3 takeaways from Leafs-Red Wings: Matthews shakes off injury scares, Hildeby solid in losing effort

Here are three takeaways from the Maple Leafs’ 3-2 loss to the Red Wings: 

Auston Matthews shakes off injury scare

Auston Matthews followed up on his best game of the season , with another solid showing against the Red Wings. Matthews set up Knies’ opening goal from the bumper on the power play during the second period. When he was on the ice at 5-on-5, Matthews worked well off Bobby McMann and Max Domi at 5-on-5 to get into space. McMann-Matthews-Domi outshot the Red Wings 8-5 at 5-on-5, although Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson got the last laugh.

Matthews shook off an injury scare during the game. Late in the second period, Matthews blocked a shot from Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin and limped around the ice for the duration of the shift. Toronto couldn’t clear the zone, and Seider flicked a shot from the point past Dennis Hildeby to tie the game. Matthews skated to the Leafs’ dressing room immediately, but he returned for the third period.

There’s little patience for hypotheticals these days, but Matthews almost scored the game-winner in overtime, hitting the post. Edvinsson went the other way and turned Matthews and Hildeby inside out to secure the victory for the Red Wings. During the second period, Matthews almost scored an iconic goal, falling down while he got a dangerous shot on goal, but Cam Talbot remained composed.

If you go hunting through the stat sheet, Matthews finished with a -2 while registering a team-best five shots. It wasn’t a banner performance, but Matthews is displaying the correct processes and was an inch away from registering a goal that would’ve lived on his highlight tape. Avoiding an injury, with William Nylander considered day-to-day, may be a win in and of itself.

Dennis Hildeby stellar in losing effort

Dennis Hildeby made 33 saves in the losing effort and was stellar throughout the game. I’m not in the camp that places fault on Hildeby for Edvinsson’s game-winning goal. Hildeby may have been aggressive in trying to force feed a pass up the ice, but he recovered well. Although Hildeby was too far into his crease when Edvinsson tucked the puck home in overtime, it would be a stretch to suggest he made a brutal error.

“I think I saw an opportunity to get a breakaway to Matthews there. Didn’t really execute how I wanted to, but I think it was the right play,” Hildeby said post-game.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube appeared to share the same assessment.

Hildeby made several good stops throughout the contest, including a point-blank save on Patrick Kane, who is searching for his 500th goal, and another excellent save on Ben Chiarot in the second.

The 24-year-old did everything he could to preserve a victory in the third period, but ultimately it wasn’t enough, saving one goal above expected at 5-on-5 via Natural Stat Trick.

“Beast was our best player tonight,” Maple Leafs forward John Tavares said post-game.

Matthew Knies may be the greatest beneficiary of Steve Sullivan’s power play

Matthew Knies is beginning to come alive, with three goals in his past two games. Knies may be the greatest beneficiary of the new-look power play under Steve Sullivan’s supervision. The puck movement is much more fluid and connected, while the Leafs are trying to get the most out of the bumper spot, where Knies operates.

Knies scored a goal from the slot during Saturday’s win against the Ottawa Senators, and it’s Berube’s preference to get two power forwards closer to the net, to clean up rebounds, while distracting the goaltender. Two games isn’t a large enough sample, but the power play have converted on 3-of-5 opportunities with Sullivan effectively replacing Marc Savard, who was fired on December 22.

“The power play looks a lot more confident, making plays and moving it quickly,” Berube said post-game. “It is not static. It is a combination of the execution and a different mindset.

Toronto is entering the offensive zone with better intentionality, and Matias Maccelli has been solid at transporting pucks to establish the zone. Knies’ combination of power and soft hands weren’t used effectively throughout the first half of the season. Sullivan may be unlocking the totality of the power forward’s unique skill set.