In a tightly contested game that carried the intensity of playoff hockey, the Boston Bruins edged the Toronto Maple Leafs for a tough 4-3 overtime win. The game, a reminder of how the postseason is played, provided a taste of the intensity of games usually reserved for May rather than December.
Auston Matthews was an offensive force for the Maple Leafs, scoring two goals and pushing his remarkable season total to 16 goals. Joining Matthews in scoring was Max Domi, who got his season’s first goal. The backbone of the team, goalie Joseph Woll, lived up to the adage that a goalie serves as a team’s last line of defense. Woll made 33 saves and kept the Maple Leafs in the game.
Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe lauded Matthews as a “beast” on the ice in his post-game remarks. After the narrow loss, Keefe acknowledged both the Bruins’ strong performance and Matthews’ exceptional play throughout the game.
In this post, I’m going to build on the positives. I want to share two aspects of the game that are really good news stories for the team that suggests they are getting closer to where they wish to be on the season.
The Maple Leafs Scored a Couple Ugly Goals vs Bruins
In an email to me about last night’s game, my often co-author Stan Smith pointed out that the game defied the Maple Leafs’ reputation for scoring “pretty,” highlight-reel goals. Auston Matthews showed a different skill set by putting home two hard-fought, grind-it-out goals. The first goal came at a key moment when the Maple Leafs were down 2-0. Matthews Knies started the play by creating chaos in front of Bruins’ goalie Linus Ullmark, generating a scoring chance that Ullmark stopped.
Related: Maple Leafs Fans Criticize John Tavares for Brutal Overtime Effort
However, Knies’s persistence paid off. He positioned himself in the slot. Matthews then displayed his playmaking skills when he intercepted a Boston clearing attempt and passed the puck to Simon Benoit at the left point. Benoit found Knies in the slot. Then, despite Ullmark’s attempt to cut down the angle, the rebound eventually landed on William Nylander’s stick. Charlie McAvoy made a strong effort to block Nylander’s shot, but the puck found its way to Matthews. Matthews scored a gritty, hard-work goal.
The second determined goal tied the game with only six seconds left in regulation. With goalie Joseph Woll pulled for an extra attacker, Nylander started the play from his blue line, sending the puck to Calle Jarnkrok along the right boards. Jarnkrok entered the Boston zone and passed to John Tavares, who, after being pushed by Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm, collided with the Bruins’ goalie. The following chaos saw the puck squirt free to Mitch Marner, who set up Matthews in the same position as his first goal. Matthews didn’t miss, firing it home to force the game into overtime.
These gritty, hard-working goals, rather than the typical highlight-reel plays, showed the Maple Leafs’ ability to fight for the puck, win the battles, and score greasy goals.
Joseph Woll Has Been Good This Season
Goalie Joseph Woll has been a standout for the Maple Leafs this season, consistently delivering solid games in the crease over the 13 games he’s played. He’s been reliable and was again last night. That said, Boston’s third goal was an exception. A routine point shot from Derek Forbort, which came to Woll without much speed, somehow eluded Woll’s glove. Woll thought he had control.
However, the puck bounced out and dropped in front of Woll in the crease. Before he could react, Trent Frederic jumped on the puck to shovel it into the net. It’s a moment that Woll likely wishes he could redo.
The overtime-winning goal, on the other hand, was both bad luck and tough circumstances. The play began with Nylander falling, resulting in a turnover. Woll made a great save on a breakaway by David Pastrnak. He then tried to block a pass to Brad Marchand. But he couldn’t and the puck found its way into the net. Tough luck for the hard-working goalie. He deserved better.
Related: The Good, Bad, & Ugly In Maple Leafs 4-3 OT Loss to Bruins
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