A former player's view on Maple Leafs-Red Wings 17-goal outburst

What the hell was going on in the Red Wings versus Maple Leafs game?

That’s the thought I couldn’t get out of my head while watching Saturday night’s Stadium Series matchup between the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning.

The way things work as an NHL analyst, it’s impossible to watch every game in real time. Big events like an outdoor game will almost always take precedence over a regularly scheduled matchup. If something special happens, you don’t want to miss it.

But you also have to keep track of scores around the league. And when a team takes a 7-2 lead before the midway point of a game – as the Maple Leafs did on Saturday night – it catches your eye.

In most instances, the third period is anti-climactic. The losing team usually makes a push, but rarely is it enough to force an exciting finish.

Well, chuck that notion out the window about Saturday night’s affair. Because the Red Wings came storming back and scored four goals in the opening five minutes of the third period to make it 7-6 in favor of Toronto.

Amazingly, the Maple Leafs scored three more times, while Detroit was able to add another tally. Toronto ended up winning 10-7, all four goaltenders that dressed played, and 13 players tallied multi-point games — it was nuts.

It reminded me of a game during my rookie season when I was playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning. We were playing the Carolina Hurricanes at home on Mar. 7, 2009, and I was making my eighth NHL start.

It didn’t go well. Seven minutes into the game, I’m staring down a shorthanded 2-on-0 break against Eric Staal and Rod Brind’amour. They scored. Then just over two minutes later, Staal scored again. Only 39 seconds after that, Anton Babchuk lofted one from the point that deflected off Steven Stamkos and into the net.

I allowed three goals on seven shots. We were losing 3-0 just over 10 minutes into the game. It was then that Lightning head coach Rick Tocchet had seen enough and gave me the hook.

At this point, I was pretty hot about the entire situation. Not just because I’d been pulled, but also because I had friends in the stands that had traveled in from my hometown of St. Louis. It was their first chance to see me play in the NHL. And I got embarrassed.

So Karri Ramo leads us out for the second period and I’m feeling pretty safe on the bench. My night is over. Or at least it should be.

And then the Hurricanes scored six goals on 21 shots during the second period. We were trailing 9-1 going into the intermission.

Needless to say, I was nervous. Karri had just allowed a touchdown in a single period and our team was playing awful. I knew there was a chance I might be headed back into the game.

Sure enough, Tocchet comes into the locker room and tells me I’m playing the third period.

Here. We. Go.

It’s 9-1, we’re getting trounced at home, and my buddies are drunker than anything in the stands. I skate out and glance up to the family section. My friend Robbie is holding the tallest draft beer I’ve ever seen. We briefly lock eyes and he holds his drink up as if to say “cheers.”

I started laughing. What else could I do at that moment? It was completely surreal.

From that point forward the only thought running through my mind was that I couldn’t let the Hurricanes get to double digits. I simply could not allow another goal against.

I managed to make all eight saves in the third period. Vincent Lecavalier and Ryan Malone scored for us, making it a 9-3 final in favor of Carolina. I’d never been so relieved to get off the ice.

Sometimes games take on a life of their own. That definitely occurred on Saturday night between the Maple Leafs and Red Wings. The slot was open. Zone entries were too easy. Defensive zone coverage was poor and the goaltending wasn’t any better.

High-scoring games might be entertaining. But in the locker room, it’s different. Even if your team wins – like Toronto on Saturday – there’s an element of guilt. The Maple Leafs allowed seven goals against and let a commanding lead almost disappear in the third period.

There is no way Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe was happy with the defensive performance of his team. The Leafs have struggled to hold leads all season and their goaltending – despite an incredible first half of the season by Jack Campbell – has once again become a question mark leading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

I find it astonishing that in 2022, an NHL game can finish with a score of 10-7. Outlier matchups happen. But they’re usually one-sided. We all know a few 7-1 games will happen throughout the course of an NHL season. But 10-7? That’s wild.

Surely fans of both teams were entertained. I’m sure Mitch Marner enjoyed scoring four goals for the Leafs. And Filip Hronek was probably happy to have a four-point night for the Wings.

But that was a sloppy game by both teams. It shouldn’t happen again. But never say never in the modern NHL.