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# Leafs deliver an emphatic win over the Lightning
- URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/leafs-deliver-an-emphatic-win-over-the-lightning/
- Published: 2024-10-22T02:16:27.000Z
- Updated: 2024-10-22T02:16:27.000Z
- Description: Amazon delivered an amazing quality broadcast.
- Author: Cathy Squires
- Tags: Game Coverage

After a genuinely fun pregame, and some obviously hot quality video (for a change – looking at you TSN), the game is underway with John Forslund on play-by-play. I know him of old from when you got US broadcasts, and he was doing 'Canes games. 

### First Period

Max Domi gets an early rush, and he ... goes behind the net to bounce out a pass to no one. 

This is a track meet with multiple early rush chances. 

Then the Leafs pin the Bolts top pair in deep. 

The colour man, Thomas Hickey, says this is the fastest he's seen from ice level, and he's not wrong. 

Scores!!! This Domi pass went to someone. 

> the second line strikes [pic.twitter.com/tVLxkzVNdv](https://t.co/tVLxkzVNdv?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 21, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848512982734790716?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

**1-0 Leafs**

Commentary emphasizing the inner slot area the Leafs are getting into easily. I'm enjoying both the play and the discussion of it.

> Pacioretty says hi [pic.twitter.com/LJ2q8kZu94](https://t.co/LJ2q8kZu94?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 21, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848513167007101288?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Tampa finally gets a bit of a cycle and Stolarz makes a couple of saves.

Brandon Hagel makes a move on temp defender Nylander and gets a good chance.

> celebrated too early [pic.twitter.com/gvWyGgbBmx](https://t.co/gvWyGgbBmx?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848514662725206441?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Stolarz with a nice save on Nikita Kucherov. 

Tampa takes a penalty late in the first so the power play gets to practice. It's okay, not anything too good or bad.

Then Simon Benoit scores for the Lightning. He has no luck that isn't bad lately.

> Stolarz made the initial save but Benoit knocked it in [pic.twitter.com/cJMgPpg59G](https://t.co/cJMgPpg59G?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848517725242491270?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

**Tie Game**

Craig Berube got Benoit right back out on the second shift after the goal against. 

This is a hit that regains possession, and is therefore a good and fun play.

> Bobby McMann [pic.twitter.com/m4ubeqUvPe](https://t.co/m4ubeqUvPe?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848518131200770387?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2024/10/20242025-20091-sva.png)

Leafs dominated the first half, but Tampa came back with some good shooting of their own. Leafs with the best sustained quality offence of any game so far this season. 

### Second Period

Tampa takes a penalty very early and it's to the power play again.

Scores! Mitch Marner takes a shot that just sits there and why, that's Auston Matthews.

> Marner and Nylander play catch   
>  
> Matthews buries the loose puck for his third of the year [pic.twitter.com/ilaM1OaTjQ](https://t.co/ilaM1OaTjQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848525217808977959?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

**2-1 Leafs**

The fourth line gets a long shift in the offensive zone, and Pontus Holmberg looks a lot better in this role. 

Top line tries a tic-tac-toe, but the toe din't really have a good shot. Tic and tac were good, though.

> Knies starts the offensive rush and almost finishes it [pic.twitter.com/60xmAsZLAz](https://t.co/60xmAsZLAz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848526518894350618?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

John Tavares and friends get a long scrum in the offensive zone, and this is the hardnosed defending I expected from Tampa.

Scores! He Cannot Be Stopped!

> McMann takes the hit to make the play and gets the primary on Nylander's goal [pic.twitter.com/Y22EL8tk9R](https://t.co/Y22EL8tk9R?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848527559668965536?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

**3-1 Leafs**

It's fun to hear a whole new set of broadcasters fall in love with Bobby McMann, too.

Wow. Max Pacioretty now has the "back in the lineup and scores". 

> LOL
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848528602700169534?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

**4-1 Leafs**

Moneypuck has that shot at 1.5% of a chance to be a goal. 

Wow. I keep saying that, I know. But Andrei Vasilevskiy is out for Jonas Johansson. Tampa is playing back-t0-back as well, so that's a factor. 

The Tampa fourth line comes out hard, but Stolarz Stealerz all the pucks. 

Domi takes an emo penalty following the good Tampa pushback as does McMann. So this is a five-on-three. There is some controversy around who exactly took the helmet off the Tampa player, but the refs are unmoved by the yelling from the Leafs bench.

> Domi was called for hooking [pic.twitter.com/tOUp9bSCqc](https://t.co/tOUp9bSCqc?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848530252009533604?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

> McMann got called for roughing for removing the helmet [pic.twitter.com/fWzTRKXWzJ](https://t.co/fWzTRKXWzJ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848530461200412938?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Stolarz with the save of the year as far as I'm concerned. Holy cow.

> Stolarz pulls it from the goal line!  
>  
> What a night for him! [pic.twitter.com/2tZqFVNTpO](https://t.co/2tZqFVNTpO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848531370357711352?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

In some more confidence building, both Benoit and Holmberg were out on the five-on-three. Five shots, five saves from Stolarz and he gets a standing-O.

Oh my. I was still enjoying the Mitch Marner steal and then Knies just rifled it home. 

> five-hole goal to make it 5-1 [pic.twitter.com/sXSKd4ibn1](https://t.co/sXSKd4ibn1?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848532979850543435?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

**5-1 Leafs**

OEL on the ice after a hit: What the fuck was that? The ref thinks it's roughing.

> Guentzel is called for roughing [pic.twitter.com/CcPptI3p5D](https://t.co/CcPptI3p5D?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848533578872983956?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

I again neither hated nor loved that power play. A lot of long shots from the points. 

Nylander tried to get Nick Robertson a goal, but nope. 

> another odd-man rush for the Leafs   
>  
> Robertson nearly got his first [pic.twitter.com/EV2jPeqrWM](https://t.co/EV2jPeqrWM?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848535597473747221?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Tavares takes a penalty near the end of the period. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2024/10/20242025-20091-cfdiff-all.png)

Proof the Leafs are getting some shots on the PP, and that that Tampa five-on-three was nasty. 

### Third Period

Leafs open on the PK.

They're talking way too much on air about Chris Tanev blocking shots, but if that's the price for never any faceoff talk, I'm good.

Domi line again just tuning up the Lightning top line. It's endless chances against them. If the price of Domi was one of emo penalties or sometimes very dumb passes, he'd have a lot more fans. As it stands, this is a rock solid game from him. Hard to ask for much more.

> McMann-Domi-Nylander are it [pic.twitter.com/492gPs6PM9](https://t.co/492gPs6PM9?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848541994261332222?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Ekman-Larsson sits for his retaliation hit on Guentzel. Leafs kill it with style. 

> Ekman-Larsson is called for interference on Guentzel [pic.twitter.com/Hu5YM4hvRX](https://t.co/Hu5YM4hvRX?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848542387863245000?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Tampa takes a turn with their PK and Toronto tries a big spread-out PP scheme. Shots, but no goals.

Leafs just spend all evening in the Tampa zone here. No turtles in sight. Tampa is flummoxed completely.

Domi picks a fight with Zemgus Girgensons after a hit. Domi takes the extra minor for roughing.

> other angle of the fight [pic.twitter.com/Cf27Bk3WFS](https://t.co/Cf27Bk3WFS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848545614608445634?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Oh, and look, a Tampa player final scored a goal. 

> Brayden Point makes it 5-2 on the power play [pic.twitter.com/wy1Ua9bIMt](https://t.co/wy1Ua9bIMt?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848546366424813631?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

**5-2 Leafs**

> Bobby McMann used Mega Forecheck   
>  
> it missed the net but it was effective [pic.twitter.com/5hy88wURzD](https://t.co/5hy88wURzD?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848546773817823586?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Refs make a bad call on a Pontus Holmberg ENG, and it can't be challenged, but wow the crowd wants Pontus to have that goal after a good game. More confidence and team building as Berube argues this one loud. 

> that should be a goal   
>  
> Lorentz drops it, and passes it to Holmberg [pic.twitter.com/5cHauVsz0b](https://t.co/5cHauVsz0b?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [October 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1848548363169337604?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Lots of action after the horn. The ref kicks them all off the ice. Very emo end of the game. 

In general, the Leafs outplayed a shaky Tampa team at five-on-five. I like a lot about their play, but I'm still a bit iffy on all this dumping it in and forechecking. Yes it works, and it's fun when McMann or Knies steamroller a guy. But there were some moments in this game when some Keefe-esque defence by maintaining possession would have been a better choice. It doesn't have to be one or the other, you can have both.