There is a non-zero chance I’m going to fall asleep during this game. Oh well.
Auston Matthews line starts against what I’m informed are the checking line.
Curtis McElhinney passes the first test of the night, but the Leafs have a scrambly time in their own zone, allowing too much access to the front of the net.
On yet another power play, Zaitsev creates some chances but JVR can’t get it by Bernier.
Goodness Marner’s zippy
A delayed power play is called for the Ducks but and they go down from “reasonable pace” to slow motion.
Fowler blows a tire goes sprawling it gets out of the zone
Ducks Power Play took a long time to look like a powerplay
A play falls apart, Jake Gardiner freezes, and the puck gets up to Wagner, beating out Alexey Marchenko. Marchenko never manages to get ahead of him and McElhinney clearly thinks Wagner’s pass is going to be a shot and he’s late trying to stop Rakell’s smooth shot.
This is not a particularly fast game.
A huge open ice hit by Josh Manson on JvR makes Species angry.
Nikita Zaitsev’s shot from the point beats Bernier, with a tiny amount of help from Hyman. Then we get the challenge for offside. The Leafs won the challenge, but I should have gone down for a nap at the time.
I’m not sure whether the Ducks’ slow PP is contagious or if there’s an invisible force-field on their blueline.
There seem to be a lot of chances right on the doorstop somewhere for both teams, including a few for Tyler Bozak. Whatever, defence is optional.
2nd period
How many times are we going to hear “they should be fresh” about a team coming off the bye week? Cause it seems like it’s a lot, and the team in question is never fresh. They may not lose but they don’t look “fresh”.
I feel like the camera angle is unusually high which makes it harder to focus on the game and avoid falling asleep.
Morgan Rielly goes down the tunnel with 18:52 remaining. This gets him off the ice after an icing. He’s both blocked a shot and had a Duck fall on him by this point - the high ankle sprain he’s been nursing can’t feel good.
Power Play: Perry off for high sticking as Hunwick goes down weird.
Marner does Marner things again but Kadri has to try and shoot backhand and it doesn’t work
Rielly was back and stretching only a few seconds later.
Corey Perry ends up in the box for the third time. This one might be debatable, but it’s more or less his fault that Rielly ends up on the ice so I’ll allow it. Marner does Marner things before magically getting the puck to Bozak. Bozak can’t score but Kadri gets his rebound.
This was assist number 35 for Mitch Marner; the Leafs rookie record for assists is 40. Also Chris Johnston reports this means Marner has hit a bonus.
Apparently we’re supposed to feel sorry for Perry because he has three penalties, and is in a slump... Nope.
And here are 16 seconds every Leaf wants back.
Time out. Put Freddie Andersen in please Babcock. Babs isn’t listening to me.
There’s a lot of back and forth play with neither side looking particularly organized.
Ducks are apparently the team that gives up the fewest 3rd period goals this season. Joy
3rd period
Leafs spend some solid time in the Ducks zone, including an A+ chance for Nylander. Ducks keep icing it.
Bozak has had a few great chances but can’t bury it.
11:35 Leafs in trouble saved by delayed offside
Marner has been both good and bad tonight
Cogliano breakaway but combo of Kadri and McElhinney stops him.
McElhinney gets the puck stuck in his equipment
Babs pulls the goalie for the extra attacker with at least 2:43 left. Eaves gets the empty netter to make it 5-2, his first goal as a Duck.
And that’s the game. Flashes of brilliance as always, particularly Marner, Nylander and Bozak; but a game they (and I) would like to forget.
