Toronto Maple Leafs

@MapleLeafs

·Follow

"I just like to smile. Smiling’s my favorite"

2:42 AM · Dec 28, 2024

3.2K

Reply

Copy link

Read 65 replies

NHL Public Relations

@NHLPR

·Follow

Mitch Marner joined John Tavares as the second @MapleLeafs player with a natural hat trick this season, marking the first time that Toronto has recorded multiple in a campaign since 1975-76. #NHLStats: media.nhl.com/public/live-up…

2:12 AM · Dec 28, 2024

386

Reply

Copy link

Read 5 replies

Here are four takeaways from the Maple Leafs’ 5-2 victory over the Red Wings:

• Mitch Marner was outstanding for the Maple Leafs and he continues to elevate his game during Auston Matthews’ injury-related absence. Marner was buzzing around the net and during his eight-game point streak, he’s turned into a more confident shooter. It wasn’t a solo effort as Marner benefited from a jaw-dropping John Tavares between-the-legs pass for his first goal, then tapped home an absolute laser of a feed from William Nylander for his second. Marner’s hat-trick goal was a thing of beauty as well, expertly deflecting a point shot from Oliver Ekman-Larsson. It wasn’t just the splash plays either, as Marner was excellent on the penalty kill, he was active off the rush, he worked well off John Tavares and Max Pacioretty’s physicality in the cycle, as Toronto’s top line outshot Detroit 5-2. You can cite the quality of opponent but it’s another terrific game from Marner, who is now on pace for 112 points over the course of an 82-game schedule. If you want to invoke his ongoing contract negotiations, from this corner of the internet, get the deal done and worry about the cost-benefit analysis five years from now.
• David Kampf was a standout, in what was an excellent game from Toronto’s fourth line overall, consisting of Kampf, Connor Dewar and Steven Lorentz. Kampf recorded Toronto’s first shot of the game, coming off the rush, after receiving a clever outlet pass from Dewar. On the ensuing action, Kampf scored by working his way to the front of the net, taking an incisive pass from Lorentz for the game’s opening goal. Lorentz’s straight-line speed and physicality are assets for the Leafs, but Dewar has come alive during the latter part of December. Dewar recorded four shots, a game-high seven hits and a 95 percent share of the expected goals at 5-on-5, while the line outshot the Red Wings 8-1. Lorentz laboured to the bench in the final minutes of the game but if he’s healthy, Toronto may have unlocked another permanent combination — although you’d imagine Ryan Reaves factors back in Saturday, due to the second night of a back-to-back.
• You could single out almost any Maple Leafs defender for a strong performance Friday, save for Simon Benoit, who screened Woll on Detroit’s first goal and generally struggled with the puck, but this isn’t a negative note. Chris Tanev facilitated some strong returns for Jake McCabe, who took a stick to the teeth and despite the discomfort, looked the part of a shutdown defender. Morgan Rielly was the true standout on Friday. He was on the ice for three goals, he made clever reads exiting the zone, and sustaining offensive play and he brought the best in Philippe Myers, who appears to be growing more comfortable now that he’s no longer auditioning for a place in the lineup every time he takes the ice. “I want to be able to contribute offensively for sure,” Rielly said to David Alter of The Hockey News prior to Friday’s game. “As a group, our main priority is team defense and gap control and playing a rush and breaking the puck out and all those defensive things. And then there’s elements to our game where we have to be able to contribute.” Rielly has been Toronto’s No. 3 defenceman this season, with McCabe and Tanev splitting the true No. 1 designation. Rielly has often been asked to carry third-pair players as his primary partner throughout the year and hasn’t complained. These are the type of games that are encouraging for Rielly entering the second half of the year.
• Nick Robertson scored a buzzer-beater to end the second period, and it’s clear that both Robertson and Domi have regained their offensive confidence since being paired with Bobby McMann. McMann’s elite speed unlocks some lanes for Robertson and Domi, Robertson is engaged in all facets of the game, while Domi has become a more willing shooter in the latter half of December, while threading seam passes for his linemates. Through six games: McMann-Domi-Robertson have outscored opponents 7-3, with a 58 percent share of the expected goals. In an ideal world, Domi would operate as Toronto’s No. 2 centre, while Pontus Holmberg slots further down in the lineup. but the Maple Leafs are desperate for secondary offence and in a small sample, they’ve found a combination that works.

PRESENTED BY GREAT CLIPS