For a team that had to travel and play on Friday, the Leafs had lots of pep to put away the Red Wings 5-2, paced by Mitch Marner’s three goals, his 18th multi-point game this season.
Our takeaways:
NOT LOST WITHOUT AUSTON
Remember when everyone was on Marner to shoot more?
Sheldon Keefe banged that drum a few times through the years and Craig Berube picked up the beat, especially given the sporadic availability of Auston Matthews, which has sometimes created a goal shortage.
“You look at (Marner’s) five shots on net tonight and that’s the difference for me,” Berube said, having badgered his team for missing the net 23 times in Monday’s loss to Winnipeg. “He’s shooting the puck. He has a good (release). He’s a great playmaker, but there are times we need him to shoot, too.
“We need him to come up big and score like other guys — and he does it.”
On Marner’s first goal, John Tavares found him with a slick, no-look pass through his legs and across the slot as he was getting hit. Marner one-timed it into the empty side of the Wings net to put the Leafs up 2-0.
“I wasn’t calling for it,” an admiring Marner said of the Tavares feed. “I think he saw me before he went down and I tried to stay in the same spot. A pretty good gift. I’m trying to find quiet ice.”
Taveras sensed the Wings were out of their box formation after a rebound and thought the blind pass was called for.
“Mitchy’s hockey sense is world class and not many players in the game can do what he does, see it the way he sees it. Whether Auston’s in or he’s not, what Mitchy provides for us is unbelievable.”
The key assists on Marner’s second and third goals came from William Nylander (power play) and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Marner’s second natural hat trick is one behind Darryl Sittler’s franchise mark, but Matthews’ ongoing absence is making the team’s career points race interesting. Marner is now within 300 of Mats Sundin’s record of 987, building a 16-point lead on Matthews with his missed games, as they sit sixth and seventh, respectively.
Some of Marner’s best games and multi-point efforts have come in games with the team minus Matthews.
BATTERED AFTER BOXING DAY
There could be some interesting lineup decisions for Berube on Saturday when the Washington Capitals visit Scotiabank Arena and the NHL holiday roster freeze lifts.
Toronto’s defence took a beating at Little Caesars Arena, Jake McCabe losing a tooth when Lucas Raymond swung his stick across his mush (the chiclet was lodged in McCabe’s mouthguard). Simon Benoit blocked a shot in the groin, one of four he got in front of. Morgan Rielly took another off his exposed knee cap. A couple of the blocks saved goals.
“Those are the things that give you momentum,” grateful goalie Joseph Woll noted.
The most worrisome issue might be a left knee injury to winger Steven Lorentz on a hard hit near the final buzzer. He favoured it going to the bench and smashed his stick in frustration.
Berube had sat blueliner Conor Timmins for Philippe Myers, who has been waiting for extended action. Ryan Reaves likely draws back in on the wing on Saturday.
REBUILDING THE WOLL
Woll didn’t get much support in the loss to the Jets, but teammates couldn’t do enough for him Friday.
The aforementioned shot-blocks, body position, boxing-out and beating the Wings to pucks all made his night a lot easier and had him in line for his second shutout of the season before Detroit broke through on a third-period power play.
Woll’s work early on, including a deflection stop without his goal stick, and four saves prior to Detroit’s first goal, set the tone for his 10th victory.
Matt Murray likely gets Saturday’s start.
ATLANTIC SUNRISE
While the Leafs might be knocked out of their first place tie in the Atlantic with Florida as early as Monday afternoon, they have a shot at leading the division heading into the New Year.
But a third straight regulation loss in Detroit would’ve been a first in the Berube era and increased pressure on them Saturday against the well-rested Caps.
“We know we haven’t been playing as completely as we have been,” Tavares said. “We’d been giving up too much, which had been allowing more opportunities and goals against heading into the break.
“We want to clean up our own game, get back to the way we can check, be difficult to play against and trust the way we can turn our game from good defence to good offence, staying on top of them.”
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