The Maple Leafs announced today that forward Mitch Marner underwent an MRI exam today after sustaining an ankle injury in last night’s game against Philadelphia. Marner is expected to be out of the lineup for a minimum of four weeks, at which point he will be reassessed by the Maple Leafs medical staff.
Marner, 22, has registered 18 points (4 goals, 14 assists) in 18 games with the Maple Leafs this season. In 2018-19, the Markham, Ontario native recorded 94 points (26 goals, 68 assists) in 82 regular season games and four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in seven playoff games.
I thought the first about six minutes we were all over the place and then we seemed to settle in and get playing. I actually thought it was a good hockey game up and down the rink. We had opportunity, they had opportunity. Unfortunate that they got the second point and we didn’t.
On how Kapanen fared on Tavares’ wing after the Marner injury:
We just put him there, obviously he can skate. I thought he worked hard here tonight. They had some looks. Obviously, you don’t expect Moore to be playing there either, but that’s just the way it is. We had a lot of guys play hard tonight.
On what he thought when he saw Marner injured on the ice:
Well, I mean, what are you going to do? It’s hockey, injuries happen and you find out more about other guys. I don’t know the extent of this. I don’t know if it’s a few days or weeks or whatever. There’s no sense on dwelling on it. Someone else gets an opportunity. Let’s go.
On the connection between Matthews and Nylander tonight:
I thought – [Johnsson] plays on their line too – I thought they were our best line. In the first they were our only line that really generated. I thought they were good, though.
On Dermott getting his first goal of the season after his return from injury:
It’s good for him. I thought he played good today. You know, it’s all part of earning your confidence back, it doesn’t matter who you are when you come back and you haven’t played, you don’t feel exactly perfect. It takes you some time normally. Good for Dermy tonight, he made some good plays.
FREDERIK ANDERSEN (28 SAVES)
On what has enabled him to play well over his last 10 starts:
I just try to be good with my depth and try to read the play a little bit more and be a little bit deeper, I try to take my eyes back when I have a chance. I think we’ve been playing well too. We’ve been playing better and better. I don’t think we had the best start tonight, but obviously we got better as we went on and we were able to get a point out of it.
On Giroux’s slap shot goal in the shootout:
Maybe it was frustration from last time and they ran out of ideas. It worked this time. Obviously, it sucks to lose that way but [Couturier] made a nice move as well.
TRAVIS DERMOTT (1 GOAL)
On scoring his first of the season to cut the lead in half:
Yeah great feed by Will [Nylander], he happened to look up at the last second there and catch me coming in late, fed me with a good pass and I got lucky with some ice open and the glove side there. Nice to be able to contribute like that but obviously not the end result we wanted so back to the drawing board, back to the video, learn from our mistakes tonight but I think there are also some positives that we can ride on and try to keep the momentum going.
More on his first goal of the season:
Yeah, I think that was pretty much the exact same spot I scored my first goal so nice little flash back there – from Willy too — so that was awesome. It gets the adrenaline going even more than it usually is so it’s nice to see the boys getting excited for you like that and definitely makes you feel right back in it.
AUSTON MATTHEWS (2 ASSISTS)
On the club’s resilience after being down 0-2 in the first period:
Yeah, I mean, I think we just tried to stick with it and claw our way back and we were able to do that. Obviously, forced overtime but you really want to get that extra point especially with how hard we worked to get back in that situation. So, just a bit frustrating, but put our best foot forward and get ready for tomorrow.
On if he tried the lacrosse style goal or faked it before setting up Nylander to tie the game:
I tried it but didn’t get it on my stick so just made the pass instead.
WILLIAM NYLANDER (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On the club’s resilience after being down 0-2 and losing Marner to injury:
I thought we battled back, it’s always good if you’re down 0-2 to come back and score two goals. We didn’t go all the way but we’ve got to take that part with us.
On his goal to tie the game:
Auston [Matthews] made a great pass. I was just backside and he put it right on my tape so I just put it in.
On Matthews’ lacrosse style goal attempt:
Yeah, I think he was trying to, but didn’t get it up on his stick. So, it was close but it ended up right on my tape so it was nice.
JOHN TAVARES (8 SHOT ATTEMPTS)
On losing Marner to injury in the second period:
Obviously, it’s not something we want to happen. He’s such a big part of our team, plays a very significant role and makes great plays. Not ideal, but I thought the group responded well and had every opportunity to win it. Hopefully it’s nothing very serious and he’s back as soon as he can.
On what the team did to get back in the game:
I think we knew there was a lot of hockey left. I don’t think we ever felt terrible about the way we were playing. We knew we could just keep pushing and find another level and just try to get through the neutral zone a little better than we did at times and have some good offensive zone time, which led to some good opportunities and the two goals that gave us a chance.
On the team improvising on the power play leading to Matthews’ goal:
Well, he just shot it. Obviously, we had some real good looks, we had some real good power plays, but didn’t score. Then, we had a couple that were hard to watch. If you look at both teams, the penalty killing was
really good for both teams. They didn’t get much done on ours, we didn’t get much done on theirs. In the end, we were fortunate to win the special teams battle tonight and win. For us, an important shot obviously. We were able to tie it, Freddie made some
big saves for us. It was good.
On if this game was beautiful like the LA game:
What I would say is the game is way higher end. Obviously, they’re a real good team. They’re heavy, they’re fast and they’ve got a great top six, I liked their back-end tonight, I thought Subban played well. I thought
it was a good game. I thought we were better in the first, I thought they were better in the second and I didn’t think there was much to pick between the teams in the third.
On the too many men penalty at the end of the third:
We had a guy on the ice and the other guy wasn’t off. Now, that’ll be our third one. The one was just at the end of the game the one night there just for padding the penalty kill stats, but this one tonight could
have been a big deal. A guy going on can’t go on before the other guy. It’s just simple. We didn’t touch the puck or anything, I haven’t seen any overhead or anything to see whether it was or wasn’t. I’m sure it was.
On Andersen’s recent play:
I think we’re 4-1-1 in our last six. Is that right? So, he’s been playing and he’s been gotten better just like each year. He kind of gets through October and seems to kick it into gear and gets feeling good. He’s
an important player for us, a good leader for us. We need him to make big saves.
On he sees the team loosening up:
That’s what we said before the power play there, ‘Come on, lighten up here fellas. Let’s just go out there and breathe a little bit and do what we’re supposed to do.’ You know, I think the biggest thing is we’re
getting to know each other. I’ve said this a number of times, I don’t know if anyone believes it. It’s easier to play with people you know and over a period of time you get to know each other. I think this road trip we have coming up will be real good for
us as well. It appears that the guys are starting to have more fun, interacting more. I see more abuse, which is — I think that’s a great thing, once you have fun having fun together. That’s once you get to know each other.
On if Hyman will return this weekend:
I don’t think Zach is coming until next week. I don’t know all the details, but he’ll give me a heads up. I don’t think he’s around until next week and I don’t know why.
FREDERIK ANDERSEN (37 SAVES)
On a strong performance in goal:
It definitely felt like the puck was following me a little bit around so it’s a good feeling. There’s different nights where the puck seems to bounce your way and it felt good.
On his save in overtime and Rielly’s blocked shot:
Yeah, [Rielly] blocked a shot and obviously, it hit a tough spot and bounced right back to [Marchessault]. I just tried to stay with it and tried to make the save.
On the important of the penalty kill when the power play is struggling.
I think penalty killers just focus on what they can control and just try to eliminate their scoring chances when we take a penalty. Obviously, we just keep believing that we’re going to find one eventually and we
did. Huge goal by [Matthews] and unbelievable shot.
MITCH MARNER (1 ASSIST)
On a big penalty kill in overtime to give the team a chance to win it:
Yeah, it was nice finally getting some 3-on-3 time in there but, I mean, something we’ve always talked about is staying out of the box, we’ve got to do a better job of that. It’s hard to get even-strength going,
but I thought our team stayed patient with it. It’s a big win.
On if team was getting frustrated on the power play:
No, I think you saw we went through a little drought there. It was tough throughout the middle but I thought we were getting our entries there well and that’s a big goal there by [Matthews]. I think that was our
last power play we had and we needed a goal and we did it.
AUSTON MATTHEWS (1 GOAL)
On tonight’s win:
Yeah, I think in the first period we played well, the second I think they kind of ran that and the third was a toss-up. So, obviously, some big saves from Freddie there, probably by far our best player on the ice
tonight. He just kept us in it with the penalty kill obviously at the end of the game. So, just stuck with it. Like you said just stayed patient and a big two points.
On the power play changing its look ahead of his goal:
I thought as we went along through the first two periods, we were a bit stagnant. In the third, we pretty much said, ‘what do you have to lose?’ Let’s move around, let’s get the penalty kill thinking more. I thought
we did a really good job of that with different guys going to different areas and reacting, playing off our instincts. Not just drawn up plays, but reacting off one another, using each other and making plays. We spread them out a little bit and were able to
score.
JOHN TAVARES (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On tonight’s overtime winner:
I think Mitch [Marner] did a great job reading their entry and causing a turnover and as soon as I read what he was seeing got good anticipation that he was going to be able to get the puck. After that I’m just trying
to get available and make the lane as easy as I can if he wants to move it over and that’s what he does best. So, just tried to reward a good play that he made.
On the mindset when the team goes to the power play
Just that we’ve got another opportunity and we’re down a goal so we want to make the most of it. Whatever has happened up until that point, we’ve got an opportunity then and now to give ourselves a chance to get back in the game. Obviously, at times I think our execution wasn’t great but I think we also had a lot of looks on net, we put a lot of pucks there and sometimes it’s just getting those second and third opportunities. I think on that last power play that was what happened. We got some pucks to the net, got some looks and we kept retrieving them, retrieving them and finally were able to wear them down. You get [Matthews] inside the dots and there is no better shooter you want in that spot.
The view from left field 