The Toronto Maple Leafs finished off their back-to-back-to-back contests against the Montreal Canadiens last night (Oct. 2). The Maple Leafs were well on their way to sweeping the three-game preseason mini-series but ended up losing the game in overtime by a 5-4 final score. Although they ended up not getting the result they wanted, not everything was bad about the contest. Let’s go over three takeaways from the game now.
Tavares’ Excellent Performance
It is not a secret that a lot of the Maple Leafs’ success this season will be dependent on John Tavares‘ play. If last night (Oct. 2) is an indicator of what’s to come from the captain, he should be in for another great season. The veteran forward was the Maple Leafs’ top gun against the Canadiens, scoring two goals while registering five shots on goal.
Perhaps what was most impressive about Tavares’ two-goal night was how they came. Tavares scored a goal on both the power play and during five-on-five play, and the Maple Leafs are certainly hoping that this can translate over to the regular season.
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Lastly, Tavares simply stood out in all areas of the game. He was quick both with and without the puck, forechecked hard, and created several chances throughout the game. Overall, tough loss or not, it is hard not to like what we saw from Tavares in this tilt.
Noah Gregor Deserves A Contract
Throughout this entire preseason, Noah Gregor has stood out. He has done just about everything right, as he has provided physicality and energy, been steady defensively, and produced offensively. This is why the 2016 fourth-round pick is still with the Maple Leafs this close to the regular season. He continued to make his case for a contract in this one, scoring a goal with a beautifully placed shot.
However, besides making an impact offensively, he once again showed a great deal of tenacity throughout the game. He was aggressive on the forecheck and displayed his great speed. Overall, even with the loss, Gregor was a standout in this contest, and this has become a clear theme this preseason.
At this point, the Maple Leafs need to find a way to get this Gregor deal done. He has done nothing but good things throughout the duration of his professional tryout (PTO) contract, and he would give the Maple Leafs more speed and snot in their bottom six.
Maple Leafs’ Tough Finish
As noted above, the Maple Leafs were well on their way to winning their third straight preseason game against the Canadiens. They had a 3-1 lead in the second period and a 4-2 lead during the second half of the third period. However, the Maple Leafs would surrender two goals in the third period, including one by Josh Anderson with 40 seconds left in regulation. From there, Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki buried the Maple Leafs during the first minute of overtime.
Overall, seeing the game in this fashion was certainly not ideal, even with it just being the preseason. The Canadiens picked up their play noticeably during the final portions of the contest and ended up being rewarded for it. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs’ momentum disappeared, and they, unfortunately, got burned in the process.
Although it was a rough end to the Maple Leafs’ game, there were still some standouts for the club during it. Besides Tavares and Gregor, players like Max Domi, Timothy Liljegren, and Ryan Reaves also made an impact during the game. The Maple Leafs will now look to bounce back on Thursday (Oct. 5) against the Detroit Red Wings, the first of a back-to-back series that will finish the preseason.
