Postgame: For Those About To Rock

The boys in blue and white pulled through again tonight, as Garret Sparks and company notched a fifth consecutive win to improve to 26-10-2 on the season.

The action got going pretty early on. Just 1:50 into the game, Josh Anderson would head to the box for a trip on William Nylander.

On the ensuing Power Play, John Tavares would remind us once again that he is a Toronto Maple Leaf.

What seemed at first to be a tip-in goal for Nazem Kadri was quickly revealed to have also been tipped by Tavares in front of the net afterwards. That would be good for his 25th marker of the season, giving the Leafs a 1-0 lead just 2:24 into the game.

Just 2:25 later, however, Nick Foligno would find the back of the net, as Garret Sparks was beat five-hole. Not the best for Garret to give up (though he did rebound nicely with a great save off of Seth Jones later on), but for now we’re tied at 1-1.

That wouldn’t be all for the first, however. With 1:56 to go…

 

He’s a Leaf, and he’s great (the feed from Marner wasn’t too shabby either). Sergei Bobrovsky, on the other hand, did not look so hot on this one, allowing the ugly go-ahead goal for the Leafs, who would carry the 2-1 lead into the first intermission.

The offense would continue for the Leafs about halfway through the second period. With both teams playing a little 4 on 4, Auston Matthews would feed Mitch Marner rushing towards the net, and Mitch wouldn’t squander the opportunity, converting for his 13th of the season.

3-1 good guys!

Later in the frame, with Nazem Kadri in the box, Connor Brown had a great chance to convert on a 2-on-0 shorthanded, but couldn’t beat Sergei Bobrovsky.

With the period winding down, Kasperi Kapanen had a chance to beat the buzzer, but just missed:

That was (almost) Kappy.

The Leafs would head into the second intermission up 3-1, with a slight 19-18 advantage in the shot column as well. A much stronger period for Garret Sparks, who was perfect on the ten shots he faced.

The third period began pretty uneventfully, and looked like it would continue as such. The Jackets weren’t pressing much, and Sparks was up to the task whenever they did.

With the fourth line on the ice with less than seven minutes to play, it was Trevor Moore who got things going for the Leafs:

The new Leaf, in his second game, sprung Par Lindholm, who set up Frederik Gauthier for the 4-1 goal. A beautiful net-front feed from Lindholm, and Frederik Gauthier has goals in back to back games. Trevor Moore, meanwhile, continues his point-per-game career pace. Not too shabby.

With 1:28 left in the game, Artemi Panarin would find the back of the net on a ridiculous one-timer off of a feed from Zach Werenski to bring things to 4-2.

That’s all she wrote, though. Though the Jackets continued to assert pressure late in the game, they were unable to cut the lead down any further, and the Leafs would walk away with their fifth straight victory, 4-2.

Not the prettiest outing for the Leafs possession-wise, but the Leafs pulled through. Some of this was definitely score effects-related, but the Leafs also capitalized on the opportunities they produced, and walked away with the win.

 

MVP!

How dare they give #42 away to a point per game player!

Home or Away, the Buds Are All Day.

Back at it tomorrow night against the Islanders in Toronto. Matt Martin, come on down!