Alexander Nylander. Joseph Woll made his ninth start of the year against Juuse Saros and the Predators, with Woll trying for his sixth straight win.
Let’s look at the storylines coming out of the game against the Predators.
O Captain! My Captain!
There has been a lot of intrigue about how Auston Matthews will lead this Maple Leafs team in his first season as team captain. During the first 40 minutes, Matthews was showing his elite defensive capabilities by blocking shots, and breaking up plays with his sound positioning. Matthews finished the night tied with a team lead of three blocks.
It wasn’t until head coach Craig Berube reunited Mitch Marner with Matthews that magic started to happen. The Maple Leafs came out hard to start the third period scoring two goals within the first couple of minutes, notably this sweet feed from Marner to Matthews, and Matthews with the dirty dangle to take the lead:
In a game where the Maple Leafs did not play up to their usual standards under Berube, it is precisely these high-pressure moments that you want your captain to put the team on his back.
Not just Matthews, Marner finished the night with three assists, all coming within the first five minutes of the third period.
The dynamic duo in Marner and Matthews showed that they are still magic, and it would be shocking if they don’t start together against the Washington Capitals on Friday.
The brick Woll
Coming into the game against the Predators, the Maple Leafs tandem of Anthony Stolarz and Joesph Woll was fourth in the league in save percentage with .910. Joseph Woll had to make several big saves, especially in the second period to keep the game 1–0 Predators.
Similarly, the Maple Leafs took their foot off the gas in the final eight minutes of the third period, which allowed the Predators to score, making the game 3–2. Woll came up with key saves to keep the lead:
You couldn’t really blame Woll on either of the two Predator goals. The first one took a fluke bounce off the backboards, and while the second goal hit his skate and went in, the Maple Leafs didn’t do Woll any favours before. Woll stopped 22 out of 24 shots, finishing with a .917 SV% on the night to earn his sixth straight win.
Minty fresh
As in the previous game against the Blackhawks, Fraser Minten is making it known that he should be the solution to the Maple Leafs’ third-line centre dilemma. In the first period, the line of Nicholas Robertson, Steven Lorentz, and Minten was the first line to get any sustained offensive pressure.
On the Maple Leafs’ first power play, it was Minten on the second unit that got two good chances:
The Minten line continued to be the bright spot in the second period. The Maple Leafs were not able to connect on passes and kept turning the puck over. The Minten line was able to gain the offensive zone easily, and generate some pressure. As you would want from your third-line centre, Minten was sound defensively and played the body, finishing with a team-high of seven hits.
Like Marner being promoted to the first line, Minten was promoted to the second line, centring William Nylander and John Tavares. Minten again showed that he’s a vet on the bench as Berube remarked in the previous post-game presser. Minten continued to demonstrate his defensive awareness by having sound positioning and rushing back to break up plays, things you would again expect from a third-line centre.
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With the win against the Predators, the Maple Leafs have 34 points, two points ahead of the Florida Panthers with a game in hand for first in the Atlantic division. The Maple Leafs continue to play through their very hectic December schedule, playing 15 games in 30 days after a less busy November. On to the next!
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