Maple Leafs Start Strong and Beat the Flyers 6-2

One of those three third-period goals included this very rare but fascinating play. On a power play, three of the four Flyers players broke their sticks within seconds of each other. This allowed the Maple Leafs’ second unit to pass it around and find the back of the net. This is something that I haven’t ever seen in all my days of watching hockey; it was unique to see but also nice to see the Maple Leafs didn’t mess up and not be able to score. The Maple Leafs came out on top by a score of 6-2 over the Flyers. These two teams will meet again, on Tuesday, March 19 in Philadelphia.

Maple Leafs Lose Jarnkrok

Yes, that’s right, Calle Jarnkrok was injured again. He recently returned from a broken knuckle that happened on Jan. 27 and was playing very well. Head coach Sheldon Keefe rewarded him with top-line minutes in Mitch Marner’s absence, and that line of Auston Matthews , Tyler Bertuzzi, and himself could have been the best in the game. They were hard on the forecheck and were able to rush the puck up the ice quickly, which led to being on the ice for a few goals, including a beautiful tip by Bertuzzi that was called back due to a hand-pass. Overall, their line was buzzing and could be an option down the stretch, even when Marner returns, as a line that can change the energy of a game.

Unfortunately, in the second period, he appeared to lose an edge and started to fall, and at the same time, Cam York was leaning on him (innocently), which caused Jarnkrok to go shoulder-first into the boards. He stayed down for a few minutes and later skated off by himself, but left the game. Sadly, he didn’t return, which was a tough blow to both the team and himself because he was playing so well and being used in all different situations. If he does miss time, this could mean that Nick Robertson finds his way back into the lineup as a utility forward. 

Fresh, Fresh, Exciting!

The Maple Leafs came into the game against the Flyers with a record of 7-3 in their last 10 games. If we expand that a bit more, they have gone 12-3 in the last 15 games since the Morgan Rielly suspension happened against the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 10. This stretch of play has pushed them into a playoff spot and essentially locked it in. However, it is still possible for them to fall out of the hunt, which is why this four-day break is a vital part of the season. By the end of that 15-game stretch, which included a road trip to California, Vegas, and Arizona and a quick turnaround from Buffalo to Boston within 24 hours, they looked tired and worn out. On top of all that, for almost every NHL player, the trade deadline is a stressful time, which didn’t help the Maple Leafs players relax. 

Thankfully, they got the four days off, and very little practicing seemed to help, judging by how they played against the Flyers last night. There were a handful of times when they were able to cycle the puck for 30-45 seconds in the Flyers’ zone and keep momentum, which is something that the team appeared to lack before the break. They were engaged right from puck drop and dominated the game in all three zones. 

For the defence, they were closing on gaps early and often, breaking up cycles, and fighting back in front of their net, which is what you want to see as the team heads into the playoffs. Lastly, the rest was good for all three goalies, Joseph Woll, Martin Jones, and Ilya Samsonov. Last night, Samsonov defended the crease and did extremely well. With that win, he remains undefeated in March, which is remarkable when you think about how his season started.

Overall, the Maple Leafs played a very strong game from start to finish, which is what you want to see from a team that just returned from a break. The hope is that they will continue playing good hockey over the next few weeks or longer to lock up a playoff spot and potentially even catch the Boston Bruins or Florida Panthers for the top spot in the Atlantic Division.

The Maple Leafs are next in action on Saturday, March 16, against the Carolina Hurricanes at 7:00 p.m.