Here’s our lines:

GO LEAFS GO!

PERIOD ONE

Puck drop is right on time — 7:16 PM EST, only a quarter of an hour after the start time listed on the schedule.

Pretty slow start to the game.

Halfway through the period and there are a grand total of eight shots between the two teams, none of them really quality scoring chances.

Great, just what we needed...

GOAL: Pearson scores, 1-0 Canucks.

GOAL: Auston Matthews laughs at your one goal lead. 1-1 Tie Game.

Brooks almost set up Thornton for another goal on a 2 on 1, but Demko just got a piece of it. Moments later, Muzzin takes a penalty and the Leafs are heading to the PK.

Jack making some big saves on the PK.

First Period Thoughts

Offense: Leafs coasting through this game so far. They generated only 11 shot attempts, 6 which were on net. They have 0.55 xGF in the period, well below their usual pace.

Defense: They did an... okay job. They did give up 19 shot attempts, good for 0.66 xGA. That might be about normal for them in terms of the quality of scoring chances against, but due to the poor offense they’re sitting at 37% shot attempt share and 45% expected goal share.

Special teams: They only had the powerplay, and while Jack did have to make some good saves they also did a pretty good job breaking things up and controlling the puck for a bit. Dermott had a nice pass to spring Marner for a chance, where only Boeser saved Hughes from making the wrong side of the highlight reel.

Standouts: The top line continues to dominate, I admit I’ve come around a lot on Foligno with Matthews and Marner. They work quite well together.

Heatmap:

PERIOD TWO

Taylor Hall would have scored this.

Auston: [Grimacing face emoji]

GOAL: Auston Matthews cannot be stopped. 2-1 Leafs.

Tavares got boarded by Myers and if they keep trying to hurt our players then the city of Vancouver is going to riot.

Mikheyev had a breakaway, lost the puck, then almost scored anyway.

Toronto’s 71 > Vancouver’s 71. It’s been scientifically proven.

Second Period Thoughts

Offense: A bit better. They had 14 shot attempts, 10 on net, and had a slightly better 0.62 xGF in the second period.

Defense: About the same. They gave up 20 shot attempts and 0.62 xGA, so they had a better shot attempt share at 41% and an even expected goal share at 50%. They could do with a bit more offensive pressure, and a bit better shutting things down. But I expect with a lead in the third period we’ll see it go the other way, but they may get better chances off of rushes the other way.

Standouts: The first line is killing it. The fourth line has been killed. Brooks-Spezza-Thornton are having a ROUGH go of it tonight.

Special teams: Only been the one penalty all game, from the first period.

Heatmap:

PERIOD THREE

Goal: ADAM BROOKS IS THE BEST CENTER IN THE NORTH DIVISION! 3-1 Leafs.

The Leafs’ defense is taking a lot of punishment to their nose/mouth area today.

GOAL: Galchenyuk makes it 4-1 Leafs.

GOAL: Joe Thornton scores an empty netter. 5-1 Leafs.

Final Thoughts

Offense: The Leafs had a similar period as the second, which was a bit better than the first. They kept it pretty simple and safe, but capitalized on one chance and an empty netter. They did have more shot attempts, but the expeced goals for was about the same.

Defense: They absolutely shut things down. Vancouver had nothing going, fewer than 10 shot attempts and very little in the way of quality chances.

Special teams: The Leafs had one powerplay, and didn’t score. It looked okay. Just okay.

Heatmap:

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