If the Toronto Maple Leafs hoped to make their games a bit more thrilling for fans, they succeeded once again on Thursday night. Fortunately, Mitch Marner finally jumped up to show his offensive ability with the second hat trick of his career.
Between Marner and Joseph Woll in goal, the Maple Leafs beat the Seattle Kraken 4-3. By the way, just for good measure, Marner also scored the shootout winner.
Despite looking a bit like a Star Wars Stormtrooper by wearing a full shield and cage due to his recent injury, Marner broke an eight-game goal-scoring drought with a three-goal game. Auston Matthews also jumped in to contribute two assists and a shootout goal. While Marner was the night’s hero, the team would not have won without the stellar play of Woll. He made crucial save after save to keep his team in the game and led to their shootout win.
The Kraken put up a strong performance, but the Maple Leafs emerged with a hard-fought win.
Item One: Marner’s Goal-Scoring Lights Maple Leafs’ Fire
Marner finally had the kind of game fans were waiting for with his goal-scoring outburst. His hat trick accounted for every Maple Leafs’ goal scored in regulation. Then, the game-deciding shootout winner showed he was in a fine groove.
Marner now has 23 points in 21 games. That’s a lot for most NHL players, but Marner is not an everyday NHLer. Suddenly, he seems on track for a third straight 30-goal season.
While Marner comes across as the life of the party, it was easy enough for Maple Leafs fans to see how much his play has weighed on him. He often looked frustrated on the ice. Here’s hoping the hat trick will restore his confidence. This game also begs the question – will it reignite his offence in future games?
The narrative has been that Marner was shifted to John Tavares’ line to get Tavares going. In this case, it seems to have worked the other way around. The move by head coach Sheldon Keefe was an immediate stroke of genius and pumped up Marner’s tires.
Related: Maple Leafs Need New Negotiating Strategy for Marner
If Marner is back on track, the next job will become lifting Matthews’ play. He seems to be in a scoring funk of late. Last night, he had two assists and a shootout goal. However, he hasn’t been carrying the team like he can or did early in the season.
Should the Maple Leafs’ dynamic duo start firing on all cylinders, the team could begin to gain some momentum. The chemistry between Marner and Tavares – for whatever reason that chemistry exists – offers hope for the team to go on a bit of a winning streak.
Item Two: Mark Giordano Will Be Out for Some Time
The Maple Leafs will be without Mark Giordano indefinitely after he sustained a hand injury during Tuesday’s 2-1 shootout win over the Florida Panthers. Keefe confirmed his absence from last night’s game and noted that the 40-year-old defenseman should be considered week-to-week with a broken finger.
Related: Maple Leafs Need a Couple of Cheap Experienced Defensemen
Given the Maple Leafs’s current situation on the blue line, Giordano’s presence will be missed. William Lagesson returned to the lineup against the Kraken, and the team recalled Max Lajoie from the American Hockey League (AHL) Toronto Marlies to address their lack of defensive depth.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
Toronto now stands with a record of 12-6-3. On Saturday night, the team plays the Boston Bruins. Although the Bruins lead the Atlantic Division with 33 points, it’s not clear which Bruins team will show up.
Before rebounding last night to shut out the San Jose Sharks on home ice by a score of 3-0, the Bruins had lost their three previous games. The Detroit Red Wings beat them on Nov. 24 by a 5-2 score. The following day, they lost to the New York Rangers by a score of 7-4. Then, two days later, on Monday, Nov. 27, the Bruins lost on the road against the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 5-2.
Could the Bruins be ripe for the taking?
