Well, how about that.

The Leafs looked like garbage, the Hurricanes were storming everywhere, the Leafs had just 25 shots all night while giving up… 47… and the Leafs managed to win 5-4.

It really wasn’t pretty, but a win’s a win.

Let’s walk you through this one.

Hockey is often branded as the fastest game on earth, but here it’s patience that Jake Gardiner gets rewarded for. After picking up a pass along the left side of the ice, #51 smoothly glides along the wing… behind the net… drags out Cam Ward for some reason… and Zach Hyman is sitting pretty right in front of the net. 1-0 Buds.

Always fighting for a spot in the lineup, Josh Leivo is gonna do whatever he can to keep it. A little “through pass” from Andreas Borgman sets up Leivo in a footrace as the Hurricanes are caught up ice, and he picks the corner as he puts the puck up and past Cam Ward. 2-0 Buds.

You gotta think Ron Hainsey felt a little bad scoring on his old team… right? Cam Ward is playing at the top of his crease here, leaving himself vulnerable to another well-placed shot. After a pass that looks like it was intended for William Nylander misses completely, Hainsey’s left uncovered on the point, and wires this one home for the third of the hockey game.

If we’re looking for someone to blame on this goal, it’s probably Andreas Borgman.

The puck bounces off Derek Ryan’s skate, onto his stick, and into the net, but Borgman let the puck slip through and gave Ryan the time and space to get the shot off. Carolina is on the board.

12 goals for JVR already, which is crazy because many people seem to think he’s already off the roster.

The Leafs cycle the puck a lot, JVR ends up with the puck on his stick at the high slot, shoots it and it… kind of trickles past Cam Ward, as he looks emotionally and mentally defeated.

Giving up too many rebounds will kill you, the old adage goes.

After the Leafs were going to be on the hook for a penalty, 6 Hurricanes were on the ice here and wore the Leafs down a little bit. Jordan Staal is in perfect position for rebound off a Justin Faulk shot, and it’s a two-goal hockey game.

How’s this signing looking now?

Patrick Marleau’s hockey IQ has been evident on just about every shift this year, and he gets right in the right spot. Auston Matthews finds him with a great slap pass, and the Leafs take a 3-goal lead.

What did we say about rebounds?
Frederik Andersen was just sort of… lying there, and Elias Lindholm’s second effort had tons of room to work with.

A fatigued Freddy’s first real mistake, but one that put the Canes back within striking distance.

“If you can touch it, you can catch it.”

Freddie didn’t, and it was a one-goal game all of a sudden.

But that was all she wrote.

Despite being drastically outshot, the Leafs didn’t fully collapse and earned the full two points in regulation.

See you tonight, folks.