[Athletic] Bulletins des Maple Leafs : bien paraître dans la victoire contre les Capitals

1 Comment

1. GlumSea7 2 ans ago

   First star:

   Mitch Marner

   It’s unusual to give the first star to a player with two penalty minutes and a secondary assist, but Marner wasted no time making an impact in all situations. He quickly set up his linemates for a two-on-one, then made a smart play to anticipate a drop pass and create a shorthanded opportunity for himself. He set up William Nylander for a pair of high-danger chances on Toronto’s first power play, and earned an assist on John Tavares’ opening goal. He finished the first period with a two-on-one opportunity of his own, and his effort matched his skill level.

   He set up another great chance for his linemates at the end of the second, then created another good chance for Auston Matthews six minutes into the third. He looked like the smartest and most talented player on the ice most shifts, and he just missed on a short-handed breakaway in the game’s final minutes. Toronto’s special teams were excellent, and Marner was a big reason why. It didn’t happen tonight, but efforts like this will lead to plenty of multi-point games on the scoresheet.

   Second star
   John Tavares

   Tavares was a beast in the opening frame, winning battle after battle down low, and impressing with a goal and five shots. The Leafs owned 65 percent of the game’s five-on-five expected goals when he was on the ice, as the Capitals failed to create many chances during those minutes. He’s looked excellent with Nylander through two games, and if he’s playing through an injury, you certainly can’t tell. This goal isn’t overly flashy, but he gives Morgan Rielly a wide range to pass to.

   Third star
   Alex Kerfoot

   Kerfoot wasn’t overly noticeable in the first period, but made a major impact with a gorgeous assist early in the second. He played a key part in Toronto’s successful penalty kill, and his line didn’t give up many chances at five-on-five. He’s been asked to play centre to start this season, rather than riding shotgun with Tavares and Nylander, and he looks up to the challenge early on. The Leafs need some more secondary scoring from their bottom six, and he delivered.