Last night, in a 4-1 Toronto Maple Leafs win over the San Jose Sharks, William Nylander continued his great play by scoring two goals and adding an assist. His offense played a key role in the win. It also was yet another example of how he’s become a standout player for the Maple Leafs. Looking at the takeaways from the Leafs win, there are a few positives worth pointing out.
Related: Insider Offers Huge Update on Nylander Deal with Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs Played a Strong Defensive Game
Beyond the offense, the Maple Leafs also put up a strong defensive effort by limiting the struggling Sharks to only one goal. The team’s defensive play worked in tandem with the solid goaltending of Martin Jones. The Maple Leafs goalie was in great form (once again). This time he stopped 23 of 24 shots to put up a 0.958% Save Percentage in the game.
The win extended the Sharks losing streak to a tough 11 games. It also showed just how dominant the Maple Leafs were in the game. Toronto was able to capitalize on the Sharks’ lack of offense to maintain its three-game winning streak – all, by the way, occurring on the just-completed Western road trip.
The Maple Leafs Demonstrated Their Offensive Dominance and an Efficient Power Play
The Maple Leafs showed their ability to score on the power play in the first period. They also were dominant in every aspect of the game. First, they outshot the Sharks 17-3; they also had 90% of Expected Goals.
The Maple Leafs capitalized on a rare 5-on-3 power play, not missing the chance to score. Mitch Marner’s one-timer started the ball rolling for his team. Then, William Nylander had another exceptional game with two goals and an assist. He’s now tied for fifth place in NHL scoring. It’s a good season for the young Swede, who’s rumored to soon sign a contract extension with the Blue & White.
Martin Jones’ Goaltending Was Great, Yet Again
Goalie Martin Jones continued his remarkable play. Last night, he stopped 23 of 24 shots for a 0.958% Save Percentage on the game. That said, the Maple Leafs’ defensive improvements were helpful to him. The team played well in front of him, and he responded.
The only Sharks goal was scored five-on-five. Surprisingly, that goal was the first the Maple Leafs have given up in the past three games. Despite initial concerns about the team’s defense, Toronto has improved its Goals Against rankings. With their great defensive play, they jumped up five spots from 20th to 15th in the rankings after the game.
The team’s defensive improvement has been obvious. The team has only allowed five goals in the last four games.
Related: Martin Jones Shines Again, Maple Leafs Sweep West Coast Road Trip
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