While one wonders whether the Toronto Maple Leafs can continue to pile up victories playing wide-open offensive hockey, you cannot dispute that they have thrived under Sheldon Keefe using their ample skill to outscore their opposition. The Leafs took an early lead, surrendered and reestablished it in the second period, and held on for 6-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets at Bell MTS Place on Thursday.
William Nylander scored twice, Kasperi Kapanen, Travis Dermott, Pierre Engvall, and Mitch Marner scored, Frederik Andersen made 45 saves for Toronto, who extended their consecutive point streak to nine games and improved their record under Keefe to 14-4-1.
The Leafs followed the familiar pattern of establishing an early advantage, taking the lead on Nylander’s 18th of the season on a feed from Winnipeg native Adam Brooks, and extending it on a Kapanen snipe past Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck.
The Jets rebounded in the middle frame, registering the first 12 shots of the period and tying the game 2-2 on goals by Kyle Connor and Patrik Laine. Toronto held on through their traditional lull with the help of Andersen making clutch saves and responded offensively in short order. Dermott’s rebound goal and Engvall’s shot off a faceoff 35 seconds apart put the Leafs back up by two, and Marner’s power play marker negated Mark Scheifele’s tally late in the period.
“It wasn't a good second period at all. The back half of the first period wasn't very good either.” Keefe said after the game. “We get up 2-0 -- it could have been four or five (goals) there with a little more luck around the net -- but they had their push. We didn't seem to have very good legs in that second period at all, but we took advantage of the chances when we got there to give ourselves a lead. Our third period was our best period. We had to take care of that lead and I thought did a really good job.”
In the third, Toronto prevented Winnipeg from rallying by maintaining puck control and extended their lead to 6-3 on Nylander’s second goal of the game and eighth in the last seven games.
“(Nylander) just looks really confident and he's feeling it. His linemates have been good around him and he's been making plays to them and they've been making plays to him. He's putting himself in good spots. He's feeling it and he's making good on his chances. It's been fun to watch him here.”
Toronto with the victory has 51 points, three points ahead of third place Tampa Bay, four points ahead of Florida, and has extended their margin over Buffalo to eight points and Montreal to nine points. The Leafs return home for a three-game homestand on Saturday against the New York Islanders.
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The American Hockey League announced the roster for the 2020 AHL All-Star Game on Friday and a pair of Toronto Marlies were selected. Goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo and defenseman Rasmus Sandin were named to the North Division squad.
Kaskisuo is 10-4-1-0 in 15 starts, with a 2.45 goals-against average and .916 save percentage this season. The 26-year-old has played 56 games for the Marlies since 2015, posting a record of 29-14-7, with a .923 goals-against average and a 2.15 save percentage, and led Toronto to a run to the Calder Cup Eastern Conference Final last season.
Sandin has 12 points (2 goals, 10 assists) in 19 games this season. The Uppsala, Sweden native played six games for the Leafs at the start of the season and has five assists in five games for Sweden at the 2020 World Junior Championship..
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