Day-After Recap: Eight is great

At TLN this season, we’re going to be doing a wrap-up post after each game, and then a longer, more in-depth breakdown posted the morning after. However, last night was not a normal game. There were 13 goals, and as such, takes a little bit longer to analyze that. Plus it’s Sunday. Bloggers have lives too. Not overly interesting ones, but they do exist. Hopefully you can appreciate the delay, and hopefully you’re still running off the high of last night because holy hell, what a game.

Usually, we’d include more in these posts – maybe a breakdown of a few individual plays, maybe some nice saves, maybe a great video from the stands. But, uh, there were 13 goals last night. So we’ll just focus on those.

Simple start. 1-0. After lots of debate as to whether he’d actually be on the Leafs roster as a regular or maybe… moved to the AHL? Maybe .

Just kidding, this one kinda just hit off him and went in.

Well, uh, we’ve got a theme here. As you can tell, that puck sure found its way into the net.

Criticize Rosen if you want for not being able to cover the front of the net, criticize Andersen for being out of position to make the final save, but uh, that puck just kind found its way in.

We have a mistake, and it’s a 1-1 hockey game.

Ah, Zach Hyman. Another person we love to debate! How many goals is he gonna score this year? Where’s he gonna play? Is his shooting percentage going to stay low forever? Is he most valuable alongside Matthews or on the fourth line?

Also: PUCK BATTLES. RECOVERIES. OFFENSIVE ZONE TIME. CRASH AND BANG HOCKEY and we’ve got an Zach Hyman even strength goal.

When you think of a power play goal from a defenceman, you probably visualize the same thing: a nice lateral pass and a quick shot from the point finding its way through traffic and past the goalie.

But meh, that’s boring. Jake Gardiner just waltzes into the zone and shoots the puck. Who needs a cycle?

Ah, there we go. Jake Gardiner went through and had an unconventional defenceman goal, so Zaitsev just simply shot the puck from the point and put it in. Maybe he’s not exactly what he used to be, but there’s something about lighting up Henrik Lundqvist in the first period for four.

Wait, there’s more?

Another Zach Hyman goal? Maybe it wasn’t the prettiest goal.

But hey, it counts all the same. Tie up a couple dudes behind the net and create the opportunity – it’s what Hyman does best. A four-goal lead, not even 20 minutes into the game? That should be it, right?

Insert cliche about how you don’t give up a goal in the final minute of a period.

Ok.

A fantastic defenceman who signed for under market value puts the Rangers back within two on a power play, and that’s the end of the first.

*Ondrej Pavelec came into the game for Henrik Lundqvist after the first period. What a weird sentence.*

Okay. The Rangers were on the power play again, and scored again. Shouldn’t be an issue.

Okay. The Rangers are around with six guys in the OZ because of a delayed penalty and… suddenly the Rangers are back within one.

Ok. Just throw in a bunch of four-letter words here.

Tyler Bozak may have never taken a shot in his career that was more than 5 feet away from the edge of the crease.

But damn, he can be dynamite from in close.

Give that man the puck on his stick and he can do something with it. Bozak didn’t need to do anything fancy there, but just a quick flick and the Buds were up 6-5.

Also, there were some shenanigans with a offside review challenge called by the Rangers bench.

Since they lost the challenge and the NHL changes the rule book all the time, the Leafs got a power play because of that. Which is kind of cool.

Though the Leafs didn’t pick up a goal on the immediate power play, they did manage yet another extra-strength goal after Kevin Hayes picked up a slashing penalty. William Nylander tosses it off the bar, thinking he’s scored (he didn’t) and then Leo Komarov uh, knocks it home. Rocket League flashbacks, anyone?

90 seconds left in the game, and Nazem Kadri pots in another goal just for fun.

The Leafs blew a four-goal lead and won by three. Never pretend that’s normal, but it is the Leafs. Rest easy.

See you tomorrow. Enjoy your Sunday.