My first W
The Leafs win! The Leafs win! Beat the Hurricanes 4-1 on the road.
My first W for this blog. Quick takes before I go watch the Raptors.
1. Really workmanlike game for the first 40 minutes before we kicked into another gear in the third period. With Hyman suspended for two games, Brown moved up to take the LW spot next to Tavares, and Gauthier (Gaut!) was back on the fourth line with Lindholm and Ennis.
And that fourth line was really solid early on and Ennis got the first goal of the game. Gaut did most of the work on the forecheck, and Ennis was able to find some space right in front of the net.
I like Ennis' game. He's scored 20 goals in this league before, at a time when the game wasn't as widely open as it is nowadays. There's a reason Babs put him next to Matthews to start the season. He's had some injury issues, but those hands won't go anywhere. He's a nice scoring option to have in the bottom six.
2. Gaut hit a post about 6 minutes into the second period, but the Hurricanes were the better team in the middle frame. Freddie had a dismal game against Boston over the weekend but bounced back nicely in this one, looking calm and composed in net like his usual self.
The other guys tied things up on PP after some defensive breakdown, but we responded almost right away. Caught a break when Rielly's pass/shot attempt went in off Hamilton's stick. That turned out to be the GWG.
3. Nylander's third game since signing that big deal, and this was his best game since his return, as it should be. The next one will be his best game back.
He was credited with the secondary assist on Rielly's goal. And had the primary assist by setting up Marleau on a 2-on-1 break. Showed good patience to make this pretty pass.
Early in the game, Nylander had the stick on the puck often with some open ice, and showed the kind of hands and speed that can make him a dangerous weapon once he's back to 100 percent.
He also got called for a couple of penalties late in his shifts when his feet weren't moving and he was grabbing and swinging his stick high. His legs aren't there yet, clearly. And that's to be expected. He just got thrown into the fire that is December hockey.
4. I still like Nylander with Kadri and Marleau. But Babs will move Nylander back to the Matthews line when he decides Willie is ready. I hope he doesn't make that change, but he's an NHL head coach with a Stanley Cup ring, and I am just a scribe who blogs.
My first W for this blog. Quick takes before I go watch the Raptors.
1. Really workmanlike game for the first 40 minutes before we kicked into another gear in the third period. With Hyman suspended for two games, Brown moved up to take the LW spot next to Tavares, and Gauthier (Gaut!) was back on the fourth line with Lindholm and Ennis.
And that fourth line was really solid early on and Ennis got the first goal of the game. Gaut did most of the work on the forecheck, and Ennis was able to find some space right in front of the net.
I like Ennis' game. He's scored 20 goals in this league before, at a time when the game wasn't as widely open as it is nowadays. There's a reason Babs put him next to Matthews to start the season. He's had some injury issues, but those hands won't go anywhere. He's a nice scoring option to have in the bottom six.
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| Because I need pictures in the blog... |
2. Gaut hit a post about 6 minutes into the second period, but the Hurricanes were the better team in the middle frame. Freddie had a dismal game against Boston over the weekend but bounced back nicely in this one, looking calm and composed in net like his usual self.
The other guys tied things up on PP after some defensive breakdown, but we responded almost right away. Caught a break when Rielly's pass/shot attempt went in off Hamilton's stick. That turned out to be the GWG.
3. Nylander's third game since signing that big deal, and this was his best game since his return, as it should be. The next one will be his best game back.
He was credited with the secondary assist on Rielly's goal. And had the primary assist by setting up Marleau on a 2-on-1 break. Showed good patience to make this pretty pass.
Perfectly placed on Patty’s tape as Marleau and @wmnylander connect in Carolina. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/44S9nrvZ2N— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) December 12, 2018
Early in the game, Nylander had the stick on the puck often with some open ice, and showed the kind of hands and speed that can make him a dangerous weapon once he's back to 100 percent.
He also got called for a couple of penalties late in his shifts when his feet weren't moving and he was grabbing and swinging his stick high. His legs aren't there yet, clearly. And that's to be expected. He just got thrown into the fire that is December hockey.
4. I still like Nylander with Kadri and Marleau. But Babs will move Nylander back to the Matthews line when he decides Willie is ready. I hope he doesn't make that change, but he's an NHL head coach with a Stanley Cup ring, and I am just a scribe who blogs.
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