Tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs face the Colorado Avalanche and are going after their seventh straight win. The Avalanche pose a tough test with a star-studded lineup led by Nathan MacKinnon. MacKinnon is on pace for a staggering 130 points. Teammate Mikko Rantanen is also seeking his second 100-point season. And defenseman Cale Makar, already a Norris Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy winner, is part of their potent lineup.
The Avalanche are tied for second place with the Winnipeg Jets in the Central Division, just one point behind the first-place Dallas Stars. They lost a heartbreaker to the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. After their young goalie Justus Annunen held a shutout deep into the game, Dylan Larkin scored on a Detroit power play, and Patrick Kane sealed Detroit’s 2-1 win with the decisive overtime goal.
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If the Avalanche have an Achilles’ heel, it’s that their defensive play hasn’t been as stifling as in previous seasons. The question is if the Maple Leafs can take advantage and capitalize. Avs’ top goalie, Alex Georgiev, brings a .899 save percentage and a 2.90 goals-against-average (GAA) into the game, so there might be the potential for Toronto’s offense to exploit. [Of course, the Maple Leafs Ilya Samsonov brings in his numbers, a .882 save percentage and a 3.19 GAA. So, one can never make too much of the numbers.]
Fans should expect Alexandar Georgiev to start tonight. He’s had a heavy workload, playing 47 games on the season. If the Maple Leafs’ offensive firepower is clicking, it might be a high-scoring game.
Item One: Auston Matthews Is Firing Away at New Records
The Maple Leafs are on fire, and one player is blazing the trail to their success. That’s Auston Matthews. Throughout the season, Matthews has been a force. However, his recent performance has taken his scoring to another level and has carried his team with him.
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Last week was particularly noteworthy for Matthews. He achieved the rare feat of scoring hat tricks in consecutive games for the second time this season and joined an elite group of just five players in NHL history to accomplish the feat. He’s setting a pace for an astonishing 75-goal season.
Now sitting with 52 goals on the season, Matthews has firmly positioned himself in the conversation for the Hart Trophy. While some might critique his assist count, no one can deny the significance of the correlation between his goal-scoring and his team’s victories on the ice.
Thanks to Matthews’ relentless offense and solid defensive play, the Maple Leafs find themselves quickly rising in the standings. The Maple Leafs are not a flawless team; however, when Matthews is firing and scoring, they become a force capable of beating any opponent.
Item Two: Has Nick Robertson Finally Found a Home?
After starting the season without much time on the ice, Nick Robertson seems to have found a place in the team’s lineup that allows him to make an impact. He is starting to find his offensive and defensive rhythm for the Maple Leafs. In his team’s 7-3 win over the Golden Knights, he even blocked two shots. He also put up another assist for a total of four points in his last four games.
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The 22-year-old winger has been thriving on a line with John Tavares and Bobby McMann. There, he has shown outstanding chemistry and gives the Maple Leafs a potent scoring third line. On the season, Robertson now has put up 19 points, with a plus-two rating in 38 games.
Item Three: Simon Benoit Has Become a Solid Asset
Simon Benoit also played a significant role in Thursday’s 7-3 win over the Golden Knights. In that game, he contributed an assist, two shots on goal, three hits, and an impressive plus-three rating. The stay-at-home, tough-as-nails, and keep-it-simple defenseman has become a valuable asset for the team. He now has registered 146 hits, 63 blocked shots, 40 penalty minutes, and a plus-two rating in 42 games.
Benoit’s impact extends beyond point production. He provides toughness, stability, and physicality on the team’s blue line. That’s something the team needed before the season began and will need as they push forward in the season.
Item Three: Marshall Rifai Returned to the Toronto Marlies
Marshall Rifai was reassigned to the American Hockey League (AHL) Toronto Marlies yesterday. Give the 25-year-old defenseman a ton of credit for his first two NHL games. He demonstrated the kind of simple and quiet promise that might land him a place on the team in the future.
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For now, his time in the NHL might have been brief. But Rifai’s performance suggests he’s a player with the potential to develop in the minors. In his two games, he had five hits and earned a plus-one rating. Not bad for his first taste of prime time.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs are gearing up for a challenging stretch. After their game with the tough Colorado team tonight, they have a quick rematch with the Golden Knights next Tuesday and then the Arizona Coyotes later in the week.
The question will be if the team might bring up Joseph Woll for one of those games.
