The Toronto Maple Leafs completed their third and hopefully last game without their captain with another power-play-style victory on home ice. Conor Timmins put the Leafs in the lead after a well-executed opening period. The special teams were next in the second period as William Nylander and Mitch Marner scored on the power play and penalty kill, respectively. Brendan Gallagher answered for the Montreal Canadiens with a man-advantage goal, but John Tavares restored the three-goal lead to close out the middle frame.
. . .
The Leafs did what they were supposed to against a team at the bottom of the division. Montreal tried to get them to bend, but they didn’t break and limited their mistakes. They also didn’t give up much in front of Woll at five-on-five save for Gallagher’s goal. Of all the positives from this one, the power play not being a flash in the pan stands out the most. With the players on this roster, the power play should strike fear into their opponents. With another two goals on four opportunities, it’s finally starting to look like it. The team gets an A-.
I mean it’s November, so let’s hold off on the grading for a little bit yet.
It’s great to see a power play rolling. That’s one major piece that’s needed for playoff success. It’s too bad the conditioning is still an issue (I think this is one of their most major issues honestly), and it’s already starting to show in the injuries that are beginning to pile on. Toss in a goalie made of glass (Stolarz is looking good though), and I’m just not quite a believer yet.
Way too early to hit the panic button, but also too early to be grading them.