The Toronto Maple Leafs won a thrilling overtime game over the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-3. Morgan Riley scored the winning goal before the end of the first overtime period.
The Maple Leafs had to fight back to win this game. They have often been outplayed but have shown resilience by taking punishment and showing character to come back from a one goal deficit. With time tapping down and trailing by a goal, the team pulled Ilya Samsonov and scored with just a minute left in the platform.
The Maple Leafs—at least in puck possession—were also outclassed in the overtime session as well. However, they found a way with the time running out to hang out there and steal the win. as their Head coach Sheldon Keefe admitted After the match, they are definitely determined; However, it was not broken.
Even Keefe seemed to admire his powers. He noted that this is a kind of return that his team may have lost in the past. On Saturday, they didn’t. If those wins keep happening, the team will start to believe. They seem to have the determination to stay there and the ability to handle the pressure.
last season they might have broken; This season, not so much.
Element one: William Nylander continues the scoreline
William Nylander has played well this season. He has scored points in all three matches so far. In the 4-3 overtime win on Saturday, he hit seven of his team’s 27 shots. However, he was not able to solve Andrei Vasilevsky on his own.
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Instead, Nylander’s shot/pass became the assist on his team’s tying goal with just a minute left in the third period. So far in the playoffs, he’s scored two goals and added two assists.
Item two: Noel Acciari snaps a dry target
The Maple Leafs also got contributions from an unlikely source when Noel Acciari snapped a 25-game playoff goal with his first-half goal. The goal came with a great feed from rookie Matthew Kniss and gave the Maple Leafs an early lead. Akyari also led the team in scoring with nine goals in the match.
Interestingly, I learned something in my research for this post. Aciari’s last goal in the playoffs came during the St. Louis Blues’ run to the Stanley Cup in 2019. However, when I looked it up, I was thinking it wrong. I thought Ryan O’Reilly and Aciari had won the Stanley Cup with the Blues.
Instead, the Blues beat the Boston Bruins that season in the Stanley Cup Final. Acciari was a member of the Bruins that season and played against eventual teammate O’Reilly.
The third element: Matthew Kneese impresses in a playoff for the first time
Knies wasn’t just impressive during the playoffs; But, on the telecast after the game, Kevin Biksa called him the Maple Leafs’ best player on the ice. For a rookie, he’s making a name for himself in the NHL playoffs. He has been impressing crowds with his speed (a bit surprising) and his strength (not a huge surprise) every shift.
In the team’s 4-3 overtime victory over the Lightning, Knies recorded an assist at 19:15 of ice time. Later in the game, he spent most of the game playing on the team’s first two lines. He wasn’t flustered or intimidated after jumping from the NCAA to the NHL playoffs, and there’s talk — indeed — of becoming an All-Star Competitor for the Calder Cup Next season if he continues to play at this level. He makes some mistakes defensively, but his offense won’t drop.
Item 4: Did Maple Leafs manager Kyle Dubas make the right move with Ryan O’Reilly?
O’Reilly has clearly been a valuable addition to the Maple Leafs since their acquisition at the trade deadline. In addition to his contributions on the ice, such as scoring the equalizing goal and setting up the game-winning goal on Saturday against Tampa Bay, O’Reilly is being praised for his leadership on and off the ice.
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In a post-match interview, Rielly shared why O’Reilly is such a positive force on the team. He has shown his ability to stay grounded under pressure and help his team stay focused during the emotional ups and downs that are common in hockey games. In the locker room, O’Reilly also noted that O’Reilly is a positive influence, contributing regularly during breaks.
Overall, O’Reilly’s skill, determination, composure, and leadership were important assets for the Maple Leafs in this postseason. This appears to be one of the best – if not the best – business acquisitions General Manager of Business Acquisitions Kyle Dubas has ever made to the team.
What’s next for the maple leaves?
Overall, Saturday’s Maple Leafs win was a testament to the team’s resilience and ability to weather adversity. Now that home ice advantage is in their favor, the team will try to build on that performance and continue their playoff push.
Lightning must be at least a little frustrated by the loss. They bore the play and perhaps deserve a better fate. Looks a bit like the Maple Leafs in the first round last season.
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Now, it’s important for the Maple Leafs to stay focused and adapt their game plan to counter Tampa Bay’s tough screening. Game 4 could be the turning point for the Maple Leafs. It would be great to go home with a 3-1 lead in the series.