Tag: Montreal Canadiens

HABS 2, LEAFS 1 QUOTES

SHELDON KEEFE

Q. Kristen Shilton, TSN: Where did you see things start to slip away from your group to end up with the result you did tonight?

Sheldon Keefe: I would say towards the end of the first period it started to get away on us. I thought through the first period we could have very easily been up at least two or three nothing with some of them point blank chances that we had and missed. I’m not sure whether that discouraged us or maybe made us think it was going to be a little bit easier night. Don’t know what it was but they had a real strong push coming out of one of the TV timeouts there in the first and I thought we were really disconnected and played tired in the tail end of our shifts for the remainder of the game. We didn’t make good on the chances that we earned in the first period. We had more than enough offence there in the first to blow the game wide open and didn’t capitalize or didn’t go our way. Our game was a mess from there.

Q. Lance Hornby, Toronto Sun: What kind of spin did special teams have tonight? Just one power play in the whole game. I guess a silver lining would be you didn’t take any, but what do you feel about that situation?

Sheldon Keefe: We had our opportunity. I thought our power play, again, that maybe is an area you could look at where things started to go south on us a little bit. We were really disconnected there and just continued that way. We really struggled to string together passes after that, which I found just really bizarre because I thought at the start of the game, the way we were making plays and moving the puck was as good we’ve looked for quite some time. Then it just got away on us there. A lot of things have been going our way here for a long while. Today it didn’t and we didn’t help our own cause. We’ve got to regroup and get ourselves ready for what’s going to be a very difficult three games against Ottawa. 

Q. Luke Fox, Sportsnet: Montreal had over 45 hits. How much do you think their physicality either tired you out or made you get out of sync a little bit?

Sheldon Keefe: Yeah, I think that would be a factor, for sure. I thought the way we started the game and things were coming relatively easy for us off the start and we didn’t make good on it. I think it just allowed them to get into the game and they were probably a little frustrated with the way that the game started and they just started to focus on physicality. I do think that’s part of what just made us tired and had us playing on the back half of our shift tired. We had real long shift lengths and stuff like that where we just couldn’t get off the ice, couldn’t string together passes. I think that was a factor in the game, for sure. 

Q. Terry Koshan, Toronto Sun: Where’s your satisfaction at with the production you’re getting from the second and third line at 5-on-5?

Sheldon Keefe: I think we’d like to see more for sure. I don’t think we’re satisfied. I don’t think the players would be satisfied with it. That said, I think there are a lot of good things happening, especially when I look at JT’s game defensively in comparison to a year ago or a season ago in terms of how he’s playing, the structure he’s playing with, what he’s not giving up defensively. There’s a trade-off there for sure and he like a lot of other guys on our team are trying to find their way to create offense without giving that defensive stuff up. Last season we were creating a ton with our second line and giving up a ton so we’re trying to find a better balance there and the defensive side of it has been good. Tonight again we didn’t give up very much at all again tonight and we had more than enough offence generated in the first period and we didn’t make good on it and you don’t win in this league by playing one period or three quarters of a period.

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: Auston mentioned Carey Price’s ability to play the puck on dump-ins disrupts the rhythm. Did you sense that as well?

Sheldon Keefe: Yeah, that’s part of it, but every goalie in the NHL, if you make it easy and give them the puck, they’re going to start the other teams breakouts and it’s hard to forecheck. I think you have to do more with the pressure and the numbers they have in the neutral zone didn’t allow us to place the puck where we’d want it to get a strong forecheck. It’s a combination there with the job they did to clog the neutral zone. It’s not like he was getting out and knocking them down. I thought there were a lot of rolling pucks that came right to him. Especially at the start of the third period that was definitely a factor.  

FREDERIK ANDERSEN

Q. Mark Zwolinski, Toronto Star: Just wondering on the Gallagher goal what you saw. There was maybe a wee bit of question that he might have knocked that original shot down with a high stick. Did you see it at all that way?

Frederik Andersen: I think you’re pretty accurate that it was very close to being high. When it’s a play where he knocks it down and then taps it in, I think it’s not reviewable. It is what it is. Obviously, tough bounce at the end, but that happens sometimes unfortunately. We’ve got to move on and get ready for the next one.

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: It’s been a while since the team lost in regulation. What do you think the group can take from tonight as you get set for next week’s games?

Frederik Andersen: Sticking with it I think is important. I think the result tonight is obviously not what we liked, but we did some good things. I think in the first period we did have a lot of chances, some posts and some good chances that didn’t go our way. I think we still played a good game, but sometimes, like I said before, they have these type of bounces and we want to try to set us up in a good position where we don’t lose the game in that kind of way. Of course, we’d want to be ahead. 

MITCH MARNER

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: What made it hard to generate offence against the Canadiens as this game went along tonight?

Mitch Marner: I think we got away from our game plan, composure in our D-zone, staying on too long for offensive chances. Not being able to come back quick enough in our D-zone to help our D break out. Just little mistakes that we talked about that we know we’ve got to get better at. That one sucks to slip away but just got to look forward to Ottawa next.

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: [Montreal] came in on a bit of skid. Did you sense more urgency from them tonight or was this more about you guys?

Mitch Marner: I think both teams came off the get-go with urgency. I think as the game went on, we got too cute with it. We got away from what made us successful. We weren’t hard on the forecheck, we weren’t helping each other out on the forecheck and talking to each other. We had shifts where we were getting hemmed in our D-zone, thought we could go on an odd-man rush or an offensive chance and missed our changes and kind of got them on the right side of the puck most times that we were changing on the wrong side of it and give them opportunities.

AUSTON MATTHEWS 

Q. Lance Hornby, Toronto Sun: From a discipline perspective, you’re happy not taking any penalties but takes away something from your guys’ momentum if you don’t get some power plays.

Auston Matthews: I think in these tight games power play, penalty kills, special teams can really be the difference but like you said, there wasn’t many penalties tonight that were being called. That’s fine, we’ve got to generate our own momentum. I think we did that, especially early on in the first period. I thought we had a really good start and they had their pushback like we expected. It could have really gone either way but letting this one slip away definitely leaves a sour taste in your mouth.

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: After that good start, what made it tough for the team to generate offence especially in the third period?

Auston Matthews: On our dumps and rims, we just couldn’t keep it away from Price. That’s what really puts him above everybody else in this league. He’s just like a third defenceman back there. He’s breaking pucks down off the glass, rims, chip ins and he’s able to break the puck out. It’s difficult to create offence when we’re not keeping the puck away from him and they’re just breaking out smoothly every time we do get the puck and we chip it in and they do a really good job in the neutral zone. They do force you to throw in and dump pucks in. We just didn’t do a very good job of keeping it away from them and they were able to break out really cleanly. It staggered our offensive movement.

JOHN TAVARES 

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: John, what made it tough to generate offence against the Habs as this game went along tonight?

John Tavares: It was one of those kinds of games. Just seemed like there just wasn’t too much room, just weren’t as in sync. I think maybe it was some of our passes and just being a little bit better connected and executing on two, three plays in a row to be able to open up some open ice and get some looks. I think we can do a better job getting to the net. 

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: When two teams play together in short order we’re expecting adjustments. Did they show you anything different tonight that stood out?

John Tavares: They came in with a sense of urgency with the way the last few games have gone for them. They played hard, just tried to play physical. Obviously, we’re aware of some of the things that we do well. That’s part of it, we’ve seen it throughout the season so far. We have to find a way to break through. 

CANADIENS 2, MAPLE LEAFS 1 POSTGAME NOTES

MONTREAL CANADIENS (9-4-2 – 20 Points) vs.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (11-3-1 – 23 Points)

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2021

 123OTFINAL
MONTREAL002–2
TORONTO100–1

GAME SUMMARY         |           EVENT SUMMARY        |           FACEOFF SUMMARY

ON THE SCORESHEET

  • Mitch Marner put the Maple Leafs on the board at 3:36 of the first period. Marner has eight points (2-6-8) over his last five games played. He has 13 points (5-8-13) in eight games on home ice this season. He is tied for third in the NHL in even-strength goals (7) and ranks third in the NHL in points (7-15-22).
  • Auston Matthews registered the primary assist on Marner’s first period goal. Matthews has assists (2) in two consecutive games and points (9-3-12) in nine consecutive games. In seven games on home ice, he has registered nine points (6-3-9). He has 20 points (12-8-20) in 17 career games against the Canadiens.
  • Zach Hyman picked up the secondary assist on Marner’s first period goal. Hyman has points (1-2-3) in two consecutive games. He has recorded five of his six assists on home ice and has six points in eight games at Scotiabank Arena (1-5-6). He has four points (1-3-4) in three games against Montreal this season.
  • Frederik Andersen stopped 23 of the 25 shots he faced in the loss.

SHOTS ON GOAL (5-on-5 in brackets)

 1st2nd3rdOTTOTAL
MONTREAL6 (6)7 (7)12 (12)–25 (25)
TORONTO9 (8)7 (7)6 (6)–22 (21)
      

SHOT ATTEMPTS (5-on-5 in brackets)

 1st2nd3rdOTTOTAL
MONTREAL16 (16)16 (16)25 (23)–57 (55)
TORONTO16 (15)12 (12)12 (12)–40 (39)

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Record at Home6-2-0 (8 Games)
All-Time Record vs. Montreal  302-343-88-17 (750 Games)
All-Time Record vs. Montreal on the Road191-129-45-10 (375 Games)

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS

Shots5 (Matthews)
Shot Attempts7 (Matthews)
Faceoff Wins9 (Tavares)
Faceoff Win Percentage100% (Engvall, Spezza)
Hits5 (Muzzin)
Blocked Shots4 (Muzzin)
Takeaways1 (Five players tied)
TOI25:19 (Rielly)
Power Play TOI1:32 (Marner, Matthews, Petan)
Shorthanded TOIN/A
Shifts24 (Holl, Muzzin)
5-on-5 Shot Attempt Percentage52.9% (Kerfoot – 9 for, 8 against)
  

RECORD WHEN…

Scoring first4-2-1
Lead after 16-1-0
Lead after 28-1-0
Do not score a power play goal2-2-0
Do not allow a power play goal4-1-0
Outshot by opponent6-2-1
Saturday2-1-1

OF NOTE…

  • The Maple Leafs went 0-for-1 on the power play tonight.
  • Toronto did not take a penalty in tonight’s game. It is the club’s first penalty free game since November 27, 2019 at Detroit (6-0 W).
  • Jake Muzzin was on the ice for a team-high 17 shot attempts at 5-on-5 tonight. Muzzin finished the game with a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 45.6% (17 for, 20 against).
  • John Tavares won 100% (4 won, 0 lost) of his defensive zone faceoffs. He was 4-for-4 (100%) in the faceoff circle against Montreal centre Nick Suzuki and 3-for-3 (100%) in the faceoff circle against Montreal centre Phillip Danault in all situations.

UPCOMING GAMES:

  • Monday, February 15, 7:00 p.m. vs. Ottawa Senators (TSN4, TSN 1050)
  • Wednesday, February 17, 7:00 p.m. vs. Ottawa Senators (Sportsnet, FAN 590)
  • Thursday, February 18, 7:00 p.m. vs. Ottawa Senators (Sportsnet Ontario, FAN 590)
  • Saturday, February 20, 7:00 p.m. at Montreal Canadiens (Sportsnet, TSN 1050)
  • Monday, February 22, 7:00 p.m. vs. Calgary Flames (TSN4, TSN 1050)

Stats reflect official NHL stats at the time of distribution. Please consult official NHL game sheets (links above) to confirm no statistical changes were made.

CANADIENS-MAPLE LEAFS PREGAME NOTES

MONTREAL CANADIENS (8-4-2 – 18 Points) vs.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (11-2-1 – 23 Points)

FEBRUARY 13, 2021 ▪ 7:00 PM EST

SCOTIABANK ARENA (TORONTO, ON) ▪
TV: SPORTSNET ▪ RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN

MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY versus MONTREAL

ALL-TIME RECORD:301-342-88-17 (748 Games)
ALL-TIME on the ROAD:110-214-43-7 (374 Games)
2020-21:1-0-0
LAST FIVE:1-1-3
LAST 10:6-1-3

MAPLE LEAFS CAREER LEADERS versus MONTREAL

GAMES PLAYED:Jason Spezza (68), Joe Thornton (55), John Tavares (37)
GOALS:Jason Spezza (32), Joe Thornton (15), John Tavares (15)
ASSISTS:Jason Spezza (38), Joe Thornton (28), John Tavares (20)
POINTS:Jason Spezza (70), Joe Thornton (43), John Tavares (35)
PENALTY MINUTES:Zach Bogosian (55), Wayne Simmonds (54), Joe Thornton (39)

MAPLE LEAFS – CANADIENS TEAM STATS

 TORONTOMONTREAL
GOALS FOR (Rank):52 (2nd)50 (t-3rd)
GOALS AGAINST (Rank):       36 (t-15th)37 (17th)
POWER PLAY [%] (Rank):15/43 [34.9%] (4th)10/48 [20.8%] (17th)
PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank):40/52 [76.9%] (21st)47/59 [79.7%] (19th)
SHOTS PER GAME (Rank):29.3 (20th)34.8 (1st)
SHOTS AGAINST PER GAME (Rank):27.9 (t-6th)28.8 (11th)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank):566 (10th)666 (3rd)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank):50.5% (16th)54.5% (4th)
FACEOFF % (Rank):53.3% (5th)46.7% (t-26th)

MAPLE LEAFS – CANADIENS NOTES

First Matchup between Clubs:Dec. 26, 1917 (Toronto Arenas 7, Montreal 5)
All-Time Record:302-342-88-17 (749 Games)
All-Time Record at Home:191-128-45-10 (374 Games)
All-Time Record on the Road:111-214-43-7 (374 Games)
Last Win vs. Opponent at Home:Jan. 13, 2021 (Toronto 5, Montreal 4 OT)
  

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS

CATEGORYLEADER
GOALS11 (Matthews)
ASSISTS15 (Marner)
POINTS21 (Marner)
POWER PLAY POINTS7 (Marner)
SHORTHANDED POINTSN/A
PIMs22 (Simmonds)
SHOTS55 (Matthews)
FACEOFF WIN%63.4% (Spezza)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %66.3% (Thornton)
BLOCKED SHOTS25 (Muzzin)
TAKEAWAYS12 (Matthews)
HITS26 (Holl, Hyman)
TOI PER GAME23:47 (Rielly)
PP TOI PER GAME3:16 (Matthews)
SH TOI PER GAME3:46 (Holl)

MAPLE LEAFS PLAYER NOTES

Frederik Andersen– Leads the NHL in wins (9).- Third among NHL goaltenders in saves made (306).- Has an 9-3-2 record with a 2.62 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage in 14 career games against Montreal. 
TJ Brodie– Averaging 18:45 in even-strength ice time, which ranks second among Toronto skaters.- Fourth among Maple Leafs defencemen in points (0-4-4).
Justin Holl– Ranks 22nd among NHL defencemen who average at least 15 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time (16:45) with a shot attempt percentage of 52.7%.- Ranks 14th among NHL defencemen who average at least 15 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time (16:45) with a goals for percentage of 61.1%.- Ranks eighth in the NHL in shorthanded ice time per game (3:46).
Zach Hyman–  Leads Maple Leafs forwards in shorthanded ice time per game (2:48).- Has the highest on-ice goals for percentage (76.1%) at 5-on-5 among Toronto forwards who have appeared in at least 10 games.- Became the Toronto franchise leader in empty net goals on February 10 at Montreal.
Alex Kerfoot– One of four Maple Leafs to average over 1:00 in ice timer per game on the power play (1:14) and 1:00 per game on the penalty kill (1:46).- Ranks seventh among Toronto forwards in shifts per game (20.0).
Mitch Marner– Ranks third among NHLers in points (6-15-21).- Tied for sixth in the NHL in even-strength goals (6).- Leads NHL forwards in time on ice per game (23:02).- Has played 41.4% of Toronto’s shorthanded ice time.
Auston Matthews– Leads the NHL in goals (11).- Averaging 21:59 in time on ice per game, which ranks fourth among NHL forwards.- Ranks third among Maple Leafs in 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage (53.5%).- Ranks fourth in the NHL in shots on goal (55).-Registered his 300th career NHL point on February 8 vs. Vancouver to become the second-fastest Maple Leaf to reach the mark, tying Charlie Conacher (294 games).
Ilya Mikheyev– Ranks third among Maple Leafs forwards in shorthanded ice time per game (2:17).- Has an average of 15.0 shot attempts per 60 minutes of shorthanded ice time, which ranks second among NHLers who have played at least 30 minutes of shorthanded ice time.  
Jake Muzzin– Tied for 10th among NHL skaters in shorthanded ice time per game (3:41).- Ranks 34th among NHL defencemen who average at least 15 minutes per game in 5-on-5 ice time (16:52) in shot attempts per 60 minutes (11.68).- Has started 45.1 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which is the lowest mark among Toronto defencemen.
William Nylander– Has the fifth highest points per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (2.30) among Toronto skaters who have appeared in over five games.- Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 55.1%, which is the second-highest percentage among Maple Leafs forwards who have appeared in at least five games.- Has 14 points (8-6-14) in 15 career games against Montreal. 
Morgan Rielly– Leads Maple Leafs in average time on ice (23:47).- Tied for seventh among NHL defencemen in points (2-9-11).- Has 15 points (3-12-15) in 28 career games against the Canadiens.
Jason Spezza– Has the third-highest points per 60 minutes rate (3.14) among Maple Leafs who have appeared in over five games.- Recorded his eighth career hat trick on February 4 vs. Vancouver.
John Tavares– Tied for fourth in the NHL in power play goals (4).- Has been on the ice for a team-high nine power play goals, which is tied for the Maple Leafs’ lead and is tied for the 30th-most in the NHL.- Has the fourth-highest faceoff win percentage (58.9%) among NHLers who have taken at least 200 faceoffs (202).- One of 44 NHLers to appear in at least 10 games and average at least a point per game (14GP; 5-9-14).
  

CURRENT POINT STREAKS

Alex KerfootPoints (1-1-2) in two consecutive games.
Auston MatthewsPoints (9-2-11) in eight consecutive games.
Ilya MikheyevPoints (1-1-2) in two consecutive games.
  

UPCOMING MILESTONES

Zach BogosianThree points from 200 NHL points
Justin HollFive games from 100 career NHL games
Auston MatthewsFive games from 300 career NHL games
Jake MuzzinTwo assists from 200 NHL assists
Three games from 100 games as a Maple Leaf
  

RECENT MILESTONES

Auston Matthews300th NHL point (Feb. 8 vs. VAN)
  

INJURY REPORT

Jack Campbell (Leg)Week-to-week.
Nick Robertson (Knee)On long term injured reserve.
Wayne Simmonds (Wrist)Expected to miss six weeks.
Joe Thornton (Rib)On long term injured reserve.
 Man Games Lost: 32
  

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

None 
  

LEAFS 4, HABS 2 QUOTES

SHELDON KEEFE

Q. Lance Hornby, Toronto Sun: How good do you feel for Ilya getting his first tonight? I notice Nik Antropov working with him, have you had some of the other coaches trying to keep his confidence going?

Sheldon Keefe: I feel great for him. First of all, he’s worked extremely hard, not just in our games, and he’s had a ton of chances and he’s really worked, he’s maintained his good defensive play. He’s continued to work at his game in practices and off days, development days. It’s nice to see him get rewarded, for sure. You like to see that.

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: John Tavares was talking about the mindset coming out in the third wanting to have your best period of the season. What did you see from the team that allowed them to eventually grab the upper hand against a quality opponent tonight?

Sheldon Keefe: That was our mindset. It was more just really trying to put at the forefront the fact that it’s an important game, one we want to find a way to the right side of, and pushed our guys just to have a real good start to the period. I thought we had played a fine game, but I don’t think we had any real strong pushes and we wanted that. I thought we got it. Just thought we had a little extra jump to start the period.

I thought we caught them on their heels a little bit and we attacked a lot quicker in transition. All those kind of things really helped us there. I thought we were really good defensively as well, even when they got the puck there at the start of the third. We created a lot of turnovers and helped us transition. That was a big part of it. Obviously, Justin Holl’s slapshot had a lot to do with it too.

Q. Josh Clipperton, Canadian Press: Just the way Freddie held you guys in certain points, just talk about his game tonight.

Sheldon Keefe: I thought he was good. Obviously, he wants to have the first shot back. Took him a little bit to get going in the game as it did our team, but he was solid after that. A lot of shots coming from the point and from the walls, a lot of stuff gets thrown in, a lot of the traffic makes it more challenging against this team. At the same time, I think like we’ve been talking about all offseason and all through camp, our job, as a team, is to help Fred out and do the job in front of them. I thought we did that today. There was a lot of things that I’d like to do better so we can control play a little bit better, more like we did at the start of the third period. But again, defensively today, we just didn’t give them much at all.

In fact, I had this as the lowest number of scoring chances we gave up in a game all season. Despite some of the volume I thought our guys did a really good job of protecting the middle of the ice, not giving anything up odd-man. The first goal they got in behind us a little bit right at the start of the game, but that was really it. They never got behind us again off the rush. Those were some of the things we talked about as keys for the game coming in and I thought our players stuck with it. And then Fred was solid for us.

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: Sheldon, you mentioned the whole slapshot like what are you thinking when you see that? Do you see that as a sign of a really confident guy? He was telling us he looked off William, he saw him beaver tapping a bit in the corner of his eye but went for it. What do you see when you watch that?

Sheldon Keefe: He and Derms, it’s just kind of a parting of the seas and, in both cases, the defenders and probably the goaltender aren’t expecting them to shoot like that and take them on. Not often you’re going to beat Carey Price with a clean shot like that, but obviously they did. Two great shots to the top of the net and massive goals for us.

FREDERIK ANDERSEN

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: How is the team dealing with these types of games, tighter games but finding a way to get the win?

Frederik Andersen: I think the patience in our game, that confidence that we don’t have to force it and let the plays develop and really stick to our process and system. Just wait and not force anything that’s not there, that patience is really paying off.

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: You see these guys in practice all the time, Travis Dermott, Justin Holl, did you know they had shots like that and the confidence to go out there and beat a goalie like Carey Price?

Frederik Andersen: Yeah I think both of them have great shots. It was probably a little more time and space there for Justin’s goal and he just took advantage and said thank you so it was a great shot.

Q. Kevin McGran, Toronto Star: The North Division seems to have all the goal scorers, how tough is it for goalies to know that every team night after night is coming at you?

Frederik Andersen: It’s another part of the job description I guess. I think every team is going to try and limit their time and space and for our players to gain as much space as they can and challenge their goalie. We’ve got a lot of great talent up front too so I don’t think we’re too worried about that just have to keep the confidence that we can score goals too. I think we’ve done a really good job of keeping them to the outside, especially tonight. They like to shoot the puck a lot and everyone kept them far away from the net so helped me out a lot.

JUSTIN HOLL

Q. Kevin McGran, Toronto Star: Talk about Freddie and what he’s meant to you on nights when maybe you don’t have your best game for a couple of periods to get you going, to keep you in game. What’s he doing that you’ve been liking?

Justin Holl: Totally. He’s making a lot of saves. He’s making critical saves, too. Timely saves when we really need them and he’s allowing us to find our game and he’s allowing us to catch fire at the right time. I really can’t say enough good things about what he’s done for our squad. He’s feeling it, and it’s really great for us.

Q. Luke Fox, Sportsnet: I’m guessing scoring is not on your mind when you start a game but how good does that feel, especially when it’s been a while?

Justin Holl: Yeah, for sure. I think that’s not my number one role but it feels good to contribute offensively and, like you said, it has been a while. It’s actually been a while since I scored on a goalie. I think my last one was an empty-netter and then it was a while previously before that one. It feels good and I’m just happy we were able to get the win.

Q. Luke Fox, Sportsnet: Any joking or chirping about the length of the goal drought?

Justin Holl: Uh, no. Everyone’s been pretty nice about it.

Q. Terry Koshan, Toronto Sun: Obviously, we see tonight the importance of guys picking it up a bit when Auston and Mitch aren’t on the scoresheet but what does it mean to yourself to contribute like this and see Ilya score his first and Dermott get his first in over a year as well?

Justin Holl: Absolutely, I think that’s good for our group because we obviously rely heavily on our star players and they’re bringing it every night but on the odd night that they’re held in check or call it what you want, it’s nice to see some secondary scoring. That’s the mark of really good teams.

Q. Terry Koshan, Toronto Sun: Now that we’ve seen the shot can we expect to see it again sometime?

Justin Holl: Yeah, exactly. I’ve uncorked it now. There’s no turning back.

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: Can you take us through the thought process – you’ve got the puck, you have time, you’re staring down Carey Price, what are you seeing as that unfolds?

Justin Holl: Yeah, JT gave me the puck. Really nice pass. I was able to find some space and I wound up and right when I would up I saw Willie out of the corner of my eye beaver-tailing, so as I came down I was like, ‘oh man, Willie’s going to want this biscuit,’ you know? But it went in and all’s well that ends well.

AUSTON MATTHEWS

Q. Josh Clipperton, Canadian Press: The team’s relied so much on you and [Marner} for offence this year. I’m wondering what it does for the team and how nice it is to see a lot of guys get their first tonight?

Auston Matthews:  I think it’s great. It just builds confidence throughout the lineup. Dermy’s been out for a bit, he comes back, scores a big, big goal for us. Holl as well. Mickey gets his first. I think that’s just all really positive stuff for us. Those guys start feeling it, get confidence, they start rolling. It’s great. It was a huge win for us tonight as well.

Q. Josh Clipperton, Canadian Press: How did you see the game play out in general? It looked a little bit like last game, it took you guys a little bit to get going and then you found your legs in the final period.

Auston Matthews: I thought the first 10, we kind of weathered the storm there. Then we started to get some opportunities and then there was just periods in the game there where they put their foot on the gas and we were back on our heels and vice versa. That’s a good team over there. They’ve got a lot of depth, great goaltending and they play really tight defensively so I think it’s a testament to our game tonight and just sticking with it, couple of big goals by our guys and hanging on there in the end.

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: Ilya got his first of the season but we know he’s had his chances. What sort of offensive upside do you see for him?

Auston Matthews: He’s so fast. I think you see it every night. His ability to get around defenders and get in there on the forecheck first. He’s had plenty of instance this season where he’s just blown by defence and he’s hit crossbars or the boys made good save. It’s definitely frustrating at times for sure. It’s really nice to see him break through tonight. He’s a big part of this team. He’s plays a really solid role for us. It’s always good to see those guys get going and hopefully this leads to more and more goals for him

JOHN TAVARES 

Q. Kevin McGran, Toronto Star: What does it do for team morale when you get a bunch of goals from guys that haven’t been scoring or are maybe not even counted on to score, when they contribute on nights when your big guys actually are kept off the board?

John Tavares: It’s massive. We’ve got guys all through our lineup that can contribute offensively. I think there’s no doubt about that. It’s great to see Mickey get. He must have had the most chances in the League without one yet so definitely great to see him get rewarded for the way he’s been playing. The pressure he puts on the opponent, just the threat that he is, how hard he is to play against and Dermy with a great shot, Holl with a great shot. Just great contributions, guys jumping into play and being assertive. They’re really good players and can contribute offensively. Just taking advantage of those opportunities, well deserved. It’s always a good feeling on the bench and in the room when those guys contribute.

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: What was your perspective on Justin’s goal? He was joking afterwards in his postgame interview that he maybe looked off William there. What did you see on that sequence?

John Tavares: He just had so much time to come down the middle and take his time. It was just a hell of a shot, the way he was able to tee it up, pick the corner on one of the best goalies in the League. Holler’s just got great instincts. I think he’s shown more and more offence as he’s gotten comfortable for the last couple years. His game continues to grow. Just great. Great job, whatever it was. I just saw it go in, it was a hell of a shot, upper part of the net. Obviously, a big one for us.

MAPLE LEAFS 4, CANADIENS 2 POSTGAME NOTES

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (11-2-1 – 23 Points) vs.

MONTREAL CANADIENS (8-3-2 – 18 Points)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021

 123OTFINAL
TORONTO013–4
MONTREAL101–2

GAME SUMMARY         |           EVENT SUMMARY        |           FACEOFF SUMMARY

ON THE SCORESHEET

  • Travis Dermott put the Maple Leafs on the board with a goal at 15:18 of the second period. Dermott’s goal is his first point of the 2020-21 season. He had four goals and seven assists in 56 games during the 2019-20 season.
  • Justin Holl scored the second Toronto goal of the night at 1:50 of the third period. Holl’s goal is his first of 2020-21. He has six points (1-5-6) in 14 games played this season.
  • Ilya Mikheyev scored the third Maple Leafs goal of the game at 2:32 of the third period. Mikheyev’s goal is his first of the season. He has points (1-1-2) in two consecutive games. He has registered three points (1-2-3) in seven games on the road this season.
  • Zach Hyman had the secondary assist on Mikheyev’s third period goal and later scored the fourth Toronto goal into an empty net at 18:56 of the third period. Tonight’s empty net goal is Hyman’s 13th career empty net goal, making him the all-time franchise leader in the category. Hyman has five points (3-3-6) over his last five games played. Tonight’s game is his second multi-point performance of 2020-21. He has a goal and two assists in two games against Montreal this season. In 15 career games against the Canadiens, Hyman has recorded 13 points (5-8-13), his most against any opponent.
  • Jake Muzzin registered the primary assist on Dermott’s second period goal and later added the secondary assist on Holl’s third period goal before picking up the secondary assist on Hyman’s third period goal. His three assists tie his career-high for assists in a game (Previous: Dec. 11, 2014 Los Angeles at Ottawa) and his career-high for points in a game (3 – 9x). Muzzin has six assists over his last five games played. Tonight’s game is his second multi-assist and multi-point game of the season. He has registered six points (1-5-6) in seven games on the road this season. He has 13 points (4-9-13) in 18 career games against Montreal.
  • John Tavares had the secondary assist before recording the primary assist on Mikheyev’s third period goal. Tavares has five points (1-4-5) over his last five games. He has seven points (1-6-7) in seven games played on the road in 2020-21. In 37 career games against Montreal, he has recorded 35 points (15 goals, 20 assists).
  • Alex Kerfoot recorded the primary assist on Mikheyev’s third period goal. Kerfoot has points (1-1-2) in two consecutive games. He has six points (2-4-6) in nine career games against the Canadiens. He has three points (1-2-3) in seven games on the road this season.
  • Auston Matthews registered the primary assist on Hyman’s third period goal. Matthews has points (9-2-11) in eight consecutive games. He has eight points (5-3-8) in seven games played on the road in 2020-21.
  • Frederik Andersen stopped 33 shots to earn his ninth win of the season.

SHOTS ON GOAL (5-on-5 in brackets)

 1st2nd3rdOTTOTAL
TORONTO6 (3)6 (3)12 (9)–24 (15)
MONTREAL9 (7)13 (10)13 (13)–35 (30)
      

SHOT ATTEMPTS (5-on-5 in brackets)

 1st2nd3rdOTTOTAL
TORONTO14 (10)13 (9)16 (12)–43 (31)
MONTREAL15 (12)25 (21)19 (18)–59 (51)

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Record on the Road5-1-1 (7 Games)
All-Time Record vs. Montreal  302-342-88-17 (749 Games)
All-Time Record vs. Montreal on the Road111-214-43-7 (375 Games)

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS

Shots3 (Four players tied)
Shot Attempts6 (Hyman)
Faceoff Wins12 (Matthews)
Faceoff Win Percentage100% (Boyd, Mikheyev)
Hits4 (Engvall)
Blocked Shots4 (Holl)
Takeaways2 (Holl)
TOI26:24 (Rielly)
Power Play TOI3:36 (Marner)
Shorthanded TOI2:33 (Holl, Muzzin)
Shifts28 (Holl, Muzzin)
5-on-5 Shot Attempt Percentage50.0% (Dermott, Spezza)
  

RECORD WHEN…

Opponent scores first4-1-1
Trail after 12-1-1
Tied after 23-0-1
Do not score a power play goal2-1-0
Do not allow a power play goal4-0-0
Outshot by opponent7-1-0
Wednesday2-1-0

OF NOTE…

  • The Maple Leafs went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill and 0-for-2 on the power play tonight.
  • Justin Holl and Jake Muzzin were the lone Maple Leafs to not start a 5-on-5 shift in the offensive zone.
  • Auston Matthews won 75% (6 won, 2 lost) of his defensive zone faceoffs.
  • Morgan Rielly was on the ice for a team-high 15 shot attempts at 5-on-5 tonight. Rielly finished the game with a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 42.9% (15 for, 20 against).

UPCOMING GAMES:

  • Saturday, February 13, 7:00 p.m. vs. Montreal Canadiens (Sportsnet, FAN 590)
  • Monday, February 15, 7:00 p.m. vs. Ottawa Senators (TSN4, TSN 1050)
  • Wednesday, February 17, 7:00 p.m. vs. Ottawa Senators (Sportsnet, FAN 590)
  • Thursday, February 18, 7:00 p.m. vs. Ottawa Senators (Sportsnet Ontario, FAN 590)
  • Saturday, February 20, 7:00 p.m. at Montreal Canadiens (Sportsnet, TSN 1050)

Stats reflect official NHL stats at the time of distribution. Please consult official NHL game sheets (links above) to confirm no statistical changes were made.

LEAFS-HABS PREGAME NOTES

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (10-2-1 – 19 Points) vs.

MONTREAL CANADIENS (8-2-2 – 18 Points)

FEBRUARY 10, 2021 ▪ 7:30 PM EST

BELL CENTRE (MONTREAL, QC) ▪
TV: SPORTSNET ▪ RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN

MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY versus MONTREAL

ALL-TIME RECORD:301-342-88-17 (748 Games)
ALL-TIME on the ROAD:110-214-43-7 (374 Games)
2020-21:1-0-0
LAST FIVE:1-1-3
LAST 10:6-1-3

MAPLE LEAFS CAREER LEADERS versus MONTREAL

GAMES PLAYED:Jason Spezza (67), Joe Thornton (55), John Tavares (36)
GOALS:Jason Spezza (32), Joe Thornton (15), John Tavares (15)
ASSISTS:Jason Spezza (38), Joe Thornton (28), John Tavares (18)
POINTS:Jason Spezza (70), Joe Thornton (43), John Tavares (33)
PENALTY MINUTES:Wayne Simmonds (54), Zach Bogosian (53), Joe Thornton (39)

MAPLE LEAFS – CANADIENS TEAM STATS

 TORONTOMONTREAL
GOALS FOR (Rank):48 (t-3rd)48 (t-3rd)
GOALS AGAINST (Rank):       34 (t-16th)30 (t-11th)
POWER PLAY [%] (Rank):15/41 [36.6%] (3rd)10/45 [22.2%] (14th)
PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank):37/49 [75.5%] (23rd)43/54 [79.6%] (17th)
SHOTS PER GAME (Rank):29.7 (t-19th)34.5 (1st)
SHOTS AGAINST PER GAME (Rank):27.3 (6th)29.0 (12th)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank):535 (9th)552 (6th)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank):51.5% (12th)53.6% (5th)
FACEOFF % (Rank):53.3% (5th)46.7% (t-26th)

MAPLE LEAFS – CANADIENS NOTES

First Matchup between Clubs:Dec. 26, 1917 (Toronto Arenas 7, Montreal 5)
All-Time Record:301-342-88-17 (748 Games)
All-Time Record at Home:191-128-45-10 (374 Games)
All-Time Record on the Road:110-214-43-7 (374 Games)
Last Win vs. Opponent on the Road:Feb. 9, 2019 (Toronto 4, Montreal 3 OT)
  

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS

CATEGORYLEADER
GOALS11 (Matthews)
ASSISTS15 (Marner)
POINTS21 (Marner)
POWER PLAY POINTS7 (Marner)
SHORTHANDED POINTSN/A
PIMs22 (Simmonds)
SHOTS52 (Matthews)
FACEOFF WIN%64.8% (Spezza)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %66.3% (Thornton)
BLOCKED SHOTS24 (Muzzin)
TAKEAWAYS12 (Matthews)
HITS23 (Holl, Hyman)
TOI PER GAME23:35 (Rielly)
PP TOI PER GAME3:15 (Matthews)
SH TOI PER GAME3:51 (Holl)

MAPLE LEAFS PLAYER NOTES

Frederik Andersen– Leads the NHL in wins (8).- Fourth among NHL goaltenders in saves made (273).- Has an 8-3-2 record with a 2.67 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage in 13 career games against Montreal. 
TJ Brodie– Averaging 18:37 in even-strength ice time, which ranks second among Toronto skaters.- Fourth among Maple Leafs defencemen in points (0-4-4).
Justin Holl– Tied for 26th among NHL defencemen who average at least 15 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time (16:46) with a shot attempt percentage of 54.4%.- Ranks 18th among NHL defencemen who average at least 15 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time (16:46) with a goals for percentage of 64.7%.- Ranks third among right-handed NHL defencemen in shorthanded ice time per game (3:51).
Zach Hyman–  Leads Maple Leafs forwards in shorthanded ice time per game (2:52).- Has the highest on-ice goals for percentage (75.0%) at 5-on-5 among Toronto forwards.
Alex Kerfoot– One of four Maple Leafs to average over 1:00 in ice timer per game on the power play (1:19) and 1:00 per game on the penalty kill (1:49).- Tied for sixth among Toronto forwards in shifts per game (20.2).
Mitch Marner– Ranks third among NHLers in points (6-15-21).- Tied for third in the NHL in even-strength goals (6).- Leads NHL forwards in time on ice per game (23:08).- Has played 41.9% of Toronto’s shorthanded ice time.
Auston Matthews– Leads the NHL in goals (11).- Averaging 21:58 in time on ice per game, which ranks seventh among NHL forwards.- Ranks third among Maple Leafs in 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage (54.5%).- Ranks second in the NHL in shots on goal (52).-Registered his 300th career NHL point on February 8 vs. Vancouver to become the second-fastest Maple Leaf to reach the mark, tying Charlie Conacher (294 games).
Ilya Mikheyev– Ranks third among Maple Leafs forwards in shorthanded ice time per game (2:22).- Has an average of 15.6 shot attempts per 60 minutes of shorthanded ice time, which leads NHLers who have played at least 30 minutes of shorthanded ice time.  
Jake Muzzin– Tied for 10th among NHL skaters in shorthanded ice time per game (3:46).- Ranks 26th among NHL defencemen who average at least 15 minutes per game in 5-on-5 ice time (16:56) in shot attempts per 60 minutes (11.98).- Has started 47.8 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which is the lowest mark among Toronto defencemen.
William Nylander– Has the fourth highest points per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (2.48) among Toronto skaters who have appeared in over five games.- Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 56.1%, which is the second-highest percentage among Maple Leafs forwards.- Has 14 points (8-6-14) in 14 career games against Montreal. 
Morgan Rielly– Leads Maple Leafs in average time on ice (23:35).- Tied for fourth among NHL defencemen in points (2-9-11).- Has 15 points (3-12-15) in 27 career games against the Canadiens.
Jason Spezza– Has the highest points per 60 minutes rate (3.44) among Maple Leafs who have appeared in over five games.- Recorded his eighth career hat trick on February 4 vs. Vancouver.
John Tavares– Tied for third in the NHL in power play goals (4).- Has been on the ice for a team-high nine power play goals, which is tied for the Maple Leafs’ lead and is tied for the 17th-most in the NHL.- Has the fourth-highest faceoff win percentage (59.4%) among NHLers who have taken at least 175 faceoffs (192).
  

CURRENT POINT STREAKS

Mitch MarnerAssists (12) and Points (3-12-15) in eight consecutive games.
Auston MatthewsGoals (9) and points (9-1-10) in seven consecutive games.
Morgan RiellyPoints (1-3-4) in three consecutive games.
  

UPCOMING MILESTONES

Zach BogosianThree points from 200 NHL points
Jake MuzzinFive assists from 200 NHL assists
Four games from 100 games as a Maple Leaf
  

RECENT MILESTONES

Zach BogosianFirst point as a Maple Leaf (Feb. 4 vs. VAN)
Auston Matthews300th NHL point (Feb. 8 vs. VAN)
  

INJURY REPORT

Jack Campbell (Leg)Week-to-week.
Travis Dermott (Leg)Did not play on Feb. 8 vs. VAN.
Nick Robertson (Knee)On long term injured reserve.
Wayne Simmonds (Wrist)Expected to miss six weeks.
Joe Thornton (Rib)On long term injured reserve.
 Man Games Lost: 28
  

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

None 
  

LEAFS 5, HABS 4 (OT): QUOTES.

SHELDON KEEFE

Q. Lance Hornby, Toronto Sun: Joe Thornton described that as a real fun game for everyone, but at times were you a little concerned about what was going on in the back end with your team?  

Sheldon Keefe: It’s the first game of the season here, first time playing a game at that tempo. We just had a pretty emotional comeback win here for our first so I’m not going to get too nitpicky. We’ll get better everyday. 

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: Sheldon, the puck really seems to be exploding off Nylander’s stick early days here. What sort of improvements do you think he’s made since last season? 

Sheldon Keefe: I don’t know, he was a pretty explosive player last season too. He’s a great talent. I think he’s come in really motivated and driven to continue to be a difference maker and to take it to another level. We’ve had a lot of pretty blunt discussions between he and I about where he needs to continue to get better away from the puck. He’s bought into that. I think it goes hand-in-hand. When he’s competing away from the puck, he’s more engaged when he has it, he’s more involved in the game. He was really good today. He and John were both really good. 

Q. Luke Fox, Sportsnet: What were your first impressions of Joe alongside Mitch and Auston? 

Sheldon Keefe: I thought they were good. I have to watch the video back for all our lines and the whole game, but I thought when he got the puck he put it in good spots, he made a play with it, he was around the net at different times. He came up with a couple of pucks on the forecheck. He looked like he had legs even through the third period. I was watching him, he had some really good tracks and returns back into our own end to have lots of legs and energy despite playing a lot the way the game went. I thought it was a good game for him. 

Q. Luke Fox, Sportsnet: How’s Auston doing? He seemed to be in a bit of pain right before the overtime? 

Sheldon Keefe: I think he just took a bit of a stinger. My understanding is he’s okay. He didn’t hesitate when I asked him if he was good to go for overtime. 

Q. Steve Simmons, Toronto Sun: First season opener for you in your home building under very different circumstances. What did that feel like? 

Sheldon Keefe: Once the game starts you’re caught up in it and, I’ll be honest, it just feels like hockey. The guys are competing, you’re into it. When you’re coaching behind the bench you’re making a decision every couple of seconds. You’re too engaged in it to really get caught up in it. I think once the puck drops it just feels like we’re in a game. I think the start of the game, before it really gets going, especially in a home opener like this is where you really felt the no fans. I believe the home opener, in particular for your new players, your incoming guys, it’s a great opportunity for them to connect with the fans and the fans to recognize them, in particular in our situation, of course, with guys like Joe and [Simmonds] coming back here to Toronto and Ontario. You miss out on those kinds of moments. We miss our fans in such a fun, back and forth type of game like this. It would have been nice, of course, to have them here. We’re going to have to get used to this, this is what we’ve got. Hopefully we’re able to entertain people at home. 

WILLIAM NYLANDER

Q. Kristen Shilton, TSN: What did you like about your line tonight and how you guys were able to gel in this first game?

William Nylander: Well I think we did a good job. It was more of a grind game. We didn’t really get that many clean looks. So, I think we were relentless and when we gave up that goal, we were able to get one back which was huge.

Q. Kevin McGran, Toronto Star: What did you make of Wayne Simmonds dropping the gloves there and maybe turning things around for you guys a little bit?

William Nylander: Yeah, that was a turning point in the game, for sure. He got the boys going, fired up. I think we were a little soft and slow in the beginning and after that we got fired up and got going which was huge.

Q. Kevin McGran, Toronto Star: What about your own shooting tonight? Those were a couple of real nice shots. Anything going through your heads in those particular moments?

William Nylander: The first one was just a great job by the guys getting to the net. Price couldn’t see the puck. And the second one was just waiting, waiting and looking for a pass and just put it on net.

Q. Kevin McGran, Toronto Star: And what about Jimmy Vesey tonight with the goal that forces overtime?

William Nylander: Yeah, it was huge. We were heavy on the forecheck there. We were able to get Price – lucky bounce though but it was a nice goal to get for us, for sure.

MORGAN RIELLY

Q. Kevin McGran, Toronto Star: Your thoughts on how this game went and your own play tonight? 

Morgan Rielly: I think it was a good game to play in, good game to watch, good way to open the year with a win. They’re a good team, they came out and played hard. It’s what we expected. We’re happy with the win, obviously, and I think we’ve got a lot of areas to get better. We’re going to talk tomorrow on ways we can improve. To open the year with a win, that’s always a good feeling. 

Q. Kevin McGran, Toronto Star: What did you think of pairing up with TJ Brodie? 

Morgan Rielly: I like playing with TJ, he’s great. I think he’s really good going back for pucks. He’s really good breaking it out, he’s calm with it, that first pass it great. It’s been a pleasure so far, just keep talking, keep trying to make it work better for us. 

Q. Terry Koshan, Toronto Sun: Wayne Simmonds told us his fight, he thought the boys needed a spark. How did the boys take that fight on the bench and on the ice? 

Morgan Rielly: I think it was awesome. I think that’s what Wayne brings to this group. He’s been doing that in his career for a long time. It’s incredibly valuable. He brings a whole lots of aspects, of great things to our team. The way that he’s able to play and that part of his game, and then his off-ice leadership. He’s incredibly valuable to this team and we’re very, very lucky to have him. He’s hard to play against so it’s nice to have him on our side for once. I think tonight was the perfect example of him taking it upon himself to get the team going and that’s exactly what happened. 

WAYNE SIMMONDS

Q. Kevin McGran, Toronto Star: What did you feel of your performance tonight and the team’s performance tonight?

Wayne Simmonds: I thought we chased the game a little bit, but I thought we showed great character and the comeback. We kept coming back and we made it tough on them. At the end of the game we ended up with two points, obviously. It’s most important we build off of our mistakes and keep in mind what we did good, but at the same time, like I said, we build off of our mistakes and we continue to get better day after day here.

Q. Kevin McGran, Toronto Star: There’s usually nerves when a player comes to a team for the first time, plays his first game, maybe fans have something to do with that. How did you feel?

Wayne Simmonds: I was fine. I’ve been around the last year. I think this is my fifth team in the last year. I’m comfortable coming to new surroundings, the boys made it really easy for me to integrate within the team. I was just really excited for the game tonight to be honest.

Q. Terry Koshan, Toronto Sun: Obviously, you’re brought in for your physicality, we all know that, you know that is part of your game. Probably not going to scrap every night, but how did it feel to drop the gloves there, as short as the fight was. From these eyes, and others saw a bit of a turning point for your club in the second period.

Wayne Simmonds: Yeah. It felt good. That’s my first real game action in like 10 months, 28 days, and I can probably tell you to the second. It felt really good and I thought the boys needed a little bit of a spark there. I know my role on this team. I asked Chiarot and I didn’t think he wanted to go at first, but then he dropped the gloves before me so it was green light, go. I’m happy he gave me that one and helped turn the tide for our team. 

JOE THORNTON

On his first game as a Maple Leaf:

Joe Thornton: Wasn’t that fun? It was great. Great game, boys were down early but we managed to come back and what a great finish by Mo. I think the 40-plus players and coaches really enjoyed being out there again.

Q. Chris Johnston, Sportsnet: What was the most fun part for you?

Joe Thornton: Just starting, hearing ‘Number 97 from St. Thomas, Ontario,’ you can’t beat that. Just competing again, competing with the guys, getting good looks, good passing, the competition again was nice to have. 

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: You mentioned the finish by Morgan there. What stood out to you the most about Rielly since you’ve been around him? 

Joe Thornton: He just competes. I think his skating is very elite, he’s a big body, great shot, sees the ice very, very well. Being from out west, really we don’t watch too much East games, but he’s been very, very impressive. 

MAPLE LEAFS 5, CANADIENS 4 (OT): NOTES

MONTREAL CANADIENS (0-0-1 – 1 Points) vs.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (1-0-0 – 2 Points)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2021

 123OTFINAL
MONTREAL21104
TORONTO12115

GAME SUMMARY         |           EVENT SUMMARY        |           FACEOFF SUMMARY

ON THE SCORESHEET

  • William Nylander put the Maple Leafs on the board at 15:56 of the first period and later Toronto’s second goal of the night on the power play at 18:00 of the second period before collecting the lone assist on Jimmy Vesey’s third period goal. Tonight’s game is his first multi-goal game and multi-point game of 2020-21. He had four multi-goal and 12 multi-point games in 2019-20. He has 14 points (8-6-14) in 14 career games against Montreal.
  • John Tavares collected the secondary assist on Nylander’s first period goal and later scored the third Maple Leafs goal of the game on the power play at 19:21 of the second period before recording the primary assist on Rielly’s overtime goal. Tonight’s game is his first multi-point performance of 2020-21 after he had 18 in 2019-20.  Tavares had 60 points (26 goals, 34 assists) in 63 games last season. In 36 career games against the Canadiens, he has recorded 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists).
  • Jimmy Vesey scored the fourth Toronto goal of the night at 10:33 of the third period. Vesey’s goal is his first goal as a Maple Leaf and first point as a Maple Leaf. He had nine goals and 11 assists in 64 games during the 2019-20 season with the Buffalo Sabres. Tonight’s game is his first game as a Maple Leaf.
  • Morgan Rielly scored the fifth Maple Leafs goal of the game at 3:24 of overtime. Rielly’s goal is his fifth career overtime goal. In 2019-20 he scored three goals, including two game winners.
  • Justin Holl registered the primary assist on Nylander’s first period goal. In 68 games last season, Holl registered two goals and 16 assists.
  • Jason Spezza registered the primary assist on Nylander’s second period goal. Spezza’s assist is the 600th assist of his career. He has 70 points (32 goals, 38 assists) in 67 career games against the Canadiens.
  • Zach Hyman had the secondary assist on Nylander’s second period goal. Hyman’s assist is his first point of 2020-21. He registered 37 points (21 goals, 16 assists) in 51 games during the 2019-20 season.
  • Mitch Marner recorded the primary assist on Tavares’ second period goal. Marner’s assist is his first point of the season. He led the Maple Leafs with 51 assists in 2019-20. 
  • Frederik Andersen picked up the secondary assist on Tavares’ second period goal. Andersen’s assist is his first since November 15, 2018 vs. San Jose.
  • Auston Matthews had the secondary assist on Rielly’s overtime goal. Matthews’ assist is his first point of 2020-21. He had 47 goals and 33 assists in 70 games played in 2019-20.
  • Frederik Andersen stopped 28 of the 32 shots he faced in the win.

SHOTS ON GOAL (5-on-5 in brackets)

 1st2nd3rdOTTOTAL
MONTREAL11 (6)7 (3)12 (12)2 (0)32 (21)
TORONTO7 (7)14 (4)9 (9)4 (0)34 (20)
      

SHOT ATTEMPTS (5-on-5 in brackets)

 1st2nd3rdOTTOTAL
MONTREAL23 (15)20 (10)22 (22)3 (0)63 (47)
TORONTO20 (20)27 (9)20 (20)6 (0)73 (50)

HOME AGAIN

Record at Home1-0-0 (1 Game)
All-Time Record vs. Montreal 301-342-88-17 (748 Games)
All-Time Record vs. Montreal at Home191-128-45-10 (374 Games)

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS

Shots7 (Matthews)
Shot Attempts14 (Matthews)
Faceoff Wins13 (Matthews)
Faceoff Win Percentage100% (Nylander, Simmonds)
Hits3 (Simmonds)
Blocked Shots5 (Muzzin)
Takeaways1 (Five players tied)
TOI28:35 (Rielly)
Power Play TOI4:43 (Matthews)
Shorthanded TOI3:51 (Holl)
Shifts31 (Rielly)
5-on-5 Shot Attempt Percentage65.7% (Marner – 23 for, 12 against)
  

RECORD WHEN…

Opponent scores first1-0-0
Trail after 11-0-0
Tied after 21-0-0
Score multiple power play goals1-0-0
Allow multiple power play goals1-0-0
Outshooting opponent1-0-0
Overtime1-0-0
Wednesday1-0-0

OF NOTE…

  • The Maple Leafs went 1-for-3 on the penalty kill and 2-for-4 on the power play tonight.
  • Alexander Barabanov made his NHL debut.
  • Zach Bogosian made his Maple Leaf debut.
  • TJ Brodie made his Maple Leaf debut.
  • Zach Hyman, Alex Kerfoot and Ilya Mikheyev were the lone Toronto skaters to not start a 5-on-5 shift in the offensive zone.
  • Auston Matthews and Morgan Rielly were on the ice for a team-high 24 shot attempts at 5-on-5 tonight. Matthews finished the game with a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 64.9% (24 for, 13 against), while Rielly finished the game with a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 63.2 percent (24 for, 14 against).
  • Wayne Simmonds made his Maple Leaf debut.
  • Joe Thornton made his Maple Leaf debut.
  •  

UPCOMING GAMES:

  • Friday, January 15, 7:00 p.m. at Ottawa Senators (TSN4, FAN 590)
  • Saturday, January 16, 7:00 p.m. at Ottawa Senators (Sportsnet, TSN 1050)
  • Monday, January 18, 7:00 p.m. vs. Winnipeg Jets (Sportsnet Ontario, TSN 1050)
  • Wednesday, January 20, 7:00 p.m. vs. Edmonton Oilers (Sportsnet, FAN 590)
  • Friday, January 22, 7:00 p.m. vs. Edmonton Oilers (TSN4, TSN 1050)

CANADIENS 2, MAPLE LEAFS 1 (OT)– WHAT THEY SAID: “I really liked the way we were coming back and getting above them. We really tracked the puck well and caused a lot of turnovers that allowed us to get some good transition that just allowed us to be in on the forecheck and recover pucks and then be able to break them down. We would have liked to get in the middle of the ice a little bit more, but it was a tight hockey game, both goalies played well, but those things obviously were a good factor for us.” — JOHN TAVARES.

HEAD COACH SHELDON KEEFE

On the third period:

Yeah, we scored that goal, it sets us up to give us a chance to win in the third. The pace of play increased dramatically after that goal. Obviously, they’re pushing. We didn’t handle it well, I thought. When I say that, I thought we handled it very well defensively. I didn’t think we cracked, they had a couple of little chances in and around our net. Other than that, they didn’t have anything, I thought. They score a goal on a point shot. But I didn’t like how we played offensively where we had the puck, we did all the things that we don’t want to be as a team and we just gave it back to them, so we never had a chance to get going.

On if fatigue played a role in the third period:

I’ll let you guys draw some conclusions on that. I’m not focused on that. It’s part of the League. It’s part of the demands of what goes on in the schedule, the ebbs and flows of it. I thought we played a good game and a hard game. I thought we competed. What happens in the third period today is a lot different than what happens yesterday. Yesterday we’re not engaged, we’re not competitive or physical enough and on our heels. This game here I thought we defended very well, defended very hard and didn’t give up the middle of the ice much at all. We just were very poor with the puck. When you have a team that’s pushing, they have the energy of the crowd and you just continuously give them the puck you’re going to be on your heels a lot.

On Jack Campbell’s play:

Yeah, he was there, he obviously didn’t let anything in until the very end and I thought we did a heck of a job protecting him. We didn’t give up very many scoring chances through this game at all. But they’re back-to-back games, he’s been through a lot here this week and he was solid.

On what has led to John Tavares’ scoring streak:

He’s just catching on. We’ve talked about him, he’s a good player, he’s going to have these swings. It’s kind of a waste of time to talk about it when he’s not scoring, because it’s going to turn. So it’s the way that it goes. It’s been great, it’s been good timing. Obviously, we played it out Willy this weekend, so we needed somebody else to step up. And, for me, that’s really the difference in the hockey game today is you don’t win games when you score one goal, it’s very difficult. So I think that’s the way it went this game. We were not able to generate enough offensively in the first and second periods as well. Power play wasn’t very good for us today. So we let that team hang around and when you just have a one goal cushion like that, you leave the door open over for a point shot to catch you.

On Frederik Andersen’s status:

I’m not quite sure where that’s at. I know he did skate again today. While we were here, he skated, and I haven’t got a report on it. So we’ll just have to see how he is when we get back.

TYSON BARRIE (25:02 TOI)

On the third period:

Yeah, give them credit, they came out — we had a good start to the third, obviously, we got one and then from there they kind of controlled the period had us on our heels, like you said. I think we have to do a better job of responding in a way. Getting more O-zone time and not letting them sustain so much pressure but, at the end of the day, we’re trying to hold on to the lead and they get one with two minutes left or whatever. It’s a bit frustrating.

On Jack Campbell’s play:

He was great tonight. He was good all night and makes a great save on the breakaway and it pops right to the guy. Probably not a great shot selection by me on that 3-on-2 but that’s sometimes the way 3-on-3 goes. You’ve got to be a little smarter sometimes.

JACK CAMPBELL (28 SAVES)

On playing in a Toronto-Montreal game:

It’s fun. What a rivalry. Historic and two really solid teams this year. I thought both teams competed really hard and didn’t give each other much. I thought Price at the other end was so solid and we could have easily had a couple more, but at the end of the day I’ve just got to make one more save before overtime and we get two points and that’s what we need right now.

On his performance tonight:

I’m just definitely not happy giving that one up to give them life again and blow that lead in the third. I just know my ability and I’m confident with my team in front of me and they battled all night. One more save and we get two points.

JAKE MUZZIN (24:39 TOI)

On if playing a back-to-back impacted the team’s third period performance:

Maybe a little bit. No excuse, though. Everyone goes through back-to-backs and playing tired and stuff like that. We’ve got to bear down and get it done.

On his long second period shift that included a heavy shot block:

Well, it doesn’t feel good. It’s part of hockey. Sometimes in the second period, you get a long change, you can’t get off. It happens both ways, so it is what it is.

JOHN TAVARES (1 GOAL)

On tonight’s third period:

Yeah, obviously we got the lead. They came with a lot momentum, I think, felt some desperation. I think obviously, it’s human nature to be a little bit safer in those certain circumstances, but certainly we’ve got to find a way to get on their half of the ice more and generate some more offense and push to increase our lead and continue to be smart with the puck and defensively. No question the circumstances were tough, but you face that at times this year and, we’ve obviously got to find a way to close them out.

On what the team did well defensively through two periods:

I really liked the way we were coming back and getting above them. We really tracked the puck well and caused a lot of turnovers that allowed us to get some good transition that just allowed us to be in on the forecheck and recover pucks and then be able to break them down. We would have liked to get in the middle of the ice a little bit more, but it was a tight hockey game, both goalies played well, but those things obviously were a good factor for us.

CANADIENS 2, MAPLE LEAFS 1 (OT). John Tavares scored at 1:06 of the third period and he has goals (5) and points (5-2-7) in four consecutive games. In 25 road games, he has registered 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists). He has registered 17 points (10-7-17) in 17 career games at Bell Centre. Tonight’s game was his 800th in the NHL.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (29-19-8 – 66 Points) vs.

MONTREAL CANADIENS (27-23-7 – 61 Points)

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020

 123OTFINAL
TORONTO00101
MONTREAL00112

GAME SUMMARY         |           EVENT SUMMARY        |           FACEOFF SUMMARY


ON THE SCORESHEET

  • John Tavares opened the scoring for the Maple Leafs at 1:06 of the third period. Tavares has goals (5) and points (5-2-7) in four consecutive games. In 25 road games, he has registered 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists). He has registered 17 points (10-7-17) in 17 career games at Bell Centre. Tonight’s game was Tavares’ 800th NHL game.
  • Alex Kerfoot registered the primary assist on Tavares’ third period goal. Kerfoot has four points (1-3-4) in three games against the Canadiens this season. He has recorded 14 (4 goals, 10 assists) of his 22 points on the road this season.
  • Zach Hyman collected the secondary assist on Tavares’ third period goal. Hyman has assists (2) in two consecutive games. He has registered 10 points (3-7-10) in 10 games against Atlantic Division opposition in 2019-20.
  • Jack Campbell stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced in the overtime loss.

SHOTS ON GOAL (5-on-5 in brackets)

 1st2nd3rdOTTOTAL
TORONTO7 (7)14 (11)1 (1)1 (0)23 (19)
MONTREAL7 (7)4 (4)16 (15)3 (0)30 (26)
      

SHOT ATTEMPTS (5-on-5 in brackets)

 1st2nd3rdOTTOTAL
TORONTO19 (19)25 (18)7 (6)1 (0)52 (44)
MONTREAL13 (13)12 (11)29 (26)3 (0)57 (50)

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Record on the Road15-12-1 (28 Games)
All-Time Record vs. Montreal300-342-88-17 (747 Games)
All-Time Record vs. Montreal on the Road110-214-43-7 (374 Games)
Record vs. Eastern Conference15-12-6 (33 Games)
Record vs. Atlantic Division8-7-2 (17 Games)

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS

Shots4 (Muzzin, Spezza)
Shot Attempts8 (Matthews)
Faceoff Wins9 (Matthews)
Faceoff Win Percentage100% (Engvall – 1 won, 0 lost)
Hits3 (Hyman)
Blocked Shots3 (Muzzin)
Takeaways3 (Matthews)
TOI25:38 (Holl)
Power Play TOI3:53 (Matthews)
Shorthanded TOI3:16 (Holl)
Shifts27 (Barrie, Holl)
5-on-5 Shot Attempt Percentage65.2% (Hyman – 15 for, 8 against)
  

RECORD WHEN…

Scoring first20-4-2
Tied after 112-5-4
Tied after 26-5-2
Do not score on the power play11-11-4
Do not allow a power play goal15-7-4
Outshot by opponent13-11-4
Overtime7-8
Saturday10-3-4

OF NOTE…

  • The Maple Leafs went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill and 0-for-2 on the power play tonight.
  • Tyson Barrie, Justin Holl and Alex Kerfoot were on the ice for a team-high 19 Toronto shot attempts-for at 5-on-5 tonight. Barrie had a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 52.8 percent (19 for, 17 against), Holl had a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 50.0 percent (19 for, 19 against) and Kerfoot finished the game with a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 61.3 percent (19 for, 12 against).
  • Jake Muzzin started 14.3 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which was the lowest mark among Maple Leafs skaters.
  • Auston Matthews won 63 percent (5 won, 3 lost) of his faceoffs when matched up against Montreal centre Phillip Danault in all situations.

UPCOMING GAMES:

  • Tuesday, February 11, 7:00 p.m. vs. Arizona Coyotes (TSN, TSN 1050)
  • Thursday, February 13, 7:00 p.m. vs. Dallas Stars (Sportsnet Ontario, FAN 590)
  • Saturday, February 15, 7:00 p.m. at Ottawa Senators (Sportsnet, TSN 1050)
  • Sunday, February 16, 7:00 p.m. at Buffalo Sabres (Sportsnet, FAN 590)
  • Tuesday, February 18, 7:00 at Pittsburgh Penguins (Sportsnet Ontario, FAN 590)