Leafs Begin Homestand with Win Against Kings

 

Photo From Editor in Leaf

Toronto began a four-game homestand last night as they hosted Dave Rittich and a shorthanded LA Kings team. The Leafs started the game on time, dominated the opening period, and at one point outshot the Kings 7-0 in the first few minutes. Bobby McMann opened the scoring with his second goal of the season. With a 1-0 lead, the Leafs opened the floodgates.

For the first three games of the season, Auston Matthews, despite having numerous chances, had yet to find the scoresheet. However, all concerns were put to rest as the new Leafs captain scored his first goal of the season and added two assists. McMann added a second goal, and the Leafs headed into the break with a comfortable 3-0 lead.

I wouldn’t say I liked the way the first half of the second period went for Toronto, as they didn’t initially have a response for LA’s push to get back into the contest. At one point, LA had outshot Toronto 11-0, but thanks to some great goaltending from Anthony Stolarz, Toronto was able to settle down and reestablish control. Midway through the second, Toronto extended their lead as Morgan Rielly netted his first goal of the season, giving the Maple Leafs a 4-0 lead and chasing Rittich from the crease. Phoenix Copley came in to try and stop the bleeding, but Toronto kept up the pressure, forcing him to make some big saves.

Toronto’s power play has been an early discussion point this season, ranking last in the league. With the first two power-play attempts looking weak, it seemed like the drought would continue. However, late in the period, the power play came to life, and William Nylander scored the team's first special-teams goal of the season. Toronto carried a 5-0 lead into the third period, and it seemed the game was locked down.

The third period started much like the second, with LA in complete control. They spoiled Stolarz’s shutout bid early, and a few minutes later, the Kings scored their second goal. This is where we saw a major difference between Coach Craig Berube and former coach Sheldon Keefe. A timeout was called. In previous seasons, Keefe would talk to his players calmly, as if everything was fine. Berube, however, used the timeout to lay into his team, telling them to “wake up and get back to work.” He held the players accountable, and his message got through. The team regained control after the timeout. Shortly after, Toronto drew their fourth power play of the evening, and John Tavares scored his second goal of the season, securing the win for the Leafs.

I have to say, I loved Berube's handling of the timeout, and the team’s response shows that he’s getting through to the players. You can also see that they are buying into his style of play, as each player is putting in effort at both ends of the ice. Early on, they seem to be doing a solid job paying attention to details.

Despite all the positives from Wednesday’s game, I have one question: has anyone seen Nick Robertson? This kid looked amazing during the preseason and was noticeable every time he was on the ice, even leading the team in scoring with five goals in six games. Since then, he’s been invisible. I’m not exaggerating when I say I didn’t notice him at all during the game. There have been reports that Nick Robertson, along with Timothy Liljegren, is being actively shopped by Brad Treliving in hopes of a trade, but I think Nick could benefit from some time in the press box. Watching a game or two might help him understand what’s needed to gain the coach's trust and become a regular in the lineup.

We’ll see how things go when Toronto hosts the red-hot New York Rangers on Saturday night.

Thanks, as always, for reading.