Leafs’ stars stretch win streak to five

Article content material

Jack Campbell has described the elevated output from the Maple Leafs most magical – and maligned – stars as “the massive canine are comin’ to play.”

Article content material

Not solely are they off-leash, they’re exhibiting offensive chew in a five-game win streak, the final two coming towards Tampa Bay after which Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Boston Bruins, two large W’s in an Atlantic Division that didn’t get any simpler in Toronto’s one-year absence.

Auston Matthews had two targets on a ressurected energy play. Mitch Marner now has 11 factors in his previous 5 video games, whereas John Tavares additionally scored a pair. With helpers from William Nylander and Morgan Rielly, it was an 11-point evening from the highest of the staff’s wage grid.

Behind it was good defensive play and Jack Campbell’s 40 saves that improved his file to 6-2-1. The ‘Tuuuuka’ chants that used to permeate this collection when Bruins’ goalie Rask dominated have modified to ‘Sooooup’ for the recent Leafs’ keeper.        

Article content material

Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe needs to be drastically relieved that the ability play is catching hearth. He equated its drab numbers thus far with static of their 5-on-5 play at puck drop. However 4 of their previous six targets have include an additional man, together with 6-on-5 to pressure additional time towards Tampa Bay and a 4-on-3 PP to win on Thursday. Tavares had a bizarre even-strength aim to begin the Leafs off Saturday, however then it was Matthews with two extra-man strikes, together with his fiftieth profession. He has 5 targets the previous six video games, whereas Tavares’ strike within the third after popping out of the penalty field was his team-leading sixth.

Boston coach Bruce Cassidy was not shopping for the Leafs’ energy play issues, singling it out within the morning media briefing for particular consideration and warning his staff needed to keep above Matthews.

Article content material

“There’s all the time one thing with him, his launch or he’s kicking it out someplace (to a winger),” Cassidy mentioned.

On his first, approaching a David Pastrnak boarding name that splattered TJ Brodie, Marner corralled a puck that appeared out of his attain to get it on web with Matthews exhibiting good rebound management. On the second, after Brad Marchand received too rambunctious with Timothy Liljegren in entrance of Campbell, Matthews launched from the precise faceoff dot after a Marner go to beat Linus Ullmark brief aspect.

The Leafs buzzed Ullmark early and sometimes, with Rielly getting one previous him solely to have a Boston teammate make the save on the road. On that very same entertaining shift, wherein Travis Dermott broke up an odd-man rush with a diving stick cease, the Leafs drew a penalty, however couldn’t money in on it.

Article content material

The other was true of Boston when Jake Muzzin was referred to as for delay of sport for shoving a Bruin into the Leaf web arduous sufficient to dislodge it. It took Taylor Corridor simply 14 seconds to tip in Patrice Bergeron’s level shot.

The circumstances of the Muzzin penalty led to a break for the Leafs later within the interval as Bergeron jostled with Tavares within the crease, captain pushing captain, arduous sufficient to push the pipes off. Bergeron was judged the aggressor, lengthy earlier than the web got here off, with Tavares awarded a aim on the play, Bergeron’s unlawful motion verified by video.

The spirit of reunion and a whiff of the playoff rivalry was within the air all day as Boston performed is first sport towards the Leafs at Scotiabank since October of 2019. This was Keefe’s first sport gainst the Bruins, although acquainted names reminiscent of Bergeron, Marchand and Pastrnak abounded.

Article content material

“It’s important to know the place these guys are on the ice and it takes all 5 guys to bear in mind,” Matthews mentioned of Boston.

His common line of Nylander and Michael Bunting was a brand new wrinkle for Boston because the Leafs.    

“We’ve progressed properly in the previous couple of video games, simply little issues,” Matthews mentioned. “We’ve positively upped the compete degree a bit, discovering one another.”

Campbell got here into the sport sixth in NHL goals-against common at 1.86 and never about to get a relaxation with Petr Mrazek unavailable with a lingering groin harm.

“I wouldn’t name (Campbell’s workload) a priority as a result of he’s been fairly wholesome,” Keefe mentioned earlier than the sport. “We’ve managed to do properly (balancing) off days and observe days. The schedule has been fairly good, no back-to-backs developing till the tip of subsequent week. We’re simply very comfy with Jack.”

lhornby@postmedia.com