Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs won a critical game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The victory not only extended their lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning by six points with the same number of games played but also brought them within three points of the Florida Panthers with a game in hand.
The upcoming game against Florida in the Sunshine State, which is the Maple Leafs’ second-to-last game of the season, could determine whether they start the playoffs at home or on the road.
Related: Three Takeaways from Maple Leafs 4-2 Win Over the Canadiens
The Maple Leafs Special Teams Were Solid
The difference-maker in this game was the performance of the special teams. Although the Penguins outscored the Maple Leafs 2-1 at five-on-five, Toronto capitalized on their power-play chances. They went one for two. At the same time, they successfully killed off all five of the Penguins’ power plays.
Additionally, Toronto excelled in four-on-four situations, further showing their special team’s dominance. With a strong penalty kill and the return of Mitch Marner bolstering the power play, the Maple Leafs’ special teams units are hitting their stride at a crucial juncture of the season, setting a positive tone for the playoffs.
Once Again Auston Matthews Looked Great Last Night
Auston Matthews continued his relentless pursuit of the 70-goal milestone, scoring his 65th season goal last night on the power play. He needs five more goals to reach this historic mark with just five games left in the regular season. Sometimes, players who are seeking personal milestones can detract from team success; that said, the Maple Leafs have the league’s best goal scorer firing on all cylinders. How can that not benefit the entire Maple Leafs roster?
It would be a great thing for this franchise to witness Matthews’ achievement if he were to score 70 goals this season. The easiest way would be to see him pick up his seventh hat trick of the season during the next few games. It might be nice to see him get a rest before the postseason. How ideal to see him hit the 70-goal mark before the team heads to Florida for their final two games of the season.
Matthew Knies Is Turning into a Solid NHLer
Matthew Knies showed his gritty style of play with a hard-earned goal last night. He’s strong and has a nose for the puck around the net. That was evident even last season during the playoffs. He always seemed to have a hand in the scoring.
He and Tyler Bertuzzi have similar styles. Both like to belly-up to the opposition goalie and hang out on the doorstep, waiting for an errant rebound or a timely pass through the crease. For Knies, this is the type of goal he’ll likely score dozens of throughout his career and (hopefully) during the postseason.
The logic is simple: get to the front of the net, take a licking and keep on ticking. Then, finish with finesse. Knies has shown veteran-like composure despite being only 21 years old. His maturity and effectiveness on the ice bode well for his future with the Maple Leafs, adding depth and resilience to the team’s forward lines.
Related: Maple Leafs May Be Preparing to Lowball John Tavares
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