Let’s play a quick little game, shall we? I want you to lift a finger if you had any of the following thoughts ahead of tonight’s game against Chicago:
If you don’t have any fingers up then like me, you may be pleasantly surprised. We should expect the Leafs to make quick work of teams like the Blackhawks but unfortunately, we haven’t seen enough of that this season. Tonight’s game was a clear exception.
There were very few moments where Chicago was in it as the Leafs were in charge from start to finish. They took advantage of the opposition’s mistakes, outworked them to create their own chances, and didn’t allow a late momentum push.
Tavares: “When we had some breakdowns, or they responded, I think our response was better. More of what we want to do, be able to grab the game back. Much better response that way.” #Leafs
There was a part of me that was worried Nylander may take a step back with Matthews returning, but not only did he play to the same standard, but he also kicked it up a notch. Good edge work and awareness of Matthews earned him his first assist of the night while his speed and tenacity on the puck to maintain it long enough for help to arrive led to his second. Something that surprised me was Keefe giving him some reps on the penalty kill which has happened here and there. To make things even better, Nylander created a scoring chance from it with a strong stick on Philipp Kurashev.
Continued improvement on the defensive end in the puck, especially the handling of the neutral zone, could lead to more opportunities for him. The Kurashev goal is an example of how that could go south for Nylander but I thought he responded well afterward.
Talk about getting an opportunity and absolutely running with it. By no means was this a perfect game for Timmins but what I appreciate the most from him was his recovery when mistakes were made. Offensively, he’s another option on the rush in the neutral zone and gets a lot of pucks on net mixing it up between long wrist and slap shots (the latter of which we don’t see much on this team). Even the slap shots have some versatility to them and the one that beat Petr Mrazek in the second was low but well-placed.
Defensively, Timmins steps up to opposing players and doesn’t only rely on the boards to initiate contact. Sam Lafferty felt that twice, including this big hit at the blue line.
Although there were moments where I felt he held onto the puck too much, I thought this was a fine game for Timmins and one that should see him in the lineup again on Saturday … just watch the penalty minutes.
Three weeks out of the lineup but it didn’t look like he spent a minute out of it. Matthews was on it from puck drop and what I noticed early was how he was manipulating the location and lane of his shots. It’s fascinating how Matthews uses his body and releases pucks at different points to hit different angles at high speeds. It still amazes me how quick he is at the catch and release and Mrazek had no chance of stopping him.
Marner was the best player on the ice in my opinion. From whistle to whistle he was hard on the forecheck and shifty skating with the puck. He continuously took the more difficult paths through the opposition dragging the puck through Chicago’s end and creating dangerous scoring chances for his linemates. The goal was called offside via Kerfoot, but Marner was incredible on that sequence from the steal to the skating.
Additionally, he made Patrick Kane, who already wasn’t having the most outstanding night, look worse by stealing the puck off him on the power play leading to a short-handed chance to flip it over to Kämpf.
A very low event game for Samsonov despite allowing two goals on 29 shots. I wouldn’t hold either of those goals on him but the most important thing was he didn’t give up a soft one in the moments when the Blackhawks were getting their shots in. His best sequence was in the first period where he made saves on three shots in a row. Those chances didn’t lead to anything drastic and Samsonov did a great job shutting the door after Kurashev’s goal in the second.
Mark Giordano-Timothy Liljegren
We got a lot of this pairing last season and I think it did wonders for Liljegren’s development. I thought the pair were solid in their gaps and back pressure on puck carriers. Liljegren, in particular, had a solid effort on Domi heading back to the defensive zone and disrupting his shot before he had an opportunity to fire it off.
Similar to Rielly, Brodie started his night with an assist getting the secondary on the Nylander goal. Anytime I noticed Brodie it was when he was putting pressure on an advancing player or trying to defend the front of the net. Quiet and efficient, that’s his motto.
The quick hands in front of the net on the power play are something I want to see more from Tavares as the calendar gets closer to April. The goal, albeit relatively easy, brings him a step closer to another 30-goal year.
The eye for offence from the backend worked in Sandin’s favour tonight. He got a lucky goal off Connor Murphy’s stick that was an intended pass but took a lot of opportunities to activate from the blue line
The Blackhawks’ goaltender made a pretty solid save on Sandin who labeled a shot for the top right corner of the net.
B
Alex Kerfoot
Offside aside, the puck was following Kerfoot tonight. Part of it was Marner’s performance but he showed some good hustle and speed through the neutral and offensive zones. That assist for Tavares was a mistake on Mrazek’s part and was also a won race against Ian Mitchell.
Bunting had a couple of close calls and empty nets in the middle frame. What I liked the most about his game was that it was quiet yet effective as he was the midway point for Nylander and Matthews to do their thing by bumping pucks over to one of them in the corner and supporting them if it was lost.
Rielly puts his name on the game early with that stretch pass to Nylander, the 399th of his career. That’s Rielly at his best: taking a step back, seeing a play develop, and moving the puck to the appropriate area. Unfortunately, falling for the Kane decoy on the second goal against after getting back to the defensive zone late put him in the “puck-watching” box as Kurashev blasted it past Samsonov.
I loved the energy from the fourth line and it wasn’t lacking from a single member of the trio. Aston-Reese was doing his part winning battles and throwing pucks to open spaces. Holmberg was great at grabbing the loose puck and distributing it throughout the offensive zone and occasionally stealing and working it back in the Leafs’ possession. Anderson, however, was definitely the weakest link on the line. He did his part on the recovery and got some wraparound chances on Mrazek but he had a number of turnovers and is pushed off the puck way too often.
B-
Calle Järnkrok
A very uncharacteristic and poorly timed pass from Järnkrok put Chicago on the board not too long after the Leafs scored. However, I like the offensive power Järnkrok adds lower in the lineup, especially on the penalty kill. It would’ve been a highlight reel play if Kerfoot was able to bat that puck out of the air.
A little too predictable with the rushes. I wish he would find ways to mix it up with his decisions on the zone entry, especially when some of those ‘stop and spins’ lead to turnovers and missed opportunities at offensive zone time. He did more of that late in the third period, setting Järnkrok up on a rush and making Jake McCabe fall on a rush to the net.
Kämpf was the only Leafs centre who didn’t hit 50 percent in the faceoff circle finishing well below at 33 percent. He’s also hovering in the Kerfoot territory of getting looks and not scoring on them. Kämpf isn’t a player we expect goals from, but he hasn’t scored since December 8th.
Game Score
Final grade: A
The Chicago Blackhawks looked tired, disengaged at times, and had a level of defence different brands of swiss cheese would envy. That said, I’m still going to praise the Leafs for dominating this game. The pressure on puck carriers in their own end was something I noticed quickly and often. The Leafs would either have two players on the carrier or two in the vicinity while using the boards to stop the puck and quickly transition it. The skilled players, especially Matthews, Marner, and Nylander, took advantage of the time and space the Blackhawks gave them and Samsonov made the saves when called upon. This was the perfect response to a bad loss against the Columbus Blue Jackets: a team they should beat.
What’s next for the Leafs?
Leafs. Habs. Hockey Night in Canada (CBC at 7:00 p.m.). Regardless of where they are in the standings, these games mean something to either fan base. That being said, the Leafs should win this one (he types optimistically).
The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.
The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Reggie Bush was at his Encino home Tuesday night when three male suspects attempted to break in, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
“Everyone is safe,” Bush said in a text message to the newspaper.
The Los Angeles Police Dept. told the Times that a resident of the house reported hearing a window break and broken glass was found outside. Police said nothing was stolen and that three male suspects dressed in black were seen leaving the scene.
Bush starred at Southern California and in the NFL. The former running back was reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner this year. He forfeited it in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings with two aspiring sports marketers.
VANCOUVER – A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions‘ highlight reels in recent weeks.
Midway through his second CFL campaign, wide receiver Ayden Eberhardt has contributed touchdowns in two consecutive games.
The 26-year-old wide receiver from Loveland, Colo., was the lone B.C. player to reel in a passing major in his team’s 37-23 victory over the league-leading Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The week before, he notched his first CFL touchdown in the Lions’ win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been really good,” Eberhardt said of his recent play. “At the end of the day, the biggest stat to me is if we win. But who doesn’t love scoring?”
He’ll look to add to the tally Friday when the Leos (7-6) host the Toronto Argonauts.
Eberhardt signed with B.C. as a free agent in January 2023 and spent much of last season on the practice squad before cementing a role on the roster this year.
The six-foot-two, 195-pound University of Wyoming product has earned more opportunities in his second season, said Lions’ head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell.
“He’s a super hard worker and very smart. He understands, has high football IQ, as we call it,” Campbell said.
The fact that Eberhardt can play virtually every receiving position helps.
“He could literally go into a game and we could throw him into a spot and he’d know exactly what he’s doing,” the coach said. “That allows him to play fast and earn the quarterback’s trust. And you see him making plays.”
Eberhardt credited his teammates, coaches and the rest of the Lions’ staff with helping him prepare for any situation he might face. They’ve all spent time teaching him the ins and outs of the Canadian game, or go over the playbook and run routes after practice, he said.
“I’ve played every single position on our offence in a game in the last two years, which is kind of crazy. But I love playing football,” he said. “I want to play any position that the team needs me to play.”
While B.C.’s lineup is studded with stars like running back William Stanback — who has a CFL-high 938 rushing yards — and wide receiver Justin McInnis — who leads the league in both receiving yards (1,074) and receiving TDs (seven) — versatility has been a critical part of the team’s back-to-back wins.
“I think we’ve got a lot of talented guys who deserve to get the ball and make big plays when they have the ball in their hands. So it’s really my job to get them the ball as much as possible,” said quarterback Nathan Rourke.
“I think that makes it easy when you can lean on those guys and, really, we’re in a situation where anyone can have a big game. And I think that’s a good place to be.”
Even with a talented lineup, the Lions face a tough test against an eager Argos side.
Toronto lost its second straight game Saturday when it dropped a 41-27 decision to Ottawa.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Rourke said. “We’ll have to adjust on the fly to whatever their game plan is. And no doubt, they’ll be ready to go so we’ll have to be as well.”
The two sides have already met once this season when the Argos handed the Lions a 35-27 loss in Toronto back on June 9.
A win on Friday would vault B.C. to the top of the West Division standings, over the 7-6 Winnipeg Blue Bombers who are on a bye week.
Collecting that victory isn’t assured, though, even with Toronto coming in on a two-game skid, Campbell said.
“They’ve hit a little bit of a rut, but they’re a really good team,” he said. “They’re very athletic. And you can really see (quarterback Chad Kelly’s) got zip on the ball. When you see him in there, he can make all the throws. So we’re expecting their best shot.”
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (6-6) AT B.C. LIONS (7-6)
Friday, B.C. Place
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Lions boast a 4-1 home record this season, including a 38-12 victory over the Redblacks at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, B.C., on Aug. 31. The Argos have struggled outside of BMO Field and hold a 1-5 away record. Trips to the West Coast haven’t been easy for Toronto in recent years — since 2003, the club is 4-14 in road games against B.C.
CENTURION: B.C. defensive back Garry Peters is set to appear in his 100th consecutive game. The 32-year-old from Conyers, Ga., is a two-time CFL all-star who has amassed 381 defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles and 16 interceptions over seven seasons. “Just being on the field with the guys every day, running around, talking trash back and forth, it keeps me young,” Peters said. “It makes me feel good, and my body doesn’t really feel it. I’ve been blessed to be able to play 100 straight.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
