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<p>It&#8217;s so fun when hockey&#8217;s back. It&#8217;s not so fun when your team gives up a go-ahead goal with under a minute to play. Alas, here we are, with the Toronto Maple Leafs dropping their home and season opener to the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 4-3.</p>
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<h2></h2>
<h2>The Rundown</h2>
</p>
<p>Despite a really strong, really impressive start from the Leafs, it was the Canadiens that got on the board first. Beating Dion Phaneuf cleanly to the outside, Max Pacioretty took the puck deep down the boards, cut towards the net, and slid a softie right under Jonathan Bernier. </p>
<p>You&#8217;d think that the fact that was Montreal&#8217;s first shot on goal would be the story of the period, but a couple young Leafs in their first NHL games turned in some excellent frames to help Toronto finish the first up 2-1.</p>
<p>First, Brandon Kozun turned a great shift into an equally great scoring chance, with Nazem Kadri getting his stick on the puck and deflecting it over Carey Price&#8217;s glove hand.</p>
<p><center><iframe loading="lazy" src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=638225&amp;site=mapleleafs" frameborder="0" width="640" height="395"></iframe></center></p>
<p><center style="text-align: left;">Next, Stuart Percy dumps the puck into the Canadiens zone, retrieves the puck himself, then cooly plays it to Tyler Bozak in front for the easy tap-in.</center></p>
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<p>Tomas Plekanec would score the lone second period goal, and P.K. Subban would put another behind Bernier to put Montreal ahead 3-2 about halfway through the third period.</p>
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<p><center style="text-align: left;"></center></p>
<p><center style="text-align: left;">Morgan Rielly would score a fluke goal just over two minutes remaining in the game, after hustling to a loose puck, throwing it to the front of the net, and banking it in off a Canadiens player. The 3-3 tie wouldn&#8217;t last long however, as Montreal would score an equally flukey goal after Plekanec would bank his own shot off Percy&#8217;s boot and into the net. The Canadiens would hold on for another 43 seconds for the 4-3 win.<br />
</center></p>
</p>
<h2>Blue Warrior</h2>
<p>I&#8217;m giving it to Percy. Paired with Roman Polak in his first NHL game, Percy earned one assist, played over 20 minutes, and found himself on both the power play and penalty kill. </p>
<p>He&#8217;s far from the biggest or strongest guy on the ice, but Percy has a good amount of skill and is very, very intelligent. If tonight is any indication of what we can expect from Percy, I wouldn&#8217;t be surprised at all if he sticks in the NHL even after Cody Franson comes off the IR.</p>
<h2>Notes</h2>
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<ul>
<li>Montreal outshot Toronto 32-27 and Bernier finished the game with an .875 SV%. The first goal against was a softie, but all in all Bernier had a decent game. </li>
<li>Peter Holland had a quiet night, but still lead the Leafs with a 20.54 Corsi Rel%. </li>
<li>David Clarkson was second with 16.76 Corsi Rel%, and was a permanent fixture on the Leafs&#8217; second powerplay unit with Kadri and Joffrey Lupul.</li>
<li>Sportsnet&#8217;s Sky Cam was fun, its Ref Cam was pretty alright, and its POV Cam was downright creepy. I legitimately felt like I was invading Leo Komarov&#8217;s personal space.</li>
</ul>
<h2>See You On Saturday</h2>
<div></div>
<p>The Leafs are back in action this Saturday, facing off against the Pittsburgh Penguins at 7:00pm. Watch it on CBC.</p></p>

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</div></center><p>It's so fun when hockey's back. It's not so fun when your team gives up a go-ahead goal with under a minute to play. Alas, here we are, with the Toronto Maple Leafs dropping their home and season opener to the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 4-3.<br></p><h2></h2><h2>The Rundown</h2><p></p><p>Despite a really strong, really impressive start from the Leafs, it was the Canadiens that got on the board first. Beating Dion Phaneuf cleanly to the outside, Max Pacioretty took the puck deep down the boards, cut towards the net, and slid a softie right under Jonathan Bernier. </p><p>You'd think that the fact that was Montreal's first shot on goal would be the story of the period, but a couple young Leafs in their first NHL games turned in some excellent frames to help Toronto finish the first up 2-1.</p><p>First, Brandon Kozun turned a great shift into an equally great scoring chance, with Nazem Kadri getting his stick on the puck and deflecting it over Carey Price's glove hand.</p><center><iframe src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=638225&amp;site=mapleleafs" frameborder="0" width="640" height="395"></iframe></center><p></p><center style="text-align: left;">Next, Stuart Percy dumps the puck into the Canadiens zone, retrieves the puck himself, then cooly plays it to Tyler Bozak in front for the easy tap-in.</center><p></p><center style="text-align: left;"></center><p></p><center><iframe src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=638245&amp;site=mapleleafs" frameborder="0" width="640" height="395"></iframe></center><p>Tomas Plekanec would score the lone second period goal, and P.K. Subban would put another behind Bernier to put Montreal ahead 3-2 about halfway through the third period.</p><p></p><center style="text-align: left;"></center><p></p><center style="text-align: left;">Morgan Rielly would score a fluke goal just over two minutes remaining in the game, after hustling to a loose puck, throwing it to the front of the net, and banking it in off a Canadiens player. The 3-3 tie wouldn't last long however, as Montreal would score an equally flukey goal after Plekanec would bank his own shot off Percy's boot and into the net. The Canadiens would hold on for another 43 seconds for the 4-3 win.<br>
</center><p></p><p></p><p></p><h2>Blue Warrior</h2><p>I'm giving it to Percy. Paired with Roman Polak in his first NHL game, Percy earned one assist, played over 20 minutes, and found himself on both the power play and penalty kill. </p><p>He's far from the biggest or strongest guy on the ice, but Percy has a good amount of skill and is very, very intelligent. If tonight is any indication of what we can expect from Percy, I wouldn't be surprised at all if he sticks in the NHL even after Cody Franson comes off the IR.</p><h2>Notes</h2><p></p><p></p><ul>
<li>Montreal outshot Toronto 32-27 and Bernier finished the game with an .875 SV%. The first goal against was a softie, but all in all Bernier had a decent game. </li>
<li>Peter Holland had a quiet night, but still lead the Leafs with a 20.54 Corsi Rel%. </li>
<li>David Clarkson was second with 16.76 Corsi Rel%, and was a permanent fixture on the Leafs' second powerplay unit with Kadri and Joffrey Lupul.</li>
<li>Sportsnet's Sky Cam was fun, its Ref Cam was pretty alright, and its POV Cam was downright creepy. I legitimately felt like I was invading Leo Komarov's personal space.</li>
</ul><h2>See You On Saturday</h2><div></div><p>The Leafs are back in action this Saturday, facing off against the Pittsburgh Penguins at 7:00pm. Watch it on CBC.</p><p></p>

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