As the Toronto Maple Leafs enter Monday night’s game against the New York Islanders, the team is celebrating one of the most significant wins of the season. They finally won by more than a goal, beating the Nashville Predators 4-0 on Saturday night (Dec. 9). The win was out of character for this team. The question now is whether they can continue to play with the same shutdown defense they showed against the Predators.
The Islanders will also head into tonight’s game on a high note. They handed the Los Angeles Kings their first road loss of the season with a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday. That win was noteworthy because the Kings were about to set an NHL record with 11 consecutive road victories. However, the Islanders scored twice in the third period to push the game to overtime before winning. Tonight, former Islander John Tavares will visit Long Island as he nears his 1000th point.
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In this post, I’ll look at tonight’s game and two questions that could be answered as the Maple Leafs tangle with the Islanders. The first question is about Tavares, specifically, and his treatment by the fans. The second question deals with the team’s solid performance against the Predators.
Question One: What happens If John Tavares Gets Two Points Tonight?
Tavares is two points shy of hitting a huge milestone tonight against the Islanders. In honor of what could be a special night, I want to remember the night he played his first game back against the Islanders.
After signing with the Maple Leafs during the 2018 offseason, Tavares made his first return to Long Island on Feb. 28, 2019. It was a highly publicized and sold-out game. Tavares’ return made it a poignant night at the Nassau Coliseum. He was not welcomed by Islanders fans who had a tough time seeing him wearing a Maple Leafs jersey.
That night marked a significant turn in Tavares’ career as it became apparent he was now an ex-Islander and (many considered him) a hated opponent. Fans who had once cheered for his game-winning moments now expressed their displeasure with boos, passionately negative chants, and not a few rubber snake-throwing incidents. Fans turned the game into a cathartic release of their deep frustration.
It was a tough night for Tavares, who was once the face of the franchise. That February night, the Islanders exacted revenge by dominating the game and defeating the Maple Leafs 6-1. Tavares didn’t get a point in the game, and Zach Hyman scored the team’s only goal. The night was an emotional rollercoaster.
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Tonight, after almost five years (and COVID), life has moved on for Tavares and Islanders fans. The question remains how he might be received.
I’m sure he gets it and (in an odd way) deeply appreciates the jeers he received that night. They wouldn’t have spent that kind of energy on someone who didn’t matter. However, wouldn’t it be great to have him register two points to hit the 1,000-point mark? I honestly wonder whether the crowd would cheer or jeer.
Question Two: Can the Maple Leafs Reprise the Predators Game?
With the win on Saturday, the Maple Leafs broke the recent trend of fighting to hold a one-goal lead or fighting to catch up. Almost every game this season has been closely contested. Of the eight games leading up to the 4-0 win, seven were decided by a goal.
After a scoreless first period against the Predators, the Maple Leafs simply dominated the second period. David Kampf scored the game’s first goal and the eventual game-winner, and Auston Matthews scored within four minutes after. Matthews’ second goal of the game, with 3:11 left in the third period, and Noah Gregor’s seal-the-deal empty-netter with 1:31 left sent the Predators home hungry.
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The Maple Leafs’ strong second period set the stage for a shut-down third, outshooting the Predators 18-5 in the final frame and 37-18 overall. It seemed that the critical factor in the game was the team’s collective effort to play tight defense so they could safeguard goalie Ilya Samsonov from facing overly challenging situations. Samsonov had not played since Nov. 24, and it was his first game since suffering from a tough illness.
If this was the strategy, the team executed it successfully. The Maple Leafs worked together in front of Samsonov and shielded him from really difficult saves, which allowed him to settle in. This game was precisely what the doctor ordered.
One Game Against the Islanders, Two Questions to Be Answered
The two questions that will be answered tonight are how the Islanders will receive their one-time favorite son and whether the team can reprise their shutdown game.
If the answer to the first is that the fans receive Tavares positively, it would be a nice gesture toward the future Hall of Fame center. If the answer to the second is that Saturday’s game against the Predators becomes the norm rather than the exception, it sure bodes well for the team moving forward.
