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OT LETDOWN: Maple Leafs edged by Rangers in Matthews’ return

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Auston Matthews gave Sheldon Keefe every part in his return, besides a objective.

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And on an evening when Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin was stopping nearly each Maple Leaf, the clean beside his identify on the scoresheet factored in New York’s 2-1 extra time win. The house aspect might solely produce one objective on the Russian in 41 pictures, regardless of proudly owning seven of each 10 attracts and a lot of the key possession numbers in Matthews’ return.

Nevertheless probably the most very important faceoff went in opposition to them, as Artemi Panarin scored at 3:48 off a draw to Jack Campbell’s left after he’d made some large stops of his personal for the Leafs. Toronto’s document fell to 2-1-1, with three residence video games the place attendance has been a couple of hundred to 1,000 beneath capability since crowd limits had been eliminated.

However nothing might wipe the smile off a relieved Matthews, who underwent August wrist surgical procedure in hopes he might play pain-free this season.

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“For the primary recreation, I can undoubtedly stroll away comfortable,” Matthews stated after 16 shot makes an attempt in regulation, no less than two probabilities to win in OT and virtually 23 minutes. “I had good probabilities, beauty and that’s all you’ll be able to ask for. The fellows round me helped me get into the sport actually early.”

Final 12 months’s NHL objective chief had an early alternative with open ice with New York penalized inside the match’s first two minutes. He fired off a pair that Shesterkin stared down, received the draw on a second minor and despatched William Nylander away with a flick off the iron. He had a swing at an open cage within the fennzy that was 3-on-3 extra time.

“It felt superior, you possibly can really feel the vitality across the rink,” Matthews stated. “We’d have favored to have that second level, however to be in entrance of followers once more, it was enjoyable.

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“I didn’t thoughts each second being on the market, it was a blast being with the blokes.”

Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews (left) and New York Rangers’ Greg McKegg battle for the puck during the second period. JOHN E. SOKOLOWSKI/USA TODAY SPORTS
Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews (left) and New York Rangers’ Greg McKegg battle for the puck in the course of the second interval. JOHN E. SOKOLOWSKI/USA TODAY SPORTS

The Rangers opened he scoring when Mika Zibanejad made probably the most of a slot likelihood then went off the publish, the net-cam and out so quick it wanted video assessment to substantiate.

It wasn’t till the Leafs’ second line of John Tavares, Nylander and Michael Bunting went to work within the center interval, with Bunting’s second objective in as many video games, that the Leafs regained momentum, solely to lose it with two penalties of their very own, one for too many males.

Keefe stated he was glad Matthews was pushed as a lot as he was, given the Leafs don’t play once more till Friday.

“He was throughout it, throughout the online. If that retains taking place (he’ll rating) in bunches. I let him know my intentions had been to play him as I usually would. We had two actually lengthy energy performs rapidly and extra time, nevertheless it was good for him to undergo that. I believed he was very efficient.”

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Matthews has to deliver up the video games of Mitch Marner and their new left winger Nick Ritchie, as properly.

If there was a side of Matthews’ return that excited Keefe, it was lastly having all components of his new-look energy play displayed.

“That’s the one space in fact the place we need to enhance in nice trying again to final season,” the coach stated previous to the sport. “It’s been an elevated problem not having him in pre-season video games and really minimal follow reps with Auston’s presence. We tried to imitate it, preserving Ilya Mikheyev there as a left shot, nevertheless it’s not fairly the identical. We’re anxious to get it collectively right this moment and construct from there.”

New assistant coach Spencer Carbery drew up a brand new energy play blueprint in the summertime that places Marner within the bumper place, Matthews and Nylander on the wings and Tavares in entrance of the online. However they got here up empty on three tries.

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Faceoffs, takeaways and suggestions are among the many common enhancements Matthews brings after day without work with wrist surgical procedure.

“He makes us a deeper workforce,” Keefe stated. “I believed everybody did an excellent job in his absence, however after right this moment, everybody slots in a bit of bit completely different. We’ve moved the strains round, however we all know we’re a greater workforce with Auston.”

Campbell was a rock in web for the Leafs and although going through virtually half the probabilities, made as many robust saves as Shesterkin. He did need the final one again, saying he was a bit of out of place on the bang-bang play off he draw.

Coach Gerard Gallant’s, whose Rangers improved to 2-1-1 with wins in Montreal and right here was the primary coach of an American workforce to go to SBA in common season since Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper on March 10, 2020. To a listing of early season Rangers’ exits, Ryan Strome is sitting out COVID-19 protocol and Kaapo Kakko is on IR. That’s two top-six forwards and although a formidable first line stays with Alexis Lafreniere, Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, a winger should be discovered for second liners Artemi Panarin and Filip Chytil.

He referred to as Shesterkin “excellent” and few Leafs would argue.

lhornby@postmedia.com

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