The Toronto Maple Leafs came into tonight's game with three things in mind.
1) Make sure new guys Ryan O'Reilly and Noel Acciari have a good time in their debuts.
2) Joseph Woll plays like he does for the Marlies.
3) Beat the gosh darn Montreal Canadiens for once this season.
The game began with a heartwarming scene.
Ryan OβReillyβs kids watching dad hit the ice for the first time as a Leaf ππ₯Ή
β B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 19, 2023
(via @coachbri1) pic.twitter.com/7MYFnvWrwK
The first period had no goals, no penalties, but 29 total shots on net; 16-13 for Toronto.
We come close to starting things off with a bang though.
first shift and O'Reilly almost scores! pic.twitter.com/bCh7hOWt9G
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
When O'Reilly scores the SBA is going to erupt.
his name is Ryan O'Reilly pic.twitter.com/Iayux3D8AI
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
Players from both teams came to play, everyone wants to look good on Hockey Night in Canada.
loool Liljegren bamboozled him pic.twitter.com/Wd5wKLcHBr
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
close chance for Drouin but it goes wide pic.twitter.com/dfACT9G4aC
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
The first period is a lot of almosts and close goals. No real ones.
Nylander takes the initial shot and gets the rebound pic.twitter.com/M1PPTaUOnk
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
William Nylander almost had a highlight reel goal there
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
the dangle around Armia pic.twitter.com/4oujAV1Opx
Woll gets a piece of the Hoffman shot pic.twitter.com/zXYu0Wu2kE
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
It's a much busier and hotter than we saw against Chicago.
lol Matthews smiling again pic.twitter.com/zU4znv4GXV
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
Belzile caught Sandin in the hand at the end of the period pic.twitter.com/9IOdtr3y5f
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
Early in the first period things look grim when Josh Anderson scores to give the Canadiens a 1-0 lead.
Josh Anderson scores on the deflection pic.twitter.com/KBu4FQ4hU3
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
The Leafs get the first power play of the evening, thank you Mitch.
Leafs to the PP as Marner is tripped pic.twitter.com/FKxYr6rWEt
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
Then, a terrifying memory comes to mind but is thankfully not repeated.
Vesa Toskala's impact on me is hilarious pic.twitter.com/WQc1sozqvS
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
This power play ends in the game tying goal. Michael Bunting!
MICHAEL BUNTING π¨
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
What a pass from Matthews pic.twitter.com/MgQu1JmicA
John Tavares commits the first infraction for the Leafs. Shockingly, this is such a well behaved team.
Leafs to the PK as Tavares gets the penalty pic.twitter.com/YbYMynnlFV
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
Joe Woll is on top of his game.
Blocker save by Wol pic.twitter.com/8YQnrGIFxp
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
Pierre Engvall was bumped to the fourth line but doesn't care. He'll score anyway.
PIERRE ENGVALL π¨
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
the Giraffe sends a squeaker through pic.twitter.com/zjV4d6qPx4
2-1 Toronto.
Auston Matthews draws another penalty, but does so while fighting through the penalty
Leafs go back to the PP pic.twitter.com/d3pfdGHg1a
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
No goal there, but the stars align for an almost goal.
Matthews to Marner to Nylander
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
the puck slides through but Allen eventually stops it pic.twitter.com/rO72YVRpNf
Michael Bunting doubles up. Will he get the hatty in the third?
MICHAEL BUNTING π¨π¨
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
Ryan O'Reilly gets his first point as a Leaf! pic.twitter.com/ZWTAnStLUT
After two we have four goals scored and it's 3-1 Toronto.
An intermission highlight from prospect Matthew Knies.
#LeafsForever prospect Matthew Knies got that clutch in him. He buries an excellent feed Logan Cooley to win it in OT, after tying it up with less than a minute. He has 20 goals and 36 points in 32 games. pic.twitter.com/t6QjGTZiOi
β More like Nikita GREATbyonkin (@brigstew86) February 19, 2023
Less then five minutes into the third period William Nylander adds to his team leading goal count to make it 4-1.
WILLIAM NYLANDER π¨
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
another wicked feed from Matthews pic.twitter.com/Kf20Kx3IfI
He's going to hit 40 this season and that's great.
Woll is showing off the skills that got him 11 straight wins for the Marlies this year.
Giordano owes Woll dinner pic.twitter.com/9ByC1f52FX
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
A penalty call? For Bunting? Β In the NHL?
Bunting was high-sticked...and they called it π€― pic.twitter.com/4PeGPOe65Z
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
No power play goal for Toronto but the heat is turning up in this game.
well that escalated lol pic.twitter.com/G8rg8uQya3
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
David Kampf gets the fifth Toronto goal of the game and his fifth goal of the season to make it 5-1 Leafs.
DAVID KAMPF π¨
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
FIRST GOAL OF 2023! THE DROUGHT IS OVER! pic.twitter.com/W82dwEy6DI
The Leafs are stopping pucks and frustrating the Habs.
lol friendly fire from O'Reilly on Sandin after Woll makes the save pic.twitter.com/B4nCoB3Prq
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
The team is gelling, getting to know each other on the bench.
Matthews examining Acciari's blade pic.twitter.com/EXkkYZC89O
β Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 19, 2023
The final score was 5-1 for Toronto, and they played as we would expect them to against a team like Montreal. Played hard, scored goals, but didn't relax or take the night off despite playing a bottom feeding opponent.
Huge cheers for the boys tonight. Next up is a trip to Chicago for a 6pm start tomorrow.
Love the next game to start less than 24 hours after the first one. Woo!
See you all tomorrow night!
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