The Maple Leafs should be very good with their two trade deadline additions, but the also bulked-up Colorado Avalanche was definitely better on home ice Saturday night.
With five unanswered goals, including NHL leading scorer Nathan MacKinnon’s 100th point, the Avs downed the Leafs 7-4, inflated by two empty-net markers.
Nevertheless, 6-foot-5 defenceman Brandon Carlo and veteran centre Scott Laughton showed some of what they’ll add to the stretch run and into playoffs.
Our takeaways on an entertaining evening in the Rockies:
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
Carlo got in front of a team-high six pucks. In fact, he and 6-foot-6 goalie Anthony Stolarz leave little room to see anything for enemy snipers when both back in to protect the house. Carlo, who fronted all Leafs with 22:04 of ice time, including killing penalties, even made a nice glove save.
He certainly got off to a shaky start with the defensively challenged Morgan Rielly, both involved in two early Avs goals, but they understandably need more time to figure out effective coverage and for Carlo to embrace the Leafs nuances after his many years in Boston.
Yes, Toronto has seen its goals against balloon in recent games, but it’s been sorely missing the injured Chris Tanev who could be available Monday in Utah.
Laughton, on a line with Max Domi shifted to the right and Bobby McMann on the left, made some sly plays and created the offensive faceoff that led to Mitch Marner’s opening goal. Laughton won four of seven draws and had one block.
What was unfortunate was that both newbies were part of Toronto’s first regulation loss this season when leading after two periods (27-1-1).
“Laughts was on for a couple of goals against, but overall I didn’t mind him and Carlo did his job,” coach Craig Berube told reporters in Denver. “It’s mistakes, we have to clean those up. That’s what killing us right now (in three consecutive defeats).”
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MITCH-MASH
Marner was prominent on the scoreboard with two goals and had a chance at a hat trick. He came out flying after what was a stressful couple of days leading to the deadline. He was not so open to discuss reports that the Leafs advised him that Carolina wanted him in a Mikko Rantanen trade and that he’d invoked his no movement clause, determined to try and re-sign in Toronto.
“I wasn’t focused on (the trade talk),” Marner said post-game. “I’m sure that I had a feeling that maybe something might happen, but I’m here to play hockey with this team, I’m focused with this team and that’s what I can tell you.
‘I’m not going to get into this contract stuff. I’m very grateful and I’ve loved my time being a Leaf.”
Indeed, he has kept any hint of negotiations with general manager Brad Treliving out of the news, but next month’s playoff performance will determine the future in his hometown.
Despite an accidental penalty that led to MacKinnon’s winner, Marner is one point shy of 80 in his quest for his first 100-point season. He’s also closed to within 50 points of Borje Salming for fourth in team history.
AUSTON’S HELPING HANDS
While just 23 goals won’t win captain Auston Matthews the Rocket Richard Trophy again this year, he’s got 10 more assists than red lights, his highest differential since his days with the U.S. National Development Program.
His night included a solid back-check to start Marner’s second goal and a neat feed to John Tavares through an Avalanche defender’s skates on the power play. That improved his points streak to 12 games with 15 assists in that span. He also went 16-7 in the dots.
Tavares’ goal gave him 153 in his career with the man advantage, passing Yvan Cournoyer and tying Guy Lafleur and Doug Gilmour.
LINE DANCES
As with Tanev’s absence, Saturday didn’t represent how the Leafs lineup should look in the 20 games remaining in regular season.
Forward Calle Jarnkrok took a seat on Saturday after showing he’s made a full recovery from sports hernia surgery, while Laughton’s arrival gives Berube a glance at Domi back on the wing after a long stint at centre.
A question is whether winger Nick Robertson can keep up his physical game that kept him on the third unit in stints where he wasn’t scoring and carry that momentum to the fourth where he started Saturday with David Kampf and Steven Lorentz. He’d be a useful scoring hands for that trio.
While Laughton has entered the picture, Connor Dewar was traded, Max Pacioretty is on LTIR and Ryan Reaves demoted, giving Robertson renewed opportunity — if he can grab it.
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