Jason Spezza put the Maple Leafs on the board at 7:26 of the third period and later had the primary assist on Zach Hyman’s third period goal. Spezza has goals (2) and points (2-1-3) in two consecutive games. All three of his goals in 2019-20 have been scored on the road. He has three points (1-2-3) in two games against Pacific Division opponents. Tonight’s game is his second multi-point performance of the season.
Zach Hyman scored Toronto’s second goal of the night on the power play at 12:47 of the third period. Hyman’s goal is his first of the season in four games played. In 2018-19, Hyman established a new single-season career-high for goals scored (21).
Ilya Mikheyev had the lone assist on Spezza’s third period goal. Mikheyev has six points (2-4-6) in 10 road games this season. He has three points (1-2-3) in four games against Pacific Division teams.
Tyson Barrie collected the secondary assist on Hyman’s third period goal. Barrie’s assist is his seventh of the season and second on the power play. The assist is his first point against a Western Conference opponent this season.
The Maple Leafs went 0-for-2 on the penalty kill and went 1-for-2 on the power play tonight.
Pierre Engvall played in his first career NHL game.
Auston Matthews was 5-for-6 (83%) when taking defensive zone faceoffs.
Morgan Rielly was on the ice for a team-high 32 Toronto shot attempts-for at 5-on-5 tonight. He finished the game with a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 57.1 percent (32 for, 24 against).
John Tavares won 71 percent (5 won, 2 lost) of his defensive zone draws.
UPCOMING GAMES:
Thursday, November 21, 9:00 p.m. at Arizona Coyotes (Sportsnet Ontario, FAN 590)
Saturday, November 23, 7:00 p.m. at Colorado Avalanche (Sportsnet, TSN 1050)
Wednesday, November 27, 7:00 p.m. at Detroit Red Wings (Sportsnet, TSN 1050)
Friday, November 29, 4:00 p.m. at Buffalo Sabres (TSN4, FAN 590)
Saturday, November 30, 7:00 p.m. vs. Buffalo Sabres (Sportsnet, TSN 1050)
Jake Muzzin (10), Tyson Barrie (7), Alex Kerfoot (7)
GOALS:
Auston Matthews (5), John Tavares (3), Mitch Marner (2)
ASSISTS:
Jake Muzzin (4), Morgan Rielly (4), Three players tied (3)
POINTS:
Auston Matthews (7), John Tavares (6), Mitch Marner (5), Morgan Rielly (5)
PENALTY MINUTES:
Alex Kerfoot (4), Jake Muzzin (4), 12 players tied (2)
MAPLE LEAFS – GOLDEN KNIGHTS TEAM STATS
TORONTO
VEGAS
GOALS FOR (Rank):
70 (t-4th)
66 (t-11th)
GOALS AGAINST (Rank):
75 (t-29th)
65 (t-20th)
POWER PLAY [%] (Rank):
12/72 [16.7%] (22nd)
16/74 [21.6%] (10th)
PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank):
57/76 [75.0%] (25th)
68/78 [87.2%] (4th)
SHOTS (Rank):
730 (3rd)
744 (1st)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank):
1104 (1st)
1010 (5th)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank):
53.7% (2nd)
52.0% (8th)
FACEOFF % (Rank):
53.8% (2nd)
49.7% (t-14th)
MAPLE LEAFS – GOLDEN KNIGHTS NOTES
FIRST MATCHUP BETWEEN CLUBS:
Nov. 6, 2017 vs. VGK (Toronto 4, Vegas 3 SO)
ALL-TIME RECORD:
4-1-0-0 (5 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD AT HOME:
3-0-0-0 (3 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD ON THE ROAD:
1-1-0-0 (2 Games)
LAST WIN VS. OPPONENT ON THE ROAD:
Feb. 14, 2019 (Toronto 6, Vegas 3)
MAPLE LEAFS MILESTONES vs. GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Tyson Barrie
400th career NHL game (Mar. 26, 2017 (COL) at VGK)
Auston Matthews
100th career NHL point (Dec. 31, 2017 at VGK) 100th career NHL goal (Feb. 14, 2019 at VGK)
Jake Muzzin
200th career NHL assist (Dec. 8, 2018 (LAK) vs. VGK)
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
CATEGORY
LEADER
GOALS
14 (Matthews)
ASSISTS
14 (Marner, Rielly)
POINTS
27 (Matthews)
POWER PLAY POINTS
7 (Marner, Matthews)
SHORTHANDED POINTS
2 (Kapanen)
PIMs
16 (Kerfoot, Rielly)
SHOTS
84 (Matthews)
FACEOFF WIN%
58.9% (Gauthier)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %
59.5% (Spezza)
BLOCKED SHOTS
43 (Ceci)
TAKEAWAYS
24 (Marner)
HITS
47 (Moore)
TOI PER GAME
25:14 (Rielly)
PP TOI PER GAME
3:25 (Matthews, Rielly)
SH TOI PER GAME
3:32 (Ceci)
MAPLE LEAFS PLAYER NOTES
Frederik Andersen
– Is 3-1-0 on the road this season with a 2.47 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage. – Has a 4-1-0 record with a .922 save percentage and a 2.54 goals-against average in five career games against Vegas.- Sixth in the NHL in saves (456) and seventh in even-strength saves (355).
Tyson Barrie
– Sixth among NHL defencemen in shots on goal (58). – Has been on the ice for 436 Toronto shot attempts, which is the most on-ice shot attempts-for among all NHL skaters.
Cody Ceci
– Sixth among NHL skaters in shorthanded ice time (77:34).- Tied for 15th among NHL skaters in blocked shots (43).
Travis Dermott
– Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 54.3 percent in nine games since returning from injury.
Pierre Engvall
– Could make his NHL debut tonight.- Has 16 points (7 goals, 9 assists) in 15 games with the Toronto Marlies (AHL) this season.
Frederik Gauthier
– Has won 60.3 percent (73 won, 48 lost) of his defensive zone faceoffs.
Justin Holl
– Has a 5-on-5 unblocked shot attempt percentage of 53.7, which is the highest among Maple Leafs defencemen who have appeared in at least 10 games.
Zach Hyman
– Averaging 18:06 per game in ice time through three games since returning from injury.
Kasperi Kapanen
– Leads the Maple Leafs in road points this season with nine (4-5-9) in nine road games.
Kasimir Kaskisuo
– Made his NHL debut on November 16 at Pittsburgh.
Auston Matthews
– Tied for fourth among NHL skaters in goals (14).- Tied for third among NHL skaters in even-strength goals (10).- Fourth in the NHL in shots on goal (84).- Averaging 1.5 points per game against Western Conference opponents, which is the second-highest average vs. the Western Conference among Eastern Conference skaters.
Ilya Mikheyev
– Leads the NHL in shorthanded shots on goal (10).- Leads all NHL rookies in shots on goal (52).- Leads all NHL rookies in shorthanded time on ice (52:43) by over 10 minutes (Second: Trevor Moore, 42:00).
Jake Muzzin
– Ranks third among Maple Leafs in time on ice per game (21:58).- One of seven NHL defencemen to have registered at least 40 hits (47) and at least 40 shots on goal (43).- Has four assists in 10 career games against Vegas, which is tied for the third-most assists against the Golden Knights among NHL defencemen since their inaugural season.
William Nylander
– Has recorded three points (1-2-3) in three games against Pacific Division opposition.- Has eight points (5 goals, 3 assists) through eight games in November.
Nic Petan
– Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 67.7 percent (107 for, 51 against) through eight games, which is the highest percentage among NHLers who have appeared in five games.
Morgan Rielly
– Tied for seventh among NHL defencemen in points (3-14-17).- Tied for sixth among NHL defencemen in even-strength points (3-9-12).- Tied for sixth among NHL skaters in TOI per game (25:14).- 11th among NHL skaters in shifts per game (29.2). – Has registered six assists in nine road games this season.
Nick Shore
– Tied for fourth among all NHLers in defensive zone starts (135).
John Tavares
– Has seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) in seven games since returning from injury on November 5 vs. Los Angeles.- Recorded eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) in six road games thus far in 2019-20.- Leads the Maple Leafs in power play faceoffs won (60.0% – 39 won, 26 lost).- Has won the most faceoffs (142) among NHLers who have played 15 or fewer games.
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
None
UPCOMING MILESTONES
John Tavares
Two assists from 400 career NHL assists.Three games from 100 games as a Maple Leaf.
RECENT MILESTONES
Andreas Johnsson
100th career NHL game (November 9 vs. PHI)
Kasimir Kaskisuo
First NHL game (November 16 at PIT)
John Tavares
100th point as a Maple Leaf (Novemer 13 at NYI)
INJURY REPORT
Alex Kerfoot (Dental Fractures)
Out indefinitely.
Mitch Marner (Ankle)
On injured reserve.
Trevor Moore (Shoulder)
On injured reserve.
Man Games Lost: 46
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
November 18
Recalled forward Pierre Engvall from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).Placed forward Trevor Moore on injured reserve.
November 12
Recalled forward Nic Petan and goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). Loaned goaltender Michael Hutchinson to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
Before their recent struggles, the Leafs had been looking at this trip, especially the first games in Vegas, Colorado and Arizona, as their first real chance to bond. Read More
[ad_1] Ron MacLean (left) sits beside Don Cherry as Rogers TV unveils their team for the station’s NHL coverage in Toronto on Monday, March 10, 2014. Chris Young/The Canadian Press On the first edition of Hockey Night in Canada in almost four decades without Don Cherry, this country’s flagship hockey TV program bid a respectful […]
On if the team scoring first could lead to better defensive hockey:
You could say that, but we weren’t chasing the game. I thought we were good until they scored and then they took over and they were way better than us. They had the puck, they skated by us. I think sometimes when
you’re pushing at the end of a game, it’s a different thing. There was no reason for us to look the way we did tonight. They played last night, we played last night. They’ve got some injuries, we’ve got some injuries. A level playing field. The bottom line
is they were better than us.
On what led to tonight’s letdown:
I don’t know. I would like to think over the last two nights prior to tonight that we were taking a step. I really thought we were going in the right direction, looking right. Then today, obviously we need a regroup,
because that’s not good enough. We didn’t play hard enough for long enough and, in the end, as an athlete, you put on your sweater and you want to be proud of how hard you compete and how hard you play for one another. We didn’t look after that. We have to
take a look at each other and get this fixed, obviously. No one outside is going to fix it, we’ve got to fix it.
On injuries limiting options for tweaks to the lineup:
No, and even our lines, we can move them around — we did a bit tonight, we moved our D pairs around tonight — the bottom line is we’re all family in there, we’ve got to take a look at each other hard and we’ve
all got to do a better job. The coach, the players, all of us. We’ve got to be way better.
On how they fix things moving forward:
That’s a good question. When we get on that flight, I think we’re going four-and-a-half hours, by the time I’m off I’ll probably have some answers. The reality is the number one thing is we’ve got to play harder
and for longer and as soon as something goes bad, we can’t stop playing. You push through it. Every one of us in our life, there’s things that go bad. Dig in.
KASIMIR KASKISUO (NHL DEBUT)
On how he managed the adrenaline in his first NHL game:
Definitely didn’t feel tired all game, just kind of riding that high. It was nice to get a lot of shots and a lot of tough chances. I didn’t really know what to expect and don’t really have a reference point, so
of course there was a lot of good and some things to work on.
On teammates giving him a tap on the pads after two periods:
It means a lot. I feel like they battled for me but things just didn’t work out today. Of course, it’s kind of emotional and crazy playing in your first game with how things go. It’s good to have their support and
know they’re going to battle for you until the end.
AUSTON MATTHEWS (17:08 TOI)
On where the team goes from here:
It’s tough to get worse from here. It’s frustrating. I think in the locker room, confidence isn’t exactly high right now. I don’t think we’ve played to the ability that we’re capable of over the last course of games.
We’ve got nobody to blame except for ourselves. It’s really up to us.
On if it’s frustrating to lose to other teams who are also going through injury issues:
Well, it’s the NHL. Guys are going to get injured. Teams are built to have depth. Teams are built to have guys that can come in, step in. They have that, we have that. We’re just not showing it right now.
On if there’s one particular aspect of tonight’s game that he didn’t like:
I can’t really pinpoint one exact thing, no.
On how the team can rebuild its confidence:
Just playing better. Being better in all aspects of the game. Lifting each other up. Holding each other accountable and going from there. We’re 22 games into the season. These points start to matter. We can’t just
say, ‘It’s just one game. We’ll get it next time.’ It’s been repetitive and for us, we want to make sure it stops now and we want to get back on track.
MORGAN RIELLY (19:56 TOI)
On how the team can turn things around:
When things aren’t going your way you’ve just got to dig in and work harder, focus on the details more, put more time in, more effort. I think that’s what we’ve got to do. Obviously, we’ve got a road trip coming
up and its very important that we take care of business a little bit, kind of refocus and make sure we dig in and put the work in in the upcoming days.
On what he saw in the second period from his vantage point:
It was kind of what we’ve talked about before — playing decent hockey, creating opportunities and just kind of ending up in a position where we’re chasing the game a little bit and then it gets away from us. Obviously,
we want to change that, in terms of playing from behind. We want to come out and play at our pace, play our game and not have to chase the game like we have been. That’s something we have to change.
JOHN TAVARES (4 SHOTS ON GOAL)
On if the entire team needs to be accountable:
Yeah, it’s up to us obviously to stop the bleeding. It’s unacceptable, the way we played tonight. The way we went out there and played obviously isn’t close to our standard and our expectation and what we need to
do to get the results we want.
On if it’s frustrating to lose to other teams who are also going through injury issues:
Yeah, no question. We’re not playing well. We’ve had some good efforts and some games where we’ve let some things slip away. Tonight just flat-out isn’t good enough.
Jason Spezza (61), John Tavares (34), Morgan Rielly (25)
GOALS:
Jason Spezza (18), John Tavares (14), Mitch Marner (5), Morgan Rielly (5)
ASSISTS:
Jason Spezza (33), Mitch Marner (15), John Tavares (13)
POINTS:
Jason Spezza (51), John Tavares (27), Mitch Marner (20)
PENALTY MINUTES:
Jason Spezza (33), Martin Marincin (14), Jake Muzzin (10), John Tavares (10)
MAPLE LEAFS – BRUINS TEAM STATS
TORONTO
BOSTON
GOALS FOR (Rank):
67 (3rd)
64 (t-5th)
GOALS AGAINST (Rank):
65 (28th)
45 (t-2nd)
POWER PLAY [%] (Rank):
12/68 [17.6%] (20th)
18/59 [30.5%] (1st)
PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank):
55/73 [75.3%] (24th)
46/56 [82.1%] (t-12th)
SHOTS (Rank):
666 (2nd)
584 (17th)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank):
979 (1st)
786 (20th)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank):
53.2% (3rd)
52.3% (5th)
FACEOFF % (Rank):
52.5% (4th)
50.9% (t-9th)
MAPLE LEAFS – BRUINS NOTES
FIRST MATCHUP BETWEEN CLUBS:
Dec. 3, 1924 (Toronto St. Pats 5, Boston 3)
ALL-TIME RECORD:
278-290-98-10 (676 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD AT HOME:
174-110-51-3 (338 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD ON THE ROAD:
104-180-41-7 (338 Games)
LAST WIN VS. OPPONENT ON THE ROAD:
November 11, 2017 (Toronto 4, Boston 1)
MAPLE LEAFS MILESTONES vs. BRUINS
Frederik Andersen
First win as a Maple Leaf (Oct. 15, 2016)
Alex Kerfoot
First NHL goal (Oct. 11, 2017 (COL) vs. BOS)
Mitch Marner
First NHL goal (Oct. 15, 2016 vs. BOS)
Nic Petan
First NHL game (Oct. 8, 2015 (WPG) at BOS) First NHL goal (Oct. 8, 2015 (WPG) at BOS)
Jason Spezza
First NHL game (Oct. 24, 2002 (OTT) at BOS) First NHL point (Oct. 24, 2002 (OTT) at BOS)
John Tavares
200th career NHL goal (March 12, 2016 (NYI) at BOS)
Dmytro Timashov
First NHL goal (Oct. 21, 2019 vs. BOS)
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
CATEGORY
LEADER
GOALS
13 (Matthews)
ASSISTS
14 (Marner, Rielly)
POINTS
26 (Matthews)
POWER PLAY POINTS
7 (Marner, Matthews)
SHORTHANDED POINTS
2 (Kapanen)
PIMs
16 (Kerfoot, Rielly)
SHOTS
77 (Matthews)
FACEOFF WIN%
57.2% (Gauthier)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %
57.0% (Nylander)
BLOCKED SHOTS
39 (Ceci)
TAKEAWAYS
24 (Marner)
HITS
46 (Moore)
TOI PER GAME
25:31 (Rielly)
PP TOI PER GAME
3:30 (Matthews)
SH TOI PER GAME
3:40 (Ceci)
MAPLE LEAFS PLAYER NOTES
Frederik Andersen
– Is 6-2-3 on home ice this season with a 2.81 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. – Has a 12-2-0 record alongside a .928 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average in 14 career games against Boston.- Fifth in the NHL in saves (426) and eighth in even-strength saves (327).
Tyson Barrie
– Sixth among NHL defencemen in shots on goal (53). – Has been on the ice for 387 Toronto shot attempts, which is the second-most on-ice shot attempts-for among all NHL skaters
Cody Ceci
– Fourth among NHL skaters in shorthanded ice time (73:21).- Tied for 16th among NHL skaters in blocked shots (39).- Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 52.3 percent – the highest of his career to-date.
Travis Dermott
– Averaging 0:59 per game in shorthanded ice time after averaging 1:03 per game in shorthanded ice time in 2018-19.- Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 54.4 percent in seven games since returning from injury.
Frederik Gauthier
– Has won 58.6 percent (65 won, 46 lost) of his defensive zone faceoffs. – Fourth among Maple Leafs in defensive zone starts (114).
Justin Holl
– Has six points (1-5-6) in 18 games this season. – Has started 48.7 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, the lowest offensive zone start percentage of his career to-date.
Zach Hyman
– Made his season debut on November 13 at New York, playing 17:37 in ice time over 23 shifts.
Kasperi Kapanen
– Has a goal and an assist in two games against the Bruins this season.- One of 10 NHLers to have recorded multiple shorthanded points (2), multiple shorthanded shots (3) and multiple shorthanded takeaways (2).
Kasimir Kaskisuo
– Had a 6-1-1 record in eight games with the Toronto Marlies (AHL), posting a 2.13 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage.
Alex Kerfoot
– Has a team-high three points (2-1-3) in two games against Boston in 2019-20. – Has registered seven (4-3-7) of his eight points in seven games against Atlantic Division opponents.
Auston Matthews
– Tied for third among NHL skaters in goals (13).- Tied for second among NHL skaters in even-strength goals (9).- Ranks fourth in the NHL in shots on goal (77).- His 13 assists through 20 games is his highest assist total through 20 games in four seasons (Previous: 12, 2018-19).
Ilya Mikheyev
– Leads the NHL in shorthanded shots on goal (10).- Leads all NHL rookies in shots on goal (45).- Leads all NHL rookies in shorthanded time on ice (50:00).
Trevor Moore
– Only rookie in the NHL to average at least 1:00 per game in power play ice time (1:23) and also average at least 1:00 per game in shorthanded ice time (2:06).- Leads all NHL rookies in hits (46).- Tied for fourth among NHL rookies in even-strength goals (3).
Jake Muzzin
– Tied for 18th among NHL skaters in shifts per game (28.4).- Ranks third among Maple Leafs in time on ice per game (21:53).- One of four NHL defencemen to have registered at least 40 hits (40) and at least 40 shots on goal (42).
William Nylander
– Tied his career-long goal-streak (3 games) with a goal on Nov. 13 at New York Islanders.- Has 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists) in 12 games on home ice.- Has seven points (5 goals, 2 assists) through six games in November.
Nic Petan
– Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 70.8 percent (68 for, 28 against) through six games, which is the highest percentage among NHLers who have appeared in five games.
Morgan Rielly
– Tied for fifth among NHL defencemen in points (3-14-17).- Third among NHL defencemen in even-strength points (3-9-12).- Tied for fourth among NHL skaters in TOI per game (25:31).- Tied for seventh among NHL skaters in shifts per game (29.5).
Nick Shore
– Third among NHL forwards in defensive zone starts (118).- Has won 59.2 percent (58 won, 40 lost) of his defensive zone faceoffs.
John Tavares
– Has six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in five games since returning from injury on November 5 vs. Los Angeles.- Leads the Maple Leafs in power play faceoff win percentage (59% – 35 won, 24 lost).- Has won the fourth-most faceoffs (101) among NHLers who have played less than 15 games.
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
Andreas Johnsson
Has points (1-1-2) in two consecutive games.
Auston Matthews
Has assists (7) in three consecutive games and points (2-8-10) in five consecutive games.
William Nylander
Has goals (4) and points (4-1-5) in three consecutive games.
John Tavares
Has goals (2), assists (2) and points (2-2-4) in two consecutive games.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
John Tavares
Three assists from 400 career NHL assists.Five games from 100 games as a Maple Leaf.
RECENT MILESTONES
Andreas Johnsson
100th career NHL game (Nov. 9 vs. PHI)
John Tavares
100th point as a Maple Leaf (Nov. 13 at NYI)
INJURY REPORT
Mitch Marner (Ankle)
On injured reserve.
Alexander Kerfoot (facial surgery)
Man Games Lost: 41
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
November 12
Recalled forward Nic Petan and goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). Loaned goaltender Michael Hutchinson to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
November 8
Loaned forward Nic Petan to the Toronto Marlies (AHL)
Well, I don’t like that it was 5-4. I really liked our start, I thought we had an outstanding start and played really well. The period was over, we were down 2-0. I thought we crawled our way back and had a really good second period; gave up very, very little. In the end, we gave up the goal at the end of that and then I thought in the third period we weren’t as good as we needed to be in order to have success and crawl our way back. It’s a one-goal game at the end, but the way – I would have liked it better at 3-2, to be honest with you. We’ve got to do a better job. Tonight the special teams battle is 2-0 for them and, so, you can’t win enough games losing the special teams battle so we’ve got to do a better job in that area, for sure. I really liked the start of our game, I liked our energy, I liked our execution, I liked how much time we played in the O-zone. I thought Tavares’ line played in the O-zone more than they’ve played all year, that was good for us.
On Muzzin saying weird lapses led to goals:
When you go through it, the first one we had total control of the puck, managed to turn it over twice, it goes in our net. The third one – the penalty came after a turnover – and then the third one was one of those ones that, to me, it was a simple play for us and we didn’t make it. The bottom line is we’re through 20 games now and, when you evaluate what we’ve done in 20 games, we don’t like it as a group. We think we can be better and we’ll identify the areas again here tomorrow as we go through it and grind our way out of this. We got ourselves in the spot we’re in, we’ve got to grind our way out of it.
On if the team seems frustrated through 20 games:
I don’t think that’s been the case at all. I thought we’ve had good energy and I think we’ve done lots of really good things. In saying that, tonight after the first period, after the second period, you feel you’ve played really well and should be ahead in the game. You’re not ahead in the game. Just stay the course, stay patient, take care of the puck and, if you do good things in life, good things happen.
On Hyman’s return to the lineup:
Like I said to you, I thought Tavares’ line played – I don’t know how many heavy shifts they had, but they had a lot. They spent a lot of time in the offensive zone. I didn’t – I said it yesterday, I had no idea what to expect, I really didn’t. I didn’t know he could be out that long and still come with that energy. Maybe there’s going to be a drop, I don’t know that, but I thought he did a good job in all areas of the game.
ZACH HYMAN (17:37 TOI)
On his first game back since off-season surgery:
Felt good, felt strong. I didn’t worry about my knee which was good. Thought I just went out there and tried to play my game and just kind of pick up where I left off, which was six months ago. It’s a long time but I felt good.
On how the team can improve the penalty kill:
We’ve just got to find confidence. We’ve got to string some kills together. The bounces just aren’t going our way right now. I think if we get back on track, we’ll string a run together. That’s what good PKs do, they get on a roll and they find their confidence and it feels like you don’t get scored on ever. So, we’ll get that fixed and come back strong.
JAKE MUZZIN (1 ASSIST)
On back-to-back one goal losses:
I think we have confidence in this group, in the team and in this room. We’re just having some weird lapses in the game and it’s costing us. I think we just have to be sharper throughout a full 60, shift-to-shift, more focus, better preparation I think and we’ll come out on top in these games.
On where the team can make improvements on the penalty kill:
I don’t know. I mean we’ve got to look at the stuff, I haven’t looked at it. I don’t even know how many penalties we took tonight, how many did we take tonight? [Three] So, that’s better, but we let two goals in, so that’s not good. We’ve got to look at some stuff and clean it up.
WILLIAM NYLANDER (1 GOAL)
On tonight’s performance:
I think we played a good game for the most part. We’ve just got to sharpen up on a few things to not let them score goals.
On what prevented the power play from having success:
I think the one where we had a faceoff in the D-zone and they jumped us, we’ve got to be ready there. I mean, we’ve got to be more determined like we were in the last couple of minutes of the game.
JOHN TAVARES (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On going down early and not being able to finish the comeback:
It feels like when we do make a mistake it seems to really hurt us. Because I thought, especially in the first period, we had a pretty good first period until they got their first goal and then they capitalize on the power play and got the momentum. We played really well again in the second, didn’t come out the greatest in the third and, you know, they got another power play goal so special teams really hurt us today. It just seems like when we do make a mistake we’re getting burned. I think parts of this game we did a lot of good things. We tried to stay patient, stayed with it, got ourselves back in it, but just too many mistakes leading to too many against.
On where he sees the team after 20 games into the season:
Well, I just think we’re not where we want to be. Obviously, we want to play a lot better, a lot more consistent. We’ve got to keep working to find a way. At times it feels like it’s going against us and that’s just the nature of it. Sometimes it’s the way hockey goes, the way the game goes and you’ve just got to mentally stick with it and keep playing and keep trying to find a way to turn the tide and consistently up your level and up your consistency and get things snow balling in the right direction. We’ve had that for points in the year but we haven’t really been able to sustain it as long as we’ve liked. Obviously, something we need to continue to do and the results are obviously critical. We’ve done good things but we know we’ve got to get the job done.
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.
SCOTIABANK ARENA (TORONTO, ON) ▪ TV: SPORTSNET ONTARIO ▪ RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN
MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY versus VEGAS
ALL-TIME RECORD:
3-1-0-0 (4 Games)
ALL-TIME AT HOME:
2-0-0-0 (2 Games)
2018-19:
2-0-0
LAST FOUR:
3-1-0
MAPLE LEAFS CAREER LEADERS versus VEGAS
GAMES PLAYED:
Jake Muzzin (9), Tyson Barrie (6), Alex Kerfoot (6), Jason Spezza (6)
GOALS:
Auston Matthews (4), Mitch Marner (2), John Tavares (2)
ASSISTS:
Jake Muzzin (4), William Nylander (3), Morgan Rielly (3)
POINTS:
Auston Matthews (6), Four players tied (4)
PENALTY MINUTES:
Alex Kerfoot (4), Jake Muzzin (4), Seven players tied (2)
MAPLE LEAFS – GOLDEN KNIGHTS TEAM STATS
TORONTO
VEGAS
GOALS FOR (Rank):
55 (t-4th)
49 (t-11th)
GOALS AGAINST (Rank):
52 (t-26th)
46 (16th)
POWER PLAY [%] (Rank):
9/52 [17.3%] (20th)
13/55 [23.6%] (7th)
PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank):
43/57 [75.4%] (26th)
53/59 [89.8%] (2nd)
SHOTS (Rank):
505 (t-9th)
545 (t-2nd)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank):
679 (2nd)
667 (3rd)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank):
51.2% (7th)
50.8% (13th)
FACEOFF % (Rank):
52.9% (3rd)
49.5% (17th)
MAPLE LEAFS – GOLDEN KNIGHTS NOTES
FIRST MATCHUP BETWEEN CLUBS:
Nov. 6, 2017 vs. VGK (Toronto 4, Vegas 3 SO)
ALL-TIME RECORD:
3-1-0-0 (4 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD AT HOME:
2-0-0-0 (2 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD ON THE ROAD:
1-1-0-0 (2 Games)
LAST WIN VS. OPPONENT AT HOME:
Nov. 6, 2018 (Toronto 3, Vegas 1)
MAPLE LEAFS MILESTONES vs. GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Tyson Barrie
400th career NHL game (Mar. 26, 2017 (COL) at VGK)
Auston Matthews
100th career NHL point (Dec. 31, 2017 at VGK) 100th career NHL goal (Feb. 14, 2019 at VGK)
Jake Muzzin
200th career NHL assist (Dec. 8, 2018 vs. VGK)
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
CATEGORY
LEADER
GOALS
12 (Matthews)
ASSISTS
13 (Marner)
POINTS
18 (Matthews)
POWER PLAY POINTS
7 (Marner)
SHORTHANDED POINTS
2 (Kapanen)
PIMs
16 (Kerfoot)
SHOTS
60 (Matthews)
FACEOFF WIN%
60.8% (Shore)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %
56.6% (Nylander)
BLOCKED SHOTS
31 (Ceci)
TAKEAWAYS
22 (Marner)
HITS
35 (Moore)
TOI PER GAME
25:38 (Rielly)
PP TOI PER GAME
3:20 (Matthews, Rielly)
SH TOI PER GAME
3:41 (Ceci)
MAPLE LEAFS NOTABLES
– Frederik Andersen has made four career appearances against Vegas and has posted a 3-1-0 record with a 2.95 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. He is 38-15-7 with a 2.40 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage in 61 career games during the month of November.
– Tyson Barrie has been on the ice for 271 Toronto shot attempts this season, which ranks second among all NHL skaters in on-ice shot attempts for. He had three points (1-2-3) in three games against the Golden Knights last season.
– Cody Ceci is tied for 14th among NHL skaters in blocked shots (31). He ranks seventh among NHL skaters in shorthanded ice time (58:52).
– Andreas Johnsson has nine points (3-6-9) in 10 games on home ice this season. He has been on the ice for 22 Toronto goals, which is tied for fifth among NHL left wingers in on-ice goals-for.
– Kasperi Kapanen has a pair of assists in two career games against Vegas. He is one of five Maple Leafs to have recorded multiple shorthanded takeaways.
– Alex Kerfoot has won 52.2 percent (24 won, 22 lost) of his faceoffs when the Maple Leafs are leading in games. He is tied for second on the team in even-strength goals (4).
– Mitch Marner is tied for 13th among NHLers in points (4-13-17) and tied for eighth among NHL skaters in assists (13). He is tied for seventh among all NHL skaters in primary assists (9). He leads the NHL in takeaways (22).
– Auston Matthews is third in the NHL in goals (12) and is tied for second in the NHL in even-strength goals (9). He ranks sixth in the NHL in shots on goal (60) and is tied for second in the NHL in wrist shots (44). He is fourth in the NHL in goals per 60 minutes (2.29) among skaters who have appeared in at least 10 games.
– Ilya Mikheyev is tied for the lead among all NHL skaters in shots on goal while shorthanded (8). He is the only rookie forward in the NHL to have recorded multiple shorthanded takeaways.
– Trevor Moore is the only NHL rookie to average at least 1:00 per game in power play ice time (1:29) and 1:00 per game in shorthanded ice time (2:00).
– Jake Muzzin ranks second among Maple Leafs skaters in shifts per game (28.4). He is the only Maple Leafs defenceman to registered at least 25 hits (30) and 25 shots on goal (27). He leads Maple Leafs defencemen in takeaways (8).
– William Nylander has taken his shots from an average distance of 26.5 feet from goal, which is the second-closest distance among Toronto skaters who have taken at least 20 shots this season. He ranks fourth among Maple Leafs in faceoff win percentage (54.9% – 56 won, 46 lost).
– Morgan Rielly is tied for fourth among NHL defencemen in points (3-12-15). His 25:38 TOI per game average is the fourth-highest mark in the NHL and is tied for fourth in shifts per game (29.8). He ranks fifth among NHL defencemen in wrist shots on goal (27).
– John Tavares has won 60 percent (21 won, 14 lost) of his faceoffs when the Maple Leafs are on the power play and 52.6 percent (61 won, 55 lost) of his faceoffs at even-strength. He is averaging 15:22 per game in time on ice, which ranks second among Toronto forwards.
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
None
UPCOMING MILESTONES
Michael Hutchinson
Four wins from 50 career NHL wins.
Andreas Johnsson
Two games from 100 career NHL games played.
RECENT MILESTONES
Tyson Barrie
500th career NHL game (Nov. 5 vs. LAK)
Auston Matthews
100th career NHL assist (Nov. 5 vs. LAK)
INJURY REPORT
Zach Hyman (Knee)
On injured reserve.
Man Games Lost: 36
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
November 5
Recalled forward Nic Petan from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
November 1
Loaned forward Nic Petan to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
HEAD COACH MIKE BABCOCKOn tonight’s game: We knew as a coaching staff – obviously, we did the pre-scout – we knew what we were in for. We knew it was going to be a grind. After the first period, the teams were on pace for 21-21 in shots. They did a real good job in the neutral zone; they did a real good job in their own zone blocking shots and staying on the inside. They just stayed with it. That’s what they’ve been doing. They’ve got good leadership there. If you look at it, they’ve got stars in three positions in Kopitar, Doughty and then in net [Quick]. So, they’ve got some leadership for the group as they try to build it. Obviously, their coach and their staff did a real good job. They made it hard, there was no free space. It was hard, but I thought it was a really good game for our team to just stay the course, this is where we are, do things right, don’t cheat and you’ll be rewarded in the end.
On Tavares’ return to the lineup: We were just talking about it. It doesn’t matter what you do, how hard you train, what work. He was fine but you’re not playing NHL games. I imagine Hyman is going to go through a stretch too. It’s hard when you’re sitting out and everyone else is practicing no matter who you work with and how good the development team is and all that stuff, it’s still not NHL hockey.
On if Dermott is rounding into his usual form: Yeah, the offensive side. You’ve still got to – you can’t have chances, that’s the key. Chances – you’ve got to be safe. Do all the other stuff and be safe and then you’re like the old guy.
On Petan’s performance tonight: I thought it was good for Petey. He went to work. He went down, went to work, came back and, obviously, there’s a guy for that spot so there’s not going to be a lot of opportunity. [Moore] is a real good hockey player too. It was an opportunity and we wanted to see Pete. Good for him.
On the Matthews line scoring a pair of goals despite few chances: I thought it was a tough night for every line. I thought Kerfoot’s line was real good, but there wasn’t a whole lot. From their end, they didn’t generate anything either. They had to throw it in, couldn’t get it through from the point, the blocked shots. Some people would think it was ugly, I thought it was beautiful.
On what Kerfoot brings to the team: I think Kerf is a good hockey player. A real smart, smart person, a good person, he works hard. He’s greasy, he’s competitive, he knows how to play, he’s just going to get better and better. I think we can have an unbelievable line there with [Mikheyev] and [Kapanen] once we get it organized and they get to know each other and feel good.
On Marner taking shorthanded faceoffs: I forget what happened, it’s just the way it was. Hyman will take those right-handed faceoffs when he’s back. Hyms is good at it, he’ll work at it. [Shore] has done a heck of a job for us there, really good job.
On why he thinks tonight was a beautiful game: We need to go through that. We need to figure out who we are and the harder the game is the better it is for the team. Now, would you like to win by a touchdown and everyone relax and all that? Yeah, but we’re not getting anywhere like that. This is important to do. You give up one goal, you play well without the puck, the goalie makes some saves, we didn’t win it on special teams, we had to grind. It’s good for us.
On the Kings being a different style of team than McLellan’s previous teams: That’s what I said this morning — every team you coach is different. The reason it’s different is you have a different group of guys. That’s how he has to coach to have success with this team. I talked to him for a long time this morning, did the pre-scout, have a pretty good handle on what the program is there. He’s going to do a real nice job
. On if Hyman will be available next game: I don’t know.
ALEX KERFOOT (1 GOAL)
On the hit he received by Jeff Carter in the first period: It was a pretty big hit. He made a good play; I had my head down a little bit and saw him at the last second but couldn’t get out of the way.
On his second period goal: It was good. It was kind of a broken play. There was a good line change by [Moore] and they turned the puck over right at the blue line and I was fortunate enough to be in a good spot and tried to put it on net and it went in.
On what the Kings did well tonight: They play well defensively. They lock it down pretty good, they don’t give up a lot off the rush, they kind of stay back and they’re tough to play against. We played them pretty good, stuck with our game plan and were able to get a couple there at the end.
AUSTON MATTHEWS (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On the team’s performance tonight: I think we just stayed patient throughout the whole game. Not really much going on, I guess, in the first two periods, but we tried to stay patient and tried to play as little in our zone as we could, just tried to break out fast. Obviously, a tight game there and couple of big goals in the third.
On the challenge of staying patient when the opponent tries to slow the team down: It’s tough, but, I mean, that’s what a lot of teams tend to do, especially against us. We can do a better job of getting through the neutral zone and keeping it a bit more simple so we can get in the offensive zone and play in there. At times, games are going to be like that. Just try to stay patient, work with one another and continue to push through.
JAKE MUZZIN (22:19 TOI)
On playing his former team: It was weird. It was weird. A couple of chirps, a couple of laughs, but, at the end, of the day, you’re still trying to do your job and play hard. I don’t know, some funny moments and some serious ones. It was fun.
On if Kopitar told him to go to the penalty box in the second period: Yeah, I was complaining. It was a penalty, though.
On if he had any fun moments during the game with Doughty: He tripped me one time. I tripped him. A couple of subtle jokes back and forth, nothing crazy. I didn’t get him too fired up
. WILLIAM NYLANDER (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On what he liked about the team’s effort: I thought we were patient. We didn’t try to force much. We grinded through the game.
On if it’s good to be able to win a tight game like this: Yeah, of course. When it’s 1-1 going into the third, we’ve got to be able to win those games. We’ve been tied going into a lot of third periods and this was a good start in the right direction
JOHN TAVARES (18:00 TOI)
On how it felt to get back into game action: Not bad. Obviously, probably a little bit of rust and just getting back into the rhythm of things. Overall, I think physically I felt pretty good. Certainly, I can play a lot better, but good to get back in it. It was a tight hockey game and just great we came through at the end. Big couple of goals by [Matthews’] line. On missing an open net in the first period: Obviously, I’d love to have it back. I think I had way more time than I thought and knowing the type of goalie Quick is I got underneath it. It is what it is. You just move on and get ready for the next opportunity. Just glad that at the end of the day the result was still two points.
The view from left field 