Following a humbling Game 1 loss against the Boston Bruins, the Toronto Maple Leafs preached patience.
“We know it’s going to be a long series,” veteran defenceman Joel Edmundson said ahead of Game 2.
Edmundson and the rest of the Leafs backed up that belief with a far more convincing performance in Game 2, battling back from a 2-1 deficit in the third period to win 3-2 and tie the series 1-1.
Game 2 was an even more physical affair than Game 1, but the Leafs did well to match the nastiness the Bruins brought. And their penalty kill held up better than in Game 1, showing that aforementioned patience. Killing off a third-period Tyler Bertuzzi slashing penalty ultimately swung the momentum back in their favour.
Despite being without William Nylander for the second game in a row, the Leafs got necessary production with goals from Max Domi, John Tavares and Auston Matthews. The series now heads back to Toronto for Game 3 on Wednesday night.
Auston Matthews puts the Leafs on his back
It started with a clever, skybound pass for Domi and it finished with the kind of confident dangle with the puck only one of the best goal scorers in the game can pull off. Put it all together and Auston Matthews’ first goal of the postseason was one of his biggest playoff goals as a Leaf.
Matthews was doing Matthews things through all three periods, taking the team on his back and leading the team in shots. He was one of the few Leafs who withstood the Bruins heavy play and checking in their own zone remarkably well.
But it was his game-winning goal that sealed the result for the Leafs. When Matthews scores timely and momentum-swinging goals like that, the Leafs will always have a chance to win games as they did on Monday night. He finished with a goal and two assists, contributing to all three Leafs goals.
Max Domi responds after Game 1 gaffe
Following his unnecessary penalty, Max Domi was essentially the only Leaf called out by head coach Sheldon Keefe following Game 1.
“He crossed the line,” Keefe said of Domi’s second-period slashing penalty against Brad Marchand.
Domi’s emotions were clearly riding high during Game 1. Keefe faced multiple questions about Domi in the days following the Leafs Game 1 loss.
To Domi’s credit, he channeled those emotions in a far more constructive manner in Game 2, responding to the Bruins’ opening goal 12 seconds later by digging at a loose puck in front of Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark for the Leafs’ opening goal.
Domi’s passion returned when he skated toward Bruins fans behind the glass and pumped his fist eagerly. With the goal, Domi and his father, Tie, became the first father-son duo to score a goal for the Maple Leafs in the playoffs.
Ilya Samsonov bounces back in Game 2
Genuine question: Why wasn’t Ilya Samsonov taken off the ice after he took a high shot to the mask late in the first period? He certainly didn’t look all that comfortable afterward and skated halfway to the bench, too, though he did also need a mask adjustment.
Samsonov then gave up a goal on the very next play. He didn’t look like he got set ahead of David Pastrnak’s shot.
Samsonov made some questionable choices with the puck through the first period and was also caught far out of position on the Bruins first goal. Through the first half of the game, it looked like Samsonov might not be able to hang on as the Bruins pestered him with shots.
Yet the Leafs goalie stayed nimble and made a few athletic saves late in the third period. In doing so, he didn’t just preserve the Leafs’ lead but likely kept himself in the Leafs starter’s position for the foreseeable future after allowing four goals in Game 1.
This was the kind of performance Samsonov needed. He delivered, stopping 27-of-29 shots.
(Photo: Steve Babineau / NHLI via Getty Images)
