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# Friday's FTB: The early morning after the late night
- URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-the-early-morning-after-the-late-night/
- Published: 2026-10-09T05:01:46.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-09T05:01:46.000Z
- Description: This turned into a recap, so have a late night FTB.
- Author: Cathy Squires
- Tags: From The Branches, Game Coverage

The first period was wild in a good way.

This was bad goaltending, but a very good play that led to the chance.

> JACK ROSLOVIC 🚨  
>  
> goals in back-to-back to start the game! [pic.twitter.com/qC0QtLSQ11](https://t.co/qC0QtLSQ11?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 9, 2026](https://x.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2108379984490291284?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

This was just awesomeness in several ways: 

> Tanev has the sole assist and he deserves  
>  
> blocks the shot with his chest and sends Cowan [pic.twitter.com/baAme2jUOR](https://t.co/baAme2jUOR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 9, 2026](https://x.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2108381204970152087?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

The only reason Easton Cowan was right there to take off was because Brandon Duhaime collided by the Vegas net and was very slow to get to the bench for Cowan to come on.

> McKenna waits for Raddysh as the trailer   
>  
> blast from the point and Paul deflects it [pic.twitter.com/RRQGD48a9S](https://t.co/RRQGD48a9S?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 9, 2026](https://x.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2108383144563134584?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

It's really hard to see the deflection, but okay. Maybe it's Paul's goal.

Vegas got one back on a big-time slapper from Mark Stone. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/10/20262027-20065-5v5.png)

Even the PK was fairly good after McKenna went to the box on this season's weak call of choice: 

> McKenna to the box for hooking [pic.twitter.com/US3WG0Gwo8](https://t.co/US3WG0Gwo8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 9, 2026](https://x.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2108387842716209433?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Now. Did anyone really think Vegas was going to just keep lying on the ice like they were on vacation? Or were they going to play a tiny bit better?

Brett Howden scored, then Morgan Rielly pulled down Jack Eichel and gave him a gift-wrapped penalty shot.

> penalty shot for Eichel [pic.twitter.com/tKjo4Bitkv](https://t.co/tKjo4Bitkv?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 9, 2026](https://x.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2108395506061992035?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

And then for fun, Vegas had a power play, and Brandon Duhaime was out for almost the entire PK because they never cleared to puck long enough for everyone to change. Sergei Bobrovsky kept them in it with a great save.

> HOLY BOBROVSKY! WHAT A SAVE! [pic.twitter.com/waXsgs0zdY](https://t.co/waXsgs0zdY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 9, 2026](https://x.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2108396834276216891?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Seriously, this is PK full of very experienced, genuinely gifted players plying their craft and they are awful. It's weird. To be fair, they were better the next time the Leafs took a dumb and badly timed penalty. 

The Leafs survived the second period and came out of it tied at three-all. Not a quality performance in withstanding a top team actually trying hard. 

All-situations, so you can see the full glorious horror that was Vegas waking up and playing: 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/10/20262027-20065-cfdiff-all.png)

In the third period Nylander and Marchenko swapped lines, as they did in the Nashville game.

To up the difficulty level, Bo Groulx took a penalty behind the play, giving Vegas their fifth power play. The score was still three-all when that was over. 

To be clear about this PK, they aren't playing the PK itself really badly, they seem to have decent structure. They just never clear the puck. 

OEL hit the glass/ice hard on a hit and left the game immediately with less than two minutes left. I will caution you with the fact that no one goes to the room right away like OEL does. So don't assume he's hurt very badly.

> Ekman-Larsson went to the dressing room  
>  
> his head hit the ice [pic.twitter.com/R046ZgV95A](https://t.co/R046ZgV95A?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 9, 2026](https://x.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2108417651470909610?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Overtime was necessary again to decide this one. 

But it decided nothing. Well. Bobrovsky is really good at playing the puck in a three-on-three. Otherwise, Morgan Rielly hit a post. 

The shootout, the worst thing in hockey, gave the second point no one earned to Vegas. 

The Leafs move onto Colorado for Saturday's game. 

And that's all. If there was news, it wasn't very interesting news. Have a great Friday.