Well, here’s a way to silence the critics.
In Game 1, it was Tampa who ran the whooping ass. Suffice it to say, Toronto returned the favor in a big way in game two Thursday night at the Scotiabank Arena.
John Tavares hit his first career Stanley Cup triple-double as the Leafs shot the Bullets 7-2 for their best streak in every game.
Oddly enough, this one took on many of the same characteristics as Editorial, except the roles were reversed. Mitch Marner’s first two goals last night started with just 47 seconds to go. Then, Toronto added two more goals to take a 3-0 lead after one.
Meanwhile, it was a monster night for the Core Four. John Tavares (three goals), Mitch Marner (two goals, one assist), William Nylander (one goal, one assist) and Auston Matthews (two assists) combined for 10 points. Not to be outdone, Morgan Rielly tied the Leafs’ record for defensemen with four points—all assists—in a playoff game.
Furthermore, Toronto went 2-for-7 on the power play, and Tampa went 0-for-2. In total, the two teams combined for 74 penalty minutes on the night, many of which came as the game spiraled out of control.
Ilya Samsonov made 19 stops for his second playoff win and first as a Maple Leaf.
Mozy Bakery:
This is how hockey begins
Oh my God, what a role reversal from Tuesday night. In my view, the first period of Game 2 mirrored the first period of Game 1, except this time the Maple Leafs were the aggressor. As mentioned, Mitch Marner set the tone in just 47 seconds with his solid game tally. Then, midway through the frame, John Tavares stepped on board to make it 2-0 before William Nylander hit his second goal with a hanging penalty. They were engaged, assertive, physical, and pretty much everything they weren’t at the opening. This is more like it. You never know what you’re going to get in the Stanley Cup playoffs, that’s for sure. Bottom line: Good things happen when you first sign up.
The second frame
Since I thought the Leafs were in the first period, I thought they were better in the second. Honestly, that’s as good as I’ve seen them play all season. In total, they outscored Tampa 3-1 and took a 6-1 lead going into the second intermission. Most importantly, it was the big boys leading the way – specifically Mitch Marner, John Tavares, Ryan O’Reilly, and Morgan Riley. Simply put, Tampa didn’t have an answer. Furthermore, I thought the Leafs did a great job responding after Ian Cole made it 3-1. It felt like they were in a pretty precarious position in there for a few minutes, but full credit to Sheldon Keefe’s team, they kept playing their game.
Night, MO
First off, it’s been a tough year for Morgan Rielly – and I’m sure he’ll be the first to tell you that. Of course, he can make everyone forget about it by having a solid post-season. And it wasn’t just the four points on Thursday night. From the puck drop, dialed. More importantly, he was using his speed and joining in the rush. I’ll just say it: This was a vintage Morgan Riley performance. In fact, back in the spring, the 29-year-old now has 10 points in his past nine games. It goes without saying but the Leafs are going to need more of that from their number one D if they are to have any aspirations of doing the material here.
Fourth core
Collectively, you can make a case for Game 2 being the Core Four’s best postseason outing as a unit. Again, it’s not just about total points either. From the opening encounter, you could tell Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, John Tavares and William Nylander were playing for survival and were ready to right wrong after whatever Tuesday night was. In total, the quartet of forwards scored 10 points – naturally, thanks to the captain’s hat-trick. It doesn’t get much better than that, right? Honestly, the only thing missing is an Auston Matthews goal, which I’m sure will come over the weekend in Tampa.
Same time
Keeping fit, Ilya Samsonov hit the big time in Game 2 after a dreadful Game 1 outing. The biggest thing I noticed was his ability to control recoil. More often than not, it was one and done for Tampa, which is a far cry from the story on Tuesday night. In addition, the team in front of him was obviously much better as well. They deserve a lot of credit. Although Samsonov only needed 19 stops, plenty of them were changing momentum, especially early in the first period.
Night highlight:
Johnny Toronto 🧢
Johnny Toronto 🧢
Johnny Toronto 🧢 pic.twitter.com/S71S3A1I5r– Toronto Maple Leafs (MapleLeafs) April 21, 2023
What then?
With the series tied 1-1, the scene now shifts to Tampa for the next two games starting with Game 3 on Saturday night at Amalie Arena.