This Is Why The Regular Season is Fun
Leafs shutout Kings to extend point streak to 13; Marner reaches 21 games
“Talk to me in April.”
Probably the laziest sentiment amongst Maple Leafs fans. So beyond frustrated, hurt, disappointed - all of it - that the idea of what hockey is supposed to be goes completely out the window.
Entertainment.
In a world where negative news trumps, where almost everything that could go wrong has over the the last few years - how you “fan” is a choice.
I, for one, choose to look forward to and enjoy each Maple Leafs game for what it is - an 82 game journey filled with ups and downs, highlights and lows, all towards the hope of being the last of the 32 teams standing come June.
Let’s not pretend that this isn’t the greatest Leafs team we’ve ever had the pleasure of following on a nightly basis.
Last year’s Hart Trophy and Rocket Richard winner. A winger on a 21-game point streak, topped only by Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane in the last 25 years. The greatest Unrestricted Free Agent signing of the cap era, who has somehow managed to turn back the clock and is pacing towards the best season of his career. Youthful puck-moving defencemen getting better by the day. William Nylander!!!
Is it frustrating that this core hasn’t been able to get it done when the chips have been down? Beyond belief.
Does it mean it can’t be done? Not a chance.
Hockey is a weird game. Probably the strangest of all North American sports. You need a combination of talent, timing and luck to rip through 4 opponents over 2 months and hoist the Cup.
In a 7-game series versus the eventual Eastern Conference champions, a series lost by a single goal, the Leafs held the Lightning to below-average offensive metrics in almost every category.
The Lightning were doubted. The Capitals were doubted. The Avalanche were doubted. They all finally had their moment.
The Maple Leafs, rightly so, have been doubted. That shouldn’t mean that we shouldn’t enjoy what we’re watching right now. A point streak only topped by the 2003-2004 Maple Leafs - a group of veterans on a victory lap.
A season now on pace for the best in franchise history, even after the horrendous October and an inability to score at 3v3.
This Maple Leafs team is elite, and playing a style that CAN win in the playoffs, even if your local radio host tells you otherwise.
KINGS 0 @ MAPLE LEAFS 5
This was a drubbing from the moment the puck was dropped.
The Leafs came ready to play, dominated the first period, and then exploded in the second.
Contrary to what your Uncle might tell you, this team does in fact play physical.
Zach Aston-Reese blew the game wide open with a crushing hit on Arthur Kaliyev, which led to the Leafs first power play goal of the game, and a lead they would never relinquish.
Ilya Samsonov stopped all 29 shots for his 1st shutout as a Maple Leaf, and the second consecutive for the group in Blue & White.
Mitch Marner put the exclamation mark on a dominant shift that first saw him deliver a picture-perfect pass to the slot from his ass (#buttsauce), and ended with a ferocious slap shot that extended his point streak to 21 games.
The Leafs penalty kill went 2-for-2 against a Kings PP that came into the game red-hot with 11 goals in their last 20 attempts - which included killing off an entire 5-minute major taken by Pierre Engvall late in the 3rd.
To top it all off, Mitch Marner showed the world why he’s among the league’s best in defensive zone touches, with a relentless backcheck to prevent a scoring chance against in a 5-0 hockey game.
This was a near perfect hockey game in almost every way.
STADT OF THE DAY
Did you know that your Maple Leafs held the Los Angeles Kings to 58 seconds of offensive zone time during the first 15 minutes of the 1st period?
NEXT UP
The Leafs put their 13 game point streak to the test against the 13-10-3 Calgary Flames led by Elias Lindholm (9-13-22) and former Leaf Nazem Kadri (10-10-20). Puck drop at 7PM from Scotiabank Arena. My Dad will be there.