Painful Departure: Toronto Maple Leafs key player is gone…
Painful Departure: Toronto Maple Leafs key player is gone…
The super sophomore for the Toronto Maple Leafs usually tries not to smile and droops his head while pounding the obligatory fists raised from his team’s bench, all the excitement of a man slogging through the receiving line at his second cousin’s wedding that’s ruining his long weekend.
However, Matthews’ celebration after scoring his 21st goal, which gave the Leafs a convincing 2-1 lead over the formidable Colorado Avalanche (who would go on to upset the home club 4-2), was something else entirely. This one spit venom and had teeth.
After a disputed goal was disallowed by Avs coach Jared Bednar for successful goaltender interference, Matthews scored again on a brilliant rush shot by William Nylander, beating Jonathan Bernier with the rebound.
He whirled around as the horn blew, shoving the puck in the net with such force that referee Gord Dwyer’s eyes were drawn to the cold, black proof.
Matthews remarked, “I just made sure the puck was in this time.” “Yes, that one excited me a little.”
When Auston Matthews scored against the Avalanche, he said he was “pretty excited.”
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Emotions in Leafland have been higher than usual for the so-called dog days. Frederik Andersen expressing his companions’ longing. Whispery Patrick Marleau giving a motivational speech a la Any Given Saturday, bringing out his inner Al Pacino.
Proud athletes will get that way from constant defeat.
The Leafs have now dropped their last four home games after falling to Bernier and the Avs, who have 10 straight wins and are the unlikeliest unstoppable force east of Vegas. The only regulation victory the Leafs have had against a team now in the postseason is their Dec. 23 victory over the New York Rangers, which came on Nov. 28.
Additionally, Nikita Zaitsev, their right-shot defenseman, and Morgan Rielly, their best left-shot defenseman, both had injuries that created gaps on Monday.
Nail Yakupov’s game-changing goal was the consequence of Andreas Borgman’s nasty puck turnover, and both he and Roman Polak gave way to the Avalanche’s lightning-fast onslaught. There were a few Whose Man Is It Anyway? rounds after a 5-on-3 Leafs power play failed.
“Everyone is still learning. The game has a variety of scenarios where you must make snap decisions, according to Marleau. Everybody out there is making decisions. Simply attempting to support and stand by one another.
Rielly and Zaitsev won’t return until after the all-star break. Young players Travis Dermott, Borgman, and Connor Carrick are all seeing extra ice time as a result of being stuck in a midseason audition for the stretch run.
“They didn’t all play well today,” Mike Babcock remarked. “Well, at least we learn.”
The coach has included learning what goalkeeper interference is on his list of things to research.
When Matthews whacked in a stray puck in Bernier’s frame in the second period, it looked as though he had given the Leafs a 2-1 lead, but the initial good-goal judgment was overturned after further review.
“I found it quite surprising,” Matthews remarked. Since I don’t think I bothered him too much, it would have been good to be given the benefit of the doubt. If I’m not in that position, I can’t score.
Matthews was seen quietly rolling his eyes in real time as his goal was deleted over the PA system. A “Ref! You! Suck!” grew louder.
