Last night’s pre-game ceremony was an emotional one but tonight’s was even more emotional, if that is even possible. The Leafs honored the spectacular career of Börje Salming. In my opinion, they honored more than what he accomplished on the ice. They honored the fantastic human Börje was and still is to this day. He truly paved the road for European players, more specifically Swedish players. If it wasn’t for Salming, who knows where Swedish hockey would be today?
Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe made a very classy gesture to start this game. As the Leafs organization honored Leafs legend Börje Salming in the pre-game ceremony, Keefe elected to go with an all-Swedish starting lineup. Up front he started Nylander, Engvall, and Jarnkrok. While on the back end, it was Sandin and Liljegren, and between the pipes was Erik Källgren, simply outstanding. Bo Horvat opened the scoring in this one with his thirteenth goal of the year coming off a deflection on a shot from the point by former Leaf defenceman Luke Schenn. The goal came 3:41 into the period. Luke Schenn and Vasily Podkolzin. Denis Malgin was sprung on a breakaway but to no avail, as Ontario native Spencer Martin stopped him. Michael Bunting gets called for interference as he took down JT Miller. Miller wastes absolutely no time as the man advantage started. He let it rip from the top of the circle through a maze of bodies and made absolutely no mistake. The goal was Miller’s eighth of the year. Quinn Hughes and Brock Boeser draw the assists on the 2-0 marker. The Leafs were completely flat and, quite frankly, seemed disinterested during the entire period. William Nylander finally showed some life from the Leafs and forced the Canucks to take their first penalty of the game as Nils Aman was called for holding at 17:47. The Leafs could not generate anything with the man advantage. Still, the Canucks got a grade-A scoring chance short-handed but couldn’t capitalize. Shots on goal after 20 minutes of play were tied 9-9. TOI leader after one was Morgan Rielly with 7:49.
Just 30 seconds into the second period Quinn Hughes was called for a hooking minor on Auston Matthews, giving the Leafs their second power play of the game. This time the top unit went to work and made no mistake as John Tavares moved the puck down the boards to Mitch Marner, who found a wide-open Auston Matthews in the slot who rifled his seventh goal of the year past Spencer Martin. I’m not sure what was said in the Leafs dressing room, but whatever it was, it worked. A great shift from Engvall and Jarnkrok which led to the game-tying goal by Engvall, his second goal of the year, assisted by Jarnkrok and Giordano. That was, without a doubt, the best shift of the season from Jarnkrok and Engvall. They were absolutely relentless on the puck and were not leaving the ice till it was in the Canucks net; fantastic stuff. The Leafs weren’t done there as they hemmed the Canucks in their zone once again, and this time, it resulted in a goal from … Jordie Benn? Yeah! Jordie Benn! His first goal of the year and first as a Maple Leaf! The Leafs did a fantastic job moving the puck around the Canucks zone, and once again, the shift ended with the puck in the Canucks net. Morgan Rielly and William Nylander with the assists on the go-ahead goal. The Leafs completely dominated the first 15 minutes of the middle frame. Full credit to Canucks captain Bo Horvat for taking his team on his back and creating a response shift. As a result of that shift, it forced the Leafs Jordie Benn into taking an interference penalty at 18:42. The Canucks could not tie the game before the end of the period. Still, they had 42 seconds of power play time that would carry over to the third period. Shots on goal in the middle frame were 13-10 in favor of the Leafs and 23-19 overall in favor of the blue and white. TOI leader after 40 minutes was Morgan Rielly with 15:09.
The Canucks came out of the gates flying to start the third period, but the Leafs were able to weather the storm, and they managed to kill off the remaining minor. Seconds after, Timothy Liljegren launched the puck over the glass from behind his net, giving the Canucks yet another power play. Boeser came flying into the Leafs zone and absolutely ripped one past Källgren. Fortunately for Källgren and the Leafs it hit the bar and stayed out. The Canucks generated some momentum with the man advantage, but once again, the Leafs successfully killed it off. After getting out of penalty trouble unscathed, the Leafs responded with a couple of dominant shifts of their own, trying to add to their lead but were unable to do so. With 5:34 to go in regulation, the Leafs take yet another penalty giving the Canucks another power play, this time, it was Zach Aston-Reese for interference. Once again, the Leafs penalty killers come up clutch and kill off yet another one. Teams go end-to-end trading chances right after the Canucks power play. First, it was Auston Matthews who got in all alone but was stopped by Spencer Martin. Followed by a counterattack from the Canucks, but Connor Garland rifled it high and wide. The final few minutes were an absolute fire drill in the Leafs zone, but they somehow managed to pull off the win on Börje Salming’s night by a score of 3-2! Shots on goal in the third period were 11-8 in favor of the Canucks. Shots overall were 35-30 in favor of the blue and white. TOI leader for the Leafs in this one was Morgan Rielly with 22:20.
Tonight’s Three Stars
1. Jordie Benn: 1 Goal (GWG)
2. Auston Matthews: 1 Goal
3. Bo Horvat: 1 Goal
The Leafs concluded a three-game home stand with this one tonight. They head to Pittsburgh, where they will take on the Penguins on Tuesday night. The second time playing the Pens in the last five days. Leafs goaltender Matt Murray is expected to make his long-awaited return from his injury to be the Leafs starting goalie. Quite fitting as it will be Murray’s return to where it all started for him in the NHL and where he won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017, it should be another great matchup!
